Evidence that Hillary voted for war for political expedience

[cali]

From Lincoln Chafee:

<snip>

So why did any Democrats buy this pathetic propaganda being peddled by Bush & Co.? Essentially it was due to political cowardice, he says. The netroots have been saying this for years, though it's interesting to see it being acknowledged by some who had an inside view.

“The top Democrats were at their weakest when trying to show how tough they were,” writes Chafee. “They were afraid that Republicans would label them soft in the post-September 11 world, and when they acted in political self-interest, they helped the president send thousands of Americans and uncounted innocent Iraqis to their doom...

<snip>

A bewildered Chafee, seeking an explanation, turned to an unnamed Democratic senator who opposed the war but was well-respected by his party’s leaders. This senator tells Chafee “in confidence” what concerned the Democrats. “They are afraid the war will be over as fast as Gulf One. Few will die, the oil will flow and gasoline will cost 90 cents a gallon.”

<snip>.

Chafee remains contemptuous of Democrats who helped Bush to gin up this unnecessary invasion.

That includes New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, whom Chafee says put her presidential ambitions above standing up to Mr. Bush and the rush to war in Iraq.

“I find it surprising now, in 2008, how many Democrats are running for president after shirking their constitutional duty to check and balance this president,” writes Chafee...

“They argue that the president duped them into war, but getting duped does not exactly recommend their leadership. Helping a rogue president start an unnecessary war should be a career-ending lapse of judgment.”

<snip>
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/30/191653/018/37/4...

[msongs]

1. actually it is an opinion, not evidence. the guy has a book to sell nt

[cali]

4. he was there. he's also a stand up guy who bucked the entire repuke

establishment and certain reprisal because he did his homework and voted against a bullshit blank check for war. And Lincoln Chafee ain't writing a book for money- that's something he has plenty of.

[joeybee12]

21. No, it;s an opinion,,,,he;s saying this about a lot of Dems and

by referncing the 2008 race, implying Hilary did that also.

You cannot say that someone who suspects another person's motivations is fact...it just isn't.

[aquart]

2. NO? Really? What a surprise!

As Obama would have done had he been there. But he wasn't in the Senate then, was he?

Oh, right. He SAYS he would have taken the risk of being called unpatriotic in the long hysteria after 9/11. Why, his career is FULL of risky votes. They all say, PRESENT.

[cali]

6. bwahahahaha!

what weak broth you brew, my dear. pitiful speculation. You can't fucking know that, little genius and there's strong evidence that Obama opposed the war. His own words speak a lot louder than your lame bullshit, honey.

[Raejeanowl]

8. I Am Still Waiting For The "Missing" State Senate Office Records

Speaking of political expediencies, they might tell the real tale of why so many official vote calls were tallied as Obama PRESENT.

[Kahuna]

27. Obama was running for the senate when that vote came up and

ANNOUNCED loud and clear his opposition. That vote was also used as a wedge for those seeking office, so your little attempt to rewrite history is just stupid.

[LittleClarkie]

3. And suggested Kerry do the same, iirc

I'd like to think his vote was for more substantial reasons.

[blm]

7. big difference in that Kerry publicly opposed Bush's DECISION to go to war when inspections

were proving force was not needed. And stayed on that ground. Hillary did not join Kerry in that opposition, and instead stayed with her support for Bush's decision to go to war.

[sandnsea]

11. Hillary was blathering "stay the course"

when JK was trying to get out his message of a plan to begin withdrawing troops in 2005. He said he would denounce Bush if he didn't let diplomacy work, and that's exactly what he did. I wish people would focus on the time after the vote instead of just the vote itself. The difference is clear.

[LittleClarkie]

19. Indeed. Just as he said there was a 4 month window (I think it was)

for the government to get its act together re: the war, and sure enough, after that time period had elapsed, Kerry came out against the war, on April 22, the same date as his testimony.

And when he came out in favor of Obama, and mentioned unity, it was also consistent with things he's said before. He desperately wants to see this country healed. He thinks Obama can do it.

He's pretty consistent and you can often see this stuff coming if you're paying attention.

[sandnsea]

22. January 2003 "Mr President Do Not Rush To War"

He gave a powerful speech just before he went in for cancer surgery about Bush's bullying foreign policy and him rushing to war. Completely different than Hillary. His remarks on the eve of war also expressed deep regret that Bush hadn't given diplomacy more of a chance to work. The differences are clear. If the differences hadn't been there, I'd never have been a Kerry supporter. Now, the same people who beat the hell out of Kerry for his vote, are rejecting the guy who called this war 100% right from the very beginning, including the ideology of Wolfowitz and Perle. It's mind boggling.

[joshcryer]

12. Did you not read or see Hillary's speech before she gave the vote?

Or is this just another pointless smear?

[blm]

15. Yes. And then 5 months later AFTER Bush decided to invade, she stood with Bush

while Kerry was denouncing Bush's DECISION to invade.

What part of that was a mystery to you?

[cali]

17. I suggest you educate yourself. Read Pat Leahy's speech

excoriating any Senator who would vote for a blank check. He mentions how the IWR is like the Tonkin Gulf Resolution too.

[LittleClarkie]

20. Thanks for the clarification

I should have remembered that part.

Bad Kerrycrat, bad bad.

[blm]

5. But, Hillary wanted a Dem to win in 2004, didn't she? You mean she really WAS planning

to run in 2008 just like many of us believed?

Why then - the Democratic nominee would HAVE to be undermined by her loyalists, wouldn't he?

So historian Douglas Brinkley was likely SPOT ON!
http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=13354

And Bill supported and defended Bush publicly during his entire 2004 book tour because......
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/19/clinton.iraq/

And Carville wasn't just looking for a reward from his wife when he called WH on election night?

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2006/oct/07/did_carville_tip_bush_off_to_kerry_strategy_woodward

[Tatiana]

9. It gives me pause, for sure.

I really pains me to think that some Democrats could have been planning (or covertly working) for a Kerry loss in '04.

[cali]

10. Thanks for the links, blm. Great ones. n/t

[Clarkansas]

13. I am sure several Dems did that

but most of them have learned their lesson. Not her.

[hulklogan]

14. Senator in political expediency shocker! Stop the presses!

Chafee's opinion about Senator Clinton's motive for voting yea on the IWR will look nice on the shelf next to Senator Obama's failure to vote on Kyl-Lieberman

[cali]

18. Hilly voted for K/L and if she had the decency to give a shit about

the lives of millions, she would have voted no on the IWR. She was warned not to vote for a blank check by someone infinitely her superior in every way- Pat Leahy.

[hulklogan]

23. The same Pat Leahy who voted yes on DOMA?

Please.

[blm]

24. The DOMA supported by Bill Clinton and signed by him?

That DOMA?

[frylock]

25. are you for real?!!

DOMA? Kyle-Lieberman? You're going to try and defend Clinton with THAT!! fucking awesome!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Or, she was incredibly stupid. Either of which should disqualify her from office.

But, I agree with the most obvious reason. Political expediency at the cost of lives.

[Kahuna]

26. Of course she did. So did Kerry and Edwards. Was that ever an issue?

:shrug: