Anti-war Republican to run for president

[Poiuyt]

Texas Congressman Seeks Presidency

By JOE STINEBAKER
The Associated Press
Thursday, January 11, 2007; 6:28 PM

HOUSTON -- Rep. Ron Paul, the iconoclastic, nine-term lawmaker from southeast Texas, took the first step Thursday toward a second, quixotic presidential bid _ this time as a Republican.

snip -

He was one of a handful of Republicans to vote in 2002 against giving President Bush the authority to use military force in Iraq, contending that only Congress had the power to declare war. At times, he has voted against funds for the military.

more -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/11/AR2007011101424_pf.html

[Samantha]

1. Two days ago I had a conversation with a very smart attorney

He said he would vote for whomever the Democratic party nominates in 2008 regardless if that person voted for the authorization or not. The most important thing is to win, he said.

But what if some candidate emerges from the right running against Hillary, and that candidate has a longstanding opposition to the war in Iraq -- that was my reaction. It would be the perfect Republican political maneuver to retain the Oval Office.

So the question becomes did the public put the Dems in power in 2006 grasping for an immediate resolution to this invasion or because it simply preferred the Democratic party? I believe it is the former rather than the latter.

As an example, Chuck Hagel would be a prime candidate to steal Hillary's thunder in the quest for the Presidency in 2008. Though Hillary issued a statement opposing the escalation, her rhetoric simply does not match his.

If the Dems want the Oval Office in 2008, they must run an anti-war candidate who has condemned this pre-emptive action from its inception. That narrows the field.

Run, Al, run.