Hillary spokesperson Howard Wolfson, on a conference call with reporters a few moments ago:It is a critical one, Howard. And, we have to base our decisions about who should lead us based on their demonstrated judgment."The issue of who's best prepared to be commander-in-chief will continue to drive discussion in this campaign because it is a critical one."
Here's the deal. What we know about Hillary Clinton as commander in chief is that she trusted George Bush's judgment and voted for the war in Iraq. In her 2002 speech, Clinton listened to Bush and took him at his word because, you know, that's what her "experience" as First Lady of Arkansas and the United States told her to do:
And perhaps my decision is influenced by my eight years of experience on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue in the White House watching my husband deal with serious challenges to our nation. I want this President, or any future President, to be in the strongest possible position to lead our country in the United Nations or in war. Secondly, I want to insure that Saddam Hussein makes no mistake about our national unity and for our support for the President's efforts to wage America's war against terrorists and weapons of mass destruction.Classic use of Bush talking points circa 2002. Now, if Clinton or her staff had listened to what the White House press secretary was saying on the very day she gave that speech, she'd know that Bush was going to use that vote to go to war:
Q If the President gets the same kind of a vote from the Senate, does he feel that he can immediately or at any point have a free hand to go to war?Pretty clear.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, under the Constitution, Helen, the President, of course, does have the authority --
Q -- or even with or without allies.
MR. FLEISCHER: Under the Constitution, the President does have the authority as Commander-in-Chief to make those determinations. The President has asked -- said he would ask the Congress to weigh in on this matter, and the Congress is doing so and doing it today. And the President thinks that will be very helpful in keeping the peace. The President has made no decisions about what the next step will be. Clearly, we will continue to talk to the United Nations about the inspection process, and that's where the matter currently stands.
Q But he would never go back to Congress again for another go-ahead? I mean, he considers this the green light?
MR. FLEISCHER: The Congress is speaking today about authorization of the use of force. Today's vote by the Congress is an important vote.
Let's not forget Iran. Her "experience" listening to one end of a phone call told her to trust George Bush's judgment and vote for the Kyl-Lieberman Iran resolution last September. (That resolution is worded an awful lot like the resolution that authorized the war with Iraq.) Just as Clinton stuck by her Iraq vote, she strongly defended that pro-Bush Iran resolution at a debate in December:
Clinton started by suggesting that the resolution, which urged the Bush administration to brand the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, had been successful. "Since that resolution passed," she explained, "our commanders on the ground in Iraq have announced that we've seen some progress from the Iranians backing off, no longer sending in weapons and materiel, and beginning to withdraw their technical advisers."That's a Bush talking point from Hillary.
Keep in mind, she thinks McCain is commander in chief material and he voted for the war in Iraq. Given Hillary's imaginary standard for Commander-in-Chief, George Bush would probably make the cut too -- so would Joe Lieberman.
So Democrats have a simple choice: Do you want another commander in chief whose "experience" channels George W. Bush on Iraq and Iran? If so, then vote for Hillary or McCain and buy your kids some kevlar. As Clinton has made clear repeatedly over the past week, she and McCain are interchangeable.
Main & gay blog