Comments on: AP Declares Clinton Campaign “Fading”, McCain Faults Obama http://providencedailydose.com/2008/02/20/ap-declares-clinton-campaign-fading-mccain-faults-obama/ News/Arts/Culture/Nightlife/Nonsense/Obscurities Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:20:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Kerry http://providencedailydose.com/2008/02/20/ap-declares-clinton-campaign-fading-mccain-faults-obama/#comment-2736 Kerry Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:01:30 +0000 http://providencedailydose.com/2008/02/20/ap-declares-clinton-campaign-fading-mccain-faults-obama/#comment-2736 Clinton's vote in 2002 was a vote to support the US resolution in the UN for unrestricted inspections. I don't understand the hype. Any 'informed' citizen at that time knew that Bush could have declared war without the consent of Congress, citing Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which provides that "The president shall be Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States." Presidents have generally cited Article II, Section 2 as their authority to send soldiers into combat. In contrast, I find Obama’s position on the war disturbing. After his one single speech at an anti-war rally in the most liberal precinct in Illinois, Obama did not oppose the war at all. He did not oppose the war in the Senate. He did not even campaign against the war when ran for the Senate, contrary to what he said in the debate last week. Only when it became politically expedient to oppose the war recently, he dragged his old speech out of the closet and has been distorting Clinton's position in order to win. Here is Obama's 2004 Senate campaign website. Where is the anti-war rhetoric he is using today? http://web.archive.org/web/20030603200043/www.obamaforillinois.com/index.shtml In 2004, when Kerry was running for president, Obama had plenty of excuses to offer for Kerry's 2002 vote, which was the same as that of Clinton and of the majority of the Senate Democrats. Hillary Clinton's speech on the 2002 vote is here http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html One can see that what she said then is exactly what she is saying now about her position then. Excerpts from the 2002 Clinton speech: "...Even though the resolution before the Senate is not as strong as I would like in requiring the diplomatic route first and placing highest priority on a simple, clear requirement for unlimited inspections, I will take the President at his word that he will try hard to pass a UN resolution and will seek to avoid war, if at all possible. Because bipartisan support for this resolution makes success in the United Nations more likely, and therefore, war less likely, and because a good faith effort by the United States, even if it fails, will bring more allies and legitimacy to our cause, I have concluded, after careful and serious consideration, that a vote for the resolution best serves the security of our nation. If we were to defeat this resolution or pass it with only a few Democrats, I am concerned that those who want to pretend this problem will go way with delay will oppose any UN resolution calling for unrestricted inspections. ... A vote for it is not a vote to rush to war; it is a vote that puts awesome responsibility in the hands of our President and we say to him - use these powers wisely and as a last resort. And it is a vote that says clearly to Saddam Hussein - this is your last chance - disarm or be disarmed." I hope RI residents will all vote for Clinton tomorrow! Clinton’s vote in 2002 was a vote to support the US resolution in the UN for unrestricted inspections. I don’t understand the hype. Any ‘informed’ citizen at that time knew that Bush could have declared war without the consent of Congress, citing Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which provides that “The president shall be Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States.” Presidents have generally cited Article II, Section 2 as their authority to send soldiers into combat.

In contrast, I find Obama’s position on the war disturbing. After his one single speech at an anti-war rally in the most liberal precinct in Illinois, Obama did not oppose the war at all. He did not oppose the war in the Senate. He did not even campaign against the war when ran for the Senate, contrary to what he said in the debate last week. Only when it became politically expedient to oppose the war recently, he dragged his old speech out of the closet and has been distorting Clinton’s position in order to win. Here is Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign website. Where is the anti-war rhetoric he is using today? http://web.archive.org/web/20030603200043/www.obamaforillinois.com/index.shtml
In 2004, when Kerry was running for president, Obama had plenty of excuses to offer for Kerry’s 2002 vote, which was the same as that of Clinton and of the majority of the Senate Democrats.

Hillary Clinton’s speech on the 2002 vote is here http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html
One can see that what she said then is exactly what she is saying now about her position then. Excerpts from the 2002 Clinton speech:

“…Even though the resolution before the Senate is not as strong as I would like in requiring the diplomatic route first and placing highest priority on a simple, clear requirement for unlimited inspections, I will take the President at his word that he will try hard to pass a UN resolution and will seek to avoid war, if at all possible.

Because bipartisan support for this resolution makes success in the United Nations more likely, and therefore, war less likely, and because a good faith effort by the United States, even if it fails, will bring more allies and legitimacy to our cause, I have concluded, after careful and serious consideration, that a vote for the resolution best serves the security of our nation. If we were to defeat this resolution or pass it with only a few Democrats, I am concerned that those who want to pretend this problem will go way with delay will oppose any UN resolution calling for unrestricted inspections.
…
A vote for it is not a vote to rush to war; it is a vote that puts awesome responsibility in the hands of our President and we say to him - use these powers wisely and as a last resort. And it is a vote that says clearly to Saddam Hussein - this is your last chance - disarm or be disarmed.”

I hope RI residents will all vote for Clinton tomorrow!

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