Words Matter -- On Clinton Dropping the Ball
Sat Mar 08, 2008 at 05:08:02 AM PDT
Like many, I am terribly frustrated and angered by Hillary Clinton’s decision to effectively endorse John McCain foreign policy credentials over those of her party colleague, and nomination front-runner, Barack Obama.
It is especially frustrating to me because I remember with great clarity those days in 2002, when I desperately hoped that someone from that small group of Democrats with a truly national profile would speak in opposition with clarity, and help lead the party to a position of opposition.
We got that leadership from Al Gore, unfortunately, less than 2 years from the controversial Florida recount, he wasn’t given the serious attention he deserved at that time.
Hillary Clinton, on the other hand – as the party’s best known and most visible elected official at that time – could have made a difference.
I believe it’s time for Obama to make that explicit case. Thoughts on how after the jump:
Simply put, Obama needs to wrap this message into his stump speech, as follows:
“Senator Clinton is fond of saying that all I offer as commander in chief is a speech I gave in 2002. But as an elected official, the words you say are a reflection of the judgment you exercise. And what we needed in 2002 was more people, like me, and like Al Gore, and like Dick Durbin, who were willing to speak at precisely the time that it was not popular.
“I don’t like to dwell on the past. But I want you to think back and imagine what it would have been like in 2002 if Hillary Clinton had actually read the intelligence reports, and spoke out passionately against the war in Iraq.
“Imagine what it would have meant to the debate if the most visible and well-known elected Democrat in the county stood up and said “Hey…hold on a minute.”
“Imagine how it would have altered the debate if the person many people knew at that time was planning to run for President in the future had said “Maybe we should listen to General Shinseki when he says it will take a lot more troops than we have to do this right.”
“Imagine what it would have meant if the Senator from New York had had the courage to say “I represent the place where the terrorists attacked us, and I want us to keep our eye on the ball, and catch bin Laden, not get off track in a war against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11
“With all respect, Hillary Clinton had her moment, and she dropped the ball.
“Words matter. Leadership matters. And we need real leadership and good judgment if we are going to end this war, and restore Americas place in the world.”
I think taking an approach like this would be news-making, compelling, put Clinton on the defensive, and carry the added benefit of being absolutely true.
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