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November 01, 2007
Obama On Iran
As the Iowa caucuses approach (in a little over two months) current second-place contender for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, is searching for angles to gain ground on frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton. Lauded as a fresh face with a fresh approach to presidential politics, Obama has consistently trailed the less dynamic but more seasoned Clinton in primary polls.
While there is a sense of excitement about Obama, many wonder, given his relative youth and even more youthful appearance, if he is yet ready to be president. And while many Democratic primary voters have serious issues with aspects of Hillary Clinton's record as a U.S. Senator, they also know she's politically battle-tested and not prone to mistakes.
As the rest of the Democratic field has recently taken aim at HRC in an attempt to bring her back to the pack, picking at hawkish aspects of her foreign policy seems to be the attack of choice. After all, many Demoractic voters, particularly in an anti-war state like Iowa, recall her vote authorizing President Bush to invade Iraq and subsequent defense of her decision with something less than fondness.
Obama, for his part, touts his opposition to the Iraq War from the beginning, when he was an Illinois State Senator. In fairness, it was likely much easier to oppose the war when you didn't have to actually vote on it, but he draws a real contrast nonetheless. Now that said contrast has receded in importance, however, his campaign clearly believes he must draw another to demonstrate his readiness for office and make headway in the polls.
In a piece by Michael Gordon running in tomorrow's NY Times, Obama attempts to draw that new contrast, on Iran. Clearly seeking to capitalize on Clinton's vote for the Lieberman-Kyl Senate bill, which declares Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist -- a vote which was highly unpopular with many on the left -- Obama lays out his case for aggressive "personal diplomacy" with Iran.
It is an understandable and interesting move by Team Obama. Whether it will work is anybody's guess.
Posted by houtopia at November 1, 2007 10:01 PM