Iraq Victory Upends Dem Campaigns In Iowa And New Hampshire
The successes of President Bush’s troop surge in Iraq are quieting things down in another, unexpected place: the Democratic campaign trail in Iowa and New Hampshire.
When asked, voters in the early presidential states all say the war in Iraq is important to them.
But when they quiz candidates, Iraq seldom comes up these days - even for Hillary Clinton, who was grilled relentlessly on her vote to authorize the war when she launched her campaign.
“We haven’t heard as much bad news out of Iraq lately,” said Kevin Carson of Exeter, N.H. “Maybe it’s the economy that’s scaring people now.”
No one is sure what impact that will have on the battle for the Democratic nomination as the candidates return to the trail today for a final push before the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses and Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary.
“Clinton does well among blue-collar, working-class people, so a focus on domestic issues could help her,” said the University of New Hampshire’s Dante Scala. “On the other [hand], if people feel less threatened, they may be more willing to take a chance on [Barack] Obama.”
Camp Clinton has been playing her experience as its trump card. If Americans are less worried about an uncertain world, it could play more like a deuce.
“You could argue it either way,” said communications strategist Howard Wolfson.
But rivals, including Obama, have relied on voters who wouldn’t forgive Clinton for her war vote. Obama’s opposition to the war from the start still counts, his team maintains.
“The reality is the war was a mistake,” said strategist David Axelrod.
And the war matters less to voters now?
“I think they’re riled up about the general state of affairs in Washington: foreign policy, domestic policy,” Axelrod said. “They want someone who is willing to challenge all of that.”
Clinton leads in most surveys asking which candidate is best at handling issues at home. But it’s John Edwards who has made fighting poverty the foundation of his campaign. And Obama has played up the cross-issue theme of hope.
It’s not as if people have forgotten Iraq. “We still think a lot about the boys over there - I have a nephew and grandnephew there,” said Mary Melka of Independence, Iowa. But she has another reason it’s no longer a decisive issue for Democrats. “All the candidates would pretty much bring them home,” she said.With Michael Saul in Iowa
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
Thanks for the link!
I think we’ve seen the last month or two with much less attention on Iraq, and the polls are even showing the economy as more important than the war in the minds of voters.
Keep it up over here!
December 26th, 2007 at 12:14 pmWhat is it like looking in the mirror, knowing that because of the choices you’ve made, your party profits from the death of innocent Americans and Iraqis?
What is it like cheering every IED at a market, booing every airstrike on a murder factory?
What is it like to spit on the men and women who would die to protect you?
On second thought, I don’t want to know.
May you live with the consequences of your actions. Or not.
December 26th, 2007 at 4:34 pmThe war is less important to the Media and the democrats because we are going to win it, despite their efforts to sabotage the military campaign in Iraq.
There is not much wrong with the economy; the subprime “crisis” is a very small part of the economy. Job growth is still good and the economy is still showing 2% growth at the very least. The Clintons, in their traitorous ways, did a double-cross on their Chinese communist buddies, so the Chicoms started dumping the dollar in an attempt to hurt the American economy, but ended up cutting their own economic throat. Hill’s goal was to use the economy as a campaign issue, so she was fine with damaging the American people that she pretends to want to help.
Voting democrat technically makes you an idiot.
December 26th, 2007 at 5:38 pm“All the candidates would pretty much bring them home,” she said.
Actually, they wouldn’t. They know better than to cut their own throats. By the election Iraq will be looking like a brilliant ongoing success, but with plenty of work left to do.
December 26th, 2007 at 9:59 pm