Sunday, August 21, 2005

Presidential hopefuls

Want to know who is looking at running for president in 2008? Start searching for politicians spouting Iraq stategies. Pols who are talking about Iraq strategies are trying to feel out positions. They are leaving themselves plenty of wiggle room on those strategies right now, using them more to get a feel for the political climate. In one article from Reuters, we have Chuck Hagel, George Allen, Russ Feingold, and Bill Richardson all playing the game.

Hagel: "What I think the White House does not yet understand and some of my colleagues, is the dam has broken on this (Iraq) policy." "We are locked into a bogged down problem not unsimilar or dissimilar to where we were in Vietnam. The longer we stay the more problems we are going to have."

Allen: "It is absolutely essential that we win it. We cannot tuck tail and run (from Iraq). We have to prevail. We must win. If we lose, that will destabilize the Middle East."

Feingold: "The president is not telling us the time frame ... what's happening is that the American public is despairing of the situation," said Feingold. "I felt it was time to put on the table an idea and break the taboo."

Richardson: "The senator (Feingold) is understandably frustrated, like all America is. What we need in Iraq is either a strategy to win or a strategy to get out."

All potential candidates would be well advised not to do one thing-to become a one dimensional war (pro or con) candidate. To do so is to guarentee a loss.

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