C42 and Iraq war

28 November 2007 |permalink | email article

Bill Clinton told a crowd in Iowa on Tuesday that he opposed the Iraq war from the start and criticized the Bush administration for continuing to cut taxes even as they pursued wars.

“Even though I approved Afghanistan and opposed Iraq – from the beginning – I still resent that I was not asked or given the opportunity to support the soldiers.”

But yesterday Mark Halperin of Time cited two 2003 quotes which seem to undercut the former president’s Iowa statement.
April 14, 2003: “In his first speech in Minnesota since leaving office, former President Bill Clinton on Sunday praised President Bush’s handling of the war in Iraq. But he criticized Bush’s domestic priorities…” Minneapolis Star Tribune

May 13, 2003: “Former President Bill Clinton accused President Bush of spending more time fighting the war on terrorism than on domestic issues. ’I supported the president when he asked for authority to stand up against weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but we can’t be forever strong abroad if we don’t keep getting better at home.” Associated Press

Hillary Clinton voted to authorize the Iraq war in 2002 and ever since her presidential candidacy has been trying to defuse confusion about her position.

Given the strong opposition in Iowa to the war does Bill Clinton’s new and contradictory statement create a tipping point in the dead heat between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama before the Jan. 3 caucuses? 

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