AP: Vilsack Criticizes McCain on Iraq

[Eugene]

Vilsack Criticizes McCain on Iraq

By ANNE SAUNDERS
The Associated Press
Friday, December 1, 2006; 1:04 PM

CONCORD, N.H. -- Democratic presidential hopeful Tom Vilsack on Friday dismissed
Republican Sen. John McCain's call for more U.S. troops in Iraq, arguing it would
be wrong to "make a big mistake bigger."

Vilsack, who announced his candidacy for the White House on Thursday, questioned
McCain's proposal to send another 20,000 combat troops to Iraq to quell the
insurgency. The Arizona senator, considered the front-runner for the GOP presidential
nomination, has stood alone in calling for additional troops.

"I fundamentally disagree with Senator McCain on this. I think he is wrong. We cannot
afford to make a big mistake bigger," the Iowa governor said to a burst of applause
at the New Hampshire Technical Institute.

-snip-

Vilsack criticized the Republican during a stop in New Hampshire, the first primary
state and one of five on the governor's kickoff campaign tour.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120100793.html

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Good political move.

1) Attacks the opposition party vs. his party's hopefuls
2) Makes a mark to state where he stands
3) Hits a recognizable name (again, of the opposing party) to make headlines

:thumbsup:

[delphinium]

2. I'm with you

Nice start, Tom.

[More Than A Feeling]

3. Good for him, and good for the party.

McCain needs to be taken down, and if even our lesser known candidates direct their fire McCain's way, he is not going to have a joyful primary campaign or any kind of general election campaign.

Also, if even a perceived avatar of the DLC isn't afraid to bash McCain, the other candidates have no excuse.

On the other hand, this colonialist bilge is disgusting:

"We've created a culture of dependency in which the Iraqis are essentially using America either as an excuse or a reason not to confront the problem.... No matter how long we are there, no matter what we do, eventually they have to decide for themselves, do they want safety and security and stability or not?"

Yes, the always popular "Iraqis are children who can't take care of themselves" meme, on loan to Vilsack from the neo-conservatives. Yes, that's right, blame the Iraqis for Bush's lack of foresight and the supreme arrogance of the neo-conservatives. The divisions in Iraq have only existed for about 1500 years! How were we supposed to know? :sarcasm:

[ripple]

4. Aaaaaaaannnnd they're OFF!

The 2008 race has officially begun, my friends. :woohoo:

[Infinite Hope]

5. Definitely...

I eat-sleep-and-breath campaigning, but man, I could use a break between. Oofda.

[snowbear]

6. I can't believe I was the only DU'ers to recommend this thread..

Good grief wassamatta U guys?

[DaveinMD]

7. because most of DU

would rather just attack Vilsack because he's a member of the DLC. Never mind that he was a good governor of a state that had been under Republican control of the State House for 20 years.

[snowbear]

8. True... but only until we have a nominee...

Very strange how that works!

Once they're in.. whether they're DLC, DNC, neither or both, no one on here talks about it any more.. :shrug:

Just seems like a silly argument to me because we only discuss DLC affiliation until they're nominated..

Seriously!

If our next nominee is somehow affiliated with the NewDems, DLC, or whatever they're called these days.. there won't be a peep about it once we start rallying behind that one person.

[DaveinMD]

12. unless they lose

then it will be all the DLC's fault.

[Clark2008]

9. No - I won't attack him for that.

I'll just say... "And? What's your plan, Tom? What's your foreign policy cred? Where's your national security experience?"

That's starters.

[snowbear]

10. Very cool sig line you've got there Clark2008 !!

I like that!

[DaveinMD]

11. lots of governors

became very good at foreign policy. Such as President Clinton. I like Clark too. I don't think we should attack the other Dems.

[snowbear]

13. I heard that Jon Stewart did a Vilsack commercial using the Aflak duck!

I didn't see it, but read on the AAR forum that Stewart had a commercial with a duck running across the screen yelling...

"VILLLLLLLLLLLSAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!"

Sounded like it was funny..

[LittleClarkie]

15. That might actually be a good way for the man to get his name out there

His main problem is that he's unknown. That would get him known in a hurry, and be a nice positive humorous ad to boot. It would be very Feingoldian of him.

[LittleClarkie]

14. Or, perhaps, just maybe, we'd like to see the freakin' Congress take their seats

Before we pay attention to 2008.

[DaveinMD]

17. this has to do

with criticisms of Vilsack. Your point is not germane to the subject. It more relevant to any discussion of any presidential campaigns.

[LittleClarkie]

18. No it had to do with why no one was recommending the thread

You turned it into "because they're too busy criticizing him for being DLC". My answer had to do with Vilsack just announcing his candidacy, and since I've not heard such pronouncements from him before, it feels like one of the first volleys for 2008. Hence, this is my explanation for why folks aren't showing the proper enthusiasm, as opposed to your suggestion that they're hostile.

[DaveinMD]

20. I don't get into

the recommendation of threads thing. I have seen a lot of criticism of Vilsack over the DLC thing, whch I think is a cannard.

[LittleClarkie]

21. Ah. I don't know enough about Vilsack to even have much of an opinion on him

All I know is he endorsed Kerry in 2004. Aside from that, I'm not going to reject someone for merely being DLC. My Governor is freakin' DLC. But in purple Wisconsin, that's what we elect: centrist Republicans and centrist Dems. We're just so damn split down the middle.

I need to know more about the dude.

[DaveinMD]

22. I think

that's the exact attitude to have. I have the same attitude. I'm more likely to go Clark or Edwards or maybe Obama. Though I will keep an open mind about Vilsack.

[JI7]

16. good for him, no matter whether one may support or like him,

this is a good thing he is doing. McCain's had his ass kissed for years both both parties and the media whores. it's time we call him out on his crap.

[MasonJar]

19. That is the ticket; hit the hypocrite loud and often.