Why Hilliary DID NOT contradict Obama tonight on Iraq

In earlier debates, Hillary Clinton took Barack Obama to the mat when he would state he was against the war FROM THE BEGINNING. Tonight, for the first time, she did not contradict this statement. Why not?

Because if she had done so, she would have publicly contradicted Teddy Kennedy's statement on the subject during his endorsement speech.

TO HAVE DONE THAT, PUBLICLY CONTRADICT A STATEMENT MADE BY TED KENNEDY, WOULD HAVE BEEN A PERMANENT, FATAL POLITICAL MISTAKE. And that is one of the important things Ted Kennedy did in his endorsement -- he confirmed the fact that Barack Obama had been against the war since its inception -- as was Kennedy himself -- and thus the public debate on that issue, Obama's original position on the war, ended within the party.

Sam

made her LOOK so bad. She was CAUGHT and for the first time had no response. That moment of silence was oh so telling.

Thanks Uncle Ted!

To me, it looked like she was just letting him have his say, knowing it was irrelevant because she had already made a clear case for her actions.

In fact, I happened to be watching the debate with several people who are not very political. I asked their impression of that exchange, and to them, it made Obama look less informed and less experienced. Hillary had given a good explanation of how things worked from her perspective, and Obamas perspective appeared to be that of an outsider or a casual observer.

This question has come up in most if not all of the preceding debates. Her reaction was radically different. If one has watched all of the debates, the normal expectation was that she would give her previously stated response -- contradicting Obama on that issue. Remember also the "fairly tale" comment of Bill Clinton, which was directly contradicting Obama's stance in acquiescence to Hillary's continuing debate refutations of Obama on this point.

Her reaction tonight was radically different from all previous debate performances on this issue. That moment of silence was Hillary calculating whether or not to revert to her canned response to this Obama statement or whether to simply let it go ... she let it go. Your friends would have noticed that if they had observed all of her previous debating performances.

Very few people watch all of the debates and follow this stuff the way we do here. Most voters are like my friends..they catch one debate or read an article or two a few days before it's time to vote, and that's what they go by. It may not be responsible, but it's reality. Their casual impression is more reflective of how the debate plays with the average voter.

Having said that, I HAVE watched every debate and followed the whole process. My impression tonight was that she took the time to actually thoroughly explain why she had cast the vote. It was a thoughtful, and valid explanation. Once she had done that, she could afford to patiently smile while Obama made his normal statement. It no longer had any impact, because we had a clearer understanding of where she was coming from.

which is a good thing.

No. She LIED about what he had said about the war. It's been well documented that both she and her husband distorted what Obama stated about this STUPID WAR she is complicit in making happen.

She just doesn't have the spiritual fortitude to admit her awful mistake.

He advised her to NEVER admit that vote was mistake. The truly BIG MISTAKE she made was listening to Mark Penn.

Sam

maybe she thinks that if she is seen as strong warmonger the GOP won't call her weak. I still think the 'war on terror' rubbish will play a part in this election.

but in moving to the right during the primary season, she has alienated a part of the Democratic base. The rule of thumb is usually one must carry the base to win the nomination of the party; she was betting she could attract enough Independents and disillusioned Republicans (particularly with that war stance she assumed) to win the nomination without the liberal portion of the base. And that is why you see so many DU'ers react so negatively to her candidacy -- she left the liberals behind in her quest. It is a natural consequence.

It was also huge risk, but Tuesday will tell the tale if her gamble was correct or not. If it was correct, she will be in a better position to run against McCain, negating his Independent vote magnet. If incorrect, she won't need to worry about that problem ....

We'll see.

have been identical (both have voted to continue funding the war). Also that in 2003 he seemed to back off from his original stance, removing his antiwar speech from his website and admitting he wasn't sure what he would have done confronted with the same info as Congress.

I think she may not have challenged him on it tonight because they wanted to tone down the rancor.

Obama's been against the thing from the beginning, as his quotes will sustain, and unlike Hillary he didn't vote to give Shithead the opportunity to invade. And I believe him when he says he wouldn't have had he been in office at the time.

and neither do I.

That tells me many things about her character and none of them are good.

this is her weakest ground. Never fight your opponent on your weakest ground.

She obviously put up no fight on the point, and that in itself was highly significant.

I could see her mentally calculating whether to contradict that statement, and in so doing, tacitly challenge the statement made by Ted Kennedy in his endorsement -- HE WAS EXPLICIT ABOUT OBAMA BEING AGAINST THE WAR FROM THE START -- and she knew, absolutely, it would be a fatal mistake. The one thing Hillary Clinton cannot absolutely afford at this critical juncture would be to make Teddy Kennedy angrier than he is now. I think that is aptly demonstrated by Bill Clinton's abrupt change in demeanor. Bill Clinton is absolutely humbled by Teddy's anger.

I doubt fearing making Teddy angrier was the reason. A show of deference perhaps, knowing she will have him on her side after the primaries, not wanting to get into another food fight when the party needed to show unity, whatever. She has answered the question numerous times. Obama was just wasting time and showing he doesn't have much else to talk about. I think at that point he even said he wasn't taking a swipe at her. She can reinforce her message on the war when he is not there to fight with.

Also, I've got to say that for someone who keeps talking about looking to the future and not the past, Obama continues on his more talk than action path.

Teddy cannot afford to blow anymore gaskets in public, it would not be good for his image, his charge, or his blood pressure. I expect he knows that.

I noticed watching she had a very glum expression on her face during that segment. I found that interesting.