Des Moines Register
10-05-07
Obama pushes his stance on war
By JASON CLAYWORTH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Waterloo, Ia. — Democratic presidential candidates generally agree that ending
the war in Iraq is a top priority, yet Barack Obama is aggressively emphasizing
the differences between him and other top candidates — especially Hillary
Clinton — on the war.
Several Iowa political observers interviewed this week said that focus, illustrated
by Obama’s “Judgment and Experience tour” in Iowa this week, is critical to his
campaign’s success.
The Illinois senator, to gain a foothold into the top slot, must find a way to slay
criticism that he’s inexperienced, Cary Covington, a political science professor at
the University of Iowa, said. He must also successfully push aside the
competition and stand apart from such rivals such as former North Carolina Sen.
John Edwards and Clinton, a New York senator.
“He can’t just be negative. He can’t say Hillary Clinton is a bad candidate
because that’s not going to sell well, and it’s just going to make him look bad,”
Covington said. “He does have to start talking about — and you’re seeing this
happening — ‘What are my advantages over her?’ ”
The biggest differences Obama was stressing this week include the 2002 vote
the U.S. Senate took that authorized the war. Clinton and Edwards both voted to
authorize the war. Obama, at that time, was not a U.S. senator and voiced strong
opposition to the decision. While he typically does not mention Clinton or
Edwards by name in his speeches, he has punched home a stinging statement at
multiple events: “Let’s be clear, without that vote, there would be no war.”
Edwards’ and Clinton’s campaigns brush aside Obama’s criticism.
Edwards’ staff shifted the blame for continuing the war back onto current
senators, including Obama.
“The real issue isn’t what Senator Obama said as a state legislator … The
question is what Congress should be doing today to actually end this war,” said
Dan Leistikow, an Edwards spokesman.
“This is more of the same from Senator Obama,” said Mark Daley, a Clinton
spokesman. “We believe voters are focused on the future …”
Obama has worked in past Iowa campaign stops to tackle criticism that he is
inexperienced, saying instead that his past judgments are evidence he has what
it takes to lead the country. He is emphasizing that point more strongly now.
“What we can do now … is make sure we elect a president who has the
judgment to make sure that we only send our young men and women into war
when it’s absolutely necessary for our security not when it’s ideologically, driven
not when it’s based on faulty intelligence, not when it’s based on politics,” Obama
said in Waterloo Thursday.
With less than three months remaining until the Iowa Caucuses, that voice must
continue to strengthen or he will have little chance of capturing the Democratic
nomination, say top Iowa Democrats, media pundits and Iowa political
professors. In opponent Hillary Clinton, he’s up against two forces: the senator
and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, notes Arnie Arneson, a political
radio and television host.
“He has to not just undermine her leadership abilities; he has to take on Bill.
Remember, we’re getting two for the price of one,” said Arnesen, a former New
Hampshire gubernatorial candidate.
Arnesen said Obama’s self portrayal as a Washington outsider is a tougher sell
to voters than in previous elections because experience with international affairs
is deemed critically important to the future of the United States.
“Obama has to look to the struggling voters and remind them what leadership
looks like,” Arnesen said.
Most polls of Iowa Democratic caucusgoers have shown Obama in a tight race
with Edwards and Clinton. A Newsweek poll released Saturday showed Obama
with 28 percent, Clinton with 24 percent and Edwards with 22 percent.
Another poll released this week by the American Research Group showed
Obama with 24 percent, behind Clinton who had 30 percent but ahead of
Edwards, who had 19 percent of the support.
Obama, in an interview Thursday, called the differences he is highlighting
“important, relevant information” and “the most important foreign policy issue
since the Cold War.”
“This campaign is not going to be won on trying to fabricate differences. I think
there are real differences,” Obama said, adding that he would be more likely than
Clinton to talk with political enemies and build bridges.
Obama’s ability to take down Clinton, the national Democratic presidential
frontrunner, may be more a matter of luck than rhetoric, said Steffen Schmidt, a
political science professor at Iowa State University.
“Hillary has to make some major mistake or some big scandal,” Schmidt said.
“Additional political campaign problems have to erupt” in order for Obama to take
the lead, he predicted.
The big question, observers like Covington say, is whether Obama’s message
can successfully capture the attention of voters.
Cedar Falls resident Rosie Burt is one Democrat who hasn’t really paid attention
to what differentiates the candidates on the war issue.
“I haven’t really looked too much at the differences,” said Burt, who attended
Obama’s Waterloo campaign stop Thursday at the Boys and Girls Club of Black
Hawk County. “I like both of them. Hillary and (Obama). Whichever one gets in
there.”
Independence resident Kirsty Malinowski told Obama at a campaign stop
Thursday in her town that he won her vote.
“Since he doesn’t have that much experience, he won’t be set in his ways and
he’s not contaminated,” said Malinowski.
Reporter Jason Clayworth can be contacted at (515) 699-7058 or
jclaywor@dmreg.com