As a strong critic of the President's Iraq policy, Sen. Chuck Hagel is receiving lots of attention. Chris Cilizza provides an overview of why Sen. Hagel would make a good candidate in 2008, and this article in Newsday compares Sen. Hagel to the new McCain. As the article points out:
As a Republican critical of the Bush policy in Iraq, Hagel is infinitely more valuable to the anti-war cause than a mere Democrat. After all, nobody is surprised anymore when a Democrat opposes the war, but it's notable when a Republican breaks ranks with his own party's president - especially when he uses such punchy language, referring to the Iraq surge as the "most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam."
Below is the fantastic video (again) of Sen. Hagel commenting on the Iraq resolution the day after the President's State of the Union address:
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via Greg from TPMCafe, Sen. Barack Obama has called for the phased removal of combat brigades from Iraq to start in a few months, with the goal of getting all removed by March 2008. From a release just sent out by his campaign:
The Obama plan offers a responsible yet effective alternative to the President's failed policy of escalation. Realizing there can be no military solution in Iraq, it focuses instead on reaching a political solution in Iraq, protecting our interests in the region, and bringing this war to a responsible end. The legislation commences redeployment of U.S. forces no later than May 1, 2007 with the goal of removing all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008, a date that is consistent with the expectation of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group.
According to the release, this plan is based on Obama’s speech before the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
On Friday, Sen. Obama will be speaking at the DNC's Winter Meeting, then will be at George Mason University (Go Patriots!) to address a rally sponsored by Students for Obama. I wonder what he'll discuss...
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Senator Joe Biden will file papers to become a candidate for President tomorrow. He will also launch his website, so be sure to check it for more information. In an e-mail, he mentions that he'll be holding a webcast on Thursday to answer questions. Biden says:
You'll hear more about the launch of our campaign tomorrow, but I wanted to send you an early invitation to participate in a live audio webcast this Thursday at 8:00 PM ET. I hope you can join me as I discuss the upcoming campaign.
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According to a new poll released by Quinnipiac University, Sen. Clinton is ahead of all probable competitors. (Note: The poll's margin of error shows that either Sen. McCain or former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani might win, too, if the election were held today.) Other numbers include:
Clinton tops former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 52 - 31 percent;
McCain edges Illinois Sen. Barack Obama 41 - 38 percent;
Former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards edges McCain 44 - 41 percent.
Here's a validating Tuesday quote for Sen. Clinton and her people from the poll's release:
"Those who say Sen. Hillary Clinton can't win the White House because she can't win a key swing state like Ohio might rethink their assumption," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
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The Wall Street Journal has a good article on how Mitt Romney is strategically raising as much money as he possibly can by flexing his fundraising muscles early. (Campaign finance has been an issue, as we noted here.)
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The Los Angeles Times has a great article on the potential of passing comprehensive immigration reform with a Democrat-controlled Congress. The article highlights the influence of Rep. Zoe Lofgren, saying:
In the House, where these conservatives could derail a bill, the job of finding that elusive middle ground falls to Rep. Zoe Lofgren. The San Jose Democrat, who heads the immigration subcommittee, has been buttonholing lawmakers, quizzing them between votes and hosting formal meetings.
"There's a way to deal with this," she said. "The Republicans I've listened to make it clear they're open to dialogue, to practical solutions."
NDN continues to fight for comprehensive immigration reform, and you can view our work on our website.
The Economist has a great article on the transition of Cuba, noting the contrasting views here in Washington about how to deal with the island.
Also, The New York Times has a relevant article on how the emerging politics of Latin America is cause for concern, regardless of Fidel Castro's health. As the article points out at the end:
Perhaps we were kidding ourselves when we imagined that when Castro died, the yearning in many parts of the world for a figure like Castro would die as well. If Hugo Chávez proves nothing else, it is that such dreams are alive and well.
Both of these articles reveal much consideration and thought on behalf of our government. If the issues above concern you, come to NDN's upcoming event on Post-Castro Cuba: A New Day for American Relations with Cuba and Latin America.
Rep. Duncan Hunter launched his presidential exploratory committee yesterday in South Carolina. You can learn more about his announcement here, or check out his website.
(Note: It seems as if Rep. Hunter missed the memo on how to use the new tools to help spread his announcement, as he doesn't seem to have either video or a blog on his site.)
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Looking ahead, The New York Times has an interesting article on how campaigns will adapt if a few (4 at most) large states move up their 2008 primary dates to early February.
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