Tom Baldwin in Washington
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Hillary Clinton’s campaign was yesterday wriggling uncomfortably over charges that her husband, Bill, had tried to re-write history with a claim that he opposed the Iraq war “from the beginning”.
The former President’s speech in Iowa on Tuesday night may serve to re-focus attention on Mrs Clinton’s support for the invasion four years ago - an issue which she has successfully side-stepped over recent months.
“I approved of Afghanistan and opposed Iraq from the beginning,” he said in a wide-ranging speech on foreign policy in which he sought to promote the prospect of a Clinton restoration to the White House as bringing America “back to the future”.
But this comment appeared to be at odds with the position he had taken shortly after the invasion, when he said in May, 2003: “I supported the President when he asked the Congress for authority to stand up against weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.” Other remarks Mr Clinton made at the time show he backed President Bush with some reservations. For instance, he called for the United Nations to be involved “not only for the military action - where we don’t really need their help - but for what comes after”, while also adding: “This has been in Saddam Hussein’s hands from the very beginning.” His spokesman, Jay Carson, later stressed that Mr Clinton had always made clear that the UN should have been given more time to deal with Saddam.
“As he said before the war and many times since, President Clinton disagreed with taking the country to war without allowing the weapons inspectors to finish their jobs,” said Mr Carson.
Mrs Clinton’s chief rival, Barack Obama, has made great play of his early opposition to the Iraq invasion which is hugely unpopular among Democratic voters. But she largely neutered attacks on her Senate vote authorising military action by promising to end the war - and sharply criticising the way it has been fought.
In recent weeks the salience of the issue, even among Democratic voters, has diminished along with the death-toll in Iraq. Both she and Mr Obama acknowledge they would keep US troops in the country for some time, with their clashes increasingly concentrating on domestic issues such as health care policy.
The renewed controversy was expected to provide fresh ammunition for Republican presidential candidates in their scheduled TV debate last night, as well as for Democratic rivals who have accused the Clintons of “double-talk” on key policy questions.
It is not the first time that Mr Clinton has embarrassed his wife’s tightly disciplined campaign.
Her aides were recently forced to say he had been speaking out of turn when he compared attacks on her to the “Swift Boat” smears levelled against the 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry.
The former President is still regarded as an enormous asset for Mrs Clinton and he has been wheeled out as a counterweight to Mr Obama’s star recruit, talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Both of these “campaign surrogates” will feature prominently over the coming days in Iowa - which kicks off the nominating process on January 3 - where Mr Obama is now neck and neck with Mrs Clinton according to recent polls.
But the Clinton campaign has sometimes struggled to marry its twin themes of “change” and “experience”, with rivals reminding voters about the prospect of continuing the uninterrupted occupancy of the White House by the Bush and Clinton family dynasties.
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Both Clintons are an embarrassment and should get out of politics.
cgregson, OFallon, Illinois
It this the London Times? The headline is atrocious. Talk about sensationalism, "Bill Clinton embarrasses wife over Iraq war". How do any of Bill Clinton's comment embarrass Hilary Clinton? Bill Clinton has made it clear, as has Hilary Clinton, that they supported the President's decision to go after Iraq due to the imminent threat of the discovery of weapons of mass destruction. Well, we all know now there were none and even Mr. Bush has said the evidence was wrong, but it doesn't matter because the important thing was...? Anyway, it would have been horrible politics for Mr. Clinton to have disagreed with Mr. Bush at the time in a very public way. It's just not done. In the USA, an outgoing leader of anything, nation, state, or city, does not bash the new leader publically. No body wants that done to them, so they don't do it to others. You provide support with caution which is just what Bill Clinton did. There is nothing embarrassing about what Mr. Clinton said.
Steve, Los Angeles, CA
Sir,
Politicians the world over - shameless musical chairs.
SC, London, United Kingdom
Just get Bush out of the white house! Not only for God's sake but for sanity's sake .....
H Brennan, Kilkenny, Ireland
Kathleen M. Bohrer, Avon, Indiana said everything. Best to Clintons!
Anne, Los Angeles, CA, USA
I'm afraid the subtlety of my comment will go over most people's heads.
No Clinton supporter should be correcting another over the correct use of a word after;
"It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is."
Mary Catherine, Elmhurst, USA/IL
The Clinton Administration with both Hillary and Bill at the helm led the US into a period of prosperity, with a balanced budget, a focus on domestic issues, international PEACE, and a nation focused on reaching out to the global community which is the core of our small planet. Today, Hillary Clinton is one of the most brilliant, powerful women in the world, in her own right. The essence of a role model is that you not only stand up for your beliefs, but you support those you love. Hillary and Bill Clinton are in a 30 year long intellectual conversation that just keeps getting better and our country is better for this.
Kathleen M. Bohrer, Avon, Indiana
What difference is it supposed to make whatever Bill Clinton thought about the Iraq war? He is not going to be the President. His wife is (perhaps). Is Hillary Clinton so desperate to be President that she will effectively be elected on the back of the US voters' love affair with Bill Clinton.
None of the other candidates have their spouses running around electioneering for them in this way. If this is what Hillary thinks is empowering women in politics, she is doing the reverse. She looks like an opportunist riding on her husbands previous popularity, unable to stand on her own.
Stephen Rothbart, Prague, Czech Republic
-What "beginning" are we referring to here? Let us not forget that back in January of 1991, President Bush [Sr.] had authorized the U.S. to participate in a coalition which was attempting to force the Iraqi military to withdraw from their invastion of Quwait- Although this coalition had been authorised by the United Nations (in contrast to that of the present day), this was viewed as a controversial decision back here on this side of the Atlantic back then, and it was towards the end of 1990 when the then governor of Arkansas announced his intent to run for the Presidency on the Democratic ticket in 1992-
Scott Benowitz, Rye, New York, U.S.A.
Bill Clinton's performance as President was acceptable if it were not for his propensity for lying. While Barry Bond will go to prison for committing perjury, our former President got away with the same crime under oath. Perjury is the basis for many of our laws. His revised statements is no surprise. Clintons will do anything to get back in the White House.
Mac Qurashi, Leesburg, USA
The Clinton Waffle House is now open.
Mike, Kasaan,, Alaska
This is the reason I support Vets for Freedom. Please let me quote Tom Balbwin:"
Both she and Mr Obama acknowledge they would keep US troops in the country for some time, with their clashes increasingly concentrating on domestic issues such as health ."
Thomas Folan, Bessboro, Blackrock, Co. Cork, Ireland
Bill Clinton rocks, and It's actually spelled "you're".
Sincerely,
Enlightened One, Atlanta, Georgia
I think Clinton has dementia. He doesn't look good.
Rex Sultana, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Yes, Bill Clinton has charisma. Yes, Bill Clinton has pizzazz; but Bill Clinton is also one helluva liar - and a professional one at that.
And the left-wing media of the world will continue singing his praise while conferring rock star status on him no matter what tall tale he weaves.
Rock on Bill, your fawning apologists and groupies (who consider themselves the "enlightened" ones of humanity) await your next song and dance.
Your the man!
mojo dojo, NC -USA,