HuffPost: Small Kerry mention in Hayden column

[beachmom]

I found this column to be mostly annoying as it danced around the biggest development for the Democrats this week: Kerry's ultimatum and call for withdrawal. But at the end, he says this:

If 2006 is uncertain, the emerging presidential campaign is no better at this point. The front-running Hillary Clinton shows no wavering from her hawkish and wrong-headed stance on Iraq, although she is capable of "re-positioning" herself again if the anti-war vote becomes a major factor. Other potential candidates with stronger anti-war views are Feingold, John Kerry, John Edwards and, according to insider rumors, Al Gore. Kerry recently distinguished himself by calling for a pullout by the end of this year, the strongest stand by a Democratic senator thus far. None of them seems a match for Hillary at this point, but they might mass anti-war sentiment into a political force once again. The best hope for the anti-war movement is in building a strong network now in Iowa and New Hampshire, the early primary states where Democratic voters wait in large numbers.

A commenter (miracle of miracles) caught this, and wrote:

A little odd that Kerry's proposal doesn't get mentioned until three sentences from the end. Realize it's a recent development, but it could be a very important one.
By: Thad on April 06, 2006 at 12:44pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-hayden/the-politics-of-iraq-in-2_b_18594.html

There were other things in his piece which I found unsubstantiated and radical. Until I see evidence, I think it's wrong to say the Americans have engineered the Death Squads under the Interior Ministry. It could be true, but I want definitive proof before I believe that. He doesn't further our cause when he makes accusations that haven't been verified. All in all, a conspiracy theory/Democratic bashing column that's interesting to read, and maybe in a couple of years we will learn if what he has said about what the U.S. is doing in Iraq is true.

Edited to add link.

[fedupinBushcountry]

1. Interesting

Because Hayden wrote this about Kerry's speech in October:

Support for Kerry Speech

RESPONSE TO JOHN KERRY GEORGETOWN SPEECH THIS WEEK

I think the Kerry speech is a good step, especially in the context of the appalling silence of other Senate Democrats. It is an anti-war speech that contains a more detailed alternative than yet elaborated. It will not satisfy ?out now? advocates but at least it says ?out soon?.

The defense of dissent as patriotic is a nice addition. The demand for 20,000 troops out by Christmas is excellent and will prevent Bush from taking total credit if it happens.

I would hope the Senator will call for hearings and discussion on an exit strategy followed by a Senate resolution, but his proposals are
ice-breakers in the official discussion in the Senate chamber. As I understand the specific proposals:


- emphasizing the primacy of a political settlement. The reference to the report of the Iraqi Sovereignty Committee is the first such reference by a national figure or reporter.

more>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-hayden/support-for-kerry-speech_b_9632.html