Throwing herself to the lions

I'm not a "Hillary!" supporter, and would much prefer she not enter the 2008 presidential race since I think she envigorates the base...the Republican base, I'm afraid, not the Democratic one. That said, I think it took a lotta guts to stand up in front of "Take Back America."

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A liberal crowd both booed and cheered Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Tuesday after she encouraged Democrats to have a ''difficult conversation'' about their position on the Iraq war in order to win over middle-of-the-road voters.

Clinton's attempt to strike a moderate stance on the divisive issue of the war contrasted sharply with the angry words of another potential presidential contender, Sen. John Kerry, the party's 2004 standard-bearer, who called the war ''immoral'' and a ''quagmire.''

At a speech before a liberal gathering dubbed ''Take Back America,'' the New York senator took grief from those in the audience critical of her vote for the Iraq war and her opposition to an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops.

''I do not think it is a smart strategy, either, for the president to continue with his open-ended commitment, which I think does not put enough pressure on the new Iraqi government,'' said Clinton, before turning to the anti-war liberals' core beef with her.

''Nor do I think it is smart strategy to set a date certain. I do not agree that that is in the best interests,'' said Clinton, prompting loud booing from some at the gathering.

Clinton has been seen as the early favorite among potential Democratic candidates for president in 2008, but she is increasingly at odds with anti-war liberals over her past vote and current position on Iraq.

''Sometimes this is a difficult conversation, in part because this administration has made our world more dangerous than it should be,'' she said.

After addressing Iraq, Clinton quickly turned to the 2006 election, saying her party needs to speak to middle-class Americans and overcome disagreements.

''If we're going to win in November then we have to be smarter, tougher, and better prepared than our opponents, because one thing they do know how to do is win and we have to reach out to people who may not be able to agree with us,'' she said.

''We have to talk about the range of issues that are on their minds that they talk about around the kitchen table,'' Clinton said.

That's very true. Look, demanding each and every candidate sign a petition calling for a troop pull-out in 2006 is a losing game. It ensures that the candidate in '08 will have his/her hands tied behind them and ignores whatever facts on the ground may arise in the next two years. Put another way, there's a lotta photo ops between now and then. I think it's important for potential candidates to make clear they regretted voting for something based on lies and misleading intelligence; that they would never take this country to war based on such lies and misleading intelligence; that, having taken the country to war, would they bungle it so magnificently by not demanding that the war planners also present a plan for the peace; that they would not leave the country financially disabled by trying to pay for the war via tax cuts for the wealthiest.

But committing to a pull-out now, two years before the election, is a mistake. I think Clinton's right to stay centered on this issue, believe it or not. Sure beats flag burning amendments.

The same is not true for House and Senate candidates, particularly those who have a lot to answer for.