In S.F., Clinton explains vote for Iraq war

Sacramento Bee ^ | 1/29/6 | Herbert A. Sample

[SmithL]

SAN FRANCISCO - U.S. senator and possible presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton stopped in San Francisco on Saturday night for a friendly discussion on her life, her husband and her future. But it's her views on Iraq that have upset some California Democrats.

Clinton, New York's junior senator and wife of former President Clinton, was interviewed before a crowd of about 1,600 at the Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium by former television host Jane Pauley as a fundraiser for the Bar Association of San Francisco.

Her spokesman steadfastly refused to describe what else she is doing while in California. Nonetheless, the trip is being seen as one of the first forays into the state for what many believe is a nascent campaign for president in 2008.

So to some liberal Democratic activists, the event offered a chance to press Clinton on her position on the war. And they are not happy.

"We need a woman in the White House," said Suzanne Joi of CodePink, a self-described "woman-initiated" grass-roots anti-war group that held a small protest in the rain outside the auditorium. "But we don't need a woman who acts like a man in the White House, and we don't need a woman who cannot stand up to the Republican right-wing agenda."

Replying to a question from Pauley about why she voted in 2002 to give President Bush authority to wage war in Iraq, Clinton said Bush insisted he needed that authority to prod Iraq into allowing inspectors back into that country. But Bush ultimately misused that authority, Clinton added.

"No matter what one thinks about how President Bush used that authority, we cannot root for failure," Clinton said. "We cannot take actions now that would further undermine whatever chance of stability the new Iraqi government might have."

[Almondjoy]

I guess their idea of equality doesn't match the one in the dictionary.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"So now these women are advocating that we have to have a woman president? And that woman can't act like a man? So are women a superior species now? Are they sexist?"

They are about as sexist as Jesse Jackson is racist.

[ZOOKER]

And so much for "Hillary can't be elected because she's alienated her liberal base".

One lame excuse and they fall back in line.

[Howlin]

was interviewed before a crowd of about 1,600 at the Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium by former television host Jane Pauley as a fundraiser for the Bar Association of San Francisco.

They PAID her to answer questions?