'08 hopefuls campaign amid vote on Iraq

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'08 hopefuls campaign amid vote on Iraq

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer 44 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential hopefuls in the Senate cast symbolic votes Saturday against President Bush's effort to boost troop levels in
Iraq amid calls by campaign rivals for Congress to embrace far stronger measures to end the war.

Republican senators eyeing the White House split in their support for the president's policy. One, Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona, skipped the procedural vote to campaign in Iowa.

"Meaningless," McCain grumbled during a question-and-answer session with voters in the state. He derided the Senate vote as a Democratic stunt and said it was insulting to the public and the soldiers.

"No matter whether we pass or defeat this resolution, those young men and women are still going over to Iraq," said McCain, a top tier candidate and staunch supporter of Bush's deployment of 21,500 additional combat troops.

In New Hampshire, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., told voters that the nonbinding resolution amounts to a vote of no confidence in Bush and his policy.