Hillary Clinton is the DLC candidate

[Emit]

DLC members take the position that "...George Bush's policy is strategically good but needs to be implemented more effectively."


The DLC appointed Hillary Clinton to define a party agenda for the 2006 and 2008 elections.


Will Marshall, cofounder of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and head of the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), has been a leading figure in the effort to push the Democratic Party toward aggressive foreign policy, in particular in the "war on terror." http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1295

Will Marshall is a signatory to the following letters/statements from the Project for the New American Century:

Letter to Congress on Increasing U.S. Ground Forces
January 28, 2005
http://www.newamericancentury.org/defense-20050128.htm

The Project for the New American Century &
The U.S. Committee for Hong Kong
Statement in Support of the People of Hong Kong
June 29, 2004
http://www.newamericancentury.org/hongkong-20040629.htm

An Open Letter to the Heads of State and Government
Of the European Union and NATO
September 28, 2004
http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraq-20030328.htm

Second Statement on Post-War Iraq
http://www.newamericancentury.org/russia-20040928.htm

Statement on Post-War Iraq
http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraq-20030319.htm



It remains uncertain as to whether Barack Obama will continue to distance himself from the DLC, or move closer to it. He has close ties to DLC Chair, Harold Ford Jr, and "has expressed interest in 'find(ing) ways he could work with the DLC,' according to Ford.

edit typo

[Hieronymus]

1. She sure is DLC and many of her supporters sound like right wing ....

Republicans.

[bigtree]

12. which camp says we musn't 'demonize' republicans?

[Cha]

2. hilary's kinda keepin' that shit underwraps..

shhh..That's not for mass consumption..she's a stealth candidate on so many levels.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. It is time to back off and give it a rest. nt.

[Emit]

5. Not sure I follow, Warren Stupidity

In what regard?

[Warren Stupidity]

6. Lets make it as easy as possible for our Clinton DU'ers to

make the transition 'to the Obama cult'. There is no point in poking them with sticks any more. Its over.

[Emit]

10. Explain how discussing our Democratic Presidential candidates' ties to the DLC

constitutes 'poking Clinton DUers with sticks?'

[Warren Stupidity]

11. Never mind. It was obviously a silly idea.

[Emit]

13. Most seasoned DUers are fully aware of the PNAC-DLC connection

and how our Democratic candidates fit into that picture. Many new posters who've managed to accrue thousands of posts in a short period of time, and who continue to perpetuate the poking from both ends, may not be. We all need to understand the issues at hand here, and be prepared to be proactive in our party in the future to exact the change we desire. There is no panacea in either candidate with groups like the DLC involved in our party, IMHO.

[jackson_dem]

4. What disagreements does Obama have with the DLC?

In reality he is as DLC in ideology as Hillary. Whether he joined the t-ball league doesn't mater. The DLC is not a cabal but a political group with a certain ideology. Obama, like formal member Clinton, adheres to that ideology.

[mtnsnake]

9. Very few, if any. The DLC finds Barack very appealing

In a Washington Post interview, Harold Ford, the new chairman of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, says Illinois' junior senator has expressed interest in "find ways he could work with the DLC." Ford describes Obama as a "personal friend" and says they talk regularly.

http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/2007/02/obama_to_the_dl.html

This thread could be about Barack Obama just as much as it is about Hillary Clinton.

[Swamp Rat]

7. The DLC - PNAC connection: Will Marshall

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1295.html

(snip)

With Al From, in 1985 Marshall cofounded the DLC, an important bastion of center-right Democrats that was once chaired by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT). In 1989, Marshall founded the PPI, a think tank that is affiliated with the DLC. Both organizations are sometimes described as neoconservative for their foreign policy positions. In an analysis of the two groups' stance on the Israeli offensive against Hezbollah in summer 2006, Tom Barry wrote: "In practice, though, DLC/PPI positions differ little from that of the Bush administration. As Israel rained bombs down on Lebanon, the DLC's New Dem Dispatch echoed the neoconservative camp in its plea for the Bush administration to avoid the supposed shame of appeasement in the Middle East. Adopting the same line taken by the Bush administration and the Israeli government, the newsletter recommended that the war be taken to Tehran and Damascus, which 'have become clear threats to regional and world peace, and must be isolated and sanctioned, not appeased.'"

(snip)

Although Marshall calls himself a "centrist," he has associated himself with neoconservative organizations and their radical foreign policy agendas. At the onset of the Iraq invasion, Marshall signed statements issued by the Project for the New American Century calling for the removal of Saddam Hussein, advocating that NATO help "secure and destroy all of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction," and arguing that the invasion "can contribute decisively to the democratization of the Middle East."

Marshall's credentials as a liberal hawk have been well established by his affinity for other PNAC-associated groups, including the U.S. Committee on NATO and the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq. Marshall served on the board of directors of the U.S. Committee on NATO alongside such leading neoconservative figures as Robert Kagan, Richard Perle, Randy Scheunemann, Paul Wolfowitz, Stephen Hadley, Peter Rodman, Jeffrey Gedmin, Gary Schmitt, and the committee's founder and president Bruce Jackson. At the request of the Bush administration, Jackson also formed the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, which, with former DLC chairman Joseph Lieberman serving as co-chair with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), aimed to build bipartisan support for the liberation, occupation, and democratization of Iraq. Marshall, together with former Democratic Sen. Robert Kerrey of Nebraska (who coauthored "Progressive Internationalism"), represented the liberal hawk wing of the Democratic Party on the committee's neocon-dominated advisory board. Other advisers included James Woolsey, Eliot Cohen, Newt Gingrich, William Kristol, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Joshua Muravchik, Chris Williams, and Richard Perle.

(snip)

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1295.html

_____________________________________________________________

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=253482&kaid=137&subid=900111

DLC | Speech | July 26, 2005
Remarks of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to the 2005 DLC National Conversation

(snip)

"So I would like to start by thanking Al From and Will Marshall, Bruce Reed, and all of the people at the DLC and the PPI, not only for the rich legacy of your ideas, which have helped to transform our party and reinvigorate our country, but for your determination to stay focused on the future, laying the groundwork for the next great era of...."

(snip)

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=253482&kaid=137&subid=900111

_____________________________________________________________

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1534.html

Progressive Policy Institute
600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20003
Web: www.ppionline.org
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

(snip)

PPI, founded in 1989 by Marshall and Al From, is a project of the Third Way Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. As the think tank for the Democratic Leadership Council, the PPI says its mission "arises from the belief that America is ill-served by an obsolete left-right debate that is out of step with the powerful forces reshaping our society and economy." PPI claims to advocate "a philosophy that adapts the progressive tradition in American politics to the realities of the information age and points to a 'third way' beyond the liberal impulse to defend the bureaucratic status quo and the conservative bid to simply dismantle government."

(snip)

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1534.html

[Emit]

54. .

DUers need this info

[mtnsnake]

8. The DLC loves Obama and there is a reason for that

He reflects enough of their views and they find him extremely appealing. It's no small wonder why he felt it so necessary to make it public how he wasn't a card carrying DLC member. It's because he was so very friendly with the DLC....even before he decided to support Lieberman over Lamont.

[jackson_dem]

14. Yup. It is amazing those who hate the DLC in the blogosphere are blind to this

Just because he doesn't call himself DLC they are so blinded by their hatred of the DLC that they ignore that he is as DLC as Clinton. There are even many folks who view Obama's success as some sort of rejection of the DLC. On the contrary. Obama-Clinton vindicate the DLC's "New Democrat" ideology's dominance of the party ever since 1992.

[mtnsnake]

16. Check out this DLC-Barack Obama connection:

Ford predicted the DLC will play a major role in the issues debate that unfolds in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary process. The group will not side with any one candidate, he said, even though the organization has close ties to a number of potential nominees, from Vilsack to Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Joe Biden (Del.) to Gov. Bill Richardson (N.M.). Even Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) has expressed interest in "find ways he could work with the DLC," according to Ford. (Ford describes Obama as a "personal friend" and says they talk regularly.)

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/fords_next_move.html

I find it very curious how so few, if any, threads about this have been posted on this site. That will be changing soon...

[Emit]

19. I posted that in my OP -- did you even read it?

I included the exact info in my original OP. You must have overlooked that part.

[mtnsnake]

23. Then why did you limit the thread just to Hillary??

And yes, I did read your OP, but I didn't see that exact info in the post itself. I believe that the part you included was not the same as what I did, even though the bottom link was to the same article.

[Emit]

34. It is exactly the same

same quote same link

[Emit]

15. And I would bet that frustrates Clinton to no end n/t

[mtnsnake]

18. No. The people it frustrates will be some of Obama's supporters who never realized how DLC he is n/t

[Emit]

Hence my post.

[mtnsnake]

24. Well then why does your headline exclude Obama when he's as DLC, even as indicated by here.

Why not do another thread with HIS name then, instead of hers? :shrug:

[Emit]

29. Because he's not a member

technically

[mtnsnake]

30. yeah, because he's not a member "technically". In essence, he's as DLC as any candidate

[Emit]

32. No, he's not

But could be. That's my point.

[mtnsnake]

35. "No, he's not But could be. That's my point." Well why not put the entire thing in the subject line?

Why are you reluctant to cut off your sentence halfway like that? ARe you afraid to point out to all the un-knowing that Obama could be as much DLC as Hillary? Hell, let it all hang out...

[Emit]

38. Hillary IS DLC

that much is clear

Obama's connection to DLC is unclear -- that was stated in my original post from the start had folks chose to read it

What is the problem with my message?

[mtnsnake]

42. and Obama is very DLC-like. You and I have both proven that already.

The problem I have with your message is that if you're going to get on Hillary's case for being DLC, then you should also include Obama in the same headline. Do you really think that everyone is going to read every last point you made inside your OP? Most of them will miss the little tiny bit at the end where you attributed some DLCishness to Obama, only because they take your headline at face value.

[Emit]

45. I would hope everyone would read every last point any poster makes inside an OP

Isn't that the purpose of a discussion board? Perhaps we'd have better discussions and fewer flame wars if people actually read the posts others make before having a knee-jerk reaction. We are all supposed to be supporting the Democratic Party, aren't we? I mean, what can be more important to the people of the Dem Party than to understand the underpinnings of their candidates?

And, what would you suggest my post title be, "HRC is the DLC candidate/BO is not", or "HRC is the DLC candidate/BO might be"? At this point, I have no information suggesting that Obama is the DLC candidate in the same sense that Clinton is. That is my opinion. It is clear in my book that Clinton is more DLC than Obama and that was reflected in my title and my post. I apologize if that is not a positive reflection on Clinton. It is what it is.

[Emit]

40. It's frustrating, isn't it?

to know that both of our Dem candidates have connections to the DLC which has connections to PNAC.

One has stronger connections, the other has connections with DLC members but it remains uncertain the extent of those connections.

[mtnsnake]

43. "both of our Dem candidates have connections to the DLC which has connections to PNAC"

Good point. I think you should do another thread tomorrow on this and make that point, only with both Obama and Hillary in the headline of your post or at least saying "BOTH" candidates this time.

I dare you :evilgrin:

[Emit]

53. Any luck with your thread there?

Bottom line is Hillary is a bona fide spokesperson for the DLC. You can't get much closer than that. The logic kinda works only one way but not in reverse when one is a leader within the DLC and the other is not even a member, huh?

[rodeodance]

27. why are you only broadcasting HIllary in your headline!!

[Emit]

31. Because she heads the DLC's American Dream Initiative

and has been with the DLC for two decades

[Emit]

36. It's not always just about HRC

it is about the direction our party has taken

[mtnsnake]

39. That's right, but around these parts everyone likes to exclude Obama from all his obvious DLC appeal

People love to condemn Hillary for being a card carrying member, but Obama, who appeals to the DLC as much as anyone in recent years, gets a free ride because he's not "officially" a member. Kind of like "Present!" but not taking official action.

[Emit]

41. Having DLC appeal and being a card carrying member is different, IMHO

But, neither sits well with me

Edited to add, isn't it important to discuss this difference, at least, no?

[Emit]

28. Seriously, though, she's been carrying the water for the DLC for two decades.

(according to the NPR link in the OP where the President of the DLC, Bruce Reed, discusses HRC launching the American Dream Initiative)

Obama, in essence, usurped her run.

I think it's safe to say there are likely some sore feelings now that Obama is looking pretty damned good to them.

[mtnsnake]

33. Says you. n/t

[Emit]

50. Yeah, it's my opinion

I'd be pretty darned pissed if I were her.

[eridani]

17. You don't get to be a frontrunner unless you are big money friendly

That includes both candidates.

[mtnsnake]

20. Exactly. Barack Obama in essence is every bit as much DLC as Hillary, maybe more

[Emit]

21. I disagree that he is more

It remains uncertain how connected he is to the DLC agenda.

[mtnsnake]

25. I said "maybe more". Connected officially or not, his agenda is very DLCish

[WilyWondr]

26. Where do I find this information on dlc.org?

When I go to http://www.dlc.org and click on Leadership Counsel I get a picture of Harold Ford Jr, Sen Tom Harper, Al From and Sen Hillary Clinton.





:nopity:

[mtnsnake]

37. Did someone say he's a card carrying member?

If so, show me.

[dysfunctional press]

22. this just in- the sky is blue, and water is wet...

nt

[ErnestoG]

44. Best reason seen tonight not to vote for her.

[mtnsnake]

46. Then you should reconsider why you're voting for Obama, who leans toward a DLC agenda with the best

of them, without actually being a card carrying member.

[Emit]

49. Obama and Clinton do not appear to be equally DLC

Many are supporting Obama because he is not the card-carrying member. Seems a perfectly logical choice, IMHO.

[Medusa]

47. Bump

Because everyone needs to be reminded that she is the DLC posterchild.

[nebula]

48. Shillary is to DLC

as Bush is to Karl Rove. A mindless puppet on a string.

[last1standing]

51. They're both DLC approved. Better get used to the fact.

We have two centrists running for the Dem nomination and an ultra conservative as the repub nominee. The left has been successfully marginalized yet again.

[Emit]

52. And that is only partially my point

It puts discerning voters in a tough spot.