SNEAK PEEK: Iraq: Five Years Later
Now in its fifth year, the war in Iraq remains a key issue in the '08 election.
March 18, 2008— -- It seemed like this week would be all about Iraq. The fifth anniversary of the war is Wednesday and the issue has been a central point of debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Who has the judgment and experience to end the war? Who was right about the war five years ago? Iraq will certainly be a key theme in the general election, whether it's Clinton or Obama against John McCain.
But a funny thing happened on the way to March 19 as economic news and the issue of race got in the way. Suddenly the candidates had to shift from foreign policy and national security and talk about race, religion, and the mortgage crisis, prompting Clinton to note that "those 3 a.m. calls can be about economic crises as well as national security ones, because it's all intertwined today."
On Wednesday, foreign policy and history will be the main themes of the day, as Obama and Clinton talk about Iraq and over 11,000 pages of records from Clinton's White House years are released in Arkansas and Washington, D.C.
Obama will deliver what his campaign is billing as a "major speech" on Iraq in Fayetteville, NC. ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports that Obama will present a "comprehensive and substantive view" of his national security vision and draw on different policies that he has laid out over the course of the last year in this presidential run.
Miller has this newsy tidbit: "Be on the lookout for him to draw clear contrast with his "two opponents" aides say -- note that's two opponents, not just Hillary Clinton."
Clinton holds a roundtable with veterans in West Virginia that will focus on Iraq and later holds a town hall meeting in the Mountain State.
President Bush marks the fifth anniversary of the war with remarks at the Pentagon. Look for the President to tout progress over five years while also acknowledging the declining situation there in 2006 that necessitated the troop surge.
Tivo Alert! Nightline co-anchor Terry Moran sat down for an exclusive interview with Obama in Philadelphia after his speech on race Tuesday. They discuss the speech and how his campaign plans to move forward. The interview with air on Nightline at 11:35 pm ET tonight as an American in Black and White special edition and on Good Morning America at 7:00 am ET on Wednesday.
The Obama campaign has been pushing for more transparency from the Clinton campaign, making that a key point of their message in the long gap until the Pennsylvania primary on April 22 and pushing for the release of her records from the White House years.
"What is Sen. Clinton hiding and what is lurking in those documents that she believes voters don't have a right to know?" Obama communications director Robert Gibbs asked last weekend.
On Wednesday, Gibbs and political reporters may get answers to that question when the Clinton Presidential Library opens 11,046 pages of schedules from Hillary Clinton's days as First Lady. These records will be available around 10:00 am ET in the library's research room and online (http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/) and through the National Archives in Washington.
Per the National Archives, these schedules are from the First Lady's Staff files of Patti Solis Doyle, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Scheduling for the First Lady. Doyle was responsible for Clinton's schedule from 1993 to 1998 and then Director of Advance through 2000. The records released tomorrow will detail meetings, trips, speaking engagements and social activities for Clinton during her eight years as First Lady.
ABC News' Eloise Harper reports that Clinton was asked about her transparency and told reporters that with the release of the White House records, Wednesday "will be an exciting day for all of you." Clinton then said, "Stay tuned there will be a lot more so that the books and writing and words about me will continue to fill many archives and warehouses around the world."
Former President Bill Clinton barnstorms Pennsylvania tomorrow and has the whole state to himself while Obama campaigns in North Carolina and Hillary Clinton is in West Virginia. The former president hits up four cities chock full of those white, blue-collar voters that were key to Clinton's Ohio win – Bethlehem, Allentown, Wilkes-Barre and Stroudsburg.
On the campaign trail. . .
BARACK OBAMA
-- 10:15 am ET: Delivers major address on Iraq, Fayetteville, NC
-- Attends event with voters, Charlotte, NC
HILLARY CLINTON
-- 10:00 am ET: Hosts discussion with veterans, Huntington, WV
-- 1:45 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Charleston, WV
BILL CLINTON
-- 11:45 am ET: Attends event with voters, Bethlehem, PA
-- 1:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Allentown, PA
-- 3:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Wilkes-Barre, PA
-- 6:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Stroudsburg, PA
At the White House. . .
PRESIDENT BUSH
-- 10:00 am ET: Speaks on the war on terrorism, Washington, DC
-- 11:20 am ET: Meets with the President of Georgia, Washington, DC
POLITICAL NEWS STORIES AT ABCNEWS.COM
ABC News' Jake Tapper and Nitya Venkataraman Report: Obama Distances from Longtime Pastor in Race Speech LINK
ABC News Reports: Full Remarks; Obama's Speech on Race and Religion LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Obama Parses Wright and Wrong in Race Speech LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Three Smart People Talk About Obama's 'Race' Speech LINK
ABC News' Jacqueline Klingebiel Reports: Liberal Groups Collect $350 Million in Funds for '08 Election LINK
ABC News' Marcus Baram Reports: New N.Y. Gov Tells All at Press Conference LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Cliff's Notes for Obama's Race Speech LINK
ABC News' Ned Potter Reports: Gore and Bloomberg Have Closed-Door 'Climate Crisis' Meeting LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Err Jordan LINK
ABC News' Jan Crawford Greenburg Reports: In Sight LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Philadelphia Feeling LINK
ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Clinton "Glad" Obama Delivered Race Speech LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: On the Streets of Philadelphia LINK
ABC News' Ed O'Keefe Reports: Call Her Miss Straight Talk LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: A "Trumped Up" Issue? LINK
POLITICAL VIDEO AT ABCNEWS.COM
McCain's Iraq Blunder in Jordan
In Jordan, McCain errs when discussing which extremists are being aided by Iran. LINK
Obama Distances from Pastor But Won't 'Disown' Him
Sen. Obama: "As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me." LINK
Obama Speaks to Race
Why can Obama condemn Rev. Wright's controversial views, but not the man himself? LINK
Nightline: Obama Tackling Race
3.18.08 A look ahead to ABC's exclusive interview with the Senator Obama. LINK
Gov. David Paterson Not Perfect
The newly inaugurated New York governor comes clean on his extramarital affairs. LINK
Hasselbeck Blasts Obama About Wright
"The View" co-host criticizes the senator's relationship with spiritual adviser. LINK
Obama Explains His Racial Heritage
Obama discusses his "genetic makeup" and the "divisive turn" in the '08 race. LINK
'The Note' Rewinds the Week's Best Moments
ABC News' Senior Political Reporter Rick Klein on the weekly political roundup. LINK
Paterson's Adulterous Past
The newly sworn-in New York governor and his wife have had extramarital affairs. LINK
Hearing on Gun Laws
Supreme Court case tackles the question over the right to bear arms. LINK
Obama Confronts Race Issues
Can the Illinois senator end the controversy over his preacher? LINK
"Challenging Times"
Bush warns against government's economic meddling before Bear Stearns bail out. LINK
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