Wampum

Despite the fact that I was adamantly against the war, I didn't have an "Iraq War" litmus test running up to the 2004 Election. Even back then I felt that this Administration was doctoring the evidence, so much so that a large majority of Americans felt US aggression was the proper way to deal with Iraq's purported cache of WMDs. Besides, I was frustrated that the entire campaign, including the Democratic nomination process, was dominated by "testosterone issues". However, that doesn't mean every candidate got a pass: For all of my early infatuation with Sen. John Edwards' campaign, had he not taken a strong stance on how the war was being handled, versus the "clap louder" strategy of Lieberman, I probably would have dropped him before the Maine Caucus, and joined most of my other Ku-Dem friends.

The next round of Democratic nominees will not get the same kid-glove treatment. Previously, I've had only one hard and fast litmus test: I'll never vote for an anti-choice candidate - ever. To that, I've now added a second litmus test: Initial opposition to the Iraq War, or an admission that previous support for the war was misguided, preferrably accompanied by an apology, a la Sen. Edwards.

So while I've maintained my affection for the two former candidates who now occupy prime real estate on our sidebar, I'm checking out the rest of the potential 2008 field as the horses begin, even this early, to line up. Recently, my interest in Virginia Governor Mark Warner was piqued by a strong surge of support from the Netroots following his successor's decisive victory earlier this month, so I wanted to hear a little more about his vision, particularly on my two litmus test issues. He obliged me, discussing his views of the current (and past) situation in Iraq on November 13th's Face the Nation [.pdf]:

Ms. BUMILLER: Let's say you had been in the Senate. How would you have voted for the Iraq War resolution had you voted for it..

Gov. WARNER: Well, first of all...

Ms. BUMILLER: ...had been there?

Gov. WARNER: ...I think what we continue to see is the fact that not all the senators had all the information. I heard Senator McCain earlier, and I, you know, have tremendous respect for Senator McCain. But I think the Democratic Party ought to get over refighting how we got into the war and, again, continue to press the president on what he hopes to do in terms of how we will finish the job.

I think there are three or four things we need to focus on. One, how do we keep the Sunnis involved in the government? How do we make sure that they don't feel excluded? Two, how do we make sure that as we go through the reconstruction of Iraq, that we don't continue to spend 30 cents on every dollar for security for folks like Halliburton and how do we get more Iraqis involved in the reconstruction? Three, how do we end up making sure that we truly keep that coalition involved? Because this is an international issue, not just an American issue. And four, I think we--one of the issues that will come out of Iraq--and I don't believe we have to set a arbitrary time line because--not only in terms of Iraq but Afghanistan and Iran, but we've got to make sure we look at this whole question of forced structure. Our military is so good at kicking out the command and control of the bad guys, but as we see in Iraq or in Afghanistan, Somalia, Bosnia, what do we do afterwards in terms of restoring civil authority?

Ms. BUMILLER: But would you have voted for the war?

Gov. WARNER: Listen, I'm not go--I don't have all the information of what would have happened at that point. I think we ought to focus again how we finish the job, not go back and refight how we got there in the first place.

SCHIEFFER: Governor, we have to end it there. Thank you very much for a...

Gov. WARNER: Thank you, Bob.

SCHIEFFER: ...very interesting discussion.

It appears, from my interpretation, that Gov. Warner is not only saying that it doesn't matter how we got into the war (take that Harry Reid and your investigation demands), but that he's in line with Bush's "no exit strategy" strategy, er, non-strategy.

Thus, Gov. Warner takes his place in the "clap louder" penalty box, still rather crowded with the likes of Senators Clinton, Biden, Bayh and Gov. Richardson (who, to be frank, says he understands the frustration, but uses the tired old line that a timetable would play into the hands of the "terrorists.)

My mom always said that it's always good to know where a man stands on changing diapers before the first date.