Obama Adviser Slams Hillary Clinton For Criticizing The President’s Foreign Policy

Obama adviser David Axelrod took to Twitter to slam Hillary Clinton after she criticized the president’s foreign policy.

Former Sec. of State Clinton was trying to define her own candidacy when recently criticized the president’s foreign policy by saying, “Great nations need organizing principles, and “Don’t do stupid stuff” is not an organizing principle. It may be a necessary brake on the actions you might take in order to promote a vision.”

Obama adviser David Axelrod fired back at Clinton on Twitter:

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Just to clarify: "Don't do stupid stuff" means stuff like occupying Iraq in the first place, which was a tragically bad decision.

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) August 12, 2014

The perception of a difference of opinion between Clinton and the Obama administration is a good thing for her 2016 candidacy. The two biggest criticisms that Hillary Clinton is going to face as a candidate are that she is a return to the past and that her victory would represent a third Obama term.

Former Sec. Clinton was obviously making a play for moderate and conservative voters. The problem is that the people who vote in Democratic primaries, and activists on the left, widely support the president’s foreign policy. In a statement, Ilya Sheyman, Executive Director of MoveOn Political Action blasted Clinton, “Secretary Clinton, and any other person thinking about seeking the Democratic nomination in 2016, should think long and hard before embracing the same policies advocated by right-wing war hawks that got America into Iraq in the first place and helped set the stage for Iraq’s troubles today. These hawkish policy stances are also threatening to undermine the peaceful international resolution of Iran’s nuclear program. Voters elected President Obama in 2008 to bring the war in Iraq to an end. MoveOn members will continue to stand with elected officials who oppose military escalation that could put us back on a path to endless war.”

There is a bit of the same troubling pattern that Democrats saw in 2008 emerging again with the potential Clinton campaign. In 2008, many thought that the Clinton campaign took the Democratic nomination for granted. It was as if some on Team Clinton felt entitled to the nomination. Until recently, Former Sec. Clinton had done a good job of not repeating the mistakes of the past, but her comments definitely rubbed those on the left, who have never forgiven her defense of her Iraq war vote, the wrong way.

Republicans who are hoping for a new Clinton/Obama feud that will split the Democratic Party are going to be disappointed. There will be some distrust between the two camps, but if Clinton is the nominee, Democrats will unify around her. However, if Team Clinton isn’t careful they could set in motion the same dynamic that cost her the 2008 Democratic nomination. Clinton has given liberals something to think about, and she would be wise to keep in mind that before she can be president, she has to win the Democratic nomination.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association