On Thursday's New Day, CNN's Chris Cuomo wondered if some in the 2016 Republican presidential field might be making the possible redeployment of U.S. troops into Iraq a political issue. When GOP strategist Kevin Madden underlined that "so many Republicans disagree with the President's [Obama's] approach on combating ISIS that so many of these candidates are going to want to draw as stark a contrast as possible," Cuomo replied, "You playing politics, though – with the troops, though?" [video below]
Co-anchor Alisyn Camerota mentioned how former New York Governor George Pataki, a possible Republican presidential candidate, came out in support of sending American ground troops into Iraq to beat back ISIS. Democratic strategist Paul Begala, who appeared with Madden during the segment, asserted that such a deployment would be a "disaster," and pointed out that Hillary Clinton, whom he supports, "said we will do what we can to help, but fundamentally, this is an Iraqi problem; and the Iraqi government – the Iraqi people have to solve it."
Cuomo then turned to Madden and noted that "we are seeing a little bit of a move back toward the 'hey, we may have to get involved over there,' I think...the polls are showing they're not as staunchly against any involvement." He asked, "Do you think playing with boots on the ground is a mistake?" The Republican strategist responded with his "stark a contrast as possible," and asserted that "Pataki – not very well known in the polls right now – wants to make some news; wants to draw a contrast...with President Obama. So I think that's where that proclamation comes from."
The CNN anchor followed up with his "you playing politics...with the troops" question. Madden highlighted that "while we've seen some upticks in public approval for the idea of troops on the ground, I think it's one thing...to take public opinion that is evolving; and it's another thing to say it, and whether or not there's going to be a big groundswell of support for candidates who come out with a very robust proposal to do so."
Later in the segment, Begala blasted the Bush doctrine as an "abject failure," and pointed out that "the person who's going to have the hardest time with this is Jeb Bush, because this is his brother's policy that is on trial. And he's...been unable to state a position clearly on this." Cuomo replied that "Hillary, as one of the architects of the last six years of what we've seen, she's going to have to articulate a different strategy also, because what's going on right now is not satisfying many people."
The transcript of the relevant portion of the segment from Thursday's New Day on CNN:
CHRIS CUOMO: Kevin, even though we are seeing a little bit of a move back toward the 'hey, we may have to get involved over there,' I think people – the polls are showing they're not as staunchly against any involvement – do you think playing with boots on the ground is a mistake?
KEVIN MADDEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, look, I think so many Republicans disagree with the President's approach on combating ISIS that so many of these candidates are going to want to draw as stark a contrast as possible. And I think that's where someone like George Pataki – not very well known in the polls right now – wants to make some news; wants to draw a contrast with President Bush – I'm sorry, with – with President Obama. So I think that's where that proclamation comes from-
CUOMO: You playing politics, though – with the troops, though?
MADDEN: And while – so that was my last point, which is – while we've seen some upticks in public approval for the idea of troops on the ground, I think it's one thing that – to take public opinion that is evolving; and it's another thing to say it, and whether or not there's going to be a big groundswell of support for – for candidates who come out with a very robust proposal to do so.
ALISYN CAMEROTA: I mean, Paul, you know, Hillary Clinton's position, as you just laid it out, that – hey, this is an Iraq problem – doesn't necessarily work if ISIS – you know, continues its plan to attack America.
PAUL BEGALA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, first off, they're not attacking America, and second, it's the only-
CAMEROTA: Well, I mean, there are some ISIS-inspired attacks as we have seen.
BEGALA: There are. There will always be terrorism, and we should always be on guard, and we should always do what we can to protect the homeland. But the notion we need to send thousands of more troops – we have tried that – and the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. The American people are simply not going to stand for a third Middle Eastern war. I mean, my goodness, we've tried this.
The Bush doctrine – and I think Kevin's Freudian slip was telling – was to invade, conquer, and occupy huge nations in the Middle East. And somehow, that will reform them, and they'll become just like us. They'll be just like Wisconsin, except maybe milder winters. It hasn't worked. It's been an abject failure. And the person who's going to have the hardest time with this is Jeb Bush, because this is his brother's policy that is on trial. And he's going to have to – he's been unable to state a position clearly on this.
CUOMO: But as with Hillary, as one of the architects of the last six years of what we've seen, she's going to have to articulate a different strategy also, because what's going on right now is not satisfying many people.
CAMEROTA: Yeah. Guys, we have to leave it there.
BEGALA: Absolutely. She was asked about it this week. I thought she gave a very clear answer.
