Clinton Won't Commit To Renew Constitution

[Echo In Light]

I've not previously heard of this, and am guessing there are some here at DU who are more informed on this topic. Some of the comments following the OP are interesting. Frankly, I'm disinclined to believe any of the Name Brand candidates are actually going to work diligently to reverse the heinous damage of Bush, Inc, however.... Discuss.

Clinton Won't Commit To Renew Constitution

Illinois Senator Barack Obama has finally signed the American Freedom Pledge, joining his fellow Democratic presidential candidates in encouraging the restoration of basic Constitutional principles after the battering they have taken during the Bush-Cheney era.

All the Democrats, that is, except New York Senator Hillary Clinton.

The effort to get presidential contenders to sign on the American Freedom Pledge has been promoted by organizations ranging from the Center for Constitutional Rights to Human Rights Watch, MoveOn.org , Amnesty International USA, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Campaign to Defend the Constitution, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and True Majority.

The pledge is anything but radical. It simply asks candidates to affirm a statement that reads: "We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people's phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power. I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from attack by any President."

The often embarrassingly cautious Obama campaign had been slow to sign on to the pledge. Earlier this week the American Freedom Campaign, which is promoting the pledge, revealed that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Alaska Senator Mike Gravel had signed the pledge, while former North Carolina Senator John Edwards and Delaware Senator Joe Biden had responded with supportive statements. After a release from the freedom campaign noted that Obama and Clinton had not committed to the Constitution, Obama's aides moved quickly.

Recognizing the value of distinguishing their candidate from Clinton, the front runner in most polls, they got Obama to sign the pledge.

The freedom campaign is promising to turn the heat up on Clinton and Republicans presidential contenders -- aside from Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who signed on to a similar American Freedom Agenda statement promoted by conservative defenders of the Constitution.

"We are very pleased that Senator Obama has joined so many of his colleagues in signing the American Freedom Pledge," says freedom campaign co-founder Naomi Wolf. "But we will not be satisfied until we receive a solid commitment from each and every one of the presidential candidates. This is not just another request from an interest group; this is a test of whether our next president will be true to the vision of our Founders. Any candidate who does not express strong support for defending the Constitution does not deserve to be president."

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?pid=239574

[polichick]

1. Obama talks about restoring the Constitution in his stump speech...

That article was from last October ~ has Clinton STILL not signed?

[onenote]

4. and neither Obama nor Clinton have signed up to sponsor the American Freedom Agenda Act

of course, no one else other than Ron Paul and Kucinich have signed up...

[William769]

2. Why sign something that is stupid?

The Constitution has NOT changed.

All one needs to do is follow the Presidential oath.

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

[Tyler Durden]

3. Fuck "pledges"

People mindlessly "pledge" all the goddamn time, like pledging allegiance to the flag. Show me some ACTION, that will impress me.

I am very tired of all the damned lip service. Anyone remember "loyalty oaths?"

[KharmaTrain]

5. When Groupthink Isn't Groupthink

I agree with you about "pledges". They almost always aren't worth the paper they're written on and generally are written to serve one political agenda or another and use this gimmick as a guise to show "widespread appeal". I used to think the only places where pledges had a place was in fraternities and sororities.

It is ironic that we see people who will scream from the treetops how we're being "brainwashed" and then tout a candidate or other political figure with their own rhetoric and somehow I'm the one who "doesn't get it".

When I think of loyalty oathes and pledges I always see the German Army circa 1933.

[Echo In Light]

6. I think of the Pledge of Allegiance, which I tell my daughter she needn't recite in school

[JTFrog]

7. She help tear it apart and thinks it's inevitable that all that power will be hers. Disgusting. n/t

[Tarc]

8. Team Obama, cozying up to logical fallacies once again?

"Obama has signed the pledge to adhere to the Constitution."
"Clinton has not signed the pledge to adhere the Constitution."
"Therefore, Clinton will not adhere to the Constitution."

:eyes:

The only thing left to wonder here is if Team Obama actually believes what they are saying, or are they just politicking?