Correct The Record Thursday August 28, 2014 Afternoon Roundup

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*[image: Inline image 1]* *Correct The Record Thursday August 28, 2014 Afternoon Roundup:* "Rand Paul's extremist views abroad and at home are dangerous. His belief in extreme isolation as a global neighbor and his extreme opposition to raising the minimum wage and to giving a hand up to hard-working Americans are wrong for our country, our people and our place in the world. Secretary Clinton's work for American families at home and abroad speaks for itself. Her vision and focus on our future is what Americans want." - Adrienne Elrod *Headlines:* *CNN: “Labor's Trumka: Hillary Clinton is ‘very, very qualified to be president’” <http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/08/28/labors-trumka-hillary-clinton-is-very-very-qualified-to-be-president/>* “‘I think that Hillary did an excellent job as secretary of state. I think she is very, very qualified to be president,’ [AFL-CIO President Richard] Trumka said at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor.” *Bloomberg Businessweek: “Clinton Would Benefit From Primary, AFL-CIO’s Trumka Says” <http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-28/clinton-would-benefit-from-primary-afl-cio-s-trumka-says>* “A ‘coronation’ of Hillary Clinton’s potential presidential campaign by Democrats would hurt her chances of winning a race for the White House, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said.” *MSNBC: “Hillary Clinton allies lay groundwork in Iowa” <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-allies-lay-groundwork-iowa-ready-for-hillary>* “Clinton has no on-the-ground organization and only a skeleton staff of fewer than a dozen people, so the super PAC Ready for Hillary is stepping in to try to make Clinton’s return to the first caucus state a success.” *Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “Paul Ryan, interrupted” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/08/28/paul-ryan-interrupted/>* “Ryan’s signings have differed from those of another potential 2016 candidate keen to raise her profile. Last week, Hillary Clinton managed to sign around 800 copies of ‘Hard Choices’ in two hours at the Bunch of Grapes bookstore in Vineyard Haven, Mass… Unlike Ryan, no critics turned up to raise their concerns.” *Time: “Women Find GOP ‘Intolerant,’ Report Says” <http://time.com/3206821/republican-party-gop-women/>* “The gender gap will be more troublesome [for the GOP] in the 2016 presidential election, especially if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee.” *Wall Street Journal blog: Washington Wire: “Rand Paul Targets Hillary Clinton in Hawk Criticism” <http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/08/28/rand-paul-targets-hillary-clinton-in-hawk-criticism/>* “Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.),stepping up his criticism of U.S. policy in response to the rise of Islamic militants, Tuesday criticized Hillary Clinton for suggesting that a more aggressive U.S. policy supporting rebels in Syria might have impeded the militants’ rise.” *Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “Rand Paul: Hillary Clinton ‘eager to shoot first in Syria’” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/08/28/rand-paul-hillary-clinton-eager-to-shoot-first-in-syria/>* “Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is voicing sharp criticism of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton's foreign policy in a new op-ed, writing that the U.S. is ‘lucky’ Clinton's push to arm Syrian rebels didn't happen.” *Politico: “Rand Paul: Hillary Clinton’s ‘shoot first’ policy” <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/rand-paul-hillary-clintons-shoot-first-policy-110410.html?hp=l3>* “Sen. Rand Paul is taking aim at Hillary Clinton on Syria, saying her aggressive stance on arming the opposition as secretary of state could have put the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in power.” *The Hill: “Paul hits Clinton on 'shoot first' Syria policy” <http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/216146-paul-hits-clinton-on-shoot-first-syria-policy>* “Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticized potential 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton's Syria policy in an op-ed Wednesday, saying her stance was to ‘shoot first.’” *Washington Post blog: The Fix: “The most important word in Rand Paul’s attack on Hillary Clinton” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/08/28/rand-paul-just-went-after-hillary-clinton-for-being-too-hawkish-and-one-word-stands-out/>* “The use of the i-word – ‘interventionist’ -- is what struck us most.” *New Haven Register (Conn.): “Bill Clinton heads to New Haven Tuesday for Democratic fundraiser to help Malloy” <http://www.nhregister.com/government-and-politics/20140828/bill-clinton-heads-to-new-haven-monday-for-democratic-fundraiser-to-help-malloy>* “Bill Clinton will be in New Haven at noon Tuesday at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale to raise money for the state Democratic Party to help the candidacy of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy who is in a tough race with Republican Greenwich businessman Tom Foley.” *Articles:* *CNN: “Labor's Trumka: Hillary Clinton is ‘very, very qualified to be president’” <http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/08/28/labors-trumka-hillary-clinton-is-very-very-qualified-to-be-president/>* By Dan Merica August 28th, 2014 10:57 a.m. EDT Washington (CNN) - Richard Trumka is not ready to endorse Hillary Clinton for president in 2016. But that may be because, as he says, "there is no there, there." At a breakfast with journalists on Thursday, the labor icon and president of the AFL-CIO spoke highly of Clinton, the former secretary of state and favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, but he did raise some questions that he hopes Clinton will answer if she runs. "I think that Hillary did an excellent job as secretary of state. I think she is very, very qualified to be president," Trumka said at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor. "We watch every single day. And my thoughts are it is too early to say. There is no there, there yet." Despite being laudatory, Trumka's comments should not be seen as an early endorsement of Clinton. "Would I say she is the favorite now? Yes," he said. "But I think anytime anybody believes there is going to be a coronation, that is dangerous for the candidate." The AFL-CIO recently came to an agreement with all its member unions that "no one will endorse [in 2016] until we say all of us are going to endorse," Trumka said. Before doing that, the group wants to know where candidates stand on raising the minimum wage, tax code reform and trade issues. Trumka said his group will be questioning all presidential candidates in order to make their endorsement and will be looking in particular at the candidates’ economic advisers. "One of our biggest concerns is who the candidates economic team is," he said. "If you get the same economic team, you are going to get the same results and the same results aren't good enough for working people." Support for The North American Free Trade Agreement, an agreement signed by former President Bill Clinton in 1993, was among the top issues Trumka said his group would look at as a negative. Also on that list were support for "tax codes that favor sending jobs oversees" and "people who think Wall Street are the be-all and end-all." The AFL-CIO did not endorse Clinton when she ran for president in 2008, but the group waited until the primary was nearly over to back her Democratic challenger, then-Sen. Barack Obama. Other unions were split between the candidates during the contentious primary. Earlier this month, AFL-CIO Political Director Mike Podhorzer told reporters that the group was withholding judgment on Clinton for now, according to The Hill. Clinton was not the only possible 2016 contender that Trumka spoke highly of, however. The labor leader also said Sen. Elizabeth Warren was one of the labor's most supportive friends in the Senate. *Bloomberg Businessweek: “Clinton Would Benefit From Primary, AFL-CIO’s Trumka Says” <http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-28/clinton-would-benefit-from-primary-afl-cio-s-trumka-says>* By Michael C. Bender August 28, 2014 A “coronation” of Hillary Clinton’s potential presidential campaign by Democrats would hurt her chances of winning a race for the White House, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said. “Anytime anybody believes there’s going to be a coronation, that’s dangerous for the candidate,” Trumka told reporters during a breakfast in Washington hosted today by the Christian Science Monitor. “That’s not good for the candidate. Because the candidate needs to be developing a grassroots system and support around the country.” Clinton, 66, has said she is considering a second presidential campaign, and polls consistently show she’d be the favorite to win the Democratic Party nomination. A primary fight would help her build a campaign network across the U.S. before the 2016 election, said Trumka, head of the nation’s largest labor federation. “The deeper you go, the better off that candidate is,” he said. “And I think, quite frankly, that’s precisely what she’s doing.” Trumka said Clinton, a former U.S. senator representing New York, did “an excellent job” as President Barack Obama’s secretary of state, a position she held from 2009 to 2013, and that she’s “very, very qualified to be president.” He added that before the labor group makes an endorsement, he’d want to see who Clinton picks for her economic team. “If you get the same economic team, you’re going to get the same results, and the same results aren’t good enough for working people,” he said. *MSNBC: “Hillary Clinton allies lay groundwork in Iowa” <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-allies-lay-groundwork-iowa-ready-for-hillary>* By Alex Seitz-Wald August 28, 2014, 9:54 a.m. EDT Ahead of Hillary Clinton’s first visit to Iowa since her failed 2008 presidential run, a pro-Clinton super PAC is doing everything it can to boost the potential 2016 candidate in the key state. In September, Hillary and Bill Clinton are headlining the annual Steak Fry, hosted by retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. It’s a key fundraising and party organizing event in a state where Clinton struggled during her last bid. Clinton has no on-the-ground organization and only a skeleton staff of fewer than a dozen people, so the super PAC Ready for Hillary is stepping in to try to make Clinton’s return to the first caucus state a success. Earlier this week, volunteer phone bankers based in both Iowa and Washington, D.C. started calling into Iowa to encourage supporters to purchase tickets to the Steak Fry, according to the group. And Wednesday night, former Iowa attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Bonnie Campbell emailed Ready for Hillary supporters in the state with a similar ask. Calling the event “Iowa’s most iconic political event, and the unofficial kickoff to election season,” Campbell encouraged supports purchase tickets in order to “honor Tom’s legacy, welcome the Clintons to Iowa, and enjoy some great food while you’re at it.” The super PAC’s campaign-style bus will also be at the event. Tickets start at $30 for individuals ($15 for students) and go up to $500 for a “sponsor” level. Proceeds are divided between Harkin’s leadership PAC and the Iowa Democratic Party. Clinton came in third in Iowa in 2008 – that loss gave then-Sen. Barack Obama the credibility he needed to challenge Clinton head-on during the rest of the primary season. It’s a scenario supporters of Clinton hope to avoid, should the former secretary of state decide to run again. Ready for Hillary communications director Seth Bringman said the group will also be getting increasingly involved in 2014 midterm races as Clinton herself does. That will involve asking their supporters directly to get involved with state coordinated campaigns, as well asking them to help specific candidates whom Clinton endorses. Iowa has several competitive 2014 midterm races, including for the Senate, governor, and a few house seats. “She’s getting busier, which means we’re getting busier,” Bringman said. Clinton is also headlining at least three political events next month, including one Democratic National Committee event with President Obama. Another, held at Clinton’s Washington, D.C. home, benefits the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The third, to be held in San Francisco with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi benefits the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. *Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “Paul Ryan, interrupted” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/08/28/paul-ryan-interrupted/>* By Sebastian Payne August 28, 2014, 9:16 a.m. EDT On Friday evening, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) wraps up his national book tour at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. The $75 tickets for the dinner, lecture and book signing have already sold out, but protesters will be waiting for him inside the library, and outside, too. The former Republican candidate for vice president has been crisscrossing the country throughout August to promote “The Way Forward,” his volume examining the 2012 election and the future of the GOP. Ryan’s book has sold just over 6,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen Bookscan, behind two other new releases from conservative authors: “America” by Dinesh D’Souza and “One Nation” by Ben Carson. Book tours have long been a means of raising a politician's profile, especially in advance of presidential elections. But the Ryan tour has also offered some insights into what’s on the mind of Ryan’s critics and how the congressman deals with their questions. Thanks to smartphones and YouTube, it has been easy for a critic to turn up to a Ryan book signing and post the results online. Once upon a time, candidates, armed with just a spin doctor, only had to deal with a reporter’s pen. Now, the threat of being caught out is far greater, so candidates like Ryan are more cautious about what they say. Gaffes can be posted online minutes after they happen, ready for consumption by the national media. In effect, holding candidates to account has been crowdsourced. During Ryan's stops in Florida, several incidents were videoed and posted online. In particular, Ryan’s vote against amnesty for the children of illegal immigrants has riled United We Dream, a network of young immigrants who live illegally in the United States. Their activists, who campaigned for the DREAM Act granting them amnesty, went to a book singing in Florida to quiz Ryan directly. Denying amnesty “would put me and my sister up for deportation," said one critic at a signing in Kissimmee, Fla. "We just have one question: Do you want to deport my sister?” Ryan dismissed the question and told the Dreamer to “read my book” before he was shuffled off by security personnel. Another critic asked the congressman, “Do you want to deport my brother?” Again, Ryan responded, “I want you to read my book.” A more bizarre incident took place in Pensacola, Fla. A senior citizen tried to ask Ryan about Medicaid, but Ryan insisted on having his picture taken with the woman. While the photograph was taken, she was berating him for giving a “tax break of $5 trillion to millionaires and corporates [sic]”. Ryan again did not answer the question, and the woman was shepherded along after the photo. At another Ryan book signing, an attendee asked, “I’m 61. Are you planning any cuts to Medicare?” “No, if you’re in or near retirement, nothing will change,” said Ryan. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan was responsible for creating spending plan that will cut $4.6 trillion of federal spending, of which $2.7 trillion would come from reforming Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. But those above the age of 55 will not be affected, allowing Ryan to say there are no cuts for senior citizens. Further proposed changes to retirement programs for federal employees have also been controversial. Blake Williams, the deputy communications director for Americans United for Change, says Ryan is being targeted because of his support for the “perennial GOP plan to replace guaranteed Medicare benefits with vouchers.” “As we've seen from the video encounters with voters during the book tour, Ryan is choosing to handle questions about his unpopular budget, which rewards millionaires while punishing seniors by either blowing them off or telling lies that he plans no benefit cuts,” he said. Americans United for Change has confirmed that representatives from the Service Employees International Union, Mi Familia Vota and Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles will attend Ryan’s lecture and book signing at the Reagan libraryon Friday. Ryan’s signings have differed from those of another potential 2016 candidate keen to raise her profile. Last week, Hillary Clinton managed to sign around 800 copies of “Hard Choices” in two hours at the Bunch of Grapes bookstore in Vineyard Haven, Mass. Although Clinton fans were rapidly moved on in line, the former secretary of state briefly passed the time of day with her fans. Unlike Ryan, no critics turned up to raise their concerns. Ben Carson, whose “One Nation” book is outselling “The Way Forward,” has also been on book tour in August. In Concord, N.C, hundreds of fans turned up to meet the former neurosurgeon and conservative grass-roots favorite. Carson said he has been “overwhelmed” by the response on the tour. A spokesman for Ryan declined to comment on the protesters who have dogged the events but said he was pleased with how the tour had gone. *Time: “Women Find GOP ‘Intolerant,’ Report Says” <http://time.com/3206821/republican-party-gop-women/>* By Maya Rhodan August 28, 2014, 11:05 a.m. EDT Female voters have sharply negative views of the Republican Party, according to a new report of internal polling done by major GOP groups, the latest sign of the gender gap facing the party as it tries to recapture the White House in 2016. Politico, which obtained a copy of the Republican polling, reports it found that many women consider the GOP “intolerant” and “stuck in the past.” The Republican groups that commissioned the polling, the Karl Rove-led Crossroads GPS and the American Action Network, hosted eight focus groups over the summer and survey about 800 registered women voters. Pollsters found that 49% of women have an unfavorable view of Republicans, while just 39% feel the same about Democrats, Politico reports. The establishment-friendly GOP groups are warning that Republican elected officials “fail to speak to women in the different circumstances in which they live” They’re advising officials to champion equal pay policies, and suggesting Republicans change the way they handle the issue of abortion: “Deal honestly with any disagreement on abortion, then move to other issues,” the report says. Republicans are expected to easily keep their majority in the House and may even recapture the majority in the Senate during the coming midterm elections. But the gender gap will be more troublesome in the 2016 presidential election, especially if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee. *Wall Street Journal blog: Washington Wire: “Rand Paul Targets Hillary Clinton in Hawk Criticism” <http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/08/28/rand-paul-targets-hillary-clinton-in-hawk-criticism/>* By Janet Hook August 28, 2014, 11:01 a.m. EDT Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.),stepping up his criticism of U.S. policy in response to the rise of Islamic militants, Tuesday criticized Hillary Clinton for suggesting that a more aggressive U.S. policy supporting rebels in Syria might have impeded the militants’ rise. “To interventionists like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we would caution that arming the Islamic rebels in Syria created a haven for the Islamic State,’’ said Mr. Paul in an op-ed article in The Wall Street Journal, referring to the militant group sweeping through Syria and northern Iraq that is also known as ISIS. “We are lucky Mrs. Clinton didn’t get her way and the Obama administration did not bring about regime change in Syria. That new regime might well be ISIS.” Mr. Paul, who like Mrs. Clinton is likely to run for president in 2016, also criticizes military hawks who dominate his own party. Mrs. Clinton’s more-interventionist views have also under fire from liberal Democrats. The emerging debate points to the prospect that 2016 presidential nomination will open foreign policy divisions within both parties. Mr. Paul alluded to that prospect in a Sunday interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press when he called Mrs. Clinton a “war hawk.” “I think that’s what scares the Democrats the most, is that in a general election, were I to run, there’s going to be a lot of independents and even some Democrats who say, ‘You know what? We are tired of war,’” Mr. Paul said. Mr. Paul maintained a low profile on the situation in Iraq in the aftermath of President Barack Obama’ recent decision to launch air strikes in northern Iraq to protect U.S. interests and to aid a religious minority under siege by ISIS forces. Mr. Paul’s first comments were noncommital, saying that he believed Congress should have to vote for or against airstrikes but that ”I have an open mind as to exactly what we do. But in his interview Sunday and his article Thursday, Mr. Paul offered a more full-throated denunciation of U.S. interventionism in the Middle East. “Shooting first and asking questions later has never been a good foreign policy,” Mr. Paul said. “The past year has been a perfect example.” He criticized the Obama administration for considering aid to rebels and air strikes against Syria last year in order to undercut Syrian President Bashar Assad, warning that regime change in Syria could have bolstered rebels allied with ISIS. “The interventionists are calling for Islamic rebels to win in Syria and for the same Islamic rebels to lose in Iraq, Mr. Paul said. “Our Middle Eastern policy is unhinged, flailing about to see who to act against next, with little thought to the consequences. This is not a foreign policy.” Mr. Paul’s anti-interventionist foreign policy views are seen as a potential stumbling block in his effort to win the nomination of a party long dominated by military hawks. In his article, Mr. Paul took a swipe at “hawkish members of my own party.” “Some said it would be “catastrophic” if we failed to strike Syria. What they were advocating for then—striking down Assad’s regime—would have made our current situation even worse, as it would have eliminated the only regional counterweight to the ISIS threat.” But his criticism of Mrs. Clinton’s view on arming Syrian rebels comes just as she has been touting that policy as an example of her differences with the Obama administration, which did not heed her advice when as Secretary of State she argued for doing more to support moderate rebel factions. *Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “Rand Paul: Hillary Clinton ‘eager to shoot first in Syria’” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/08/28/rand-paul-hillary-clinton-eager-to-shoot-first-in-syria/>* By Sean Sullivan August 28, 2014, 9:25 a.m. EDT Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is voicing sharp criticism of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton's foreign policy in a new op-ed, writing that the U.S. is "lucky" Clinton's push to arm Syrian rebels didn't happen. Paul wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Thursday that arming the rebels could have put extremist Islamist militants in power in Syria. "Those who say we should have done more to arm the Syrian rebel groups have it backward. Mrs. Clinton was also eager to shoot first in Syria before asking some important questions. Her successor John Kerry was no better, calling the failure to strike Syria a 'Munich moment,'" he wrote. The clash between Paul and Clinton offers a glimpse of a debate over national security and foreign that could play out on the national stage in the 2016 campaign, as both seriously consider a run for president. As secretary of state, Clinton supported arming Syrian rebels in their fight against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In a recent interview with the Atlantic, Clinton said, “The failure to help build up a credible fighting force of the people who were the originators of the protests against [Bashar al-Assad] — there were Islamists, there were secularists, there was everything in the middle — the failure to do that left a big vacuum, which the jihadists have now filled.” Paul argued that arming the rebels would have created a sanctuary for the same extremists the United States is trying to defeat in Iraq. "To interventionists like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we would caution that arming the Islamic rebels in Syria created a haven for the Islamic State," he writes. "We are lucky Mrs. Clinton didn't get her way and the Obama administration did not bring about regime change in Syria. That new regime might well be ISIS." *Politico: “Rand Paul: Hillary Clinton’s ‘shoot first’ policy” <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/rand-paul-hillary-clintons-shoot-first-policy-110410.html?hp=l3>* By Jonathan Topaz August 28, 2014, 7:14 a.m. EDT Sen. Rand Paul is taking aim at Hillary Clinton on Syria, saying her aggressive stance on arming the opposition as secretary of state could have put the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in power. “To interventionists like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we would caution that arming the Islamic rebels in Syria created a haven for the Islamic State,” Paul wrote in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday evening. “We are lucky Mrs. Clinton didn’t get her way and the Obama administration did not bring about regime change in Syria. That new regime might well be [ISIL].” Paul, a potential 2016 presidential candidate who has distinguished himself from the more hawkish foreign policy thinkers in his party, said such a shift indicates that those who aggressively advocated regime change in Syria last year lack “a reasonable degree of foresight.” Clinton, he added, “was also eager to shoot first in Syria before asking some important questions.” In an interview with The Atlantic earlier this month, Clinton — who led the State Department during Obama’s first term — said just the opposite, arguing that failure to arm the Syrian opposition sooner “left a big vacuum, which the jihadists have now filled.” The administration last summer considered airstrikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime, but with the recent rise of ISIL in that country, the White House is now contemplating strikes against ISIL militants in Syria. The Kentucky Republican criticized Clinton and the Obama administration’s foreign policy as reckless, shortsighted and ineffective. “Our Middle Eastern policy is unhinged, flailing about to see who to act against next, with little thought to the consequences,” he wrote. “This is not a foreign policy.” *The Hill: “Paul hits Clinton on 'shoot first' Syria policy” <http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/216146-paul-hits-clinton-on-shoot-first-syria-policy>* By Peter Sullivan August 28, 2014, 10:18 a.m. EDT Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticized potential 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton's Syria policy in an op-ed Wednesday, saying her stance was to "shoot first." Paul argued in the Wall Street Journal op-ed that arming the Syrian rebels, as Clinton advocated when she was secretary of state, would have strengthened the militant group ISIS. "To interventionists like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we would caution that arming the Islamic rebels in Syria created a haven for the Islamic State," Paul wrote. "We are lucky Mrs. Clinton didn't get her way and the Obama administration did not bring about regime change in Syria. That new regime might well be ISIS." He went on to say that "Mrs. Clinton was also eager to shoot first in Syria before asking some important questions." The criticism continues an attack Paul has been making against Clinton. Paul called Clinton a "war hawk" on "Meet the Press" on Sunday. Paul also cautioned about the dangers of President Bashar Assad leaving power, an outcome that President Obama has called for. Obama has also ordered air strikes against ISIS in Iraq and is considering them against the group in Syria. Paul previously said he has "mixed feelings" about the Iraq strikes. "This is not to say the U.S. should ally with Assad," Paul wrote. "But we should recognize how regime change in Syria could have helped and emboldened the Islamic State, and recognize that those now calling for war against ISIS are still calling for arms to factions allied with ISIS in the Syrian civil war. We should realize that the interventionists are calling for Islamic rebels to win in Syria and for the same Islamic rebels to lose in Iraq." Paul has caused some worries in the Republican establishment about his more restrained foreign policy. He used the Wall Street Journal, whose editorial page is often a voice of that establishment, to argue for a foreign policy more focused only on U.S. interests. "A more realistic foreign policy would recognize that there are evil people and tyrannical regimes in this world, but also that America cannot police or solve every problem across the globe," Paul wrote. "Only after recognizing the practical limits of our foreign policy can we pursue policies that are in the best interest of the U.S." *Washington Post blog: The Fix: “The most important word in Rand Paul’s attack on Hillary Clinton” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/08/28/rand-paul-just-went-after-hillary-clinton-for-being-too-hawkish-and-one-word-stands-out/>* By Aaron Blake August 28, 2014, 11:42 a.m. EDT Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is really good at making news, and he did it again Wednesday night with an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that, in part, attacked Hillary Clinton for being too hawkish on Syria. “To interventionists like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we would caution that arming the Islamic rebels in Syria created a haven for the Islamic State. We are lucky Mrs. Clinton didn't get her way and the Obama administration did not bring about regime change in Syria. That new regime might well be ISIS. “This is not to say the U.S. should ally with [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad]. But we should recognize how regime change in Syria could have helped and emboldened the Islamic State, and recognize that those now calling for war against ISIS are still calling for arms to factions allied with ISIS in the Syrian civil war. We should realize that the interventionists are calling for Islamic rebels to win in Syria and for the same Islamic rebels to lose in Iraq. While no one in the West supports Assad, replacing him with ISIS would be a disaster. “Our Middle Eastern policy is unhinged, flailing about to see who to act against next, with little thought to the consequences. This is not a foreign policy. “Those who say we should have done more to arm the Syrian rebel groups have it backward. Mrs. Clinton was also eager to shoot first in Syria before asking some important questions. Her successor John Kerry was no better, calling the failure to strike Syria a ‘Munich moment.’” A few things here: 1) The use of the i-word -- "interventionist" -- is what struck us most. This is a pretty clear indication that Paul intends to run in 2016, especially in a potential matchup with Clinton, on a more actively dovish foreign policy platform. It's also a pretty clear effort to differentiate her approach from his, which is often labeled "non-interventionist." "Interventionist" is also used in the title of the column, and it doesn't strike us as having particularly positive connotations. Indeed, we're not aware of too many foreign policy hawks who use that word to describe themselves. This might seem much ado about nothing, given that Paul is known to be less hawkish. He has also been critical of Rick Perry and Chris Christie on that count. But Paul has also long toed the line between the kind of non-interventionism championed by his father, Ron Paul, and a more middle-ground approach to foreign policy. And straying too far down the non-interventionist road risks folks invoking another i-word: "isolationism." It's a constant balancing act for Paul. Bringing the word "interventionist" into the mix suggests that he is primed for this debate and is trying to set the terms -- or at least the terminology. 2) The turnabout here is striking. It's no surprise that Paul is a different kind of Republican on foreign policy, but check out the Democratic National Committee's response to his op-ed: “Unfortunately, this is nothing new for Paul. Last week he criticized American policy to the president of another country on foreign soil. This week he's blaming the Obama Administration for another nation's civil war. That type of ‘blame America’ rhetoric may win Paul accolades at a conference of isolationists but it does nothing to improve our standing in the world. In fact, Paul's proposals would make America less safe and less secure. “Simply put, if Rand Paul had a foreign policy slogan, it would be -- The Rand Paul Doctrine: Blame America. Retreat from the World.” MSNBC's Benjy Sarlin nailed it with this tweet: “This DNC statement on Rand Paul could have been written word for word by the RNC about John Kerry in 2004” That's basically true. And in fact, Republicans did use that same verbiage against Democrats who questioned the Iraq war during the 2004 campaign. In the space of one Associated Press story, in fact, three different high-ranking GOP campaign operatives used the "blame America" phrasing. And Republicans back then regularly used the word "retreat" to define Democrats' alternative approach to the war on terror. It's still likely we'll never see a Clinton vs. Paul general election matchup in 2016. But the foreign policy dynamics of that race (which Paul can also use to differentiate himself in the GOP primary) would be absolutely fascinating. *Washington Post blog: The Fix: “The most important word in Rand Paul’s attack on Hillary Clinton” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/08/28/rand-paul-just-went-after-hillary-clinton-for-being-too-hawkish-and-one-word-stands-out/>* By Aaron Blake August 28, 2014, 11:42 a.m. EDT Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is really good at making news, and he did it again Wednesday night with an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that, in part, attacked Hillary Clinton for being too hawkish on Syria. “To interventionists like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we would caution that arming the Islamic rebels in Syria created a haven for the Islamic State. We are lucky Mrs. Clinton didn't get her way and the Obama administration did not bring about regime change in Syria. That new regime might well be ISIS. “This is not to say the U.S. should ally with [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad]. But we should recognize how regime change in Syria could have helped and emboldened the Islamic State, and recognize that those now calling for war against ISIS are still calling for arms to factions allied with ISIS in the Syrian civil war. We should realize that the interventionists are calling for Islamic rebels to win in Syria and for the same Islamic rebels to lose in Iraq. While no one in the West supports Assad, replacing him with ISIS would be a disaster. “Our Middle Eastern policy is unhinged, flailing about to see who to act against next, with little thought to the consequences. This is not a foreign policy. “Those who say we should have done more to arm the Syrian rebel groups have it backward. Mrs. Clinton was also eager to shoot first in Syria before asking some important questions. Her successor John Kerry was no better, calling the failure to strike Syria a ‘Munich moment.’” A few things here: 1) The use of the i-word -- "interventionist" -- is what struck us most. This is a pretty clear indication that Paul intends to run in 2016, especially in a potential matchup with Clinton, on a more actively dovish foreign policy platform. It's also a pretty clear effort to differentiate her approach from his, which is often labeled "non-interventionist." "Interventionist" is also used in the title of the column, and it doesn't strike us as having particularly positive connotations. Indeed, we're not aware of too many foreign policy hawks who use that word to describe themselves. This might seem much ado about nothing, given that Paul is known to be less hawkish. He has also been critical of Rick Perry and Chris Christie on that count. But Paul has also long toed the line between the kind of non-interventionism championed by his father, Ron Paul, and a more middle-ground approach to foreign policy. And straying too far down the non-interventionist road risks folks invoking another i-word: "isolationism." It's a constant balancing act for Paul. Bringing the word "interventionist" into the mix suggests that he is primed for this debate and is trying to set the terms -- or at least the terminology. 2) The turnabout here is striking. It's no surprise that Paul is a different kind of Republican on foreign policy, but check out the Democratic National Committee's response to his op-ed: “Unfortunately, this is nothing new for Paul. Last week he criticized American policy to the president of another country on foreign soil. This week he's blaming the Obama Administration for another nation's civil war. That type of ‘blame America’ rhetoric may win Paul accolades at a conference of isolationists but it does nothing to improve our standing in the world. In fact, Paul's proposals would make America less safe and less secure. “Simply put, if Rand Paul had a foreign policy slogan, it would be -- The Rand Paul Doctrine: Blame America. Retreat from the World.” MSNBC's Benjy Sarlin nailed it with this tweet: “This DNC statement on Rand Paul could have been written word for word by the RNC about John Kerry in 2004” That's basically true. And in fact, Republicans did use that same verbiage against Democrats who questioned the Iraq war during the 2004 campaign. In the space of one Associated Press story, in fact, three different high-ranking GOP campaign operatives used the "blame America" phrasing. And Republicans back then regularly used the word "retreat" to define Democrats' alternative approach to the war on terror. It's still likely we'll never see a Clinton vs. Paul general election matchup in 2016. But the foreign policy dynamics of that race (which Paul can also use to differentiate himself in the GOP primary) would be absolutely fascinating. *New Haven Register (Conn.): “Bill Clinton heads to New Haven Tuesday for Democratic fundraiser to help Malloy” <http://www.nhregister.com/government-and-politics/20140828/bill-clinton-heads-to-new-haven-monday-for-democratic-fundraiser-to-help-malloy>* By Mary E. O’Leary August 28, 2014, 12:01 p.m. EDT One party brought in a neighboring governor to boost their coffers, but the Democrats have booked a former U.S. president. Bill Clinton will be in New Haven at noon Tuesday at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale to raise money for the state Democratic Party to help the candidacy of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy who is in a tough race with Republican Greenwich businessman Tom Foley. The fundraiser, according to local sources, is expected to be closed to the press, as were the fundraisers New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie recently held in Greenwich to help the state Republican Party and Foley. Christie supported Foley four years ago in his gubernatorial match up with Malloy, a race he lost by less than 1 percent to Malloy. The top donation Tuesday is expected to be $10,000. The Democratic Governors Association, as well as the Republican Governors Association have put money into the campaigns, with the governor associations funding ads through independent Super PACs.