Clinton’s Hawkishness Insulates Her from Trump Attacks

James Hohmann: “Clinton made a savvy strategic decision last year not to tack left on national security during the primaries. She lurched leftward on everything from trade to Wall Street to head off Bernie Sanders’s unexpectedly strong insurgency, but she more or less stuck to her guns on national security – even in the face of intense attacks over her Iraq vote. She vigorously defended her hawkish posture in Libya and Syria during the debates, while expressing more regret for her vote on Iraq than she did last time. She also defended her relationship with Henry Kissinger, who many on the left loathe. The campaign was playing a long game, and they knew that there would be long-term costs for articulating more dovish positions.”

“Now that the nomination is wrapped up, if anything, she can take a harder line.”