“We’re not going to baby sit a civil war,” said Senator Barack Obama on NBC’s Today Show echoing the official Democratic response to the presidents address.

New polling numbers reported on by the Washington Times shows Senator Hillary Clinton losing popularity in Iowa & New Hampshire to Obama and former Senator John Edwards in part because of the other candidates economic message and in part because of her support over the Iraq War.

From the article “There’s been erosion,” said pollster John Zogby. “She’s polling in the low- to mid-40s nationally.”

Meanwhile Democrats in the Congress who are looking to challenge the president both on principal and to follow what is being polled as popular opinion against the troops surge and a furthering involvement in Iraq are seen as having few options to stop or put limits on the president’s plan though Democrats are proposing mostly symbolic actions that may have support with some Congressional Republicans.

This has been building for a bit now and I wasn’t entirely sure where to begin but with the presidents speech tonight and his position on surging troop levels in the war it has become clear that Iraq is the first and undoubtedly will continue to be the major campaign issue for 2008 at least throughout 2007.

I will have more to say on the subject and obviously more to report but for the moment I wanted to give a quick roundup of some of the candidates expressed positions. On the Republican side there is only one candidate coming out against the troop surge and on the Democratic side none so far coming out for it.

Republican Candidates
Senator John McCain, who has been a vocal proponent of a troop surge for a long time now (the plan was recently coined as the ‘McCain Doctrine’ by Former Senator John Edwards) supported the president today and in speeches given recently.

Former NY mayor Rudy Giuliani gave his support to the president’s plan during interviews throughout the night. He stated “Success or failure in Iraq is not a matter of partisan politics but a matter of national security. I support the president’s increase in troops.”

Governor Mitt Romney supported the President’s plan for a troop surge releasing a statement on his exploratory committee Web site. Romney said the following: “In consultation with Generals, military experts and troops who have served on the ground in Iraq, I believe securing Iraqi civilians requires additional troops. I support adding five brigades in Baghdad and two regiments in Al-Anbar province. Success will require rapid deployment.”

Senator Sam Brownback was in Iraq today meeting with the Maliki government. He took the opposing opinion to the President and most of the Republican candidates coming out in opposition to the troop surge saying “I do not believe that sending more troops to Iraq is the answer.” Quoted in the AP. He also stated “Iraq requires a political rather than a military solution”.

Democratic Candidates

The big news came from Hillary Clinton who is being quoted by MSNBC as saying, “I cannot support Bush’s proposed escalation of war in Iraq”. Clinton’s position on the war has been heavily questioned by those on the far left of the Democratic Party and many wondered if she would take a strong position on the subject.

Former Senator John Edwards said “The president’s decision is wrong for Iraq and wrong for America — and it’s time for the new Congress to stop Bush from stubbornly pursuing his failed strategy in Iraq”.

Senator Barack Obama has been making the rounds on the television stations giving his thoughts on the president’s speech and coming out against it.

Phillip Swanni who runs TVPredictions.com a site notorious for giving readers the truth about who looks good and who doesn’t on HDTV has analyzed the field and given ratings to the top candidates for 2008. Swanni predicts that just like Nixon vs Kennedy on black and white TV the ultra clear picture of HD may well influence some viewers minds when it comes to vote. Check out the full article!

According to the AP Senator Same Brownback a Republican from Kansas is set to announce his candidacy for 2008 on January 20th.

“After the announcement in Kansas, Hart said Brownback will fly to Washington to participate in the anti-abortion march marking the anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling.”

Many see Brownback as an alternative candidate to Senator John McCain appealing to religious and social conservatives.

Rumored 2008 Presidential Candidate Barack Obama has written an op-ed piece for the Washington Post entitlted “A Chance to Change The Game“.

Though not the same it does contain a “I voted for it before I voted against it” moment in regard to Ethics Reform legislation:

“Last year, I was hopeful that scandals would finally shame Congress into meaningful ethics legislation. But after the headlines faded, so did the enthusiasm for reform. In the end, I found myself voting against the final ethics bill because it was too weak and unresponsive to the obvious need for comprehensive reform.”