More on Hackett

Yes, I know Paul Hackett isn't running for anything in this area. Still, the more I read about him the more I like.

Reuters ran a story about the race on Thursday in which Hackett spells out why Dubya is so wrong about the war in Iraq:

Hackett has criticized Bush's decision to invade Iraq and backs intensified training for Iraqi security forces by pairing them with U.S. troops. He condemns Bush's failure to ask Americans at home to share the burdens of war, complaining about politicians who "use the war to wrap themselves in the American flag."

"You can't fight three wars, support the troops and have a tax cut. It's irrational," he said in an interview, calling the administration's approach "patriotism light." Prolonged engagements in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans have strained the economy and military, he said, and "the only people sacrificing are the ones over there."

On the campaign trail, Hackett highlights the seven months he spent as a civil affairs officer in Iraq and the unique perspective it would give him in Congress.

"Anybody who served in Iraq has a better view of what's going on over there than a politician in Washington," said Hackett, a lawyer whose only previous political office was a stint on a city council.

But Schmidt, who sticks close to most of Bush's political positions and reminds audiences of her conservative views on hot-button issues like abortion and gay marriage, said in an interview Hackett's experience in Iraq does not make him uniquely qualified to discuss the war.

"I don't believe it's a viable perspective, I've heard from many people who served in Iraq who have a totally different view," she said. "I stand with the president."

Now if we could get someone with Hackett's attitude to run against Roy Blunt we might just have a ballgame next year. Are you listening, Jim Kreider?