The most unlikely thing I’ll say today

Carole Moseley Braun is more credible on Iraq than John Kerry and John Edwards. At least that’s the assessment of Chris Sullentrop in Slate’s review of the Democratic debate last night:

More important, however, Braun continues to be the candidate who best elucidates why it's coherent to have opposed the Iraq war but to support the country's rebuilding and the continuing presence of American troops. "We blew the place up; we have to fix it back," she said, echoing a theme she's returned to in each debate about the moral responsibilities of those who wage war. To my ear, Braun's dovish lucidity on this subject is a harsher rebuke to John Kerry and John Edwards (the two candidates who voted for the congressional war resolution but voted against the president's subsequent $87 billion request) than the similar critique offered by the hawkish Joe Lieberman.

I didn’t see the debate, but upon reading the transcript, I chuckled (again) at Senator Splunge’s increasingly untenable claim that he’s been “consistent” with his position on Iraq. His new claim that the U.S. has assembled a “fraudulent coalition” has raised the ire of Andrew Sullivan who asks: “Is John Kerry a serious candidate for the presidency of the United States?” Short answer: No. Longer answer: At this point, he’ll say or do anything to emulate Howard Dean.

Extra: Moe Freedman went to the Dems debate and has a brief commentary.