Chafee: ‘I’m Going to Run on My Own Record,’ Slams Hillary

Former Senator and Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee (D) seemed to announce he was running for president, declaring “I’m going to run on my own record, and I’ll run on Senator Clinton’s record, and we’ll have a lively debate in the primaries” while arguing that Hillary Clinton’s vote for the Iraq War is a “disqualifier” for the Democratic nomination, and that she had been compromised by money she raised from Wall Street on Saturday’s “Up with Steve Kornacki” on MSNBC.

“I’m going to run on my own record, and I’ll run on Senator Clinton’s record, and we’ll have a lively debate in the primaries. I’m focused on the international issues and our differences there” he stated, later framing his economic platform in terms what he would do “if I’m elected president” Although he earlier said that his “passion” for international issues dictated he would “look at” running for president in 2016 after his term as Governor of Rhode Island ended.

Chafee also took issue with Hillary Clinton’s vote in favor of the Iraq War, arguing “I was looking at the same evidence. I served for the same time in the Senate, and I made a different decision, and elections should be all about judgement. And this is one of the most critical judgment calls in American history, we’re just finished with the Vietnam era, some would argue, and to get back into another quagmire overseas that jeopardizes everything economically that we have here in the United States, I would argue, as I’ve said, a disqualifier to be President of the United States, and certainly a disqualifier to be the Democratic nominee. That should be a Republican war” he stated. Later he added, “Senator Clinton is finishing her Secretary of State tenure with more wars than when she started.”

He also commented on Hillary raising money from Wall Street, stating “raising the money always comes with compromising decisions, and I know Senator Warren has articulated some of these points about Senator Clinton, and — but I’m going to really focus on the international issues. We’re going to have a lot of similarities and agreements on domestic issues — I will with Senator Clinton.”

Chafee also said that, looking back, he regrets his vote to repeal the Glass–Steagall Act.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett