SEPARATING THE SERIOUS FROM THE DEMOCRATS:

Senate's Iraq vote likely to test Clinton, Obama (DAVID ESPO, 5/15/07, Associated Press)

A Senate test vote on Iraq has the makings of a turning point in the Democratic presidential campaign, obliging Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama to take a fresh look at calls for cutting off war funds.

Both have voted against binding timetables for troop withdrawals in the past, before public sentiment against the war hardened or they became presidential contenders.

Aides to the two 2008 presidential hopefuls declined comment on the issue Monday night, two days before a scheduled vote on Sen. Russ Feingold's proposal to cut off funding for nearly all military operations in Iraq after next March 31.

There's a real opportunity here for Hillary to make herself a viable candidate for president, though it would make her road to the nomination tougher.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 15, 2007 7:25 AM