--- title: Democratic Debate: Hillary Clinton and Lincoln Chafee on Iraq description: "You're looking at someone who made that poor decision canonical: https://time.com/4072165/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-lincoln-chafee-iraq-war/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-10-14T02:12:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-14T00:34:45.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Hillary Clinton and Lincoln Chafee Tangle Over Iraq War Vote og:description: "You're looking at someone who made that poor decision og:url: https://time.com/4072165/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-lincoln-chafee-iraq-war/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta0d3081e118bf172/6988682f196cf4485f03882f/492529616.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Democratic Presidential Candidates Hold First Debate In Las Vegas og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Hillary Clinton and Lincoln Chafee Tangle Over Iraq War Vote twitter:description: "You're looking at someone who made that poor decision twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta0d3081e118bf172/6988682f196cf4485f03882f/492529616.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Hillary Clinton and Lincoln Chafee Tangle Over Iraq War Vote  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Updated: Dec 14, 2023 12:34 AM UTCPublished: Oct 14, 2015 2:12 AM UTC  Lincoln Chafee takes part in a presidential debate sponsored by CNN and Facebook at Wynn Las Vegas on Oct.13, 2015 in Las Vegas. Lincoln Chafee takes part in a presidential debate sponsored by CNN and Facebook at Wynn Las Vegas on Oct.13, 2015 in Las Vegas.Joe Raedle—Getty Images  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Updated: Dec 14, 2023 12:34 AM UTCPublished: Oct 14, 2015 2:12 AM UTC Lincoln Chafee criticized Hillary Clinton for her vote to authorize the Iraq war back at[ the Democratic debate Tuesday](http://time.com/4071814/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-cnn-first/?xid=homepage), with the underdog saying he has been against the war since the beginning. “If you’re looking at someone who made that poor decision in 2002 to go into Iraq when there was no real evidence of weapons of mass destruction, which I knew because I did my homework, that’s an indication of how someone will perform in the future. And that’s what’s important.” Chafee said. “I recall very well being on a debate stage about 25 times with then-Senator Obama debating this issue,” Clinton responded. “After the election, he asked me to be Secretary of State. He valued my judgment. I spent a lot of time with him in the situation room going over some very difficult issues.” Chafee, a former senator and governor from Rhode Island, has made his vote against the Iraq war a centerpiece of his campaign, and mentioned it within the first minute of the debate during his opening statement. “That was a critical time in American history, October of 2002, and I made a different judgment call,” Chafee [told TIME back in May](http://time.com/3851723/lincoln-chafee-hillary-clinton-iraq/), referring to Clinton’s vote in favor of the war. “I think we should have a debate, not only as the Democratic Party first of all, but also in America about where we’re going on in the world and who can make the correct judgment calls as we go forward.” But while Chafee often hits this point the hardest, all the other candidates on the stage besides Clinton also opposed the war. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb voted against the war in the 2002 vote, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has been vocal in his opposition to the war. In fact, Chafee and Webb both switched their party affiliations from Republican to Democrat after the invasion of Iraq, which [Chafee calls](http://time.com/3974755/lincoln-chafee-2016-republicans/) a “Republican mistake.” The former Secretary of State (who was a senator from New York when she voted for the war) has openly regretted her decision, [writing in her 2014 book](http://time.com/3851723/lincoln-chafee-hillary-clinton-iraq/) _Hard Choices_, “I thought I had acted in good faith and made the best decision I could with the information I had. And I wasn’t alone in getting it wrong. But I still got it wrong. Plain and simple.” Still, her vote for the war dogged her throughout her campaign against Barack Obama in 2008, and it looks like her current opponents aren’t inclined to let the issue drop. **Read Next:** [_Lincoln Chafee Is Trying to Re-Run Obama’s 2008 Playbook_](http://time.com/3851723/lincoln-chafee-hillary-clinton-iraq/) ### See the 2016 Candidates' Campaign Launches  Sen. Ted Cruz kicked off his campaign for 2016 Republican presidential nomination at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. on March 23. Tom Williams—CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images  Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul launched his bid for the Republican nomination at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville on April 7\. Supporters held signs with the slogan "Defeat the Washington Machine / Unleash the American Dream." Amy Harris—Corbis  Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced her campaign in a YouTube video posted April 12 that has been seen nearly 4.5 million times. One boy featured in the video boasted about playing a fish in a school play. Hillary For America  Florida Sen. Marco Rubio announced his campaign for the Republican nomination during a rally at the Freedom Tower in Miami on April 13\. He took a drink of water during the speech, a callback to his State of the Union response in 2013. Wilfredo Lee—AP  Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced his bid for the Democratic nomination across the street from the U.S. Capitol on April 30, 2015\. The backdrop was unusual, since most candidates rail against Washington. Jonathan Ernst—Reuters  Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson announced his bid for the Republican nomination at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts May 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. The launch featured a gospel choir covering Eminem's "Lose Yourself." Bill Pugliano—Getty Images  Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina announced her campaign for the Republican nomination in a conference call on May 4, then went on "Good Morning America" to talk to George Stephanopoulos. Lou Rocco—Getty Images  Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announced his campaign at a community college in his hometown of Hope, Ark., on May 5\. Singer Tony Orlando (right) performed. Left: Danny Johnston; Right: Matt Sullivan—Getty Images  Republican presidential candidate and former New York Governor George Pataki (C) greets supporters after formally announcing his candidacy for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in Exeter, N.H. on May 28, 2015. Dominick Reuter—Reuters  Former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee announces his candidacy for the democratic presidential nomination at George Mason University in Arlington, Va. on June 3, 2015. Win McNamee—Getty Images  Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announces his 2016 presidential candidacy in Central, S.C. on June 1, 2015. Erik S. Lesser—EPA  Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is joined by his wife Katie O'Malley (R) as he announces his intention to seek the Democratic presidential nomination during a speech at Federal Hill Park in Baltimore on May 30, 2015. Jim Bourg—Reuters  Former Texas governor Rick Perry announces his candidacy for Republican presidential nominee at an event held at Addison Airport in Addison, Texas on Thursday, June 4, 2015. Louis DeLuca—Dallas Morning News/Corbis  Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush waves on stage as he announces his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination during an event at Miami-Dade College - Kendall Campus in Miami on June 15 , 2015. Joe Raedle—Getty Images  Donald Trump holds up his financial statement showing his net worth as he formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during an event at Trump Tower in New York City on June 16, 2015. Brendan McDermid—Reuters  Republican presidential candidate and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in Kenner, La. on June 24, 2015. Jonathan Bachman—Reuters  Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a kickoff rally at Livingston High School in Livingston, N.J. on June 30, 2015. Brendan McDermid—Reuters  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker greets supporters after announcing that he will seek the Republican nomination for president in Waukesha, Wis. on July 13, 2015 . Scott Olson—Getty Images  Ohio Governor John Kasich arrives on stage to formally announce his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a kickoff rally in Columbus, Ohio on July 21, 2015. Aaron P. 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