UPDATE 2: Burner, addressing activists in DC, offers up a plan for Iraq

WASHINGTON, DC – Democratic congressional candidates Donna Edwards, Jared Polis, Darcy Burner, Chellie Pingree, Sam Bennett, and Tom Perriello gathered in Washington, DC Monday evening to unveil a diplomacy-focused plan for bringing the Iraq war to a close.

The event coincides with the heavily progressive Take Back America conference which is being held here this week. The unveiling of the plan, though paid for by the candidates and not officially part of the conference, was clearly geared to the activist crowd gathered here.

Burner, who is challenging Republican incumbent Congressman Dave Reichert in Washington State, praised activists in the room for “standing up” when it has come to Iraq.

“You have all done an incredible job,” she said.

In an interview preceding the press conference, Burner said the people gathered at the conference this week had truly “participated in democracy.”

“That’s exactly what this country needs,” she said.

Matt Stoller, a prominent liberal blogger, also spoke at the press conference, saying that the candidates were offering leadership in putting out what he said was the first coordinated plan of its type.

Stoller announced the formation of ResponsiblePlan.com, a Web site run in conjunction with the release of the plan, and urged attendees to direct their fundraising dollars to the candidates.

On a day when economic concerns largely dominated the headlines, candidates unveiling the plan stressed that ending America’s military involvement in Iraq was key to dealing with domestic problems.

“We cannot fix the economy without fixing the Iraq situation,” Burner said.

Burner argued that the United States had spent about $500 billion on the war in Iraq, and pointed to a recent study indicating that the economy had taken about a $3 trillion hit from the war.

She said that voters saw it the same way.

“Voters get it. They understand that we have to end this war if we want to address other issues we have.”

Pingree, a Maine Democrat running in the First District, said that voters were hungry for a plan detailing a way out of Iraq.

“I can’t wait to get back on the campaign trail and say ‘here is the plan,’” she said.

The candidates directed much criticism at the news media for what they said was unsubstantial reporting on the war that at times seemed to downplay its significance.

“Iraq has in so many ways disappeared off the front pages of newspapers,” said Edwards, who is running in Maryland’s Fourth District.

Polis, a Colorado Democrat, was more direct.

“The mainstream media has not done a good job” in reporting on the war, he said.

Republicans, meanwhile, were quick to pounce on the Democrats’ plan.

“This so-called plan is nothing more than the same liberal talking points we have been hearing for the last year,” said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken Spain. “Clearly, their plan is to be nothing more than a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat-led Congress.”

Dean Scontras, a Maine Republican running in Pingree’s District 1 race, today accused Pingree of trying to use the situation in Iraq to her own political gain.

“Making political fodder out of the situation is not in the best interest of Maine voters, or those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Scontras said.

“Candidates, and particularly those who are career politicians, should refrain from relying on their inherent political instincts to exploit certain circumstances for politial gain. I think Chellie's remarks reflect too much of the MoveOn.org sentiment, and the tactic of the career politician, that Maine voters have grown weary of.“

Adam Cote, one of Pingree’s Democratic rivals, also weighed in with criticism, accusing Pingree of changing her position on Iraq.

“I respect and understand people who want to cut off funding and pull our troops out of Iraq immediately, as Chellie has argued for a year. What I don’t understand is how Chellie can say one thing at the Veterans for Peace Forum last Tuesday in Portland, consistent with her views over the past year – and then endorse a different approach, written by someone who is running for Congress in Seattle, while she was in Washington DC this Monday,” said Cote.

The campaign for incumbent Republican Congressman Dave Reichert also accused its opponent, Burner, of using the plan to play politics.

“This document is not a plan to end the war, it is a plan to run a political campaign,” said Reichert chief-of-staff Mike Shields. “At first glance, it appears that over half the recommendations made in this document are things that Congressman Reichert has already endorsed or cosponsored, including the Iraqi Refugee bill, the Media Consolidation bill and a bill to make the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group law.”

Also offering a dose of criticism was Polis’s Democratic opponent Joan Fitz-gerald, who said Polis’s endorsement of the plan constituted a change in position from his previous statements about Iraq.

“This plan has no timelines for withdrawal from the war in Iraq. On this the 5th anniversary of this war, the soldiers, their families and the American people deserve a straight answer on this most important issue,” the Fitz-gerald campaign said in a release. “This plan clearly contradicts everything Jared has previously stated about his stance on funding for the war without a firm timeline for withdrawal.”

The Democratic congressional campaign arm - perhaps recognizing that some of the candidates on the stage here still had Democratic primary opponents and not wanting to take sides - offered up a statement in response to the plan that was more or less neutral.

“Iraq will continue to be an issue this cycle with John McCain running for a third Bush term,” said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Doug Thornell. “As Gen. David Petraeus said, Iraqi leaders are not making sufficient progress. Voters are looking for a new direction in Iraq and Democrats will continue to work to bring our troops home responsibly.”