Maxine Waters, A Force To Be Reckoned With for 2008 Democratic Candidates

Matt Stoller at MyDD has a noteworthy analysis of Maxine Waters' potential influence in the presidential primaries. He links to this report by Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report: Clinton and Obama Will Have to 'Prove Themselves' on Iraq Rep. Maxine Waters and other progressive lawmakers are tired of watching Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama dance around the issue of Iraq withdrawal. As the January 27 ‘Peace March on Washington' approaches, leaders of the Out of Iraq Congressional Caucus plan to turn up the heat on the Democratic presidential frontrunners. (…) Speaking on CNN's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, Rep. Maxine Waters warned that she and other leaders of the 75-member Out of Iraq Congressional Caucus will soon journey to early Democratic primary states to determine "who is nuancing and tip-toeing" around the issue. Asked directly if she were referring to frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Waters said "they both have to prove themselves." Matt recalls Waters' significant impact in Ned Lamont's primary victory, and he foresees the "progressive caucus, the netroots, and leaders like Maxine Waters" being "a potent force against a pro-war Hillary Clinton."