Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

If Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York was signaling yesterday how other Democratic leaders might politically parse the Iraq troop surge, there could be a major twist in rhetoric coming.

Speaking to a veterans group, Clinton undercut claims, including her own, that President George W. Bush’s troop buildup would not work. “It’s working,” she said, but “we're just years too late.” Seven months ago Clinton had predicted that the surge “cannot be successful.”

Other Democrats, such as Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, are also softening their stance. This new Democratic strategy is about getting the surge off the table by stipulating its success while still arguing that it is too little and too late to make a difference.

Still, Clinton’s approach runs the risk of giving Bush the rhetorical high ground for the September debate. Agreeing that the president’s new tactics are working will make it a lot tougher to challenge his control of Iraq policy.