Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar Stands Out On Foreign Policy & With Practical Progressive Positions

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of MN got the biggest applause line in last night's first Democratic debate while also offering the most withering appraisal of Donald Trump's chaotic foreign policy.

Star Tribune: "Klobuchar offered her sharpest words for Trump on foreign policy, saying he should not have backed out of the Iran nuclear deal and that he conducts international diplomacy haphazardly.

“This president is literally, every single day, 10 minutes away from going to war,” Klobuchar said. “One tweet away from going to war. I don’t think we should conduct foreign policy in our bathrobe at five in the morning.”

Sen. Klobuchar also highlighted her strong stand on abortion rights when she reminded pro-choice Gov. Jay Inslee, "I want to say there are three women up here who fought pretty hard for a woman’s right to choose."

The Minnesota Senator isn't well known nationally yet, and is only polling in the single digits, but she has an impressive resume of winning big in a mid-western state Trump came close to capturing in 2016. She's a Yale and University of Chicago Law School graduate, and a former state prosecutor.

Klobuchar hasn't embraced free college and Medicare for all, taking a more moderate stance on health care and college affordability. Her solutions, however, would appeal to many independents and college educated suburban Republicans that voted for Democratic candidates in the midterm elections last Fall. And, her campaign, so far, has been focused on her ability to get things done even in a divided congress with a Republican President.

Vox: Klobuchar is the kind of politician who likes to make a case for bipartisanship, even in a hyperpartisan era. Americans might feel more divided than ever, but she likes to brag that she got 24 bills signed into law under President Trump.

On Health Care: Klobuchar voted for the Affordable Care Act in 2009 [Obamacare] and supports universal, single payer health coverage, but incrementally. She understands that workers like the coverage they get from their employer and it's tax free generally. So, as a first step to providing more Americans access to care, she supports expanding Medicare to include Americans age 55 and older, and possibly more.

On College Affordability: Klobuchar does not support free tuition for all students, putting her at odds with several other candidates. Instead, she "supports free community college, expanded Pell Grants and refinancing of student loan interest rates."

It will be interesting to see if Klobuchar's mid-western pragmatism and moderation catches on as she competes with candidates like Sanders and Warren who continue to move further to the left on issues such as immigration, health care and climate change.

She has been successful following a moderate course and fellow Minnesotan, former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, thinks she is the type of candidate the nation needs after four years of Donald Trump.

Mondale, New York Times: “I think that the country is desperate for somebody that can pull us together, end this harsh partisanship and get us back on dealing with real problems.

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By: Don Lam & Curated Content