Martha Coakley Ducks Question on Taliban 'Gone' From Afghanistan

The background is a my earlier entry, "They’re Gone? Martha Coakley Clueless on AF-PAK Strategic Theater."

And now this from CNN, "Coakley Dodges Question About Afghanistan Claim" (via Memeorandum):

Democrat Martha Coakley dodged a pointed question Tuesday about her claim during a Massachusetts Senate debate the night before that terrorists are no longer in Afghanistan.

During Monday's debate with Republican Scott Brown, Coakley questioned why the United States still has troops in Afghanistan. She claimed that the al Qaeda terrorists who were originally targeted by American military action have migrated elsewhere, rendering the mission moot. "They're gone," she said. "They're not there anymore. They're in, apparently Yemen, they're in Pakistan."

A reporter asked Coakley about that claim after a Capitol Hill fundraiser on Tuesday. "Do you stand by that remark?" he asked.

Coakely, standing before a small cluster of reporters and cameras, listened to the question, then quickly looked in a different direction.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Did anybody else have a question?"

The Democrat responded to another reporter who asked why she made the last-minute fundraising trip to Washington.

Coakley said she was in the middle of "a very intense campaign."

"We are facing a candidate from Massachusetts who is being supportive by extreme right groups including many Republican groups who are pouring money into Massachusetts attacking my record and distorting my record," Coakley said. "I'm doing everything that I need to be competitive in this race."

RELATED: From Legal Insurrection, "This Photo May Change The Election," and "Does Coakley Oppose Care for Rape Victims?"

Also Blogging:

* Cold Fury, "Hey, Dems: In America, Politics are what we do INSTEAD of fighting in the streets; we call it “The Rule of Law”."

* Flopping Aces, "Washington DC Health Care Lobbyists Throw A Fundraiser For Coakley."

* Ed Driscoll, "The Ominous Parallels."

* The Hill, "Dems, Labor Pour Cash Into Kennedy Seat."

* Hot Air, "Video: Coakley associate shoves Weekly Standard reporter; Update: Photo of assailant."

* Jules Crittenden, "Martha vs. The Ladies Gardening Club."

* Melissa Clouthier, "Scott Brown And The Republican Big Tent."

* Michelle Malkin, "Martha Coakley: The voice for Fat Cats and Corruptocrats."

* Nice Deb, "Boston Political Analyst Declares Scott Brown Winner of Monday Night’s Debate."

* The Other McCain, "Is Martha Coakley Even Sleazier Than Tila Tequila? BUMPED: Reporter Hassled."

* Reaganite Republican, "Brown Within TWO POINTS in New Rasmussen Poll!"

* Snooper Report, "Scott Brown Making History ... So Is That Fruitloop Coakley."

Video is here:

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