Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) responded to President Bush’s statement that he intends to negotiate a “long-term strategic partnership” with the Iraqi government. “We cannot allow President Bush to tie the hands of his successor to his failed Iraq policy,” Clinton said.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) also commented on Bush’s speech, criticizing the President for having “failed to show us any real evidence of political progress in Iraq, which was the purpose of his policy.”

Speaking in Utah, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said he believed overall security in Iraq would continue to improve (SaltLakeTribune) despite the recent resurgence in violence.