Zogby Praises Richardson and Obama on Foreign Policy in Iowa

[illinoisprogressive]

James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, praised the foreign policy skills of candidates Barack Obama and Bill Richardson while talking with Iowa Independent and several audience members following an Iowa City talk today.

"Obama has an incredible understanding of the issues," Zogby said. "This is just an incredibly smart guy."

Zogby was less positive when asked about Hillary Clinton's statement that the U.S. is more secure now than before the Iraq War. "It's not a sellout so much as what they think passes as smart politics," he said. "It's a bad calculation based more on the politics of convenience, and I don't trust that instinct."

Zogby didn't offer these observations in his address to a crowd of 125, many of whom munched on free pizza, and the Arab American Institute does not make endorsements.

Zogby told Iowa Independent he's had no contact with Republican candidates -- "I'm a Democrat and that's known"-- but others in the organization have talked with the Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson campaigns. He said the Arab-American community used to lean three to four percent Democratic, but since 2002 has shifted to roughly a 44 percent Democratic to 28 percent GOP margin.

Zogby was making his second Iowa City appearance of the year. He was overshadowed on the Middle East front when he visited in April -- the same week as former president Jimmy Carter.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-deeth/zogby-quietly-praises-oba_b_65696.html

[Colobo]

1. Zogby is an intelligent guy.

[Grandrose]

2. K&R

He gets it!:) :kick:

[illinoisprogressive]

3. It's sad news like this never makes it to the mainstream news where people can see

[Ethelk2044]

4. Zogby has taste