2004, What Obama Really Said

[sandnsea]

I don't agree with this entire piece, but it does clarify some of the Obama quotes that make it sound like he was criticizing Kerry or wishy-washy on the war.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/3/20/14129/0524

[Mass]

1. Same old problems from selective quotes.

Taken out of context, speakers like Obama or Kerry, who tried to be thoughtful rather than to deliver talking points, are often misconstrued.

After I heard several interviews of Obama, it became clear to me that he would have this problem. He tries to explain things, and when you try to explain (which is the good thing to do), you give people space to take you out of context.

[karynnj]

2. They did a nice job

I think the problem Obama had as to what to do with the war had to do with the Republican strategy to simply say "that's the Bush policy" every time Kerry said what he would do. In reality, looking at the Cutter comment now where she speaks of how the Bush people have "moved towards their view that they had to work with the international community" was NOT TRUE because throughout the general election the Bush administration lied about Iraq - it's 2007, where's the international effort they promised? (Bush did that in debate 1 - after Kerry answered - he simply said that that was the Bush plan.

In reality, Bush was very different from what a Kerry administration would do - but in August 2004, Obama waas going by what Bush said. (the entire country was lied to)

[sandnsea]

3. Yep, Bush lied

They do that all the time. Do you hear them talking about cafe standards and alternative energy now? They perceive that this is going to be an issue in 2008, so they're revving up their campaign to sound like Democrats and confuse the people.

And I've figured out what "partisanship" means to a Republican - WE'RE GUILTY. Isn't that the word they use every time they get caught??

[MBS]

4. front page story from Globe on the history of Obama's votes on Iraq

See
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/03/20/obamas_record_shows_caution_nuance_on_iraq/

[sandnsea]

5. Other than the deadline vote

He voted the way the majority did on the spending bills. I think he does need to get an actual plan to get out of Iraq, and make the kinds of clear statements on bases and exactly what our presence would mean in the ME, the way Senator Kerry has. However the statements the Clinton camp are trying to turn against him are taken way out of context, especially consider she was a key stumbling block in any alternative Iraq strategy in 2004.