Obama Flips His Previous Flop On Iraq

Apparently Obama was for a firm timetable for Iraqi withdrawals before he was against it, and then for it.

This gets tricky, but stay with me - Samantha Power, "an unpaid foreign policy adviser and Harvard professor to the Obama campaign", is resigning because of recently published remarks in which she called Hillary Clinton a "monster".  There is no place for talk like that in Obama land.

However, before her monster got her down, Ms. Power told the BBC that Obama intended to preserve some flexibility in setting a timeline for withdrawing from Iraq:

The host, Stephen Sackur, challenged her:"So what the American public thinks is a commitment to get combat forces out in 16 months isn't a commitment isn't it?"

"You can’t make a commitment in March 2008 about what circumstances will be like in January of 2009," she said. "He will, of course, not rely on some plan that he’s crafted as a presidential candidate or a U.S. Senator. He will rely upon a plan – an operational plan – that he pulls together in consultation with people who are on the ground to whom he doesn’t have daily access now, as a result of not being the president. So to think – it would be the height of ideology to sort of say, 'Well, I said it, therefore I’m going to impose it on whatever reality greets me.'"

One might say, well, no kidding - haven't reasonable people always assumed that any of the candidates would assess the reality of January 2009 before implementing a plan in Iraq?  One might have thought so, but in response to the Powers comments Obama's press flack said something quite different, as reported by the Political Radar at ABC News:

On a conference call with reporters earlier Friday Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said Obama has been "crystal clear with the American people that if and when he is elected president, we will be out of Iraq in - as he said, the time frame would be about 16 months at the most where you withdraw troops. There should be no confusion about that with absolute clarity."

Obama doubled down in a stump speech a bit later:

Senator Obama told a crowd in Casper, Wyoming that he doesn’t want people to be confused by his time frame for withdrawing troops from Iraq, he said, by Clinton’s interpretation of his former aide's comment to BBC.

"I was opposed to this war in 2002. If it has been up to me we would have never been in this war. It was because of George Bush with an assist from Hillary Clinton and John McCain that we entered into this war," Obama said Friday.

"A war that should have never been authorized, a war that should have never been waged. I've been against it 2002, 2003, 2004, 5, 6, 7, 8. And I will bring this war to an end in 2009. So don't be confused. Don't be confused when Senator Clinton is not even willing to acknowledge that she voted for war. She said she voted for diplomacy despite the title that said  authorization to use US arms forces in Iraq. I don't want to play politics on this issue because she doesn't have standing to question my position on this issue," Obama said.

Well, now, I am confused, since last month Obama was telling CBS News the same thing Ms. Powers was telling the BBC:

"At a time when American casualties are down, at a time when the violence is down, particularly affecting the Iraqi population, is that the right time to try and set time tables for withdrawing all American troops? I mean you talked about…the end of 2009," Kroft remarked.

"Yeah, absolutely. I think now is precisely the time. I think that it is very important for us to send a clear signal to the Iraqis that we are not gonna be here permanently. We're not gonna set up permanent bases. That they are going to have to resolve their differences and get their country functioning," Obama said.

"And you pull out according to that time table, regardless of the situation? Even if there’s serious sectarian violence?" Kroft asked.

"No, I always reserve as commander in chief, the right to assess the situation," Obama replied.

This nuance did not go unremarked - here are the Captain, Jim Geraghty, and Reason.  And folks who make it to the bottom of today's Radar story will see that they note the CBS News story but with a bum link.

This is good news for the Confederate Yankee, who was worried that Obama would pay no attention to either reality or his generals and advisers and simply commence withdrawals in 2009.  You see, a month ago, Obama left himself some reasonable wiggle room - this gives us some reason to hope he will do so again, perhaps after his base is placated and the nomination secured.  And isn't his campaign all about hope?

MORE:  From Protein Wisdom:

"Both campaigns are tactically retreating to declarations of unconditional surrender.  For now.  Tomorrow is another day."

DO BEAR IN MIND:  Pulling our troops out does not end the war, it only ends our involvement.  Or is the war in Darfur over?

AS PREDICTED:  Obama pays price for pandering, not pivoting prior to Pennsylvania.

Comments

[Uncle BigBad]

"Obama left himself some reasonable wiggle room"

That's obviously what he means by "change."

[SteveMG]

Gee, what next?

Let me guess: His promise to shift the battlefield from Iraq to Pakistan (NWT) will be reassessed?

Where's our good friend Don when we really need him?

[Ranger]

Well, the flexability on his position seems to vary in relation to his security on the nomination. I have a strong feeling that if he does manage to become president there will be such a deluge of stories and leaks about how bad a unilateral retreat would be that it will become the Obama version of Clinton's middle class tax cut:

'I worked harder on this than I have worked on anything in my entire life, but the truth is that after careful review with the commanders on the ground and our allies in the region, we simply can not withdraw as quickly as I had hoped or as completely as I had hoped.'

[hit and run]

It's not the Iraq War that is wrong.

It's the Bush War that is wrong.

If Obama can separate the Iraq War from being the Bush War, Obama will wiggle like a raqs sharqi

[PeterUK]

But has he spent Christmas in Cambodia? How can Baraq H Obama comment if he hasn't served?

[kim]

It seems pretty clear he is going to be tying this in to the meme of the Three Trillion Dollar war, which torpedoed social security, and threw poor people out of homes and jobs.

Rarely have I seen such demagoguery. I can't believe it, but I'm beginning to prefer Hillary to this Teratosaurus.
=======================

[SteveMG]

And his (or one of them) intelligence adviser reportedly just stated that Congress should give immunity to the telcoms (link).

Obama is against it.

The adviser (John Brennan) also opined on the candidates and their views on such matters: "They [the candidates] need to make sure they do their homework, and it's not just going to be knee-jerk responses".

Wonder who he had in mind?

[Sara]

Obama needs to swap out the tinfoil for a real "magic hat."

[PeterUK]

"Rarely have I seen such demagoguery"
He spent too much of his youth in a demagogo.

[kim]

Wow, that's two foreign policy advisers in two days with more sensible advice than Obama's rhetoric. Wussup wit dat?
=====================

[Sara]

But then with senior military advisers like this, who knows what Obama might do:

According to General Merrill McPeak, Iran was our ally until “W” hurt its feelings:

“They were a big enemy of the Taliban,” said the retired four-star general. “They cooperated with us quite completely in the initial phases of our Afghanistan operation. And it was us that insulted them by including them in the ‘axis of evil’ and making sure they understood we didn’t like them very much.”

McPeak, an Obama campaign co-chairman, was referring to Bush’s post-September 11 speech in which he referred to North Korea, Iraq and Iran as an “axis of evil.”

“That drove us apart,” said McPeak. “Obama’s idea is, why not talk to them. Why not see if there isn’t some common ground. Certainly, the fight against al Qaeda would be one of them.”

I guess we should forget that Iran took our embassy hostage for 444 days, they are state sponsors of terror, think Khobar Towers/Hezzbolah, think supplying arms and fighters to Iraq to kill American soldiers, think Imanutjob’s threat to wipe one of our strongest allies, Israel, off the face of the earth and his implication that he’d like to see the same fate for America. Good friend and ally, indeed.

[Sara]

Oops, forgot to close a blockquote, last paragraph is not part of the quote. Last paragraph is my opinion.

[windansea]

as he said, the time frame would be about 16 months at the most where you withdraw troops.

that's a huge gap in right center field I could hit to...so he could start withdrawing troops within 16 months, maybe a battalion or two to start

[PeterUK]

To paraphrase Lady Bracknell: "To lose one foreign policy adviser, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness".

[Elliott]

Sara,

And I'm sure they had our best interests at heart when they allowed some (8?) of the hijackers to enter and exit their country without it being recorded on their passports.

[Elroy Jetson]

Glad Barack Mao Obama cleared that up for us. He will withdraw completely by the end of next year. Thank you, sir.
I think they should have another 3 debates between now and the time PA votes in April. Torture for everyone!

[Sara]

Elliott, thanks, I'd forgotten about that.

[Neo]

A strategy like Obama's is perfect for reclaiming America's positon in the world ..
.. unfortuantely it is the position of dunce. This should make us all kinds of friends.

It should play like ..

Obama: It's time for America to reclaim our rightful positon in the world.

McCain: Unfortunately, my colleague seems to think that we can make all kinds of friends by claiming the position of dunce. I think .. I know America is better than that .. and I'm prepared to take America there .. not to the dark recesses here those who hate America would have us go.

[ben]

As we saw from the computer of the Farc leader who was killed last week, terrorists do read the news too, they were pleased about Obama's comments on Colombia.
So it doesn't matter if Obama promises some flexibility on withdrawal, as soon as the terrorists know that is the policy they can just wait it out. And of course the "we are leaving soon unilaterally" policy would hurt the morale of the troops, nobody wants to be the last one killed in a pointless effort.
The "let's embarass Bush by losing the war" tactic might not seem so brilliant when Bush is at the ranch and a Democrat is in the Whitehouse.

[Other Tom]

This guy is a lightweight, he's going down, and that's become more appparent with every news cycle. He will not be president.

With the European "book tour" of the callipygous Ms. Power, the whole unraveling enterprise is beginning to take on the air of farce. And I love every second of it. Wahoo!

[ben]

"This guy is a lightweight, he's going down, and that's become more appparent with every news cycle. He will not be president."

I think that's true, but maybe we should hope he emerges bruised and bloodied from the convention and becomes toast in November. I have switched half a dozen times hoping either Hillary or Obama wins the nomination, now that Obama is burning some oil he seems the weaker candidate again.

[Jane]

Oh I think they will simply exterminate each other. If Hillary wins the blacks won't vote for her. If Obama wins the independents won't vote for him. Now if we can just bring the right around, and McCain doesn't screw up...

[centralcal]

Obama seems to have very bad taste in women -- advisors (and his spouse)!

He is being undone by the Obama-mammas (women) close to him, and, well, one woman not so close to him (RW).

[Topsecretk9]

anecdote alert:

Went to get my son at school for a doctors appt. and the youngish, very smart and very cheerful school secretary assistant who is African american was wearing an oooh I'd say 5 inch circumference Obama button pin (or whatever they're called) on her chest. (complete with angelic like image of the O man)

[Ann]

I think the best news for John McCain is Karl Rove. I forget what show he was on tonight. ( I am snowed in with three overnight dramatic, thirteen year old girls and my husband is trying to get home from S. Korea. Oh yeah, I'm having fun. :(

Anyways, he really made John McCain and his wife sound so good, it made me forget for a minute why I don't like him. If he keeps this up to November, I might find my love for him, again.

[Ann]

Centralcal, "Obama-mammas" is extraordinarily great! LOL

[Ann]

We have a famous German restaurant here called "Schmidt's". One of the menu items they are famous for are "Bahama Mamas " The Original". (I am not making this up!)

[Elliott]

Ann, it was O'Reilly (and it should be on again in a couple of minutes if anyone wants to watch it). I think Rove and Frank Luntz are the best political analysts on television because they usually say something to which I react, "That's really interesting. I hadn't thought of it that way."

From Porchlight's MYDD excerpt on the other thread:

After the scandal Uncle Leopold gave the property to KAM, and supposedly left town in shame.

'Fess up, Ann!

[Topsecretk9]

Ann

Do you have more than one computer in the house? I would imagine the girls want on too!!!

[Porchlight]

Interesting to think that Leopold (and maybe Loeb?) hung out in the Obama mansion at some point, huh? Leftist radicals everywhere you turn in Hyde Park/Kenwood.

Glad I made it out of there unscathed (I was born at Chicago Lying-in Hospital, now part of the UC Medical Center).

[Ann]

Tops, Yes, I call mine "Sanity", how about you? :)

Elliott, I am so slow tonight, it took me a few to realize you are talking about my initials. I even read Porchlight's post before I got it. Sheesh! Help!!!

[Ann]

Way OT,

Tops,

I was interested in your post about taking your son out of school for a doctor's appt. I took my daughter out of school for a dentist appt. this week and found out that I needed a note from the dentist for her to be excused. My word was not enough. Even if I wrote a note with my signature, she would not be excused!!! Needless to say, they will wish I never found out about their policy, but, do you have the same problem with your school?

[Ann]

Lucianne.com picture of the day, says it all,

http://www.lucianne.com/short_cuts.asp ">Ms. Obama makes $200,000 a year, has a regular personal trainer
and a full time housekeeper.

[Daryl Herbert]

If you'll forgive me for it, I will repeat the comment I left at LGF:

Obama finally fired loose cannon Samantha Power...

FOR BEING TOO MODERATE!

If the cast of SNL had any balls, they would do a new Obama sketch: He would be explaining his plan for Iraq:

"I'm going to get out, within 16 months. Even if, with the new information I have as president, I think it's a bad idea. Even if the generals all tell me we have to stay, I will get out. Even if the troops want to stay and finish the job. Even if the Iraqi government is making political progress and begs me to stay, I will get out. Even if it will lead to genocide, I will get out. That is my promise to the American people. I will get us out of Iraq. No matter how bad an idea I think it is, I will do it. The American people need to elect a president with good judgment. I had the good judgment to oppose the Iraq war in 2003. I have the good judgment, now, to want to get out of Iraq. I won't let any new judgments get in the way of my good judgment now."

But the SNL cast, funny and talented as they might be, aren't exactly courageous, independent people who aren't afraid to step on some toes in order to get some laughs. They're extremely conventional, which means they can't speak to the real underlying truths in this campaign.

[Topsecretk9]

Ann
--Yes, I call mine "Sanity", how about you? :)--

Yep!!!!

-- I took my daughter out of school for a dentist appt. this week and found out that I needed a note from the dentist for her to be excused. My word was not enough.---

This reminds me of the new CA Home-school ruling.

I'd ask the school to show you where in the handbook they stipulated this new rule and if THEY brought it to you are any parents attention. I'd also call the school district to ask if this is true and for them to provide you information re this rule. Put a bug in the PTA's ear too.

It's BIG BS in my book. I took my son out early 3 weeks ago just because I wanted to. It was for a birthday and we all went to see a movie, He's an A student, they can kiss my ass (and grits) as far as I'm concerned.

I hate the Teachers' Union and the Nanny State. It's frankly none of their business why we take our kids out of school minus obvious neglect.

So, I am so supposed to be afraid and care that the Govt. might listen to my phone calls to AQ but I should just shut up and take it when the GOVT starts dictating how I am supposed to raise my child.

Where do I get the government permission slip to have a child china Democrats sign off on?

[Topsecretk9]

I shouldn't just say I have visceral feelings about the teachers union - I hate the trial bar that has sued school districts for scrapped knees and who knows what to create an surreal environment in schools.

[Topsecretk9]

scraped, not scrapped

Eghads!

[charlie]

"DO BEAR IN MIND: Pulling our troops out does not end the war, it only ends our involvement."

Thank you for saying that. I am tired of politicians pandering to those of us who don't believe we should still be involved in this Iraq War. Anyone, any democrat who says they will "end" the war is full of you know what. It is not OUR war to end: it's Sadr's, it's the Sunni and rival Shiite militia groups' war to end.

[Ann]

Tops,

Thanks for replying. I have been so livid, all week, on how I was treated as a parent, it threw me off. I could not believe it.

On top of that story, my daughter was walking down the hall to her class and saw a classmate crying. She hugged her and asked her what was wrong and tried to help. Quess what? She got in trouble for hugging her!!!! No Touching !!!

The young girl found out her mother had terminal cancer and my daughter couldn't hug her!!

Well, I might need a good lawyer before the year is out!! Anyone, interested?? Someone would have to file it without my name, however, because my daughter wants to make the cheerleading squad next year. Not prudent, if you know what I mean?

[Topsecretk9]

Ann

You know that sucks. We here just make a big fuss, they don't screw with us after.

Making a fuss puts them on notice. They don't like "on notice"

One thing you can say for the trial bar in CA - they've made the teachers just as afraid as the children.

[sbw]

"DO BEAR IN MIND: Pulling our troops out does not end the war, it only ends our involvement."

You know, if I use this sentence in an editorial, it will not be plagerism like the accusations hurled at each other by politicians; it will be because the concept is so substantial that I must have come to the conclusion myself.

[scoopa]

Ann,
I agree - Rove was relating the story of the McCain's adopting a dying infant from Africa, that they ended up adopting. The girl is now a teenager and doing well. Karl is right - he needs to get that story and many others out to the public.

[Mars vs Hollywood]

Whenever a politician says they're going to "end" the Iraq War, just substitute the word "postpone" for "end."

[Elliott]

Any thoughts on McCain's new video?

[david mangan]

I agree with Ms. Power's characterization of the ogress roguette Hillary Clinton. She is an amoral, hypocritical, win-at-all-costs specimen of everything wrong with Democrat politics----Obama was/is a refreshing change.

Sadly, Samantha may not be ready for prime time. She has the Irish temperament and has obviously kissed the Blarney Stone, but she needs to curb her tongue. As one observer noticed, she was caught between a scholar's need to tell the truth, the author's need to sell her book, and a political advisor's requirement to keep her counsel to herself and her candidate.

I worked on two national Democrat campaigns and worked under Harold Ickes [and John Podesta worked for me]. The need not to hurt your candidate is the prime uppermost consideration whenever you are in a public forum of any kind.

Zbig Brzezinski doesn't think she should have resigned, been fired, whatever. I do. She is unseasoned and too naive to be the chief foreign policy advisor to a presidential candidate. My last campaign for the Dems, I worked for Madeleine Albright [in '84 for Mondale]. I brought my then-close buddy Christopher Hitchens to the National HQ & the cabal around Albright shuddered at his eloquence & promptly shut him out of any public forums. They were perhaps too conservative & tight-lipped.

However, Samantha Power's time will come. But she is simply too glib, trusting, and unseasoned for the top level. Change & new faces don't always work, especially when you're trying to slay a "MONSTER."

[Jimmy Jones]

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INTERESTING! http://www.spymac.com/details/?2350301

[hit and run]

centralcal:
Obama seems to have very bad taste in women -- advisors (and his spouse)!

Well.

Mark Hemingway at the Corner got an email from an Obama supporter:

At least Phillippe and will.i.am (and Obama, for that matter) bed attractive women.

Aha! I'm running for president!!!!

But then Geraghty put up this post:

Mark's wife is a fox.

So...I sent Geraghty an email, saying by that standard Fred should be having celebrities make worshipful videos of him.

And Geraghty replied to make his own point.

Which made me realize why he titled his post, "I'll Put the NRO Wives Up Against Any Other Women" -- wives, plural.

Jim's wife is a babe!

[hit and run]

Tops:
I'd also call the school district to ask if this is true and for them to provide you information re this rule. Put a bug in the PTA's ear too.

It is with great excitement that I announce my entry into electoral politics.

I have accepted the role of campaign manager.

It is an exciting adventure, one that I very much look forward to.

It promises to be a long and challenging campaign, one for which we are very much prepared.

Mrs Hit and Run for PTA President-Elect '08!

Disappointingly, so far she is unopposed.

That won't stop me from running a viscious, negative campaign, though.

Somebody's gonna get swift-boated!

[hit and run]

TM:
DO BEAR IN MIND: Pulling our troops out does not end the war, it only ends our involvement.

OK, not a perfect fit, but anyway...

It's the last game of the season. The team needs a win to make the playoffs. Late in the first quarter, the starting running back tears his ACL. In the second quarter, the middle linebacker lands akwardly on his ankle and is taken to the locker room. He's not 100%, but is going to have the ankle re-taped and play through it.

At the end of the half, the beleagured quarterback, with the scathing articles by the sportswriters in the back of his mind, and the withering criticism from the sports talk show commentaters rattling in his ears, marches the team down the field and scores a touchdown as time expires to give the team the lead. The entire game has swung in their favor. Despite the injuries, the team runs with renewed energy into the locker room.

The coach walks slowly into the locker room. He gets the team's attention and says, "The owner has come down from his luxury box and has an announcement to make.

The owner steps up on a milk crate so the players can see him and begins, "I want to thank you all for a great season. We came a long way and made a lot of progress as a team. Unfortunately, this game is too costly in terms of injuries, and playing against this opponent is apparently alienating its fans. Besides, our divisional rival is where we want to concentrate our efforts, so we will begin preparing to face them next season. We are going to go ahead and get on the bus and head to the airport and go home. Oh and one more thing, I just want to say, I support you!"

[Jane]

I took my daughter out of school for a dentist appt. this week and found out that I needed a note from the dentist for her to be excused. My word was not enough.

It's a really good thing I'm not a parent. I might sue over that.

[kim]

Some places require notes from external authority after a defined number of parental excuses. State law about truancy.

Bush will talk about waterboarding this AM. He wants to continue to allow its use by the CIA. It is a very interesting question. I maintain it has its uses, and must be regulated to avoid abuse. This is very tough for some people to understand or accept, but its also very tough to deny that it has not already saved lives.
=====================

[kim]

H&R, 'We coulda been contenduhs'.
======================

[hit and run]

TM:
Apparently Obama was for a firm timetable for Iraqi withdrawals before he was against it, and then for it.

At least when Arafat would say one thing to Western leaders and media and then another antipodean thing to the Palestinians, he would do so in different languages.

Obama? The Mirror of Erised just says it all in English, expecting that we will all just see and hear what we want.

[sbw]

David Mangan:"I worked on two national Democrat campaigns...[Harold Ickes, Zbig Brzezinski, Madeleine Albright]"

My, you are a glutton for punishment! ... Seriously, after so many fuzzy and ill-considered priciples, faulty premises, and conclusions that did not follow from them -- how could you have labored on with them without shouting, "Are you out of yer ever-lovin' mind?!"

[hit and run]

In the end, forget the flag pin, the hand over his heart, his wife saying she hasn't been proud of her country until now.

This one is big.

I Question Obama's Patriotism.

Firing Power? For saying Hillary is a monster?

I thought Speaking Truth to Power was the second highest form of patriotism, behind, of course, Dissent.

She deserved a promotion, if not a Medal of Honor.

[kim]

If you've just risked your own mortality, in an attempt to make the other guy die for his country, and you just missed, and he was only captured, why don't you want to confront him with his mortality once more in order to find out where his confreres are preparing the beheading?

If it is not regulated, it will be abused. If it is not used, it will be a shame and a tragedy.

Why do you think those quaint old white men made gentlemen's agreements, back in the bad old days of the Nineteenth Century.

We've got to come to terms with this issue. Bush's courage continues to astonish me.
==================

[SAMI]

Despite everything that has happened, you must look at this link is very crazy ...

http://www.spymac.com/details/?2349367

[Other Tom]

"DO BEAR IN MIND: Pulling our troops out does not end the war, it only ends our involvement."

I'd add: "For now."

[franglo]

How is this a flip flop, you dumb bastards?

"He will rely upon a plan – an operational plan – that he pulls together in consultation with people who are on the ground to whom he doesn’t have daily access now, as a result of not being the president."

That is just common sense. You appear to have none. I am so sick of you idiots. People are now criticized for making sense. The country has been controlled by people like you for a while now, and we're mired in a war and the economy is in recession. Go away!

[clarice]

franglo, you got in just under the wire. I have it on good authority that tommorrow, TM is only allowing postings from people whose IQ is at least room temperature.

[hit and run]

franglo:
That is just common sense. You appear to have none. I am so sick of you idiots. People are now criticized for making sense.

You do realize you are quoting Power, right?

Not Obama, who disavowed her statement -- and reiterated his promise to end the war in 2009, conditions on the ground be damned.

And that's why she no longer is on the Obama campaign, right?

Power 2008
Because Obama's full of shit

[Jane]

Tee Hee

[hit and run]

Obama: "And I will bring this war to an end in 2009. So don't be confused."

Don't be confused, franglo, the common sense you find in Power's words are not to be found in Obama's campaign speeches.

Oh, wait! But Obama said to Steve Kroft...

"No, I always reserve as commander in chief, the right to assess the situation," Obama replied."

Seriously, read Tom's post. Is Obama for promising to end the war in 2009 no matter what, or for reserving the right not to based on the situation? Because he's said both, and they are mutually exclusive, there is both a flip and flop there, unless Obama says he misspoke on one or the other.

Tom lays it out quite nicely, and any reasonably intelligent person should be able to understand.

I know you have an axe to grind and are probably impervious to actual reason, but I am reaching out in hope that change is possible.

[drjohn]

Sure, he opposed the war in 2002 when he knew squat, but he said he might have voted differently had he had the intel. In other words, he's saying he really doesn't know what he would have done or what he would do now.

The audacity of ignorance. The audacity to hope that your audience is ignorant. It's a package deal.

[kim]

And then you take a look at the intell. Heh.
============================

[sbw]

Have to love Glenn Reynolds: "The Audacity of Hype."

As he would say - Heh!

[ClarifiedButter]

in an interview with Tim Russert in 2004, this is what obama said at that time: In July of '04, Barack Obama, “I’m not privy to Senate intelligence reports. What would I have done? I don’t know,” in terms of how you would have voted on the war. And then this: “There’s not much of a difference between my position on Iraq and George Bush’s position at this stage.” Here's the link. You have to fact check him all the time. What little he does say, that is. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/11/obama-speak.html

[kim]

Cool, CB. All hat and no cattle.
===================

[ShellyT]

What's really amazing is that Obama refuses to co-sponsor Feingold's bill to pull troops out of Iraq
(S. 2633) because it doesn't set a firm withdrawal date! That story was in the Huffington Post.