Posted on 08/18/2008 10:25:10 PM PDT by Enchante
Warren had asked Obama to provide an example of where he had gone against party loyalty and his own best interest. Obama cited a speech he had given as a state senator from a liberal district in Chicago. At the time, he had no responsibility to cast a vote that would affect the outcome, nor (as he indicated later to Russert) sufficient information to do so.
His "Meet the Press" interview shows that, in the midst of his run for the Senate in 2004, as he prepared to take the national stage, Obama put party loyalty (and his own best interest) first. He fell in line behind his party's nominees, noting they voted for the war based on more information than he had available to him, and he did not suggest an end to the war but rather a "change in tone and a change in administration" so that "we succeed in Iraq."
That was the change he believed in at that point in time.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
This is a big deal, it shows he has been repeatedly INCONSISTENT about his stance toward the Iraq War, and for opportunistic reasons. I can't believe I hadn't seen anything about this before. Has anyone noticed any other writer or talking head addressing this?
Shhhhh... Don’t give Hillary any ideas.
excerpt from “Meet the Press” interview on July 25, 2004:
MR. RUSSERT: . . . The nominee of your party, John Kerry, the nominee for vice president, John Edwards, all said [Saddam] was an imminent threat. They voted to authorize George Bush to go to war. How could they have been so wrong and you so right as a state legislator in Illinois and they’re on the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees in Washington?
STATE REP. OBAMA: Well, I think they have access to information that I did not have. And what is absolutely clear is that John Kerry said, “If we go into war, let’s make sure that we do it right. Let’s make sure that our troops are supported. Let’s make sure that we have the kind of coalition that’s necessary to succeed.” And the execution of what was a difficult choice to make was something that all of us have to be concerned about. And moving forward, the only way that we’re going to be able to succeed is if, I think, we have an administration led by John Kerry that’s going to allow us to consolidate the relationships with our allies that bring about investment in Iraq.
MR. RUSSERT: But if you had been a senator at that time, you would have voted not to authorize President Bush to go to war?
STATE REP. OBAMA: I would have voted not to authorize the president given the facts as I saw them at that time.
MR. RUSSERT: So you disagree with John Kerry and John Edwards?
STATE REP. OBAMA: At that time, but, as I said, I wasn’t there and what is absolutely clear as we move forward is that if we don’t have a change in tone and a change in administration, I think we’re going to have trouble making sure that our troops are secure and that we succeed in Iraq.
MR. RUSSERT: We can’t withdraw the troops immediately?
STATE REP. OBAMA: I don’t think so.
I hadn’t seen anything about this MTP interview before — it shows that in the midst of the 2004 campaign he DEFENDED Kerry and Edwards for their votes in favor of the Iraq resolution authorizing President Bush to go to war, he said they had BETTER INFO than he did (which would also apply to any Republicans in Congress or the White House), and he REJECTS any calls for immediate withdrawal of troops.
Yet, as we all know, he later comes to be the darling of the rabid anti-war left as he opportunistically moves ever farther to the left, rejecting the statements (without acknowledging what he is doing) that he himself made to Russert in the MTP interview.
NOW, in 2008, he is citing his original 2002 speech as an instance of great courage against his party and personal interest, when in reality the facts are that he proceeded to FLIP-FLOP all over the place.
Lets cal him dipshit boy.
he honestly doesn’t know what he believes
Backfired Big Time.
We need to keep Obamfter on the flip too.
He's definitely rattled by McCain, and shows all the fawning sleazyness of your typical Mussleman, camel driver, in his character. Won't take a stand on anything, unh...unh....unless its boiler plate lefty talk.
Flip Obama, nice Nick Name.
Ping on huge Obama flip-flop....
During 2004 campaign he said Kerry and Edwards had good reasons to vote in FAVOR of the war resolution and says they had better info available to them (which would also apply to all the national Republicans in Congress and the White House).
So when Obambi was trying to get himself elected to the US Senate and support his party’s nominees, he was arguing that votes FOR the war resolution were well founded, AND he rejected calls for any immediate pull-out of troops.
Yet, as the rabid anti-war left grew in power and influence after 2004, Obambi flip-flops and suddenly becomes the darling of the far left again.
Now, when he has cited his 2002 speech as his great “profile in courage” it is highly relevant to look at how easily he back-pedalled from that speech during the 2004 campaign, when it served his personal and party interest.
This MTP episode from 2004 shows what an opportunistic hustler he is as he supports Kerry and Edwards for the vote that in 2008 he presents as contemptible (for Hillary and for Republicans such as McCain).
In the 2004 MTP interview he rejects immediate troop withdrawal and emphasizes change of strategy to ensure success in Iraq, yet in 2007-08 when the “surge” and associated counter-insurgency is proving a great success, Obambi has flip-flopped to the far left and continues to reject the position HE HIMSELF took in the MTP interview with Russert in July 2004.
Obama, the opportunistic flip-flopper!!
It’s too early to hit Obama this hard; the Dems can still switch him out for Hillary at their Convention.
Later...hold fire on Obama for now. He’s becoming too vulnerable so early.
Yes, and this week is the ideal time to try to turn the heat up on Obambi on the war issues and his weasel words about Kerry and Edwards, etc. Try to force him to re-state his “position” once again against the inconsistencies of what he has said in the past, plus the obvious growing success in Iraq that is what HE CALLED for in July 2004 yet has spent the past 2 years trying to undermine.
He can really be broken over this issue, I believe, especially given that he just used his 2002 speech as an example of his political courage at this Saddleback event the other night.
That’s a great point - we don’t want them to have a chance to pull the plug on his campaign next week .....
The Hildebeast is waiting for her opportunity......
Kerry must have loved this backstabbing. Nice!
Don’t worry about Hillary. Her red record is just as good if not better than Obie’s.
Both make great targets. Fire when ready, Gridley!
Sun Rises in East. Sets in West. ;-)
This looks like another "I voted for the war before I voted against it."
I venture to predict that Obama will get no bounce from the convention.
I tend to think that we should hold fire on Obama for now, the more he looks like he is failing the more likely he will succumb to the deadly lifeline, HRC with BHO VP)
IMO, the Clinton Syndicate will throw this possibility early at the Convention....all heii will break lose but the Rats do want to win and that may make things like this possible!
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