Obama Flips, Again
July 24th, 2008 at 02:46am Mark Noonan
Might as well just mark down each Obama position and flip it over - from Byron York over at NRO’s The Corner:
The McCain campaign is pointing out that it was one year ago today, during a Democratic debate, that Barack Obama was asked the famous would-you-meet-Ahmadinejad-without-preconditions question. This was it:
QUESTION: In the spirit of…bold leadership, would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?
OBAMA: I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration - is ridiculous.
This morning, in Israel, Obama was asked whether he would still give the same answer. His response:
I think that what I said in response was that I would at my time and choosing be willing to meet with any leader if I thought it would promote the national security interests of the United States of America. And that continues to be my position. That if I think that I can get a deal that is going to advance our cause, then I would consider that opportunity. But what I also said was that there is a difference between meeting without preconditions and meeting without preparation.
You can check out the transcript of the whole 2007 debate here. Obama just didn’t talk about preparation.
The official word is still that Obama is a sure-thing to win…but he’s still only barely up in the polls and shows no signs of breaking out of his 45-47% range of support. The reason Obama isn’t walking away with this election? Because he’s proving himself ever more dishonest and nakedly ambitious for personal glory. People still don’t like the GOP and still aren’t sure about McCain, but outside the left and, naturally, African-Americans, the Obama myth has worn thin. None of this, in and of itself, means that McCain will win - McCain has a very hard fight in front of him and only a four in ten chance (at best) of winning it in the end - but Obama’s vulnerabilities are massive, glaring and growing…and one wonders just how long adulatory MSM coverage will keep the shine on the Obama apple?
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Democrats, War on Terror
32 Comments
1. congressive | July 24th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Deleted - off topic.
2. SEW | July 24th, 2008 at 4:29 am
” but outside the left and, naturally, African-Americans, the Obama myth has worn thin. ”
Did I mention that OJ is innocent?
3. Francis Hollow | July 24th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Deleted - off topic.
4. neocon | July 24th, 2008 at 9:06 am
And right on queue, our resident liberals attack McCain rather than address the substance of the thread and the fading star of their messiah.
Flip flopping is not the issue, many politicians have change in policy positions depending on current geo-political conditions, however, denying those change in positions and accusing your audience of not paying attention, is arrogant, duplicitous and will be the cause of his defeat.
5. hermie | July 24th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Our resident trolls seem to forget that if Obama continues to reverse or obscure his positions, then lie that he ever said them, and yet manages to win the Presidency; what makes them think that he will stop this pattern of deceipt? What would make any US ally or adversary have confidence in anything that Obama would say or agree to, based upon his own history? IE: How good is his word?
6. Retired Spook | July 24th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Our resident trolls seem to forget that if Obama continues to reverse or obscure his positions, then lie that he ever said them, and yet manages to win the Presidency
Boy, hermie, who does that remind you of?
7. Retired Spook | July 24th, 2008 at 9:41 am
If the media stopped covering up for McCain (like CBS did over his Anbar Rising/Surge issue) more people will see McCain for what he is:
Francis, they must have done a great job because I have no idea what you’re talking about. Of course, one of the reasons I don’t watch CBS is that their news division is so intellectually dishonest. Do you have a credible link to back up your assertion?
8. Tractatus | July 24th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Deleted - off topic.
9. neocon | July 24th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Tractatus,
Again, flipping isn’t necessarily bad, it depends on the acknowledgement and explanation, of which Obama does neither. He simply points out that we’re not paying attention.
The arrogance is astonishing.
10. SnookerPete | July 24th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Deleted - off topic.
11. majoriot | July 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Deleted - off topic.
12. Rana Quijotesca | July 24th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Umm… How is saying that he won’t not prepare (I hate double negatives) a flip flop? Honestly, NRO didn’t even call it a flip flop…
13. neocon | July 24th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
SnookerPete,
Thank you for the drama queen liberal’s point of view.
And I didn’t realize that Bush was bleeding Europe dry, but I never underestimate a liberals need to sensationalize an issue
Thanks again
neocon
14. neocon | July 24th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Rana,
Obama does not flip flop, he “refines”. You should know that by now, it’s the more politically correct way of flipping, and allows him to actually take both sides of the issue concurrently.
He’s taken it to another level.
neocon
15. neocon | July 24th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
“The whole world has BDS.” - Snookered
You might want to check with the African & Australian Continents.
Just saying
neocon
16. '08ama | July 24th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Deleted - mindless insults.
17. OhioOrrin | July 24th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
neo - mccain’s age is a factor (a factor, not THE factor) & that is the man not the msg.
we’ve all seen the before & after pics of presidents as they age very quickly in office.
not as bad as meth heads, but fast aging nonetheless.
18. neocon | July 24th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
O8ama,
All polls indicate a dead heat, within the margin of error, which never bodes well for the liberal candidate come November. Maybe that explains your attempt to shut down the debate (oops, Obama doesn’t want to debate), much like liberals do in regards to AGW.
Ohio,
Why are you an ageist?
I seriously don’t consider 72 years old to be too old, more than I consider a community organizer to woefully deficient credentials.
19. js | July 24th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
4 presidents died in office not counting assasinations
Roosevelt-51
Harding-55
Taylor-64
Harrison-68
Age is not that big of an issue. Reagan was 69 when he was elected…and did alot more for the USA than most want to admit…not to mention winning the cold war…
20. Danish Artist | July 24th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
A Gallup poll shows overwhelming support for OBama among the European nations - France 64-4, Germany 62-10 and England 60-15.
However, Pew Research Center also did a poll in these same European nations, showing that these nations - 58% would rather have a WEAKER United States.
Coincidence?
21. Insideout | July 24th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Deleted - off topic.
22. Insideout | July 24th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
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23. thrower | July 24th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
A bit off on the ages JS. Harding was 57 and Roosevelt a very old 63 at death. Harrison and Taylor were quite old by mid 19th century standards. Moreover, the job is much more than it was then given our expanded role in the world and the demands of constant appearances and communication. McCain’s age and health are legitimate issues that make his choice of a VP that much more important.
24. OhioOrrin | July 24th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
neo - not an ageist, a realist.
do you remember Reagan’s 2d term? one could tell he was slowing. fact is, he was probably in early altzheimers/dementia. they say nancy was the real powerbehind the scenes.
doesn’t mean I won’t vote for Mac anyway as a ck n balance to a dem congress.
but his age does concern me.
25. js | July 24th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
No thrower…that was the age they were when they were elected president….just goes to show that age really doesnt mean McCain should be unqualified…
26. Calvert | July 24th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Deleted - off topic.
27. Danish Artist | July 24th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Insider…..
“When you use your God given power for the first time in your nation’s history to selectively manipulate intelligence so that it can preemptively strike at another country you figure other countries would be a little nervous.”
Those talking points are so 2004, as you say move on. Try something new, oh, I don’t know, how about the truth?
28. Mark Noonan | July 25th, 2008 at 1:32 am
Outside of Ricorun’s comment, not one on-topic comment from the left on this entry.
Cowards.
29. Rana Quijotesca | July 25th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Wow… apparently Noonan doesn’t think I’m from the left… cool?
30. nanoon kram | July 25th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Deleted - obscenity.
31. nanoon kram | July 25th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Deleted - complains about comment policy.
32. nanoon kram | July 25th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Deleted - complains about comment policy.