Posted on 09/20/2006 11:02:12 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday called the view that President Bush has been perfect in fighting terrorism an illusion and urged Democrats to challenge the Bush administration's policies.
"On the terrorism front, I'm happy to have that debate," the first-term Illinois senator said following a speech on energy at Georgetown University. "The notion that the president has led a flawless policy on terrorism is an illusion."
Obama, mentioned as a possible 2008 presidential candidate, said the nation is involved in "a war in Iraq that has vastly expanded the number of terrorist recruits, a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden has not been caught. We should not shy away from that debate."
Democrats have opposed Bush administration anti-terrorist measures such as the warrantless wiretapping program and proposals to allow aggressive interrogation of prisoners.
Obama questioned why the terrorism debate should become more intense around elections.
In this politically charged atmosphere, Republicans and Democrats have clashed over Bush's Iraq war policy and his efforts to combat terrorism. Republicans have argued Democrats are weak on defense, seeking to exploit their advantage with voters on the issue.
Several GOP lawmakers and members of Bush's Cabinet have suggested Democrats are aiding the terrorists and behaving like Nazi appeasers.
Democrats have countered that the rhetoric smacks of the McCarthyism of the 1950s.
"But we don't always pick our fights, especially when the president has the bully pulpit," he said.
His talk was sponsored by the liberal political group Moveon.org.
Tracy Schmitt, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, responding to Obama's comments, argued that his Democratic Party's "opposition to the tools imperative to the war on terror illustrates a startling lack of understanding about how to keep America safe."
The half-hearted denials of presidential ambition by Barack Obama, seen here in August 2006, were not enough to drown out the reaction of those at the annual Democratic Party meeting in Iowa on 17 September who see him as their best hope for regaining the White House.(AFP/File/Marco Longari)
"On the terrorism front, I'm happy to have that debate," the first-term Illinois senator said following a speech on energy at Georgetown University. "The notion that the president has led a flawless policy on terrorism is an illusion."
His talk was sponsored by the liberal political group Moveon.org.
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On the Net:
Moveon.org: http://www.moveon.org
What an EMPTY suit.
Well then Obama what is your postion? Other then being happy to "have the debate"? Solutions not slogans Obama. What are your program?
A true "Dark Horse" in '08
and some might think the GOP field is thin..
No joke. The roots of Islamic terrorism lie in their own mosques, cities, and countries.
This is a further example of our "blame ourselves first" mentality. The poverty and social injustices that occur in their own countries are sickening but they make it all better by somehow blaming you and I (Americans).
What a crock!
I fear the rat nominee will tap him for VP and he is totally unqualified. The times are too dangerous to have this boob in the number two spot (should the rats win).
The half-hearted denials of presidential ambition by Barack Obama, seen here in June 2006, were not enough to drown out the reaction of those at the annual Democratic Party meeting in Iowa on 17 September who see him as their best hope for regaining the White House.(AFP/File/Brendan Smialowski)
Yeah -- I agree and he is a dolt.
I see the AP has switched taglines from the obligatory "rising star in the Democratic party" to "mentioned as a possible 2008 presidential candidate" following any mention of Obama's name in a story.
I'm sure this is just a feeling he has, without any statistics. I'm also sure that he can't even define the problem if he thinks catching bin Laden would have any significant impact on the terrorists in Iraq or Afghanistan right now.
If Poverty and "Social Injustice" are the root causes of Terrorism why did the 19 Sept 09-11 mass murders all come from the upper middle class or the upper classes of their societies?
I fear the rat nominee will tap him for VP and he is totally unqualified. The times are too dangerous to have this boob in the number two spot (should the rats win).
--
I hear ya on that. The dems are in a whirl of hurt going in to '08 and their convention whether they manage to make any in roads this November or not which I am not so sure they will .. One can not live on polls alone, they need some voters to actually show up and cast ballots for them.. there are only so many media critters out there after all.
World events and terrorists have a way of derailing the best of democrat plans...lol.
Now, it's not politically suicidal if he's only aiming to gain status within his moonbat party. I suppose there's no disadvantage in being the lead lemming in the dash for the cliff, as long as you're not up for re-election this November. How selfish and empty.
Dolt. I have'nt heard that in a long time!
Yeah, and his timing is so awful. I mean, look, this on the day of the biggest farce in U.N. history.
Obama is a dolt.
I do hope to see him nominated for the DNC something.
The undeniable recklessness that demo-rats display in their desparate struggle to return to power has caused their lunatic fringe to frantically drag out village idiots like Howard Dean, John Kerry and Obama dressed as intelligent political policy-makers. What a hoax...
It appears that the demo-rat party is being run by the inmates at a mental institution who haven't been taking their medicine!
LOL --
dolt -- couldn't think of a better word to describe him.
He's the black version of John Empty Suit Edwards, auditioning for the VP slot.
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