Posted on 02/13/2007 4:41:56 AM PST by Chi-townChief
DURHAM, N.H. -- In his first stumble, White House hopeful Barack Obama on Monday took back words from the day before, when he said the lives of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq were "wasted."
Following his Springfield launch on Saturday, Obama wrapped up a three-day swing in the key primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, ending at a University of New Hampshire rally where he assailed the "trivialization of politics" where "it is all about who makes a gaffe."
In this case, that would be Obama, the Illinois Democrat.
During his first press conference as a presidential candidate at Iowa State University, Obama, discussing his opposition to the Iraq war, said the war "should have never been authorized, and should have never been waged, and on which we've now spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted.''
He immediately realized he made a mistake, he later told a reporter. Even the most severe war critics in Congress have been very careful to praise U.S. troops and say nothing that could upset mourning families.
Reaches out to families Obama, in an interview with the Des Moines Register right afterward, told the paper, ''I was actually upset with myself when I said that, because I never use that term,'' he said. ''Their sacrifices are never wasted. . . . What I meant to say was those sacrifices have not been honored by the same attention to strategy, diplomacy and honesty on the part of civilian leadership that would give them a clear mission." By Monday, reporters covering Obama making his first visit as a presidential candidate in New Hampshire, asked Obama, campaigning in a Nashua home, if military families deserved an apology.
"Well as I said, it is not at all what I intended to say, and I would absolutely apologize if any of them felt that in some ways it had diminished the enormous courage and sacrifice that they'd shown. You know, and if you look at all the other speeches that I've made, that is always the starting point in my view of this war.''
At a rally in the gym at the university here -- not quite the stemwinder Obama delivered for University of Illinois at Chicago students on Sunday night -- Obama made a similar point about the Iraq war deaths, talking about the need to "bring that war to a close."
Those who died, he said, were "extraordinarily brave soldiers."
mailto:lsweet3022@aol.com
HALP US BAREK OSAMA
WE R WASTID IN IRAK
Don't count on it - that's what we were told in IL in '04. In fact, some people were even saying to vote in the rat primary for him and he'll get his skinny liberal ass kicked in the general election. But a dirty trick or two and Barack Hussein is off to Washington.
Yes. They aren't usually minor things. They often reveal a well-developed mindset, an entire outlook on an issue, which the speaker is working hard to reshape for public consumption.
"We all know who the enemy of America and Christianity is, but are fearful to point the finger at it"
Many here in the US are not afraid to point, shoot, drop bombs or anything else on our enemy's, I think you are only speaking of the people you know.
And so are those that have volunteered to serve, Obama.
He immediately realized he made a mistake, he later told a reporter.
"Immediately" and "later" in the same sentence?
The only mistake you made was showing that you have the same contempt for the military as your fellow senator, Jon Carry.
....just another affirmative action baby all grown up....
Help stop Osama Obama! He's worse that the first Hussein!
He is a raging rookie fool... just like Dean
If we can't beat his skinny little liberal ass then we can't beat anybody and we're seriously screwed.
His other stumble was when he insulted PM Howard and demanded that Australia should send more troops to Iraq, instead of the US doing so.
Blah, blah, blah, ad infinitum, ad nauseaum.
Bottom line: He dissed the troops.
What about when he said that his running for the Presidency was a silly idea???
He's out!!
The reason gaffes are important is that you're running for President, Sen. * Hussein *. Every word the President says if scrutinized and publicized. One false sentence can precipitate an international crisis or make the stock market tumble. That's why I'm so amused by Hollywood types attacking President Bush's lack of public speaking ability. I'd like to see them perform 24X7, often without a script. As the bloopers shows demonstrate, they screw up plenty with a script.
Which is it, Hussein Obama?
He caught the Biden syndrome?
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