Congrats to Obama

On being more liberal than Teddy Kennedy and John Kerry

http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/sen/lib_cons.htm?o1=lib_composite&o2=desc

Obama foreign policy

[Obama] FOREIGN TO POLICY

Obama Decides Now Is As Good A Time As Any

To Start Talking "In Depth" About Foreign Policy

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Today, Obama Holds "In Depth" Discussion On Mideast Policy "For The First Time Since Becoming A Senator":

"For The First Time Since Becoming A Senator -- Much Less A White House Hopeful -- Barack Obama On Friday Will Talk In Depth About U.S. Policy Toward Israel And The Mideast." (Lynn Sweet, "Obama To Offer Pro-Israel Views At Chicago Gathering," Chicago Sun-Times, 3/1/07)

Obama's Glaring Inexperience In Foreign Policy:

As Senator, Obama Waited 11 Months Before Giving A Major Speech On Iraq. "Though Mr. Obama is framing his candidacy to appeal to Democrats who have long opposed the war, until recently he was not among his party's
most outspoken voices against it. He campaigned strongly against the war in his bid for the Senate in 2004, but when he arrived in Washington he waited 11 months to deliver a major speech on Iraq." (Jeff Zeleny, "As Candidate, Obama Carves Antiwar Stance," The New York Times, 2/26/07)

* "Indeed, Once Obama Got To Washington, He Made Only One Senate Speech On Iraq." (Richard Cohen, Op-Ed, "The Explanation Hillary Clinton Owes," The Washington Post, 2/13/07)

"And Only After Mr. Obama Opened A Presidential Exploratory Committee Did He Introduce Legislation To Withdraw American Combat Brigades From Iraq By March 31, 2008." (Jeff Zeleny, "As Candidate, Obama Carves Antiwar Stance," The New York Times, 2/26/07)

* Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE) On Obama's Iraq Rhetoric: "I Don't Recall Hearing A Word From Barack About A Plan Or A Tactic." (Jason Horowitz, "Biden Unbound: Lays Into Clinton, Obama, Edwards," The New York Observer, 2/25/07)

* Seems Like Obama Had His Presidential Timetable Set Before His Iraq Timetable. "[Obama] decided to run [for President] now - about 10 years ahead of his personal timetable - because he saw a unique moment when people are listening and wanting change in the direction of the country, he told the group of 130 people at a downtown high-rise of luxury homes." (Julie Carr Smyth, "Presidential Contender Raises Money Across Ohio," The Associated Press, 2/26/07)

Obama's First Foreign Policy Senate Statement: "Shoot. Me. Now."?

"Listening To A Bloviating Colleague At His First Meeting Of The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama Slipped A Three-Word Note To A Member Of His Staff: 'Shoot. Me. Now.'" (Ben Wallace-Wells, "Destiny's Child," Rolling Stone, 2/7/07)

A Product Of The RNC Research Department Paid for by the Republican National Committee
Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee - www.gop.com

In honor of John McCain's announcement

Apparently even John McCain bought into the hype of Obama being a real and genuine person who was sincere in his comments. Until Obama turned out to be a typical politian. below is a brillantly written letter from McCain to Obama.

February 6, 2006
The Honorable Barack Obama
United States Senate
SH-713
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Obama:

I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable.

Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I’m embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won’t make the same mistake again.

As you know, the Majority Leader has asked Chairman Collins to hold hearings and mark up a bill for floor consideration in early March. I fully support such timely action and I am confident that, together with Senator Lieberman, the Committee on Governmental Affairs will report out a meaningful, bipartisan bill.

You commented in your letter about my “interest in creating a task force to further study” this issue, as if to suggest I support delaying the consideration of much-needed reforms rather than allowing the committees of jurisdiction to hold hearings on the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. The timely findings of a bipartisan working group could be very helpful to the committee in formulating legislation that will be reported to the full Senate.

Since you are new to the Senate, you may not be aware of the fact that I have always supported fully the regular committee and legislative process in the Senate, and routinely urge Committee Chairmen to hold hearings on important issues. In fact, I urged Senator Collins to schedule a hearing upon the Senate’s return in January.

Furthermore, I have consistently maintained that any lobbying reform proposal be bipartisan. The bill Senators Joe Lieberman and Bill Nelson and I have introduced is evidence of that commitment as is my insistence that members of both parties be included in meetings to develop the legislation that will ultimately be considered on the Senate floor. As I explained in a recent letter to Senator Reid, and have publicly said many times, the American people do not see this as just a Republican problem or just a Democratic problem. They see it as yet another run-of-the-mill Washington scandal, and they expect it will generate just another round of partisan gamesmanship and posturing. Senator Lieberman and I, and many other members of this body, hope to exceed the public’s low expectations. We view this as an opportunity to bring transparency and accountability to the Congress, and, most importantly, to show the public that both parties will work together to address our failings.

As I noted, I initially believed you shared that goal. But I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party’s effort to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman Senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness. Again, I have been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn’t always a priority for every one of us. Good luck to you, Senator.

Sincerely,
John McCain
United States Senate