Obama's statement on Iraq war funding vote

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Friday, May 25, 2007
Obama on Iraq war funding vote



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Illinois Senator Barack Obama released a statement Thursday night on why he voted against the Iraq war funding bill:

"This vote is a choice between validating the same failed policy in Iraq that has cost us so many lives and demanding a new one. And I am demanding a new one.

"We must fund our troops. But we owe them something more. We owe them a clear, prudent plan to relieve them of the burden of policing someone else's civil war. We need a plan to compel the Iraqi people to reach a political accommodation and to take responsibility for their own future. It's time to change course.

"I opposed this war in 2002 precisely because I feared it would lead us to the open-ended occupation in which we find ourselves today.

"This President has led us down a disastrous path and has arrogantly refused to acknowledge the grim reality of this war, which has cost us so dearly in lives and treasure.

"After he vetoed a plan that would have funded the troops and begun to bring them home, this bill represents more of his stubborn refusal to address his failed policy.

"We should not give the President a blank check to continue down this same, disastrous path.

"With my vote today, I am saying to the President that enough is enough. We must negotiate a better plan that funds our troops, signals to the Iraqis that it is time for them to act and that begins to bring our brave servicemen and women home safely and responsibly."

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/05/obama-on-iraq-war-funding-vote.html

[elehhhhna]

1. tltl

[rusty charly]

2. "but i waited to see which way the wind was blowing, first"

[Debau2005]

3. BINGO!

[CTLawGuy]

5. bullshit

is that a John Edwards talking point you are repeating?

[edwardsfeingold08]

19. No, it's not a John Edwards talking point

This is a John Edwards talking point.

"This is a serious blow for all of us, but no one lost more today than the troops in the field who continue to sacrifice so nobly and their families still waiting back home." John Edwards
http://www.supportthetroopsendthewar.com/

[DemDem07]

6. That only makes sense if

one waited and then followed the majority.

The WIND was blowing the other way.

[rusty charly]

8. That only makes sense

if one made a politically expidient vote, when it didn't matter, therefore, having the cake and eating.

this speech should have come out 3 days ago.

[CTLawGuy]

11. voting "against the troops" is politically expedient????

NT

[rusty charly]

18. voting to appear to be bucking the chimp when he knew it was too late

is politically expedient.

[DemDem07]

26. Politically expedient must have a new deffinition then. lol

It would have been politically expedient to quietly vote yes and not risk the swift boat coming down the river.

[CTLawGuy]

27. huh?

why not just buck the chimp in the first place?

What does he gain in political points by waiting?

[rusty charly]

34. by suckering you in.

[CTLawGuy]

37. he can "sucker me in"

just by voting against it. What's the supposed poltiical motivation behind waiting????

[rusty charly]

40. *

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3282873&mesg_id=3282961

[CTLawGuy]

41. *

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3282873&mesg_id=3282976

[rusty charly]

43. !

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3283038

[CTLawGuy]

44. &

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3282612&mesg_id=3282612

[DemDem07]

13. That doesn't make a lick of sense.

Both Hill and Obama could have went with the wind, neither of them did.

[William769]

10. Thats bullshit and you know it.

He voted no, as did some other patriots did, He'll get praise for me for doing it as will the others.

[rusty charly]

12. he waited to vote.

and he should stay away from the word "prudent".

[William769]

15. He voted no.

Thats all I need to know.

[TeamJordan23]

45. So, We all knew it would pass

I don't like the overall results either. But it does show, that Dems NEED TO WIN in 2008. Too much power resides with the Executive Branch.

[edwardsfeingold08]

28. This is petty and stupid

Harry Reid failed us as Senate leader yesterday. Obama and Clinton were put in a terrible position and did the best they could do.

[rinsd]

49. He better get his windsock fixed then because he and 12 others went against the wind

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

51. You'd rather he vote "yes" eh?

[Major Hogwash]

53. Is that true? Has that been confirmed? Or is it just what someone on the forum said?

Because I want to know when Obama decided to vote against this budget bill.

[DemDem07]

4. Courage in the face of fire.

Every day there is more to like about this guy.

[rusty charly]

7. Following in the face of Leadership.

[DemDem07]

20. He voted no.

Many of my political heros lacked the courage to do that. Praise him and all the other no votes.

[wakeme2008]

9. Chicken shit Obama

has now been added to people I will never vote for.

[CTLawGuy]

14. pure stupidity

HE VOTED THE RIGHT WAY WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT?!?!?!??!??!?!??!

[wakeme2008]

16. For him to have found his BALLS before the 11th hour

:shrug:

[CTLawGuy]

23. he found his balls in 2002 when he spoke out agains this war

the same war everyone's hero Edwards was leading the charge in the senate in favor of.

[DemDem07]

29. BINGO

[ripple]

47. Thank you

The duplicity here is absolutely astonishing. We all know why Edwards co-sponsored the IWR- because it was politically expedient for him to do so. Fear was being shoved so hard down America's throat, he thought he'd make himself out to be *tough on terror*, or at least not accused of being some *weak-kneed liberal*. It was a political maneuver that backfired terribly and helped seal the fate of millions of people.

Obama, on the other hand, spoke out against the impending war at a time when it was publicly very unpopular to oppose Bush and his version of the *war on terra*. Yet Edwards supporters have the unmitigated gall to call Obama a chicken shit for casting a vote in favor of ending the same bloody mess Edwards helped get us into?

Un-fucking-believable.

[jefferson_dem]

30. Oh please... He fails your *purity test* because he didn't cast his NO vote fast enough.

Fucking insufferable lack of logic.

[William769]

17. Something they can't have.

And it's pissing them off royally!

[rusty charly]

25. a leader. not a follower

that's what we want.

[William769]

31. So whos your leader?

On EDIT: please don't tell the the guys who poll numbers keep going in the shitter.

[CTLawGuy]

36. I bet...

Mr. cosponsor is...

but 2002 is ancient history... aaaannnciieent....

[DemDem07]

32. Who's no vote brigade did he follow?

[jefferson_dem]

35. Obama spoke out against the war in 2002. He was one of 12 Senate Dems voting NO yesterday.

I don't think it's "a leader" you're after...

[Cameron27]

21. They wanted him to vote yes

so that Mr. Co-sponsor would still hold the edge as the BIG anti-war guy.

[CTLawGuy]

24. I can't escape the feeling he is behind all the outrage

NT

[jefferson_dem]

39. I can't help thinking *HIS* supporters are working themselves silly trying to rationalize

their continued support. The walls are closing in...

[CTLawGuy]

42. the acrobatics with some people

around here would impress circus performers.

Obama's bad for not voting fast enough, but edwards is good despite leading the charge for war...

[Colobo]

46. Edwards's image as the only true anti-war candidate

was pretty much destroyed yesterday. So, we are just seeing his supporters going down in flames.

[truedelphi]

48. How so??

How is Edwards going down in flames??

I am seriously asking this.


It wasn't Obama going and making the orunds on Tuesday saying that Bush has to be stopped.

Why did Obama wait??

[jefferson_dem]

50. He had to read the bill. Have you not been paying attention?

I give Edwards credit for finally seeing the light, and for being out front in opposing the war. But it's about freaking time. Where was he when it really mattered - before rubber stamping Chimpy's war machine?

I'm curious how closely he read ... and considered the IWR before deciding to co-sponsor it. Perhaps he was trying to buttress his foreign policy / military credentials in preparation of his 2004 run...and figured it would be a "slam dunk" anyway.

[William769]

52. He's not going down in flames.

He's already flamed out!

[edwardsfeingold08]

38. Rudy will appreciate your vote

You can never call him chicken shit. He ran around on 9/11 and acted brave or at least appeared brave. I guess that's what your looking for in a leader?

[zeemike]

22. "We must fund our troops"

That is the absolution of responsibility card that they all play.
I would ask the question fund the troops to do what? Continue the illegal occupation of a country in civil war?
How about funding them to close down there bases and bring all that shit home with them when they come? Could we not fund that and be considered to be funding and supporting the troops?
They really do think we are stupid, and perhaps we are because no one even questions their logic on this...not the media and even not us here at DU.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Major Hogwash]

54. Did Obama wait to vote? Yes or no?

I want to know and I want to know how you know he waited.