CNN: Senators (including Obama) Had Ample Notice on Kyl/Lieberman Vote

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From a month ago but probalby more relevant today.

There is a video at the link from a CNN report where it is reported that Obama knew about the vote. But I love the commentary here:

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Sen. Obama’s been hitting Hillary pretty hard over her vote on the Kyl / Lieberman bill back in September. Well... since October 4th anyway. He was pretty quiet on it for the first week or so. Not sure what the reason for his initial silence was - might be because he missed the vote (along with a LOT of other votes, apparently).

Well according to CNN – Obama (along with everyone else in the Senate) was informed the night before about the upcoming vote. Check it out...

Yes... Obama’s missed a lot of votes since the summer break, as noted in the above video clip (don’t ya just LOVE YouTube?). The thing that always got me about his attacks on Hillary over a vote he skipped out on is that he tried to pass the buck on all this. Somehow, it’s someone else’s fault that he was campaigning up in New Hampshire when this vote on Kyl / Lieberman took place in DC on Sept. 26th.

When challenged on his missed vote, his campaign blamed in on Harry Reid. They claim he was told the vote was put off. I’ve always had a problem with the way he passed the buck and blamed others for his failure to cast a vote on a bill he’s describing as a green light for attacking Iran, but that’s neither here nor there. I’ve always suspected that he really did know that vote was coming up – he’s a US Senator after all and has a staff of something like 30 or 40 people working for him, and I’m sure at least ONE of those staffers are charged with the job of keeping track of when votes were coming up.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/2/222754/291

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Really, simple logic dictates that he must have known, but instead Obama sticks to a lie while attacking Hillary for her vote on an issue he ducked. Just something about that kinda hypocrisy that really irks me.

[marmar]

1. Something about a vote in favor of Kyl/Lieberman irks me more....

:think:

[ClarkUSA]

2. BS anti-Obama DKos diary quoting "unnamed Democratic sources"

Bottom line: Hillary's votes for IWR and Kyl-Lieberman are evidence she hasn't the adequate judgment to become president.

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4. CNN saw fit to quote those sources, thanks.

Again, the logic of 40 staffers and no one knew the vote? How did all those other Senators find out?

Smell that?

[ClarkUSA]

13. CNN also quoted unnamed White House sources to drum up the march to war in Iraq

So what?

The vote was announced with an hour's notice. Those 40 other Senators weren't campaigning in rural New Hampshire. Since you like quoting DKos diarists,
I'll let another DKos diarist answer you further, not that it will deter you from spreading malicious rumors from biased sources:

Another dishonest diary from you. (0 / 0)

It isn't "according to CNN" - it's "according to a Senate Democrat" - an unnamed one at that.

In addition - I'm sure you're aware that Reid's son is one of Hillary's surrogates in NV. It's no secret that Reid supports Hillary - you know, the Reid who has
allowed several votes this year on absolutely STUPID legislation that shouldn't have ever been voted on...the one who has been failing miserably as Senate
Majority Leader? Yeah. That one.

And in addition to that - the vote was scheduled, and then canceled. Senators were notified the night before that the vote would take place...would it be
canceled again? Who knows. With Reid in charge, anything is possible.

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17. Hey, I'm not the problem. He's the Senator. He's the leader. He was MIA.

Not my fault, but apparently the fault of someone other than Obama. Just ask him, he'll tell ya.


Imagine that kind of incompetence at a presidential level.

[ClarkUSA]

21. What do you think of Hillary's bad judgment in supporting both IWR and Kyl-Lieberman?

Because Obama had the great judgment to oppose both.

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27. LOL! How did he oppose Kyl-Lieberman? Or the IWR for that matter? What ACTIONS did he take

to back up his convictions???

Please tell me.

[ClarkUSA]

29. That is a matter of public record, only Hillaryworlders refuse to acknowledge it.

I'm more interested in the actions your neocon warmonger candidate chose to advocate neverending war in the Middle East: her "aye" votes for IWR and Kyl-Lieberman.

[Skip Intro]

30. I understand your desire to bash Hillary rather than talk about Obama's record, or lack thereof.

It is very understandable.

[ClarkUSA]

33. I am stating facts re: Hillary's votes while you are using a month-old blog entry to smear Obama

Then again, considering Mark Penn trotted out month-old polls yesterday, there does seem to be a method to the collective Hillaryworld madness -- or is it
desperation?

So who's afraid to discuss their candidate again and who's bashing whom? This is another red herring by a Hillaryworlder in order to detract from the FACT that
your candidate's voting record illustrates that she is an unrepentant neocon warmonger with piss-poor judgment.

And the best thing is --a majority of Iowans think Clinton is dishonest and untrustworthy and unlikeable, just like I do. Guess who comes out on top on all three
character traits both in Iowa and nationally? That's right, Obama. Thus, Hill is going shrill and driving up her considerable negatives up even more...

Gotta love it.

[Skip Intro]

35. You need to learn some new tricks. This subject was The subject at today's debate.

You are, predictably, trying to deflect. Again, entirely understandable.

[ClarkUSA]

38. Funny how all the Dem candidates criticized Hillary's Iran vote, eh?

They must know something you don't know.

Heh.

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43. Funny how someone who shirked his responsibility to vote criticizes someone who didn't.

heh?

[ClarkUSA]

53. Not at all...Obama has opposed blank checks for Bush wars all along, while Hillary supports them.

So he and any Democrat in America - DLC DINOs excepted - are free and able criticize Hillary's Iran vote ( and her IWR vote) with perfect rationale.

[ellisonz]

61. Translation: LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

[JeffR]

3. Ah, if only he'd showed up to vote in favor of this piece of crap!

What's wrong with him, I wonder?

[Skip Intro]

6. Or took a stand one way or another. You know, backing his words with actual action...nt

[JeffR]

12. I don't like to seeany candidates dodging these things, really

but in this case, at least, he doesn't have a vote on record about this horrendous piece of legislation, so he didn't do himself any harm, IMHO. I'm not much of an Obama fan, BTW, but he doesn't strike me as at all vulnerable on this.

[MADem]

10. If he'd showed up to vote against it and Iran -- in an unlikely in the extreme scenario--

lit off a suitcase nuke in Times Square, he'd be political toast.

The "PC" and "Safe" tactic was to not be there. That way he could parse if anyone said "FUCK!!! NYC is now radioactive--and you VOTED AGAINST calling these bastards TERRISTS???" He could reply, "NO, that's NOT true--I did NOT vote AGAINST it."

It's the 'Having it Both Ways' technique.

[jefferson_dem]

5. Digging out the "golden oldies" huh?

A month old poll yesterday. A month old random blog post today. You guys got nuthin'.

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7. Was this not a topic at today's debate? Was it not THE topic at today's debate?

c'mon

[SaveElmer]

8. Biden said the same thing...and it isn't just the vote...

He didn't try to stop it in committee or on the floor, made no comment on it before the debate or during it...didn't mention it in the Presidential debate that night and in fact said not a word until he had done his political calculation and decided it might help his campaign....

Certainly not the first time he has ducked politically dicey votes...

[1corona4u]

50. Exactly. A calculated move.

[Inuca]

62. K-L was not discussed in the foreign relations committee

I specifically remember Webb mentioning it as one of the arguments why it should not be voted on. I also think (but I am not sure) that Obama did mention his opposition during the debate that happened that evening.

[AtomicKitten]

9. It's those pesky YES votes for war and more war that resonate.

And on that point your candidate stands alone, again on the wrong side.

[Skip Intro]

11. Well, at least she stands, rather than hides. n/t

[AtomicKitten]

16. That's right, she stands for war!

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24. How so? Please back that statement up.

[Usrename]

42. She voted WITH BUSH on both the IWR and the Iran resolution.

WITH BUSH!

How do you justify that?

She SUPPORTS THE BUSH DOCTRINE!

Get it?

Crikey, you have to be awful thick to ask that question.

[Skip Intro]

45. No, I don't get it. So did Kerry and Edwards and most of the Senate at that time.

There are details you don't address. Several members of Congress have said they were lied to just like the public was in the run up to the invasion of Iraq. You can't call Hillary a warmonger without applying that label to most of the Democrats in the Senate at the time.


There was also language passed by the Senate after Kyl-Lieberman that stated K/L in no way authorized force against Iran. Hillary singed onto that.


This is a common "oversight" of the attack Hillary crowd - ignoring context and full disclosure.


No, I do not accept your Hillary=bush comparison. I do not think it fair, or accurate.


That's why I posed the question.

[Usrename]

46. Right, I forgot about her denouncing the whole Bush Doctrine.

Oh, sorry, that's right, it never happened.

[Skip Intro]

47. Allow me time to sift through the vast amount of details and context in your post.

done.

[Usrename]

49. I know, in your fantasy world it's true.

You think that she is somehow opposed to the Bush Doctrine.

Only she has never said it. Just the opposite. She wants to continue with the whole Bush "stay the course" strategy in Iraq, for crying out loud. Or do you not understand these things? Or do you think she lying?

[zulchzulu]

25. Precisely! Hillary voted YES. That's all you need to know...

She can try to hide the obvious misjudgment AGAIN on her part by trying to change the subject, but the fact remains that she voted FOR Bush's possible attack on Iran.

It's like someone getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar and trying to say the cookie jar is ugly.

[AtomicKitten]

48. The massaging of facts around here is ludicrous and mind-numbing.

The K-L vote set Hillary apart and in a really, really bad way. It made this race crystal clear for me. I am so glad Obama came down on the right side of this because I simply could not engage in pretzel logic to rationalize it. I am so grateful for the clarity.

[ingac70]

14. So Obama doesn't show up for votes....

and Hilliary votes like a warmongering Republican. Sounds to me like neither are worthy of consideration for the Presidency.

[flpoljunkie]

15. Think on these things: Did Obama skip the Iran vote?

Did Obama “Skip” The Iran Vote?

He was absent, yes. He missed it, yes. But did he “skip” it?

1. The dictionary defines “skip” as “to avoid attendance at.”

This is a question of motives. Just because he was absent, it doesn’t mean that he avoided attending it. Liberal bloggers need to come up with some proof that he avoided voting if they are going to throw around this argument.

The congressional record clearly states that senators were informed that the Kyl-Lieberman amendment would not be coming up for a vote in the near future.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. REID. Mr. Chairman, there will be no more votes tonight. We have tried to work something out on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment and the Biden amendment. We have been unable to do that.

We have been very close a few times, but we have just been informed that Senator Biden will not have a vote anytime in the near future. There will not be a vote on the other one anytime in the near future. We hope tonight will bring more clearness on the issue.

But right now, I think it is fair to say there will be no votes tonight.

Does the Senator from South Dakota have any comments?

Mr. THUNE. No, I do not. I would say to the leader, that is good for our Members to know. We have Members who have been inquiring whether they will be able to vote.

2. Barack Obama took a position on the issue.

Now, if Obama had missed the vote and not taken a position on the issue, then I’d see where you can go after him. However, I don’t quite understand the logic of attacking him when he took a position on it!

3. Many other progressive leaders plus Chuck Hagel and Dick Lugar voted against the Iran bill.

If the bill was not as potentially harmful as Hillary and her blogger friends are implying then why did the following people also oppose it?

Chuck Hagel, Jim Webb, Tom Harkin, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, Robert Byrd, Christopher Dodd, Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy, Richard Lugar, Claire McCaskill, Jon Tester, Patrick Leahy, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, and Mike Gravel.

Jim Webb said:

“At worst, it could be read as a backdoor method of gaining Congressional validation for military action, without one hearing and without serious debate.”

more...

http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/did-obama-skip-the-iran-vote/

[AtomicKitten]

20. It's all subterfuge.

Look at the shiny object and pay no attention to the fact that Hillary signed on to another GOP war scheme. Feh.

[zulchzulu]

18. It is a fact that Reid changed the time and Obama at least didn't vote FOR the amendment

That's what happens when you are running for President when you have to have fundraisers on a continual basis.

When the light of day shines, Obama DID NOT vote for the amendment. Hillary DID.

[ingac70]

23. He still needs to do his job.

Hillary can kiss my ass over her vote, but folks who make verbal stands against something need to go on record. That will go alot further these days than any visit to a fundraiser.

[zulchzulu]

32. It's a fact (especially this election cycle with the front-loaded schedule) that...

...presidential candidates are going to miss votes if the windows to vote change. Obama had events scheduled and Reid moved the scheduled time to a day later.

I've mentioned here that there certainly is the technology for presidential candidates to be able to vote remotely through secure channels and even have a set of redundant secure options to make sure the vote is from them. No, it would not be all the time...just during primary season if the candidate wishes. It would save fuel, it woud make them have no excuse not to vote and it is indeed something that visionaries like Thomas Jefferson would have approved of.

And if you boil it down, Obama did not vote for the Kyl/Lieberman amendment. Hillary voted YES!

[1corona4u]

51. Do you have any links/resources to back that up?

I'd like to see them, if you wouldn't mind. It'd get it out of the wonder pile for me...

[Evergreen Emerald]

19. he has a pattern of avoiding making a choice, so he can change his mind later

He was for the same language earlier in the year. He did not vote at all, did not protest the idea that we were voting for war (you'd think if they were, he would have been shouting from the rooftops). He is attempting to re-write history.

And the media is helping him.

[ClarkUSA]

26. Total BS

Obama's earlier legislation predated the IAEE report that stated Iran was far from developing a nuclear weapon. It also never came up for a vote
and dealt with nuclear weapons proliferation.

[Evergreen Emerald]

28. Have you read his statements about Iran and nuclear weapons?

Before you attack Clinton--you may want to read up.

[ClarkUSA]

31. Of all the Democratic candidates, only Hillary voted for IWR and Kyl-Lieberman.

Before you attack Obama -- you may want to acknowledge that your candidate is an unapologetic neocon warmonger.

[Evergreen Emerald]

36. Obama did not vote at all! Why should he get a free pass?

At some point as president, he will have to make a decision. It is of course easy for him to say after the fact, and after all the media hype that he was opposed. But, of course we will never know what he would have done, as he did not have the courage to even make a decision.

[ClarkUSA]

54. So the only time an American gets to criticize Hillary's pro-war votes is if they voted with her?

What BS. Hillaryworlders must be desperate to resort to such nonsense.

[Evergreen Emerald]

60. see, I think that is your problem. You are listening to the talking points

It was not a pro-war vote. She explained her vote. Critics suggest that you don't give Bush anything because he will use it against them...

1. that is like suggesting we pass no laws cause they will be broken
2. those critics have been voting "for" the war every time a bill comes up, and hypocritically claim Clinton is the only one doing that.
3. Obama did not even vote for it, and then can later claim he was against it. BS. If it was so important of a vote--really a vote to go to war with Iran, and yet he did not even speak about it.

You can choose to take the superficial route--cause it suits your candidate. But I suggest to you that you have fallen into the same trap that freepers do. They forgive Bush for everything--everything. Justifying the candidate you spport's ever action without question. If anyone dare question it--you attack.

You are refusing to look at facts before you regarding Obama's statements / actions / history. Rather, you just brush them off, or justify them, or "traingulate" them away. ("he said later he was against it.")

[ClarkUSA]

64. No, I've got a very good BS detector. And your problem is you buy Clinton's talking points.

I suggest to YOU that you have fallen into the same trap that freepers do by forgiving Clinton for every one of her neocon warmongering votes and actions.

No matter... the majority of Iowans know - as I do - which candidate is more honest and trustworthy. And it ain't Her Royal Hillaryness.

[calteacherguy]

22. It bothers me a LOT more that Hillary flew herself to Washington to just to vote FOR it. nt

[zulchzulu]

34. She does all her lobbyist fundraisers in DC all the time

No need for her to travel to vote in most cases... she's getting lobbyist/DLC money from beltway fundraisers and certainly was at the time of the K/L vote. Of course, she voted yes!

[calteacherguy]

39. Oh, of course. Duh! nt

[Clintonista2]

40. “Pathetic response from camp Obama, given that he didn't even bother to vote. "

""Hillary supporters will also note that Obama co-sponsored a bill designating the Iran Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, though the Obama campaign has said that their objection to Kyl wasn't to that facet of it but to the fact that it blamed Iran for problems in Iraq."

"Sounds to me like the Obama campaign is looking for any sort of excuse they can muster to throw mud at Clinton, frankly."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3592288#3595118

OOPSIE?

[Tellurian]

37. Biden called Obama on his lame excuse. He said Obama knew about the KL Vote..

I don't understand why Obama is so afraid to take a stand on relevant votes.

[ClarkUSA]

41. How would Biden know what was told to Obama? Besides, he'd have an interest in taking down a rival.

Political gamesmanship at play there.

[Clintonista2]

44. Biden said that the senate was given notice of the vote

thus contradicting Obama's claim that they were not given notice of the vote.

[ClarkUSA]

55. Like I said, the notice was given one hour before the vote...while Obama was at a rally in NH.

Biden's claim is precious testament to the sin of omission.

[1corona4u]

52. Oh, come on...

That is so NOT Joe, and you know it. That is the most outlandish thing I have read in this entire thread. Total BS.

[CyberPieHole]

56. Obama is too inexperienced to understand that being a Senator means he was elected to vote...

It's part of the job description. Obama ran for the Senate as a stepping stone to running for the presidency. He doesn't care about being a Senator or he would not shirk his duties. He is not fit to be a Senator, let alone President. IMHO.

[avrdream]

57. "Present"

Enough said.

[Beacool]

58. Oh, I thought that the official Obama excuse was that Reid

changed the time of the vote to benefit Hillary because his son works for her campaign. I guess that Reid has two other sons working for Biden and Dodd since they too showed up to vote. The only two "presidentials" no shows were Obama and McCain.

[Think82]

59. The vote on BIDEN'S IRAQ EXIT STRATEGY WAS THE SAME DAY. Also important!

Hillary and Dodd both voted for it, along with another 73 senators. Obviously this got no attention. And Obama missed it as well. So did McCain. Hmmm.....

[1corona4u]

63. They just don't get it/see it...because they don't want to.