It is almost comical, but sad, that the Times reporter goes to great lengths trying to nuance what is clearly becoming another Obama flip-flop, this time on the Iraq war. While campaigning for the Democratic nomination he was "the" anti-war candidate. End the war and bring the troops home in 16 months was the mantra when it suited him politically. He was obviously pandering to people. Perhaps his nickname should be the 'Pandering Flip-Flopper.'
The Democrats, including Obama, have consistently refused to acknowledge that significant progress has been made in Iraq by our military (for our troops and their leaders I am thankful) and the 'surge' strategy by any measure must be judged successful. But the Democrats are invested in defeat, it seems, because that suits their political agenda. How is it that any thinking voter cannot see this obvious political pandering by Obama. Change is his mantra, but flip-flop is his demonstrated style.
Even the Times editorial writers are not happy with the Pandering Flip-Flopper. Today they had this to say:
We are not shocked when a candidate moves to the center for the general election. But Mr. Obama’s shifts are striking because he was the candidate who proposed to change the face of politics, the man of passionate convictions who did not play old political games.Another story in the Times describes his flip-flop on the FISA surveillance issue. He now suppoerts the proposed FISA bill including a provision that would grant telecom companies immunity for their role in post-9/11 surveillance activities. I support immunity, but thousands of his supporters do not and are unhappy with Obama's flip-flop on that issue, too. Character matters!
I have said that I am not satisfied with the choices we are presented for Presidential candidates this year. But of the two, Obama is the one I would see as worse for our country. The ability to inspire via syrupy rhetoric is important, but I prefer substance and character. He, unlike McCain, has shown me neither.
3 comments:
"...another Obama flip-flop..."
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The Carpetbagger Report is keeping tabs on McCain's flip-flops. Here are just a few...
* McCain criticized TV preacher Jerry Falwell as "an agent of intolerance" in 2002, but has since decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans "deserved" the 9/11 attacks. (Indeed, McCain has now hired Falwells debate coach.)
* McCain used to oppose Bushs tax cuts for the very wealthy, but he reversed course in February.
* In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending "dirty money" to help finance Bushs presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.
* McCain supported a major campaign-finance reform measure that bore his name. In June, he abandoned his own legislation.
* McCain used to think that Grover Norquist was a crook and a corrupt shill for dictators. Then McCain got serious about running for president and began to reconcile with Norquist.
* McCain took a firm line in opposition to torture, and then caved to White House demands .
* McCain gave up on his signature policy issue, campaign-finance reform, and wont back the same provision he sponsored just a couple of years ago.
* McCain was against presidential candidates campaigning at Bob Jones University before he was for it.
* McCain was anti-ethanol. Now he's pro-ethanol .
* McCain was both for and against state promotion of the Confederate flag .
* And now hes both for and against overturning Roe v. Wade
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"I have said that I am not satisfied with the choices we are presented for Presidential candidates this year."
You're not satisfied with McCain? Really? HA!
Obama should be taken to task for his comments on the war in Iraq. I believe he attempted to launch a trial balloon and it backfired.
That being said; your conclusion that McCain is far superior on substance and character is flawed at best.
McCain, like President Bush, tends to react first and think later. This week's story that he roughed up an Ortega aid while on a diplomatic mission in 1987 proves that point.
McCain doesn't deserve the pedestal you are placing him on.
I certainly don't place McCain on a pedestal and I did not do so in this post. McCain is, at best, a compromise candidate for the Republicans seemingly with his own share of 'flip-flops' as a previous commenter suggests. (I have not checked the validity of the points made.). He is the merely the better of two mediocre candidates.
Obama obviously panders for votes. He is short on substance and character compared to McCain.
I certainly respect a person's right to change his/her mind in the face of new facts, but Obama's apparent flip-flop process on Iraq is not based on new facts. We have been making military progress in Iraq for several months which Democrats, Obama among them, generally fail to admit, purely for political reasons, IMHO.
America deserves better than what McCain and Obama promise, but unless Americans demand that we change course on a number of substantive issues, we will continue to go deeper into debt, driven mostly by runaway entitlement programs.
Where is the fundamental debate on Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security? A few years ago, the country made some great progress on welfare reform. Why can't we move ahead on these larger issues? Why won't the candidates bring them front and center? Do we want a more socialist state?
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