From The Road
March 19, 2008 7:07 AM

Obama Plans Another Major Address, This Time on Iraq

By
John Bentley
Topics
Barack Obama
(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley


PINEHURST, N.C. – A day after his speech on race, Barack Obama will deliver an address on another hot-button topic – the war in Iraq. Giving the speech in Fayetteville, North Carolina, serves two purposes for Obama: the first is that Fayetteville is home to Ft. Bragg, the largest Army base in the world, and since Obama has been assailed by Hillary Clinton recently for a lack of foreign policy and military expertise, this could give him a chance to establish some foreign policy bona fides.

The second part of the two-for-one deal is that North Carolina holds its primary on May 6th, and in a tight race, the state's 134 delegates could be crucial for the nomination. He's also holding a town hall meeting in Charlotte this afternoon.

Obama will also have to deal with the Clinton campaign's accusation that his camp is engaging in a "passive aggressive effort to disenfranchise the voters of Florida and Michigan," according to Clinton adviser Harold Ickes. Clinton won both of those state's primaries, but the results won't count because they violated party rules. Obama took his name off the ballot in Michigan and didn't campaign in Florida, and has questioned the viability of a primary re-run. "We understand that when it comes to counting votes, the Clinton campaign favors whatever they think will benefit them," said Tommy Vietor, an Obama spokesman. "But on a day when Michigan legislators themselves have indicated that there isn't enough legislative support for a re-vote—and when Senator Clinton's own Michigan co-chair said that a re-vote 'wouldn't make much difference'—it doesn't make any sense for them to point fingers at our campaign."

Right now, the chances of either Florida or Michigan having their delegates seated or getting to re-vote look extremely slim.

Add a Comment See all 13 Comments
by mattcat25 March 20, 2008 1:47 PM EDT
" Being president is not about fancy speeches his writters penned but about real action."

unlike the silver tongued and well informed John McCain?

"Iran is training and arming Al Quiada to fight in Iraq my friends"

"oh, I meant Iran is training extrimists...my friends"

The Republican Machine is only going to continue to lie to the American People to perpetuate profits from war.

I feel this is Anti-American.
Reply to this comment
by tshanahan3 March 19, 2008 8:29 PM EDT
Neither Senator Obama or Senator Clinton broke any rules in Michigan or Florida. It was the state legislators in those states who violated the rules of the Democratic Party. To punish those legislators the Democrats are refusing to count the votes of the millions citizens in their states.

The problem with disenfranchising voters to punish their state legislators is only a problem if you are going to want those people to vote for your party again in November. They might choose not to under those circumstances, which won''t help any Democrat who gets nominated.
Reply to this comment
by danigirl65 March 19, 2008 5:00 PM EDT
Unbelievable that it is 2008 and I still read short-sighted comments like those posted above.

Susan is the only logical one and I do note that the uses the terms "anyone reasonable."

I still find it ignorant that the media went nuts on this. Did anybody bother to look into the dates of these sermons?? They were 2001 & 2003. Funny that Obama is held responsible for them in 2008 - they weren''t his words.

If we were all responsible for short-sighted comments of people we associated with, we would be even more screwed up than we already are!!
Reply to this comment
by alietzow March 19, 2008 3:24 PM EDT
It''s interesting how Michigan, and Hillary, would like to point the finger at Obama for MICHIGAN breaking the DNC rules. Why should he suffer ANY consequences when it wasn''t he who broke the rules.

Personally, I think Hillary and Bill need to start their own party if they can''t follow the rules as laid out by the DNC. Bill has obviously had some troubles with that. They aren''t being good role models for our children and grandchildren. Our nation could do much better, with Barack and Michelle Obama in the White House. A true Statesman and his very gracious wife.

Also, Hope6722 -- well put. Excellent.
Reply to this comment
by voteonpaper March 19, 2008 3:00 PM EDT
Actually, we DO have something to do with slavery today. Every single time we purchase clothing and other products made in sweatshops, we ENDORSE slavery.

Each penny we spend is a vote.
How will you vote today?
Reply to this comment
by mattcat25 March 19, 2008 2:56 PM EDT
The lashing out at Barack Obama is what was to be expected by the racists in America. Obama explained that Reverend Wright was a product of a different generation. This is not our generation and, hopefully won%u2019t be our children%u2019s.

This product of one%u2019s environment works the same for right wing wack jobs such as Rush Limbaugh who must be a creation of his experiences, influences, and environment. I really wonder why Rush Limbaugh is so very hateful every day against Liberals, the Media, and of course the Clintons!

Do you think leather jacketed motorcycle gang members of Liberal Journalists stuffed Limbaugh into a trash can a few times while he was in High school or something?
Reply to this comment
by formlessness-2009 March 19, 2008 1:47 PM EDT
sharon... your attitude is exactly what is the problem. While it is true that no one today had anything to do with slavery, but did you really try to slip discrimination in there? You honestly feel that discrimination is something that doesn''t happen anymore? And makes Obama angry? Well of course racism and discrimination should make everyone angry, but had you even bothered to listen to the Senator''s speech, the jist of it was that we need to move on, but in order to do so we must face some issues head on. Do not be so mistaken as to think that the civil rights movement fixed everything, it most certainly did not.
Reply to this comment
by runninrabbit March 19, 2008 1:24 PM EDT
Isn''t it time for Hillary to give a "great speech" on gender? I haven''t heard her address that topic with anything approaching candor or eloquence. "Vote for me I''m female" just isn''t very convincing that Mrs. Clinton can really light the way on society''s gender problems. Ferraro''s volatile comments could be just the springboard to discuss women''s anger and resentment and relationships with men. Hillary we know you have insight here! Don''t be afraid of a few "pretty words" -- words are how leaders communicate. Before my XX chromosomes align with you Hillary, I want to see your leadership, your communication chops, your boldness, your depth of insight. The time is right for a great speech on gender.

XX in Pennsylvania
Reply to this comment
by hope6722 March 19, 2008 1:02 PM EDT
Wow-
It is alarming to read the blogs by those so opposed to Obama. The hatred they seem so offended by seems to spill out of their own mouths in tones I''ve never heard from Obama or his campaign. Apart from the Rev. Wright''s history that I, as a white woman cannot fully understand, the anti-Obama rhetoric seems only founded in some sort of perverse fear, but of what I''m unclear. Black America? Freedom of speech, even when it is personally offensive or socially grading? The loss of White America and our inheritance as some supreme majority? The Washington elites losing power to the people? My fear was that America could not handle Obama''s message calling for an objective and honest self-reflection cross culturally-- and now I''m wondering if I was right. Some of America will just never take responsibility for our history, never allow a new message to challenge us, and have so much personal anger and hatred, will not or simply cannot be moved to a greater understanding. Clearly, no matter how intelligent, apologetic, sincere, or self-revealing Obama is, hatred- or fear- in this country will try to drowned out any hope for change. It may be, for the first time in our history, that America-united- is being asked and expected to do better... where a President will require America to participate in its own history, not simply observe its writings authored by money, power, or the socially dominant.
Reply to this comment
by danigirl65 March 19, 2008 12:59 PM EDT
Unbelievable that it is 2008 and I still read short-sighted comments like those posted above.

Susan is the only logical one and I do note that the uses the terms "anyone reasonable."

I still find it ignorant that the media went nuts on this. Did anybody bother to look into the dates of these sermons?? They were 2001 & 2003. Funny that Obama is held responsible for them in 2008 - they weren''t his words.

If we were all responsible for short-sighted comments of people we associated with, we would be even more screwed up than we already are!!
Reply to this comment
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