Obama Answers Criticism That He's Changing Positions

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(ATLANTA) Barack Obama defended his plan to withdraw troops from Iraq today, telling voters here that his position has not changed. "Don't be confused," Obama said forcefully, "I will bring the Iraq war to a close when I am president of the United States of America."

Obama explained that his plan to withdraw troops by 1 to 2 combat brigades a month would mean that combat troops will be out of Iraq in "about 16 months."

"Assuming that I take office in January, then that means that we would have our – we would still have our troops there for about 2 more years from now," he explained.

Recently, Obama has come under fire for saying that he intends to "refine" his Iraq plan after he visits the country, suggesting that he may not stick to the proposed 16 month timetable. This morning, Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, called the timetable a goal.

"16 months is the goal and he believes that is a reasonable goal, but obviously any president is going to listen, listen to the commanders on the ground and listen to the conditions at the time," Axelrod said on MSNBC.

Critics have also accused Obama of pandering to voters by shifting his positions to the center. However, Obama said today that he is "progressively and squarely in the Democratic camp" and blamed the criticism of him on cynicism.

"One of the things you find as you go though this campaign, is everyone has become so cynical about politics. That the assumption is you must be doing everything for political reasons," he explained and added that voters don't always have to agree with him.

"We can agree on 90% of the things that are important and on those 10% we will agree to disagree."

[beaujolie1]

the only one who has flip-flopped on Iraq is McShame - he said we would have to leave if Iraq didn''t want us to stay; they have said they want us to leave and now he makes excuses why we can''t. He flips on Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, Iraq, Katrina aid, immigration reform, etc. and gets a ''free pass'' from the press.

[chrisl45]

Here are jokes on Obama. %u201CBarack%u201D sounds like US barracks, the %u201CO%u201D in Obama is hinting at praise, %u201Cbam%u201D sounds like bomb, and the last letter in his name %u201Ca%u201D could stand for America. If you stitch these together Barack%u2019s name is saying to America %u201Cpraise the bombing of America%u201D. What makes things worst when you think about Barack%u2019s name is Obama has worn muslim cloths, has a bad middle name (Hussein), and attended an anti-semite church. Believe me, it%u2019s just like someone with an Adolph Hitler mustach repeatedly playing football on the lawn of the white house. How could senator Obama do this to the country. Also, I saw the name %u201CBarack%u201D and %u201CObama%u201D and though of the bombing of the US barracks in Beirut, and the bombing of the US barracks in the Gulf War by friendly fire. His initials, %u201CBO%u201D, are like he%u2019s saying if you vote for me you will be making the country stink with radiation. Also, Barack%u2019s name can be seen to be saying %u201Cbaa%u201D like a sheep saying %u201Cbad%u201D (another reference %u201Cbaa-humbug), %u201Crack%u201D pointing directly towards John McCain%u2019s torture at the hands of the Vietnames. %u201Crack%u201D is a term that can be applied to being hung by ropes with your arms behind your back. So, Barack%u2019s recent attacks on John%u2019s war record are because Barack is literally standing on his first name. Obama has a similar name to Osama Bin Laden.

[kphx]

Well, it all comes down to getting elected. After that, staying in power.

Looks like Obama is learning his ropes as he goes along to become an effective politician. Just getting his stripes. That''s all. At the end of this whole process he will truly be one of them ... the so called Washington Insiders.

People have settle for lesser of the two evils, as always.

[obamaisaho]

Flip, Flop, Flip, Flop...

And meanwhile the duped masses flock to him as they would have another demagogue back in 1932.

Adolf was white, Obama "black" but their messages are practically the same.

[bloogirl-2009]

he''s an idiot and he thinks the rest of us are.

[wisepeace]

After he has changed issues on several issues, we are supposed to believe him when he says he hasn''t changed on the issues. Apparently he thinks we are all stupid and will think whatever he tells us to think. How about his obligation, as a candidate, to be a person of integrity and honesty. Changing positions invalidates the votes that were cast for him, since those votes were only cast for a media illusion. When do we get a real leader? Who cares what party, just give us a true leader instead of a front man for the rich and powerful.

[ariel133]

Obama is acting elitist and sheding some of USA hatred indoctrines he learned from Wright, which is inevitable, with his statement that Americans should feel imbarressed if they don''''t speak French in France.

What about all the people in the USA who don''t speak English?

Isn''t it just something that he is concerned about France?

[mattcat25]

WHO ever said Iraq was responsible for 9/11?


Republican President George W. Bush (too) many times over, and over, and over again%u2026.
Bush told Cindy Sheehan in a Whitehouse meeting along with other Gold Star Mothers that had lost their sons in his War On Iraq, that %u201CAmerica was attacked on 911, and Iraq is the forefront on the war on terror.%u201D

Republican Presidential Candidate John %u201Cwar monger%u201D McCain has constantly stated that Al Quaida is the enemy in Iraq and must be defeated before US Troops can draw down.%u201D

During many Speeches over the last 6 years, it wouldn%u2019t take George Bush but 30 seconds to invoke the WTC 911911911911911911911911911911911911911911911 attack in regards to the US involvement (unnecessary invasion and occupation) in Saddam Hussein%u2019s Iraq.

Republicans always want to change reality when it comes to the detrimental actions and results of the Conservative Agenda.

[ariel133]

%u201CDon%u2019t be confused. I will bring the Iraq war to a close when I am president of the United States of America.%u201D Obama says.


The only one "Confused" Obama, is YOU.

You can not make a statement of this magnitude without visiting the country and speaking to military commanders first.

If this is the way you plan to lead a country we don''t need your inexperiance.

[hwy71so]

WHO ever said Iraq was responsible for 9/11? I''ve seen, nor heard anyone say that. You anti-Bush folks made that one up. You make up a lot of stuff and ignore the key reason why things are taking so long over there.

As for being careless going in, I beg to differ. We had troops in theater long before the advance. Our march to Baghdad was very well orchestrated. The problem was that too many of our fine upstanding congressmen and liberals thought that all we had to do was get to Baghdad and it would be over. Liberals tend to look at people like cattle, as if they don''t have a mind and desires of their own. Iraq did NOT want to be put down and Saddam, as a man with a brain like any other, had plans of his own. The congress and the libs wanted and thought it would be one sided. I guess y''all forgot that Iraqis were and are human too.

Turn the TV off and live dude!