Foreign Policy Questions Abound Even As Obama Shifts Back to Domestic Issues
From CBS News' Allison O'Keefe:
(CHICAGO) – During his first appearance since returning home last night, Barack Obama made it clear that he is ready to focus on domestic issues, answering questions about issues such as affirmative action and immigration.
But that didn't stop questioners at today's UNITY '08 minority journalists' conference from asking what he learned on his foreign trip and what more international experience he needs to gain.
Pointing out that one trip overseas doesn't turn one into an international expert, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux asked Obama, "What more do you need to learn?"
Obama said that you don't "ever stop learning" and that despite criticism he feels that the leaders with whom he met "feel confident that I know what I am doing."
He was also pressed about his opposition to the surge in Iraq and responded with a hint of frustration.
"I have not heard yet someone ask John McCain if his vote to go to war with Iraq was a mistake," said Obama.
When asked about the "audacity of this trip," Obama tried to downplay all the hype that went along with his travels last week.
"I basically met with the same folks [John] McCain met with" when he became the presumptive nominee, argued Obama. "No one suggested that was audacious."
Obama added that he and McCain were meeting with leaders that each may have to deal with if one of them were to be elected President. And Obama was clearly confident about his performance.
"I admit we did it really well. But that shouldn't be a strike against me. If I were stumbling and bumbling through it, I would have been criticized for that."
He was later asked, "Do you think you could have come this far if you were a Muslim?" Obama brushed the question off saying Americans are more tolerant that they're given credit for.
When asked if he thought he had alienated Muslim voters by strongly fighting rumors that he is Muslim, Obama said, "This is a classic example of a no win situation."
"I just don't like the idea of somebody falsely identifying my religion."
He went on to say that his credentials in supporting Muslim Americans is very strong.
"I have visited Mosques in my community and met with Muslim leaders," said Obama.
Obama travels to Washington, D.C. tomorrow to meet with his economic team before campaigning through the Midwest as he continues shifting his focus back to domestic issues.
© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved. (CHICAGO) – During his first appearance since returning home last night, Barack Obama made it clear that he is ready to focus on domestic issues, answering questions about issues such as affirmative action and immigration.
But that didn't stop questioners at today's UNITY '08 minority journalists' conference from asking what he learned on his foreign trip and what more international experience he needs to gain.
Pointing out that one trip overseas doesn't turn one into an international expert, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux asked Obama, "What more do you need to learn?"
Obama said that you don't "ever stop learning" and that despite criticism he feels that the leaders with whom he met "feel confident that I know what I am doing."
He was also pressed about his opposition to the surge in Iraq and responded with a hint of frustration.
"I have not heard yet someone ask John McCain if his vote to go to war with Iraq was a mistake," said Obama.
When asked about the "audacity of this trip," Obama tried to downplay all the hype that went along with his travels last week.
"I basically met with the same folks [John] McCain met with" when he became the presumptive nominee, argued Obama. "No one suggested that was audacious."
Obama added that he and McCain were meeting with leaders that each may have to deal with if one of them were to be elected President. And Obama was clearly confident about his performance.
"I admit we did it really well. But that shouldn't be a strike against me. If I were stumbling and bumbling through it, I would have been criticized for that."
He was later asked, "Do you think you could have come this far if you were a Muslim?" Obama brushed the question off saying Americans are more tolerant that they're given credit for.
When asked if he thought he had alienated Muslim voters by strongly fighting rumors that he is Muslim, Obama said, "This is a classic example of a no win situation."
"I just don't like the idea of somebody falsely identifying my religion."
He went on to say that his credentials in supporting Muslim Americans is very strong.
"I have visited Mosques in my community and met with Muslim leaders," said Obama.
Obama travels to Washington, D.C. tomorrow to meet with his economic team before campaigning through the Midwest as he continues shifting his focus back to domestic issues.
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"When Obama walked on stage at the McCormick Center, many journalists in the audience leapt to their feet and applauded enthusiastically after being told not to do so. During a two-minute break halfway through the event, which was broadcast live on CNN, journalists ran to the stage to snap photos of Obama."
Fair and balanced, sure, sure.
Socialized Medicine.
Unemployment
Business closings
Recession
take over of oil companies
Now this week they have passed a bill(our Tax money) to bail out people losing their homes. I don''t want people to lose their homes but they are benefiting big time. They could not afford the house when the bought it, follow me here: 250,000 cost of home, payment 1,500 month+ Housing market falls house now worth 175,000 they are bailed out and now own a bigger house then they could afford, and the tax payer bought it. Thing is when the market returns the are sitting on a ton of equity.
Obama says in his stump speeches that he will end the illegal immigration you write about by putting the people in jail who hire them. The illegals will stop coming if managers and owners fear jail time and wont hire them.
Register, and then vote for Obama. Help is on the way.
Bush''s man Scott McClellan is on record that one compelling reason for Bush to start the war was Bush thought that only presidents who served during war-time were considered great. That''s not political, that is treason. Of course, Bush also started the war for geo-political reasons because Rove had a grand plan for the take-over of the entire middle east and Iraq was supposed to be the centerpiece. Now the elected Iraqi''s publicly rejected the Bush DEMAND to allow the US to build 30 new bases in Iraq and to OCCUPY Iraq for a generation. MCCAIN: "We will be in Iraq, like in Germany, for 50 years, not fighting but with bases, an occupying force." Maliki said "no, actually we want you to leave and we prefer Obama''s timetable, give or take a few months, depending on how things go".
The remaining piece to this Iraq peace puzzle, as Obama points out and McCain never acknowledges, is a deal to share the oil among the Kurds and the Sunni and the Shi''a. That does not require the troop surge, or opines of generals. It requires negotiations.
NUMBERSUSA for the unsuppressed truth.