Obama: War Vote "Irresponsible And Naive"

Criticized By Clinton Over Foreign Policy, Obama Uses Same Words To Jab At Her Iraq War Vote

(AP)  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama tried to turn rival Hillary Rodham Clinton's words back on her Wednesday, saying her vote to authorize the Iraq war was "irresponsible and naive."

Clinton had used the same language a day earlier to criticize Obama for saying he would be willing to meet with leaders of nations such as Cuba, North Korea and Iran without conditions within the first year of his presidency. Clinton said renegade leaders could use such a meeting for propaganda and that envoys below the presidential level should begin diplomatic work.

Obama told NBC News it's obvious that the diplomatic spade work must be done before any such meeting. But he wants to change Bush administration policies that freeze out enemies and move to a principle that says the United States should talk with everybody.

"The notion that I was somehow going to be inviting them over for tea next week without having initial envoys meet is ridiculous," he said in an interview outside his Senate office. "But the general principle is one that I think Senator Clinton is wrong on, and that is if we are laying out preconditions that prevent us from speaking frankly to these folks, then we are continuing with Bush-Cheney policies."

Obama's comment about meeting with foreign foes came in response to a question in a Democratic presidential debate Monday night. The Clinton campaign immediately highlighted his statement as evidence that he doesn't have the foreign policy skills to be president. "I thought that was irresponsible and frankly naive," she told the Quad-City Times of Iowa.

Later Wednesday, the Clinton campaign issued a statement by former U.N. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, who is supporting her candidacy, taking issue with Obama's comments and saying she would bring an end to "the cowboy approach of the Bush years."

"She has said she would initiate serious, responsible dialogue with nations with whom we don't agree in order to further the national security interest of the United States," Holbrooke said. "But she is right not to risk the prestige of the presidency by unconditionally committing to meet with leaders of adversarial nations."

In his interview, Obama tried to turn the debate back to Clinton's vote to authorize the Iraq war, which he opposed.

"I think what is irresponsible and naive is to have authorized a war without asking how we were going to get out," Obama said. "And you know, I think Senator Clinton hasn't fully answered that issue."

Also Wednesday, an Obama campaign official told The Associated Press that New Hampshire Rep. Paul Hodes plans to endorse the Illinois senator Thursday. Hodes is the first member of the four-member congressional delegation from the nation's first primary state to make an endorsement.

[bennyblack1]

We are now in the age where friends are our enemies, our trusted companions are our spies, our wives are our killers, and our brothers are our traitors. Who can trust whom? I don't know about you, but I can't trust anybody.

[bennyblack1]

In fact, has anyone investigated the secret governing powers in the United States? You know there are underground governments. The US knows about them. There are the Masons, a secret society that sets trends and make laws, who provide for their enforcement as well, and some of our Congress are Masons. There are also Masons in the US Military. There are governing groups, or "gang" inside the US Military. Have you ever heard of Starz? It's world wide. There is a secret governing group spawned in New Orleans that uses thugs to enforce their laws. This group has expanded since Katrina, and now attempts to rule the rest of the United States. The "don't rat" rule? Where exactly do you think that came from? What law abiding citizen had to be afraid to uphold the law? Yet, this group will make you pay for it. Well, this may sound rather conspiratist, and even crazy, but what we SEE is NOT what we GET. Looking for justice? That's is what you get, JUST US.

[bennyblack1]

Red...
You are very observant. Very observant indeed.

[bennyblack1]

Well, like most of the evidence that should've been available, that video probably got stuck in some archives labeled "executive priviledge." CBS News reported it, retired CIA agents saw it, the lead CIA Agent at the time suspected it because of some purchases that were made prior to the whole fiasco. If you get a hold of the American Center For Legal Justice, there is some other video in which Saddam was having a staff meeting. And there, he spoke of having WMD, and that it would be used even if later, he wasn't there to use it. The whole thing was SET UP by the ENTIRE Islamic governing nations, who sit across the table during talks and speaks lies to you. They have ONE goal in mind, and ONE goal only; do what it takes to destroy Israel. They will say and DO anything to that end.And we are just letting them destroy the United States in the process, which has been in the making since the early '70's.

[kansas1946]

I just like this guy better and better. Great come back on her vote for war. And he is right, she was irresponsible and naive to vote yes. Anyone with any sense or forsight would have gotten as far away from that vote as possible. Number one, there was absolutely no reason to attack Iraq, and number two, even Bush's Dad knew better that to try and occupy a hostile nation. I guess Bush Baby was sleeping during Viet Nam.

[mudrose-2009]

I'm gonna invite all those foreigners to tea and have Madam Clintoid serve them. We can have Envoy Hors d'oeuvres with little Pigs in a blanket a la Raghead. Koran soup with little jihadi olives wrapped around live fingers that were amputated from infidels. And for the main course roast piglet a la middle east. That's a pig with his head up his ***, the way they like it. And then Madam Clintoid can serve her cookies. The ones she bakes in the latrine. Then RamaLamaObama can discourse with them and Madam Clintoid can override him with her experience.

[mudrose-2009]

We could have some Republicans for dinner, but we've had way too much "lying pig" over the past 6 years.
Posted by hungry1968

Depends on your perceptions. Better get a Monocle for that eye in the middle of your forehead. You eat lying pig on a daily basis, it's become your staple. Then you accuse others of serving it to you.

[thgdriver]

Senator Obama, you did not answer my question yet, I ask again, as a senator in Illinois you backed the law, now in place in that state, that makes it a felony for honest citizen's to protect their family's and home's with a firearm.

In light of the recent home invasion and rape/murder of that poor family, do you feel that law is justified and would you support it for passage for all 50 states as president?

It's a simple yes or no question Senator.

[mudrose-2009]

Pot's calling the kettle black. Oh, wait, black is calling the kettle. . . , no, that's not right either. Do either of you two know what you are? Me neither.

[gunownerdan]

"Today we need a nation of minute men; citizens who are not only prepared to take up arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as a basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom.
The cause of liberty, the cause of American, cannot succeed with any lesser effort."
- President John F. Kennedy, January 29, 1961

[red164]

Scheuer: Bin laden gave a speech or a statement in November of 2001 and he said basically: We don't have to do anything else to the Americans regarding their domestic society. They are going to strangle their own society. They will eat away at their civil liberties. They'll become divisive within.

They are going to strangle their own society. They will eat away at their civil liberties. They'll become divisive within.

They will eat away at their civil liberties.
Bush and Company have done that

They'll become divisive within.
All of us for that

[cperrym]

We will get around to the proper Democratic ticket sooner than I thought. Everyone will be dead tired of Hillary and Obama long before the first primary and ready for a winning ticket.
Think about Gore/Richardson. The Republicans would be scared to death over that one.

[hungry1968]

Jones? i think they prefer eachother raw =)
Posted by didntinhale at 09:44 PM : Jul 26, 2007


Needs salt and pepper if you ask me.
Posted by Jonesforch at 09:43 PM : Jul 26, 2007


We could have some Republicans for dinner, but we've had way too much "lying pig" over the past 6 years.

[prinzowhales]

The fact remains...Major Scott Ritter, USMC was 100% correct in his on-the-ground assessment of Saddam's WMD capability. Myself, and millions of others, with the not unusual ability to assess
facts, realized that he and his team had not found WMDs, that the US had given the UN dozens of leads based on their intelligence resources and these leads turned up nothing--this is not secret...it was a matter of public record at the time. It was patently and painfully obvious that Saddam had no WMDs...save to all those too obtuse or too interested in making the case for war, to care about the facts of the matter.

Incidentally, I didn't claim to 'know more than the CIA'...all I had was the common knowledge available at the time...you know...that which Edwards ignored...and there were millions of us who knew this. In those halcyon days when the invasion was young, the 'mission accomplished' and the Democrats firmly on board the war bandwagon...the chickenhawks and Bush worshippers would accuse us of 'hoping that no WMDs were found so that the US would look bad...' Now, we have the Democratic apologists bleating the old Bush excuse..."faulty intelligence," to excuse their negligence.

By the by, I'm sure you are not troubling with the psychological ramifications of correcting my spelling lapses while dissecting and altering my 'handle'.

[sharncedar]

I wish Clinton II was only irresponsible and naive. Actually she is calculating, amoral, and evil.

What kind of a Democratic party would support such a calculating pro-war liar like Clinton II after George Bush? As if we never learn. We get what we deserve, but even as cynical as I am I can't believe we deserve this amoral, indecent, lying and corrupt pyschopath woman as our president. You would think one power-hungry sociopath such as George Bush would be enough for this nation.

[jonesforch]

didntinhale

Needs salt and pepper if you ask me.

[jonesforch]

MyIDonCBS

The only difference in what you say is Mr Slick Willie also said WMD's were there and so does (well she use too) Mrs. Clinton. One President had guts the other had more urgent things to take care of...the things he was wanting and not getting (what he thinks) at the White House.

[myidoncbs]

bennyblack1 says, "due to some satelite video that I saw..."

Wow! That must be a reliable source! Almost as good as "I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another..."

FYI, benny, the UN had inspectors on the ground in Iraq. They never found any WMD. But Bush made them all go home when he attacked Iraq, so I guess we'll never really know the truth. But it's likely that several years of extreme "sanctions", plus daily bombings, seriously hampered any possible attempt by Hussein to develop WMD.

At least you're right about one thing-- the soldiers who spent time in Iraq came back f'ed up, and the soldiers there now will return f'ed up, and Bush and Cheney don't give a flying fig what happens to them since they are simply pawns in their evil game of destruction for profit and power.

[pepperp1]

Well Obama and Dennis will make a nice couple. Moving on.

[likeitis5050]

Easy to point fingers when you haven't been around long enough to be called for any of your own misguided calls. Obama needs to lighten up and let Hilary bury herself in her hypocrisy. Hilary, left alone, is her own worst enemy. I still say Obama is not ready for the job as president...he needs to serve first as vice...and learn how not be reactive to the likes of Hilary.