May 21, 2008
McCain Assails Obama Over Foreign Leaders
Washington Post: McCain Says Willingness To Talk Without Preconditions Naive, But McCain Supporter Said It's Not Appeasement
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Candidates Squabble Over Iran
John McCain says that Barack Obama's willingness to talk with "enemy" countries shows his inexperience. But Obama shot back that diplomacy is what strong presidents do. Dean Reynolds reports.
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Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., takes the stage at a rally Tuesday, May 20, 2008, in Des Moines, Iowa. (CBS)
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John McCain
Some call him a hero, some a maverick. Will Americans call him Mr. President?
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Barack Obama
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Sen. John McCain stepped up his assault on Sen. Barack Obama's foreign policy credentials at a rally in Miami yesterday, criticizing Obama's willingness to talk to Cuban President Raul Castro and other hostile foreign leaders without preconditions. But McCain's argument was undercut when a 2006 video emerged of former secretary of state James A. Baker III, a prominent McCain supporter, saying that "talking to an enemy is not in my view appeasement."
The furious exchanges between the presidential candidates were prompted by President Bush's statement to the Israeli parliament last week that negotiating with "terrorists and radicals" such as Iran embodied "the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history." But the dispute underscores an emerging theme on the campaign trail, with McCain (R-Ariz.) stressing his national security credentials and painting Obama as weak and inexperienced, and with Obama (D-Ill.) pushing a message of change and seeking to tar McCain as a Bush clone.
On Monday, McCain told members of the National Restaurant Association that Obama fails to understand "basic realities of international relations." McCain said Obama's willingness to talk with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without preconditions during his first year as president would only embolden "an implacable foe of the United States."
Yesterday, speaking to a Cuban American audience, McCain singled out Obama's willingness to meet Castro. "These steps would send the worst possible signal to Cuba's dictators: There is no need to undertake fundamental reforms; they can simply wait for a unilateral change in U.S. policy," McCain said. "I believe we should give hope to the Cuban people, not to the Castro regime."
McCain attacked Obama's qualifications to be commander in chief, telling reporters on his campaign bus yesterday, "There's a huge difference there, and it's got to do with experience, knowledge and judgment -- none of which Senator Obama has."
McCain senior strategist Steve Schmidt said that yesterday's debate helps frame one of the central questions Americans will ask during the general election: "Which candidate is best positioned to secure the peace for the next generation?"
"John McCain is ready to be commander in chief. Barack Obama is not, because of his inexperience and poor judgment," Schmidt said. "Inexperience and poor judgment in the president of the United States makes the world a more dangerous place."
Obama, meanwhile, has stuck to his position that the president should be willing to talk with enemies of the United States as part of a return to a more open and ambitious use of diplomacy, though last week he clarified that there would be lower-level contacts and "preparation" before any presidential meeting. On the campaign trail, Obama cites President Richard M. Nixon's opening of U.S. relations with China and President Ronald Reagan's negotiations with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as examples he would emulate.
Obama also frequently quotes President John F. Kennedy's position during the escalating nuclear arms race that the United States should be willing to meet with its adversaries: "Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate," Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address.
Obama's strategists think that his position signals not only change but also a return to vigorous diplomacy, which is why Obama invokes past presidents. The strategists argue that the more McCain attacks Obama on this issue, the more McCain compromises his reputation for independence. "Barack Obama will use all aspects of American power to restore our security and standing, including the kind of direct diplomacy that worked for presidents from Kennedy to Reagan," spokesman Hari Sevugan said.
In a speech in Billings, Mont., on Monday, Obama accused McCain of "using the same George Bush textbook" in which "anything but their failed cowboy diplomacy is called appeasement." Obama tried to turn McCain's argument on its head, saying setting preconditions is "not a strategy; it's naive, wishful thinking. I'm not afraid we'll lose some propaganda fight with a dictator. It's time to win those battles, because we've watched George Bush lose them year after year after year."
Fred I. Greenstein, a scholar of the presidency at Princeton University, said that history tended to back Obama's stance. Ticking off a series of presidential meetings with fierce adversaries since Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, particularly with Soviet leaders, Greenstein asked, "When do presidents not meet with adversaries?"
Polling suggests that Obama's position might resonate with voters. A November 2006 poll conducted by the Program on International Policy Attitudes found that 75 percent of Americans think that the United States should deal with Iran by trying to build better relations, though this poll and others have found large gaps between Democrats and Republicans, with Republicans more likely to advocate pressure over negotiation.
The Obama campaign also pointed to previous statements from prominent Republicans such as former secretaries of state Colin L. Powell and Henry Kissinger, as well as Sens. Richard G. Lugar (Ind.) and Chuck Hagel (Neb.), in making the case for direct talks with Iran.
Moreover, in an Oct. 6, 2006, interview on Fox News's "Hannity & Colmes" that began circulating on the Internet this week, Baker dismissed the notion that talking with enemies -- even state sponsors of terrorism -- is any sort of appeasement.
"You don't just talk to your friends; you talk to your enemies, as well," an animated Baker said. "Diplomacy involves talking to your enemies. You don't reward your enemies necessarily by talking to them if you are tough and you know what you are doing. You don't appease them. Talking to an enemy is not, in my view, appeasement."
Baker did not respond to a request for comment.
When asked about Baker's comments, McCain said that as secretary of state, Baker talked only with adversaries who seemed open to changing their tactics. "When Secretary Baker was secretary of state, they didn't talk to Castro. They had a very strict position on whether to negotiate with him or not," McCain said.
Eilperin reported from Miami. Staff writer Peter Slevin in Chicago contributed to this report.
By Glenn Kessler and Juliet Eilperin
© 2008 The Washington Post Company
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Hillary may insist on harvesting as many votes as she can from the group of voters that she claims as "hers". She may as well keep them; that won''t help her much. Vanesa4
Criticize anyone who wants to do diplomacy as a Nazi appeaser because all the GOP want to do is bomb, bomb, bomb.
My worry isn''t lack of "experience" it''s McCain''s LACK OF EMOTIONAL STABILITY and POUTING FITS.
-someone needs to tell him it is called "BEING A GROWNUP" to DIPLOMATICALLY DISCUSS DIFFERENCES and WORK THEM OUT rather than POUT AND BLAME.
MAYBE McCain might listen to the ADULTS after his PLAYGROUND BULLY BUDDY George gets put in "TIMEOUT".
You can ALWAYS TELL A BULLY by how he kisses up to those more powerful.
-and KING GEORGE provided a GRAPHIC EXAMPLE OF THAT when he went GROVELING BEFORE the Saudis -HOMELAND of OSAMA BIN LADEN.
EVEN MORE TERRIFYING is King George''s promising to GIVE AWAY OUR NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY to that EXTREMIST BREEDING NATION in return for "NOTHING"!!!!
According to the OIL EXECS -
-a 200 MILLION PLUS compensation package is ACTUALLY a measly 2 million and FAR LOWER that OTHER PEOPLE MAKE!
-It''s the FAULT of SAFETY and Environmental protection REGULATIONS that CAUSES PRICE INCREASES - NOT GREED.
-3rd world countries are CHEAPER AND thus BETTER (because it only takes a few political bribes)because they "agree to" fewer "restrictions".
-EVERY ALTERNATIVE IS NOT "VIABLE" but NOT because they''ve stuck their money and efforts into sabotaging ALL alternatives they may NOT be able to MONOPOLIZE - and DELAYED the rest to drain every last drop from the American Consumer.
THEY ARE "SUFFERING" more than "anybody else"- sometimes they too have to lower themselves to pump their own gas.
MUCH MORE but I''m busy GAGGING.
If talking to your adversaries might prevent a physical encounter and the resultant deaths and costs, wouldn''t it be wise to do so?
The dialogue goes like this: "If you don''t stop, we are going to blow the h-ll out of you", simple as that.
I am 100% behind Obama''s plan to talk to our enemies or potential enemies.
The alternative is always close at hand and military action is always available.
I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "speak softly and carry a big stick".
I see in many ways that McCain is beginning to falter, stammer, be indecisive, look blank, etc., all normal things that happen in the aging process.
And, for those very reasons, I do not believe McCain qualified, capable if you will, to become the president of this country.
It would be nice to be able to do that but King George has BURNED UP our "big stick" and the world KNOWS that.
NO amount of fancy overpriced gadgets can replace our DWINDLING TROOP STRENGTH - MULTIPLE tours of duty are leading to a HUGE FUTURE COST for those subjected to it and our nation - with RECOVERY VERY UNCERTAIN.
Bush''s SAUDI BUDDY BIN LADEN KNOWS THAT - It''s why I laugh when the NEOCONS and those they''ve CONNED use "NOT ATTACKED SINCE" excuses.
THE IRONY is that HE DIDN''T HAVE TO WASTE his "RESOURCES" to destroy our Military, Economic stability and Constitutional FREEDOMS!
- He just had to SIT BACK AND WATCH - PROD a bit occasionally with "TAPED BEAR BAITINGS" and WATCH his "BUDDIES - GEORGE AND THE NEOCONS" destroy America for him!!!
Simple, COST FREE, and "entertaining" for him to boot!!!
Novel idea, too bad bush and mccain are too stupid,arrogant and stubborn to see the benefits of diplomacy.
How that Rush Limbaugh "Operation Chaos"/KKK effort going?
If you try REAL HARD I''m SURE you can find a few "terrorists" in your part of the backwoods to "string up".
Now ALL TOGETHER in UNISON with Rush -- BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!!!
That won''t work; most of the people you want to sign that petition don''t know how to spell their names.
Posted by homespunlady
We aren''t not with all the fear mongering the Democratic party has done to date. Pewlosi just threw our credibility out the winder with the Columbia Trade Agreement by pandering to trade unions which threaten their participants with an open vote; the Effendi Snob-oma is a virtual prophet of gloom and doom but he''s gonna get out there and talk to terrorists and rouge states, because he thinks HE CAN. We are going to have a tidal wave of tax increases the like that hasn''t been seen since WWII; we are gonna get taxed up the wazoo and you people are begging for more.
Remember his Bomb, bomb Iran and there will be other wars and we may be in Iraq for 100 years. This is an embarrassment to America and the Washington Post actually says that he could hammer anything or anyone is ridiculous.
-John McNursinghome needs to know with the Internet, he''s heard of his ''idiot'' rhetorics instantly all around the world. Stop lying to the Americans and wars are not of any effect to convincing other world citizens to adopt his stupid views.
-War''s just another fantasy this oldfart has been growing into his stinky pants. Poor senile!
-Why don''t you go help those beer delivery men for a good cause! You''d be more useful there!
Had your nap today? Got geritol? Where''s your "blankie" fool? America needs a Commander-in-Chief who can stay awake and manage two wars, sooooo, maybe a spokesman for geritol may be in your future. You could always ask Obama to offer you a groundskeeping position to help maintain the White House lawn. Bring your "blankie" along if case you need a nap...or two, maybe three...
If talking to your adversaries might prevent a physical encounter and the resultant deaths and costs, wouldn''t it be wise to do so?
The dialogue goes like this, "stop now or will blow the h-ll out of you". Simple, understood.
I am 100% behind Obama''s plan to talk to our enemies or potential enemies.
The alternative is always close at hand and military action is always available.
I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "speak softly and carry a big stick".
If talking to your adversaries might prevent a physical encounter and the resultant deaths and costs, wouldn''t it be wise to do so?
The dialogue goes like this, "stop now or will blow the h-ll out of you". Simple, understood.
I am 100% behind Obama''s plan to talk to our enemies or potential enemies.
The alternative is always close at hand and military action is always available.
I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "speak softly and carry a big stick".
I see in many ways that McCain is beginning to falter, stammer, be indecisive, look blank, etc., all normal things that happen in the aging process.
And, for those very reasons, I do not believe McCain qualified, capable if you will, to become the president of this country.
Over 25% of all the relocated Di''''neh families have died within 6 years from Radiation-related disease and birth defects occur among Di''''neh children at over twice the national average. Uranium tailings uncovered in populated areas the Di''''neh were resettled to are exposing children in schools on the Di''''neh relocation sites to over 700 RADS per minute of radiation poisoning. Mining company Peabody Western dumped Ammonium Nitrate into Di''''neh watersheds, killing thousand upon thousand of sheep and cattle in the areas occupied by surviving Dine who refused to leave. Bureau of Indian Affairs and Department of Justice personnel ran Fences across Di''''neh Cattle Grazing Lands, and hired thugs were sent in to beat up and brutalize elders living on the lands.
before you vote read this at. www.cain2008.org
http://acsa.net/cain2004.org/?gclid=CJeu
m47l-pICFQ-WGgodriWUGQ
a must read.
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by truthyness
May 24, 2008 11:26 AM PDT
- KY exit-poll aftermath / Petition;
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