“Riddle me this, if Obama is so afraid to rock the boat, why did he speak out against the war back in 2002 when everybody and their brother was for it?”
It is strange that you choose to assail me when I — unlike other posters in this thread — actually have some first-hand knoweldge of, and experience with, Obama. I can’t imagine why you find that so threatening. I find your reference to Swiftboat appalling. Are you implying that I am somehow twisting the truth? If so, please tell me what facts you base this on.
In any event, you claim that I spew a lot of b.s., but yet the only part of a very lengthy post you choose to focus on is the fact that Obama spoke out against the war in 2002 “when everybody and their brother was for it”.
If you think back very long and carefully, TB, you willrecall that Obama actually wasn’t alone in speaking out against the war: he was joined by Howard Dean. Oh, and what did Obama and Dean have in common? Let’s see…oh yes, now I remember. Neither one of them was a member of Congress at the time, so neither one of them could vote for or against the war, and therefore neither one of them was accountable, as the other candidates were and still are.
Speaking out against the threat of war when you aren’t tied to a vote is not nearly as impressive as speaking out against the threat of war when you’re a member of Congress. And now, as a member of Congress, Obama has found himself — like Edwards and Clinton — bound to support our next foray into the Middle East: Iran.
Now riddle me this, TB: why does a self-proclaimed champion of change, civil rights, peace and freedom condemn the war in Iraq on one hand, while on the other hand he waits to unleash the dogs of war on Iran? Here’s a hint: because the path of least resistance in Congress now — as it was in 2003 — is to support an attack on Iran. Demicons and Republicorps all gave Bush a blank cheque to invade Iraq, just as they are giving him a blank cheque to invade Iran now. Obama is not speaking out now, just as Edwards and Clinton didn’t speak out in 2003. Because he is now just as co-opted as they are.
Don’t shoot the messenger. Just consider the message. And please refrain from the use of profanity. It’s unseemly and shows a lack of intelligence. There’s no need to resort to coarse behavior if your arguments are sound.
