From the Washington Post:
Sen. Barack Obama pushed back Friday against President Bush's implicit criticism of his approach to foreign policy, condemning his administration for not capturing Osama bin Laden and blaming its Iraq war policy for strengthening and emboldening Iran. An animated Obama, cheered on by a crowd gathered on the floor of a livestock arena, said he would be delighted if the presidential race turned into a conversation about which party is better suited to guide the nation's foreign policy. "If George Bush and John McCain want to have a debate about protecting the United States of America, that is a debate that I'm happy to have anytime, anyplace, and that is a debate I will win because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for," the Democratic front-runner said. ... With former senator Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) looking on and a John Deere tractor parked nearby, Obama launched into a blunt critique of Bush's foreign policy record. His list of grievances included a war fought on the premise of weapons of mass destruction that were never found, the failure to capture bin Laden and turning Iran into the "greatest beneficiary" of the Iraq war. He said McCain will "need to answer" for a strengthened al-Qaeda leadership, Hamas's control of the Gaza Strip, and Iran's ability to fund Hezbollah and pose "the greatest threat to America and Israel and the Middle East in a generation." "That's the Bush-McCain record on protecting this country," Obama said. "Those are the failed policies that John McCain wants to double down on."
From the Associated Press:
Barack Obama laid into John McCain on Friday for advancing a tough-guy foreign policy that he called "naive and irresponsible," serving notice that he's ready to launch a full-throttle challenge to the Republican presidential contender on international relations in the general election campaign. Lumping McCain together with President Bush, Obama declared: "If they want a debate about protecting the United States of America, that's a debate I'm ready to win because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for." He blamed Bush for policies that enhance the strength of terrorist groups such as Hamas and "the fact that al-Qaida's leadership is stronger than ever because we took our eye off the ball in Afghanistan," among other failings. ... "I'm a strong believer in civility and I'm a strong believer in a bipartisan foreign policy, but that cause is not served with dishonest, divisive attacks of the sort that we've seen out of George Bush and John McCain over the last couple days," he said. Obama said McCain had a "naive and irresponsible belief that tough talk from Washington will somehow cause Iran to give up its nuclear program and support for terrorism." ... Obama vowed to turn the foreign policy debate back against Bush and McCain, rejecting the notion that Democrats critical of the war in Iraq are vulnerable to charges of being soft on terrorism. Meeting with reporters, he argued that tough-minded diplomacy and engagement with rivals have long coexisted, citing the foreign policies of former Presidents Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan. "That has been the history of U.S. diplomacy until very recently," Obama said. "I find it puzzling that we view this as in any way controversial. This whole notion of not talking to people, it didn't hold in the '60s, it didn't hold in the '70s ... When Kennedy met with (Soviet leader Nikita) Khrushchev, we were on the brink of nuclear war." He also noted that Nixon opened talks with China with the knowledge that Chinese leader Mao Zedong "had exterminated millions of people." Laying down a marker for the fall campaign, Obama offered a challenge to the GOP nominee: "If John McCain wants to meet me anywhere, any time to have a debate about our respective policies ... that is a conversation I am happy to have."
From the New York Times:
Senator Barack Obama responded sharply on Friday to attacks on his foreign policy, linking President Bush and Senator John McCain as partners in "the failed policies" of the past seven years and criticizing them for "hypocrisy, fear peddling, fear mongering." ... Mr. Obama at first joked that he wanted to respond to "a little foreign policy dustup yesterday." But he quickly made it clear that he regarded the exchange as anything but funny, criticizing Mr. Bush and saying Mr. McCain "still hasn't spelled out one substantial way in which he'd be different from George Bush's foreign policy." "In the Bush-McCain world view, everyone who disagrees with their failed Iran policy is an appeaser," Mr. Obama said. ... It's time to present Iran with a clear choice," Mr. Obama said. "If it abandons its nuclear program, support for terror and threats to Israel, then Iran can rejoin the community of nations. If not, Iran will face deeper isolation and steeper sanctions." The administration's policy has merely "empowered Iran," he said, with its unmitigated hostility. As a result, it is now Iran, not Iraq, he added, that "poses the greatest threat to America and Israel in the Middle East in a generation." "Our Iran policy is a complete failure," Mr. Obama said. "And that's the policy that John McCain is running on." ... The Obama campaign said it wanted to move strongly and swiftly, guided by lessons learned from the 2004 campaign. "There is no question that when the president on foreign soil launches a political attack we need to respond with the facts and with force," said Bill Burton, national spokesman for the campaign. Mr. Burton said he expected many such confrontations between Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain. "The truth is that there are many, many real differences," Mr. Burton said.
From the PolitickerOR:
Sen. Barack Obama's national campaign manager, David Plouffe, spoke about the campaign's plans in Oregon and other battleground states on a conference call with reporters. Plouffe noted that Oregon's primary is a "very important moment in the campaign," and that over the weekend volunteers will knock on "every door we can get to and call every person we can." "We see the finish line in sight," he said. ... He repeatedly touched on the importance of getting voters to submit their ballots, and praised the grassroots organization the campaign has built in the state. Plouffe was also optimistic about Obama's chances in eastern Oregon, which might be considered a Clinton stronghold. "We have a really deep organization here, we get sense from canvassing and phone calling in a richer way than a poll provides. Even in some places you might think are Clinton demographic strongholds, we will get a healthy share of votes." Plouffe also spoke of plans to campaign in the battleground states—including Oregon—as soon as the nomination is clinched. "We will wake up the day after the nomination and have a plan in place. I don't think McCains has taken great advantage of his time. The moment we become the nominee we want to take field in very strong way."
From the Argus Leader:
Obama, in South Dakota on Friday, spoke at the Sioux Falls Arena after making a stop earlier in the day in Watertown. It was his first trip to South Dakota during the campaign ... ... Obama has the support of virtually all of the state's top Democrats. He was introduced by former Sens. George McGovern and Tom Daschle. Russ DeCurtins, the executive director of SMG Sioux Falls, which manages the arena, estimated the crowd at 7,000. ... Obama told the audience that he is running for president because he senses the country is ready for change. "The American people really do want change," he said. "They really do want to turn the page. They want to write a new chapter of American history." That message has won him millions of supporters. Dave Allen of Sioux Falls, a registered independent, said Obama has won him over. "I hear the country calling out for change," he said.
From KSFY:
Bernie Larsen was one of several people who came to see Senator Obama [in Sioux Falls] without knowing whether she would back Barack or Senator Hillary Clinton. ... University of Sioux Falls student Jon Bohlen took time to see Senator Clinton speak last week before turning out to see Obama, yet, before the speech, he told us he wasn't even sure he'd vote democrat. ... Like the thousands of others in attendance Larsen and Bohlen both wanted to see Obama because of the excitement he has generated across the country, but they also wanted to hear his stance on key issues. "What he's going to do about energy, housing, really just about the economy in general," Bohlen said. "I think you can see all around us that (the economy) is not very good," Larsen says. "And people are talking about it. This is the worst I remember seeing it." When Obama took the stage, he talked about the need to tap into South Dakota for both renewable energy and job creation, he also addressed change in Washington beginning with regulating special interests. Obama also addressed education and the energy crisis by offering tax credits to working families and scholarships to students to attend college. It didn't take long for those themes to win over both Larsen and Bohlen. "He's going to bring wind energy to South Dakota, get corn energy, Biofuels..." Bohlen said after the speech. "Yeah, I did like that a lot." "It feels good just to hear somebody offering all that, and you have hope in somebody like him." Larsen said. "And that's what I think I feel." Both Larsen and Bohlen said the speech also helped them make up their minds. "He really was a positive influence," Bohen said afterward. "I think I really will cast (a vote) for Barack." "Yeah, I'm going to vote for him," Larsen said.
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Surprise MONEY BOMB Party Fully Funded!!!!
Spokeswoman: Sen. Kennedy hospitalized with seizure
Nevada Democrats to elect delegates
Original info by Michelle B, which I now put with LINKS that OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW (simply CLOSE NEW WINDOW when done)
LINKS in this post WILL OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW(simply CLOSE NEW WINDOW when done)
NO to "distractions" NO to "defeatist" NO to "racial slice & dice" NO to "negatives" NO to MEDIA DECEPT IONS. BE POSITIVE, BE HOPEFUL, PRAY and WORK HARD for OBAMA
