Organizing for America | Obama HQ Blogger: Five Former Secretaries of State Have Endorsed Talking to Iran

Five Former Secretaries of State Have Endorsed Talking to Iran

By Christopher Hass - Sep 26th, 2008 at 10:21 pm EDT

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Barack Obama supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. And despite John McCain's objections, so do five former Secretaries of State, as well as the Bush Administration. Just last week, ABC News reported:

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger today told an audience in Washington, DC that the U.S. should negotiate with Iran "without conditions" and that the next President should begin such negotiations at a high level.

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First? | Report to Admin

By Lois in VT, who's got hope~ Sep 26th 2008 at 10:41 pm EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2008 at 10:41 pm EDT)

OBAMA~

Re: First? | Report to Admin

By Lois in VT, who's got hope~ Sep 26th 2008 at 10:43 pm EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2008 at 10:43 pm EDT)

WOW!

If you want 15% off everything in the Obama Store, donate to my Grassroots Fundraiser and I'll send you the code!

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Let the media know that Barack won the debate! | Report to Admin

By Dan Sep 26th 2008 at 11:24 pm EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2008 at 11:24 pm EDT)

MSNBC and CNN both have online polls up as to who won... CNN will be sharing the results on air shortly... let them know that Barack was the clear winner this evening...

CNN (quick vote - halfway down on right side) - http://www.cnn.com/
MSNBC - Link

Re: Let the media know that Barack won the debate! | Report to Admin

By A Rebirth Sep 26th 2008 at 11:31 pm EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2008 at 11:31 pm EDT)

THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW!
Be progressive!
Be productive!
Be proactive!
CALL - DONATE - PARTICIPATE!

LEADERSHIP WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF!
LEADERSHIP WE CAN ALL BELIEVE IN!
LEADERSHIP WE CAN ALL TRUST!

O B A M A / B I D E N
POTUS / VPOTUS
2008 / 2016
Anything less simply won’t do!
1-Love, y'all!
:-)

Re: Let the media know that Barack won the debate! | Report to Admin

By Jim from Fort Collins, CO Sep 27th 2008 at 10:12 am EDT (Updated Sep 27th 2008 at 10:12 am EDT)

I wish Barack saw a debate as the verbal equivalent of war. Republicans will have an add out today with Barack saying "John is right..." eleven times in the debate. Thats like saying "good shot" when an enemy takes out one of your cities.
McCain is a shoot first and ask questions later...maybe. But Barack seemed to me to be so "accommodating" as to remind me of Nevel Chamberlin. Go for McCain's figurative throat, Barack.

Re: First? | Report to Admin

By cindy from tucson Sep 26th 2008 at 10:43 pm EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2008 at 10:43 pm EDT)

couldn't watch it...heard many 'my record'...from McCain...but, donate to the quilters???

obama/biden 2008 | Report to Admin

By Emma, who uses my husband's sign-on, since mine got messed up long, long ago. Sep 26th 2008 at 10:42 pm EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2008 at 10:42 pm EDT)

ready to go!

more of the Kissinger quote | Report to Admin

By DJ Sep 26th 2008 at 11:16 pm EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2008 at 11:16 pm EDT)

The thing is, Kissinger didn't say that he supported talks between the President and Ahmadinejad. That was the point McCain was trying to make in the debate.

Here's more of what Kissinger said: "Well, I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiation is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East, and our notion on nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it. And, therefore, I actually have preferred doing it at the secretary of state level so that we -- we know we're dealing with authentic..."

Obama, of course, remains an excellent speaker.

Re: more of the Kissinger quote | Report to Admin

By Senior from Little Rock, AR Sep 27th 2008 at 1:19 am EDT (Updated Sep 27th 2008 at 1:19 am EDT)

FACT CHECK

OBAMA:
Senator McCain mentioned Henry Kissinger, who's one of his advisers, who, along with five recent secretaries of state, just said that we should meet with Iran -- guess what -- without precondition. This is one of your own advisers.
Retrieved 9/26/08 from Link
------------------------------ --------------------
Supporting Facts for Obama's Statement
KISSINGER: Well, I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiation is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East, and our notion on nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it. And, therefore, I actually have preferred doing it at the secretary of state level so that we -- we know we're dealing with authentic...
SESNO: Put at a very high level right out of the box?
KISSINGER: Initially, yes. And I always believed that the best way to begin a negotiation is to tell the other side exactly what you have in mind and what you are -- what the outcome is that you're trying to achieve so that they have something that they can react to.
Now, the permanent members of the Security Council, plus Japan and Germany, have all said nuclear weapons in Iran are unacceptable. They've never explained what they mean by this. So if we go into a negotiation, we ought to have a clear understanding of what is it we're trying to prevent. What is it going to do if we can't achieve what we're talking about?
But I do not believe that we can make conditions for the opening of negotiations. We ought, however, to be very clear about the content of negotiations and work it out with other countries and with our own government.

Retrieved on 9/26/08 from: Link

Barack Won | Report to Admin

By Herschel.Corpus.Christi Sep 27th 2008 at 12:45 am EDT (Updated Sep 27th 2008 at 12:45 am EDT)

Make that “Debate Donation.” Let’s send a “Money Bomb” to the Obama Campaign. The past few days demonstrate so clearly why America needs reason to return to The Whitehouse. American can’t afford a McCain presidency. Obama WAS GREAT TONIGHT!!! Please Donate. There is an urgency of now: DO IT NOW!!!

Link

Supporting Evidence | Report to Admin

By Senior from Little Rock, AR Sep 27th 2008 at 1:23 am EDT (Updated Sep 27th 2008 at 1:23 am EDT)

OBAMA: Senator McCain mentioned Henry Kissinger, who's one of his advisers, who, along with five recent secretaries of state, just said that we should meet with Iran -- guess what -- without precondition. This is one of your own advisers.
Retrieved 9/26/08 from Link
------------------------------ --------------------
Supporting Facts

But the question is, do you want to change the policy? And do you want to actually try to engage for strategic reasons?

BAKER: We ought to engage, yes.

AMANPOUR: To use them for help in...

POWELL: I think we're all saying yes.

BAKER: We're all saying you ought to engage, I think. I don't know. I haven't heard Henry. He may not.

(LAUGHTER)

KISSINGER: Well, I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiation is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East, and our notion on nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it. And, therefore, I actually have preferred doing it at the secretary of state level so that we -- we know we're dealing with authentic...

(CROSSTALK)

SESNO: Put at a very high level right out of the box?

KISSINGER: Initially, yes. And I always believed that the best way to begin a negotiation is to tell the other side exactly what you have in mind and what you are -- what the outcome is that you're trying to achieve so that they have something that they can react to.

Now, the permanent members of the Security Council, plus Japan and Germany, have all said nuclear weapons in Iran are unacceptable. They've never explained what they mean by this. So if we go into a negotiation, we ought to have a clear understanding of what is it we're trying to prevent. What is it going to do if we can't achieve what we're talking about?

But I do not believe that we can make conditions for the opening of negotiations. We ought, however, to be very clear about the content of negotiations and work it out with other countries and with our own government.

Retrieved on 9/26/08 from: Link

WHY CAN'T MCCAIN LOOK BARACK IN THE EYE? | Report to Admin

By Marianne Sep 27th 2008 at 3:59 am EDT (Updated Sep 27th 2008 at 3:59 am EDT)

Why can't McCain look Barack in the eye? Is it because he lies about Barack's policies and record? Is it because he is disrespectful as he sneers and jeers? Is it because he is a racist? Is it because he is an egotist? Is it because he thinks he can get away with lying?

Is it because he thinks his wife's wealth will protect him in his lying? I have noticed that very wealthy people ( think 7 homes, 13 cars, millions of dollars... ) have a feeling of entitlement. Especially, like John McCain, if they get their money through marrying up into a rich family they can feel very egotistical.

Someone noticed that in a high school where there were many very wealthy people, things got stolen so often. It is a surprise that people who have so much sometimes grasp even more.

Now John McCain is a gambler at craps. He squanders many dollars at the craps table. There are pictures of him madly throwing the dice with a crazed look on his face. His wife, Cindy, wore 300,000 dollars worth of clothes and jewelry in one night. PEOPLE WHO ARE SO FREE WITH THEIR MONEY WON'T PROTECT OURS. THEY WILL ONLY PROTECT THEMSELVES.

I also thought that Jim Leher interrupted Barack alot while he let McCain go on and on.

The only reason McCain ran to Washington was to protect his own interests and seek a quick resolution so it would not look so bad for him and Bush. He shoots from the hip because he has money and power AND WANTS MORE OF IT. He tries to play on our emotions about the poor people he gladly sends to be killed. MCCAIN SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF. He says he loves the vets but he cannot wait to send more people to war.

John McCain is one of these people who are so satiated by their money and power that nothing is enough for them - more power, more money, more war, anything to give them a visceral thrill of achievement. WATCH MCCAIN PLAY CRAPS AND YOU WILL NEVER TRUST HIM WITH YOUR FUTURE

RESPECT | Report to Admin

By Rains from Park Ridge, IL Sep 27th 2008 at 8:55 am EDT (Updated Sep 27th 2008 at 8:55 am EDT)

I was appalled at Senator Obama's show of disrespect for his opponent in the first debate. Senator McCain is a long standing senator who has accomplished much and has the respect of many. He should be referred to as "Senator McCain" and not "John". You may think this is small potatoes when compared to the issues, but image is everything and "Barack" appeared very arrogant by using this reference.

Obama-Biden '08 Yay! Good Morning Obama Landers! | Report to Admin

By Megan in Northwest Indiana Sep 27th 2008 at 9:24 am EDT (Updated Sep 27th 2008 at 9:24 am EDT)

It's not about the economy. Not about the war, pick a war, any war. It's about the 'Undecideds' stupid.
Link