Barack Obama scheduled what his handlers describe as a "big speech" on Iraq for today. Today is September 12th.
Yesterday, Barack Obama ranted during Petraeus's Senate hearings about how upset he was that the hearings were being held on 9/11.
Obama chose to grandstand yesterday, saying:
"I think we should not have had this discussion on 9/11, or 9/10, or 9/12, because I think it perpetuates the notion that the original decision to go into Iraq was directly related to the attacks on 9/11."
Sounds sensible, right? Until you realize that the hearings were scheduled by DEMOCRATS, not Republicans, due to scheduling conflicts w/r/t the Jewish high holidays. No wonder Sen. Biden was so curt with Obama yesterday.
And if Obama had an ounce of sincerity or credibility, why did he choose today, September 12 to deliver a major Iraq speech? Isn’t he perpetuating the "notion that the original decision to go into Iraq was directly related to the attacks on 9/11″?
Clearly, Axelrod and Plouffe have Obama thinking about only one thing these days -- pure, raw, calculating politics. Sincerity went out the window long ago. As the Washington Post reported today, while Obama was at the hearings yesterday, he was only thinking about his struggling campaign:
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), a presidential contender, took his seat on the dais in the Hart Senate Office Building, popped a piece of Nicorette gum into his mouth, opened a green folder and began reading a memo, partially visible to reporters behind him. It said:
To: Barack
From: Ben & Denis
Date: September 11, 2007
Re: Iraq Speech -- Differences
As you get ready for press around your speech on Iraq, we wanted to make sure you have on one piece of paper the principle [sic] differences between your speech on Iraq and the most comprehensive on Iraq given by Senator Clinton.
It further reminded Obama that "you argue that by withdrawing 1-2 combat brigades a month you can get all those units out by the end of next year (2008)."
Obama, as it happens, is to deliver a major campaign speech about Iraq in Iowa today -- so it isn't entirely surprising that he would be preparing some political barbs for the Democratic front-runner, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.). Still, Obama's juxtaposition -- contemplating the nakedly political as he prepared to question the top U.S. general in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq -- was stark.
Whatever happened to the politics of hope?
SOURCES:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
http://www.hillaryis44.com/