Obama On What The Priorities Of Next President Should Be: ‘Wind Down Our War In Iraq’
Obama On What The Priorities Of Next President Should Be: ‘Wind Down Our War In Iraq’
At the New Leadership on Health Care presidential forum this weekend, ThinkProgress asked Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) what his most urgent priorities would be if he were elected President.
“I think we’ve got to wind down the war in Iraq,” Obama said. “I think we’ve got to deal with creating a universal health care system. We’ve got to make sure we’ve got an education system that is actually making our children competitive as we go forward.” And he added we need to “deal with an energy situation where we are sending $800 million/day to some of the most hostile nations on earth and melting the polar ice caps in the process.”
“Those would be areas where I think any president — but certainly an Obama administration — would be focused on,” he said. Watch it:
We also asked Obama to share his views on the interplay between faith and politics. “It’s important the political process accommodates issues of faith, as long as we’re respectful of separation of church and state [and] as long as we enter into a faith debate with some humility and sense of tolerance for people who have a different notion of faith,” Obama responded.
Transcript:
On the priorities of a possible of an Obama administration:
OBAMA: Well, I think we’ve got to wind down our war in Iraq. It’s extraordinarily difficult if we’re going to be spending $100 billion on the other side of the world and still solve some of the critical problems that we face here.
I think we’ve got to deal with creating a universal health care system. We’ve got to make sure we’ve got an education system that is actually making our children competitive as we go forward.
And it’s going to be critical that we deal with an energy situation where we are sending $800 million/day to some of the most hostile nations on earth and melting the polar ice caps in the process.
So those would be areas where I think any president — but certainly an Obama administration — would be focused on.
On the role of faith in politics:
OBAMA: Faith is a fact of enormous importance for people in this country. And I think that it’s important the political process accommodates issues of faith, as long as we’re respectful of separation of church and state — as long as we enter into a faith debate with some humility and sense of tolerance for people who have a different notion of faith.
And that I think is the kind of respectful conversation that I hope to be able to lead and foster in years and months to come.
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obama on social darwinism…
truer words were never spoken… if you don’t do well in bushworld, it’s because you’re lazy, stupid, and just plain no goddam good… don’t come crying to us… if you’re a good citizen, work hard, play by the rules, and do the best you can in bushworld, don’t expect anything in return from the government you pay to keep in office… there is no quid pro quo in bushworld… your duty is to your government, period… only the strongest – and most unscrupulous – rise to the top… for the rest of you, tough shit…
March 28th, 2007 at 8:42 pmAnd, yes, I DO take it personally
i want him to win so bad. i’m sick of the Clintons!
March 28th, 2007 at 8:43 pmgo Obama!
March 28th, 2007 at 8:44 pmJust keep religion out of government, and government out of religion.
That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:44 pmI would be so proud if he were our President or Vice President.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:45 pmObama’s answer about Iraq is entirely too general. I understand that his position is to keep troops in Iraq in perpetuity. And it’s no different than any of the other candidates.
We need to be talking about U.S. foreign policy with regard to the region, what our role is going to be in the Middle East, which regimes are we going to back with our military force, and what we’re going to be doing about our energy needs.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:53 pmDear Barack – You’re so articulate – but do you ever have time to read? Pick up “The Cell” by John Miller – it might do you some good.
(Psssst……Are we supposed to wait for them to kill us some more?) Please explain your DEFENSE strategy.
The fact that universal health insurance equals rationing doesn’t seem to bother you? My tax dollars have been going to pay for health care, hospital stays and community clinics for as long as I can remember.
I agree with you about halting our dependence on ME oil. Let’s shift to ethanol and wave goodbye to our Arab “friends” once and for all.
Think of the strength of a Obama/Kucinich ticket….I apologize – that was a very aggressive thing to say…..what will progressive apologists say?
March 28th, 2007 at 8:55 pmHillary is definitely not the answer. If you want a female Lieberman for Prez, Hillary is your gal.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:57 pmThink of the strength of a Obama/Kucinich ticket….I apologize – that was a very aggressive thing to say…..what will progressive apologists say?
Comment by valiant venus
It’s little Miss No Credibility. **yawn**
Bye, Hagfish.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:04 pmi’m sick of people saying that Senator Obama is not qualified for the presidency. it’s ridiculous how the media is trying to butcher him; it’s even more ridiculous how many people think he’s a terrorist. if Obama doesn’t win the primary then the liberals have just ruined our chance to save America.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:08 pmF*** the Clintons, and the DLC.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:08 pmI love the way Obama answers questions. He’s respectful of other opinions and yet firm about his own direction. Universal health care is NOT rationing; and I say that as a Canadian who knows. And we need to have someone who can include others and bring strangers to the table; not some ‘decider’ fanning the flames of Fear of Muslims (aka Reds, Yellow Peril, Elders of Zion, Napoleon, witches, etc etc.) Obama comes in the fine tradition of JFK, FDR, Wilson, Lincoln, & Jefferson. More power to him.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:19 pmwhat will progressive apologists say?
Comment by valiant venus
No progressive will appologize for calling you a lying piece of crap, for sure MA.
No credibility makes you a dull poser.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:25 pmPoor venus, doesn’t even know that all The Cell is nothing more than poor propaganda to support the Patriot Act. Talk about the 29% being too st*pid to wipe their own *sses – that’s valiant venus! It’s author is the Assistant Director of Public Affairs for the FBI in the Bush administration. Yeah, sure venus – that’s a real “unbiased” piece of literature!
You’re a st*pid c*nt little girl – stick to telling dead baby jokes about your fictionalized children. It’s more entertaining than you Boring Political Narrative ZZZzzzzz……
March 28th, 2007 at 9:26 pmObama is not qualified to be President. The answers he gave are as vacuous as what you hear from the Clintons and the Bushes. Obama, want to get us out of Iraq or make universal health care a reality? You’re a senator. Use some of your self-proclaimed new way to make it happen.
Who could possibly be against educating our kids? What are you going to do about it? And why do we have to debate religion? We have a Constitution that settles the issue. If you want to believe in talking snakes go ahead, and if I don’t, so be it. But don’t rain your holiness on me. To me you are just another fool, betting that camels will start passing through the eyes of needles.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:32 pmThe healthcare system we have NOW boils down to rationing. And the rationing is so poorly distributed that 45 million people have no ration at all.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:36 pmOf course Obama is qualified and I like most everything about him, including his spirituality and ease of talking about it. It’s refreshing after Kerry’s stiffness when talking about it. What bothers me about Obama is that he still seems too much in the pocket of Isreal and if we continue down that road (Hillary is the same unquestioning friend of Isreal, no matter what) then we will have war in the Middle East for ever. Obama doesn’t seem up on the evils of AIPAC or how pro-war they are and how they influence our foreign policy so far. Does he think if he’s elected they’ll just stay out of his way? They’ve been too involved for too long. He’s going to have to deal with them and tell them we can’t support the way they treat the Palestinians too.
So besides those major things, he’s OK with me. He’s better than Hillary or Edwards, no matter how much I feel sorry for BOTH of them.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:38 pmWind it down? Wind down the Bush war of fascist imperail neocolonial aggression against the Iraqi peopl,e whose only sin is sitting on top of and owning vast reserves of petroleum? We need to end this miserable occupation now, not six months, six years or six decades from now…
If Bush vetoes a Congressional funding of the Iraq occupation and the Afghanistan occupation, because it contains language that will require US withdrawal from Iraq, the Democrats should just sit tight. There is no good reason to override a Bush veto in this case. If Bush vetoes any continued funding of this wretched occupation, then it will end sooner rather than later.
I am sure that the American people are getting more fed up with the Bush monkeyshines each day. They will show little patience with Bushie’s semantic word games and pathetic attempts at bullying at this late date…
March 28th, 2007 at 9:40 pmApparently the fundamentals of logic and reason are not taught on Venus.
“universal health insurance equals rationing”
Explain how the current system is not a form of rationing? Ah, you meant fair rationing?
Let’s shift to ethanol and wave goodbye to our Arab “friends†once and for all.
Show that all the activities involved with ethanol, combined, actually improve the situation rather than make it worse.
There are multiple avenues to addressing the problem, avenues ignored and/or abused by the Republicanocracy. An improved ethanol production process might play a small part. What about the rest? Why are you talking-pointers only interested in ethanol? Ah, let’s see… follow the money!
Somehow I don’t think altruism can be behind the Republicanocracy push for ethanol. If you were altruistic, you would be in favor of a world-class universal health care system.
Let’s see. What do the oil industry, ethanol industry, and health insurance industry all have in common?
March 28th, 2007 at 9:46 pmThe more I listen to th rest of the pack the Kucinich appeals to me. Obama doesn’t really say anything that sounds like it comes from him. Just open the can of political phrases and out comes a speech.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:01 pmScrew this oreo.
He’s a real Defeatocrat.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:05 pmDid AIPAC clear obama’s comments? After his pathetic pandering performance at their recent “get-together” this man lost all respect.
obama, just another empty suit in the void of American political leadership.
Gawd, this country is crying out for a person of substance and integrity to lead us back from the abyss.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:12 pmObama’s sense of self is awesome and his level of candor very much appreciated in this day of chicanery and Orwellian speak – wow! I’d love to see him as President and begin to bring dignity and respect back to the highest offices of our government. Go Barak!
March 28th, 2007 at 10:20 pmBarak is the antithesis of Dumbya and it is so refreshing to see an honest individual answering tough questions rather than some pubescent, steroidal cowboy, isn’t it?
March 28th, 2007 at 10:22 pmScrew this oreo.
He’s a real Defeatocrat.
Comment by firehead
Racist piss-soaked moronic troll.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:26 pmThe repugs are finding it difficult to scrutinize Obama for any little thing they might be able to criticize. They are searching and searching.
Were that there had been a fraction of such scrutiny when W was running in 2000. That was when the press simply looked aside, smiled and gave him a pass on countless gaffes and misstatements as well as gross displays of ignorance.
Obama brings freshness, ideas, new thinking, and a remarkable ability to listen to others, believing that “two heads are better than one” so to speak.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:27 pmI would be proud of him if he were elected president. I like the idea of an Obama/Richardson ticket.
So someone explain to me what makes Obama qualified to be President. He may be smart and charming and natural, but the Presidency is an executive position with responsibility for foreign policy. Where do you see that in Obama’s resume? Or short of directly related experience, show me some leadership, some legislative accomplishment, some position of courage effectively persued. Where is that on Obama’s resume?
Wesly Clark is qualified. Bill Richardson is qualified. Chuck Hagel is qualified (even though I don’t like his conservatism). Clinton, Obama and Edwards are not. Romney is not, McCain is not and Rudy is not. Gore, I don’t know.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:27 pmOreo is not a racist comment. Glenn Beck used it.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:32 pmComment by NDIB — March 28, 2007 @ 10:27 pm
Some of us think it’s high time we had a president who cared about domestic policy as well as foreign policy. And nobody is going to know less about either than Bush does.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:43 pm“So someone explain to me what makes Obama qualified to be President.”
being experienced for over ten years in international politics does not make him qualified? his diverse background and people skills? and being intelligent and articulate actually DOES help. we can’t have another stuttering piece of sh*t as president again.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:44 pmOreo is not a racist comment. Glenn Beck used it.
Comment by firehead
Thanks for confirming that “oreo” is a racist comment, fireant. Idiot.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:47 pm#26 – “The repugs are finding it difficult to scrutinize Obama for any little thing they might be able to criticize. They are searching and searching.”
Sorry marie – you need to get a few more news sources – Obams policy proposals are under PLENTY of scrutiny – -and criticism……I’m sorry your information intake is so limited.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:57 pmOreo is not a racist comment. Glenn Beck used it.
Comment by firehead — March 28, 2007 @ 10:32 pm
IM SORRY YOUVE GOT A SMALL DING DING
TRY TO BE HUMAN ANYWAY
March 28th, 2007 at 10:57 pmOreo is not a racist comment. Glenn Beck used it.
Comment by firehead
Farthead is an Oreo
March 28th, 2007 at 11:01 pmProve that Firehead is not an oreo
March 28th, 2007 at 11:06 pmJames K. Sayre at #18
Very well said. Obama’s grand plan of winding down the Iraq War consists of redeploying [not withdrawing] the troops a year from now, by which time a thousand more Americans will most likely wind up very dead and thousands more returning to this country grievously wounded and maimed and crippled. His plan for universal health care, unlike that of Dennis Kucinich, ends up benefiting the insurance companies. Obama oozes a lot of charm while ending up, on closer inspection, devoid of substance.
March 28th, 2007 at 11:23 pmVV
March 28th, 2007 at 11:30 pmThat was my point – poorly stated as it was.
Repugs like you are searching everywhere for anything you can blow up into a valid criticism of Obama and you come up short, having to rely on your magnifying glass to make a mountain out of a a molehill.
It’s hard to make up a smear campaign against a person like Obama, but of course, your Friends at Fox are doing their best. I expect them to call on the lying Swift Boaters soon.
Not one word from Sen. Obama about pursuing Al Qaeda and Bin Laden or preventing another 9/11. And he wants to be president?
March 29th, 2007 at 12:13 amNot one word from Sen. Obama about pursuing Al Qaeda and Bin Laden or preventing another 9/11. And he wants to be president?
Comment by Exley
Hey Ex, next time you see your Boy King, ask him something for me will ya?
WHERE IS OSAMA BIN LADEN?
That’s your boy’s f*ck up, Exley.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:22 amEx, Bush has had 6 freakin’ years to catch OBL. Whens the last time Chimp even mentioned OBL. Yes, the fault for not catching OBL is Clintons and future Pres. possibly Obamas fault. Disregard bumble f*ck Bush that has nearly every military resource at his command and can’t get the job done. Blame the past, blame the future, ignore the present.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:26 amTROOP REMOVAL FROM Iraq IS THE PRIMARY FACTOR THAT WILL DECIDE WHO I GIVE MY VOTE TO IN 2008—-I CAN TELL YOU THOUGH THAT NO repugnant-repub rightwingnut crank fudge-pachyderm WILL EVER GET MY VOTE, THEY NEVER HAVE GOTTEN MY VOTE, AND NEVER WILL!!!!!!! Obama, Clinton, Edwards, WHOEVER IS THE CHOSEN CANDIDATE WILL DEFINITELY GET IN AND NO STUPID fudge-packing elephantine candidate of the G(houlish) O(pportunistic) P(edophile) party NEED APPLY FOR PRESIDENT, EVER!!!!! SUFFER, CREEPS, FOR DARING TO SUPPORT SUCH A PETTY TYRANT LIKE CHIMPya W. Bush and Torticola DICK-Less B(ugger) FRANKENCheney, WHO SEEMS TO BE QUITE ILL AND IN BAD CONDITION—-HENCE NO WORD FROM THE CREEP!!!! HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!!!!! HAH! CHIMPya DOESN’T LOOK AT ALL WELL, EITHER!!!!!
March 29th, 2007 at 12:30 amZooey,
You inadvertently make my point for me. According to your posting, you claim to believe the fact the current administration’s has failed to capture or kill Bin Laden in the years since 9/11 is a failure for which the administration should be criticized.
If you believe that, then you should also criticize Sen. Obama’s failure to state that capturing or killing Bin Laden would be one of his administration’s priorities.
Sen. Obama’s response leads one to believe that he would not make the hunt for Bin Laden and Al Qaeda a priority.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:32 amExley,
Bullshit — on your entire convoluted comment. Jesus christ, get a clue. Only your brain works in such a f*cked up manner.
You know it’s useless to think your Boy King will do a single thing to find bin Laden or prevent another 9/11, so you transfer all expectations to a potential presidential candidate with no power on his own to do a thing to find bin Laden or stop the thing you fear most — another 9/11.
Feel safe, Exley? If there’s another 9/11 coming, Chimpy won’t try to stop it. You know that, don’t you?
March 29th, 2007 at 12:57 am#37 – Aren’t you tired of jumping to the WRONG conclusions time after time, Marie? I don’t dislike anything about Obama except his policy positions….other than that, I’m sure he’d be a good neighbour, fine City Councilman, great Liberal Senator, honest businessman – whatever….But the last thing I want is a sOcIaLiSt President…..
March 29th, 2007 at 12:57 amNice try, Zooey. However, your posting is utterly non-responsive…If, as you claim, believe that Bush should be criticized for supposedly not making the capture or killing of Bin Laden a priority, then you should similarly be troubled by Sen. Obama’s failure to mention Bin Laden when the senator is asked what the priorities of his administration would be.
Do you think Giuliani would fail to mention terrorism and the fight against Al Qaeda when asked the priorities of a Giuliani administration? Of course, he wouldn’t.
Sen. Obama’s answer shows he is not ready for prime-time.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:08 amAgain, Exley — bullshit.
It’s not my BELIEF that Chimpy doesn’t make it a priority to find bin Laden, that’s right from the Chimp’s own mouth.
Chimpy IS president and has had the opportunity to capture bin Laden, but chooses not to do so — just doesn’t think about it.
Obama IS NOT president, and he’s not even been nominated to run for president.
This is one interview, and not an in depth interview. Yet you hang every hope in the world on Obama’s shoulders that he will say and do what your Favorite Boy doesn’t care to think about, let alone do — finding bin Laden and keeping you safe in your bed.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:21 amZooey,
Obama is running for president and was asked what his priorities would be as president and he did not even think to mention the fight against Al Qaeda.
When running for president, the answers a candidate gives to questions put to him or her carry a certain weight.
The fact that Sen. Obama did not even think to mention the fight against Al Qaeda is troubling and gives an insight as to what his priorities would be as president. If one believes the fight against Al Qaeda is an important issue facing this nation, one should be quite concerned about Sen. Obama’s response.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:28 amExley,
Send Obama an email and ask him.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:39 amMaybe I will, Zooey. Maybe I will. Or, at least, I’ll check out his Web site and see what he has to say on the matter.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:48 amThe fact that Sen. Obama did not even think to mention the fight against Al Qaeda is troubling and gives an insight as to what his priorities would be as president. If one believes the fight against Al Qaeda is an important issue facing this nation, one should be quite concerned about Sen. Obama’s response. Comment by Exley — March 29, 2007 @ 1:28 am
The fact that you think you can defeat *terrorism* by *fighting*, shows why you’ll always *lose*. Dum bass.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:57 amtest.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:58 amIf one believes the fight against Al Qaeda is an important issue facing this nation, one should be quite concerned about Sen. Obama’s response.
Comment by Exley — March 29, 2007 @ 1:28 am
Only problem is, capturing BinLaden was Pres Bush’s stated priority -until he changed his mind and decided he was not all that concerned about Bin Laden after all. The fight against AlQaeda was an important goal -until Pres Bush decided to invade Iraq.
Now you are hyperventilating because Barack Obama won’t pick up Pres Bush’s slack. Why do you expect Obama to pursue the current administration’s abandoned priorities?
Your post reads like faux outrage and concern, wondering why everyone else won’t clean up the mess Pres Bush has made.
If you believe the fight against Al Qaeda and BinLaden is an important issue facing this nation, you should be rather concerned about Pres Bush lack of actual action to neutralise either.
March 29th, 2007 at 2:26 amExely, you can review his web site (http://www.barackobama.com/) and make criticisms based on that. You’re attempt to derive an argument from this brief interview is pretty vapid.
Obama’s positions are positive and constructive. If he does nothing more than being positive and constructive, he will be light years beyond the current administration.
Please, admit that Chimpy is a failure. Admit that Chimpy has said he doesn’t even think much about OBL. Admit that 6 years of Republicanocracy failed to eradicate Al Queda and only created a long waiting list of suicidal recruits.
Then, wow us with your analysis of the kind of military response that the next President should implement to eradicate Al Queda and capture OBL.
Thanks in advance for playing “Exely has no clothes.”
March 29th, 2007 at 2:31 amScrew this oreo.
Comment by firehead
I doubt if you’re his type, Fried Brains. Eat your ugly hateful heart out, boy!
March 29th, 2007 at 3:28 amNot one word from Sen. Obama about pursuing Al Qaeda and Bin Laden or preventing another 9/11. And he wants to be president?
Comment by Exley —
Shouldn’t you be asking Dumbya what he has done to find Bin Laden and how his administration has (not) been implementing recommendations of the 9/11 Commission?
March 29th, 2007 at 3:31 amalmost every country hates America, so why would hunting down OBL be a priority? after reading some of the stupid, racist comments in this forum, I can understand why people want to blow us up.
March 29th, 2007 at 6:55 amAnd a little barking poodle shall lead them? U.S. Navy war games in Persian Gulf. Captured British sailors. Blair nipping at Iran’s heels. War?
March 29th, 2007 at 7:51 amWRONG Obama,
March 29th, 2007 at 11:15 amWinding down Iraq is Shrub’s job. It should NOT be left for someone else to clean up the spoiled brats mess.
Everytime Barack speaks, I lose interest in him.
At least Obama is addressing the fact that while everyone is so focused on the war, there are other important issues being pushed to the side and ignored. For example, what about the Millenium Goals? In 2000, 191 countries agreed to this set of goals focused on ending poverty, yet here we are 7 years later and a plan to meet this goals is still far from complete. According to the Borgen Project we have spent over $300 billion in Iraq, and it takes approximately $19 billion annually to end world hunger! Where are our priorities?
March 30th, 2007 at 1:37 pmI’m already hearing private comments from politcal pundits who are concerned about malicious tactics which may be employed if Senator Obama becomes a very likely candidate for President of the United States. Could the 2008 elections become the ultimate case of may the best hacker win?
HBO’s documentary ‘Hacking Democracy’ reveals what can really be done to a candidate using the electronic voting machines – the film makers totally hacked the Diebold machines and flipped a mini election in Florida, and they did it on camera…
HBO’s “Hacking Democracy” now released on DVD …
See the film makers new website for details – http://www.hackingdemocracy.com
The controversial HBO documentary “Hacking Democracy” DVD was released on March 27th, including extra footage never seen before.
Electronic voting machines count about 90% of the votes cast in America today. Seattle grandmother Bev Harris did a simple Google search and stumbled across the trade secret software of the Diebold Corporation, which counts around 40% of America’s votes. This treasure trove of information about the inner-workings of the company’s voting system made its way to computer security expert Dr. Avi Rubin of Johns Hopkins University, who found “stunning stunning flaws”.
Filmed over three years this exposé follows the investigations of a team of citizen activists from Black Box Voting as they take on the electronic voting industry, targeting the Diebold corporation.
“Hacking Democracy” reveals incendiary evidence from the dumpsters of Texas to the ballot boxes of Ohio, exposing secrecy, votes in the trash, hackable software and election officials rigging the presidential recount. And finally in Florida one brave election official gave Black Box Voting and the film makers access to his county’s Diebold voting system, with dramatic consequences.
Ultimately proving the votes can be stolen without a trace “Hacking Democracy” culminates in the famous ‘Hursti Hack’, a duel between the Diebold voting machines and a computer hacker from Finland – with America’s democracy at stake.
March 31st, 2007 at 9:30 am