Obama: Fund Only Withdrawal

Barack Obama shifts toward the Edwards/Dodd position on Iraq funding.

CORRECTION: Obama campaign notes that he voted against the last supplemental, so there's no shift in position here. Apologies for the error.

Comments

Yeah, no shift, which makes you wonder why he took so long to take a position he'd already taken?

Posted by david mizner | September 17, 2007 10:58 AM

Actually, there has been a shift. Last time, Obama didn't say anything substantive during the debate, and voted against the supplemental at the end. He didn't lead the effort in any way, just cast the "safe" vote at the end like Hillary did.

This time through, he's saying in advance that he opposes it. That's a shift, in the sense that he's less timid than last time. It will be more of a shift if it takes a leading role in the fight in the Senate. After all, that's his job, right? Taxpayers are currently paying him to be a senator.

Posted by Joe Buck | September 17, 2007 11:39 AM

I'm amazed people think "fights in the Senate" are won with speeches, campaign rhetoric, etc.

Posted by mopper | September 17, 2007 12:08 PM

The bigger issue is why 90% of the left blogosphere has amnesia about the last Iraq appropriation vote and places rhetoric and framing above the actual vote. Framing fetishists have worked themselves into such a Lakoff froth that they've framed the '02 Iraq War vote right out of their consideration.

If you haven't heard (over and over and over), it's Dodd that is leading on Iraq now. That 1% he's pulling in the polls must be all prominent bloggers. I like Chris Dodd, he was my Senator for most of my early life and he's a good man. BUT there is more than a little stratergy in the netroots embrace of Dodd in the primaries. Backing one of the big three (Clinton, Edwards, Obama*) risks alienating the other two moving forward.

Picking Dodd risks nothing.

*Obama is still facing a Fatal Attraction backlash for saying he (like 85% of America) didn't find blogs all that interesting. Shorter Netroots: 'I'm not going to be ignored, Barack!'

Posted by joejoejoe | September 17, 2007 1:54 PM