Obama's march to the middle continues!!!

by **FLALAX** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:01 am

You have to love that once the nomination was secured he systematically begins to "redefine" his positions to the center. FISA, NAFTA, corporate taxation, campaign public funding, talks with Iran, and now Iraq .

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11517.html

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns ... 649488.ece ( from the local paper that endorses Obama )

**Sponsor**

by **FLALAX** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:04 am

I forgot to add abortion.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080703/D91MKQ681.html

by **Steno** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:56 am

well, poop stick. turns out i still have ample reason hate the democratic party.

by **StrykerFSU** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:58 am

Fake Ray Fan, you forgot gun control,

Last week, when the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the District of Columbia's ban on handguns, Obama immediately declared that he agreed with the decision. This is after his campaign explicitly told the Chicago Tribune last November that he believes the D.C. gun ban is constitutional.
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Obama spokesman Bill Burton explains the inexplicable by calling the November -- i.e., the primary season -- statement "inartful." Which suggests a first entry in the Obamaworld dictionary -- "Inartful: clear and straightforward, lacking the artistry that allows subsequent self-refutation and denial."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/03/AR2008070302451.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

If Obama starts inartfully misremembering things he said with overheated and amplified rhetoric I don't what I'm going to do. But when folks like Arianna Huffington say things like,

...it would be helpful going forward if Obama would let us know which of his powerful rhetoric is "overheated" and/or "amplified," so voters will know not to get their hopes too high.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/07/memo_to_obama_moving_to_the_mi.html
you have to wonder what he really believes. I think the Messiah of the Democrats is doing a great job of turning this race into a dog fight when it should be a walk in the park.

by **Dan Wishengrad** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:23 pm

A good story on both Obama and McCain moving to the center during the general election campaign can be found in this month's issue of Duh! Magazine. :roll:

by **StrykerFSU** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:15 pm

I would argue McCain has always been a moderate Republican and if anything, is moving to the right on issues such as offshore drilling.

I think saying that Obama is moving to the center understates fundamental changes in his policy positions over the last few months. Case in point his position on gun control. Then rather than being forthright about his changing position, he blames "inartful" language...wasn't he supposed to be the great orator? I for one am looking forward to his explanation when he drops the Iraq withdrawal timetable. When you have everyone from Arianna Huffington to Charles Krauthammer criticizing you it might be time to reconnect with your ideals.

(Warning, joke coming) Do the Obamamaniacs notice when the KoolAid changes flavors?

Happy 4th everyone!

by **Jay Wisnieski** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:47 pm

THIS JUST IN:

Politicians will say anything they can to try and get elected. All of them are dishonest, and they are all hypocrites. That's how it is, and that's how it will always be.

by **Sonny** on Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:50 pm

Dan Wishengrad wrote:A good story on both Obama and McCain moving to the center during the general election campaign can be found in this month's issue of Duh! Magazine.

If McCain moved anymore to the left, he would join the Democrat Party.

by **dgr01002** on Sat Jul 05, 2008 6:50 pm

Sonny wrote:
Dan Wishengrad wrote:A good story on both Obama and McCain moving to the center during the general election campaign can be found in this month's issue of Duh! Magazine.

If McCain moved anymore to the left, he would join the Democrat Party.

Jeez, calling McCain a true conservative Republican is like calling Will Smith a harcore rapper. When McCain refers to "reaching across the aisle" he is referring to leaving the Democrat caucus and for once, agreeing with conservative Republicans. His ONLY policy I agree with is Iraq (unfortunately). (And NO I DON'T want to debate Iraq here because it doesn't matter WHO the next president is, we are not withdrawing, as Obama panderingly promised his MoveOn crowd in the primaries). Both Obama and McCain will be in Iraq a year from now. The only difference is how the media will finally report the news coming out of Iraq. You can bet all a sudden, if Obama is prez, Iraq "suddenly" is the success story of the year - hilarious.

by **StrykerFSU** on Mon Jul 07, 2008 1:13 pm

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/55786/

by **Zeuslax** on Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:36 pm

Obama's move on FISA is regrettable to say the least! To find justification in the series of proposed amendments is not philosphical compromise. It shouts capitulation by working the system.

Obama's note/response on FISA
http://my.barackobama.com/page/communit ... ars/gGxsZF

So, if McCain changed his views on Iraq, Abortion, Taxes and Gov't Structure he would be a Dem. Wow, that's fairly insightful. If he moved to the right he would be a facist.

Major issues that Reb's have with McCain:

Immigration - Border State Rep, understands in a complicated matter now
Global Warming - wake up
Campaign Finance - Major support on both sides of the isle and lots of national support.
Evolution - believes in evolution but see the hand of GOD
Guns - doesn't own one, has plenty around him though does that count?

by **Jac Coyne** on Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:56 pm

Dan Wishengrad wrote:A good story on both Obama and McCain moving to the center during the general election campaign can be found in this month's issue of Duh! Magazine.

It can also be found in the NY Times.

One issue or another might not have made much difference. Tacking toward the center in a general election is as common as kissing babies in a campaign, and lord knows the Democrats need to expand their coalition.

But Senator Obama is not just tacking gently toward the center. He’s lurching right when it suits him, and he’s zigging with the kind of reckless abandon that’s guaranteed to cause disillusion, if not whiplash.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/opini ... ref=slogin

When Pravda West questions Obama's motivations, chalking it up to "Duh" reeks of desperation.

by **Dan Wishengrad** on Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:52 am

Jac Coyne wrote:When Pravda West questions Obama's motivations, chalking it up to "Duh" reeks of desperation.

Rolling on the floor laughing here, Jac. It reeks of desperation to remind our faithful Water Coolers of all political persuasions of the time-honored tradition in American presidential politics?

It is an irrefutable fact that Republicans veer right during the primaries and Democrats veer left, both sides trying to solidify their bases. Once a nomination is captured the same folks then veer back towards the center to go after Independents and some turn-coats from the opposing camp. It's called Politics 101, my friend, and if anyone is the slightest bit surprised then they haven't paid attention to how presidential elections are won in this country.

So if there's a reeking stench there at your computer I'd humbly suggest spraying some Febreeze or Oust. Or perhaps just don't look at any of the national polls, bro, they probably are adding to the odor over there in GOP-land. :lol:

by **laxfan25** on Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:33 am

It is a little interesting to see the GOP with it's own Nader problem.
Go Barr!

by **StrykerFSU** on Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:29 pm

Dan Wishengrad wrote:It is an irrefutable fact that Republicans veer right during the primaries and Democrats veer left, both sides trying to solidify their bases. Once a nomination is captured the same folks then veer back towards the center to go after Independents and some turn-coats from the opposing camp.

I don't think we are seeing McCain veering towards the center at all...he's already there.

Case in point:

Conservative activists are preparing to do battle with allies of Sen. John McCain in advance of September's Republican National Convention, hoping to prevent his views on global warming, immigration, stem cell research and campaign finance from becoming enshrined in the party's official declaration of principles.

McCain has not yet signaled the changes he plans to make in the GOP platform, but many conservatives say they fear wholesale revisions could emerge as candidate McCain seeks to put his stamp on a document that currently reflects the policies and principles of President Bush.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/06/AR2008070602322.html

So my question is, under what circumstances is it moving to the center to court independents versus completely contradicting your previous position? (See: FISA, Obama; Gun Control, Obama; Iraq War, Obama)