Addressing the misconceptions that it was easy for Obama to oppose the Iraq War

[George_Bonanza]

Misconception #1: Obama was not a U.S. senator, and therefore had nothing to lose

Look, the Dixie Chicks weren't senators either, but they were excoriated for their anti-war stances. I'm sure that back in 2002, Obama had at least vague notions of national ambition, and even though he was just a state senator at the time, a vocal "peacenik" stance could still haunt him in future political runs such as his 2004 Senate campaign. Obama was just a state senator, and he could've remained quiet just to see how events unfolded and play both sides of the fence, but his conviction won out and he was willing to tell everybody where he stood. You think being a Black anti-war politician with a name that rhymes with Osama is an identity to be envied? Ha!

Misconception #2: Obama was from a liberal district of a blue state, therefore it took little, if any, moral courage

Hillary's from ever-blue and ever-liberal New York, and she still couldn't find the conviction to oppose the war. John Kerry was from MASSACHUSSETTS and still voted for the war. So even when representing very liberal constituents in very liberal states, there were many politicians who could not find their moral voice.

Misconception #3: Obama is a sellout because he voted to fund the war

As Obama said, once you drive the bus into the ditch, there are only so many options to go from there. Once you're in a war, the troops are going to be getting shot at no matter what, so you better provide them with some armor and bullets.

Misconception #4: Obama probably would've voted for the war if he were a U.S. senator

Nope. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXzmXy226po

[Cha]

1. And so what if hilary did have something

to lose..it wasn't her fucking life.

[Orangepeel]

2. On one hand, what he said didn't matter. On the other, he had political ambitions since kindergarten

For somebody with presidential ambitions, the safe thing to do would have been to go on record with the same pro-war position that all sitting senators with presidential ambitions took.

[Ravy]

3. On #1, the Dixie Chicks were applauded in the Democratic community.

#2 For a state with a multi-term republican Governer, and a republican Mayor in the largest state, I don't think you have the proper basis for comparing NY to Obama's district.

#3 Before he was a Senator, he said he would vote against the funding. It is an issue of credibility.

#4 I don't have a link, but it is widely reported and cannot be debunked by one clip where he says otherwise, particulary in light of issue #3. I have seen links where he said exactly that.

[kevsand]

6. Illinois wasn't pure blue then or now.

"For a state with a multi-term republican Governer, and a republican Mayor in the largest state, I don't think you have the proper basis for comparing NY to Obama's district."

At the time that Obama spoke, Blagojevich had not yet been elected governor. That means that it was still during the period where Illinois had republican governors for over a quarter century. We'd also had a republican state senate for about a decade, and a split on U.S. Senators, with one republican and one democrat. People who aren't from here just assume that Illinois is and always has been true blue, but that assumption is just plain wrong.

In addition, at that point in time Obama was already gearing up for the state wide race for U.S. Senate, and speaking not just for the benefit of his constituents in Chicago, but to a very conservative population in southern Illinois and the rest of the state which was far larger than his own district. In fact, it was only just a very few months after this that he appeared at our downstate county's biannual dinner, along with several other prospective Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate.

Voices against the war in these parts were few and far between, and mostly drowned out by the cheerleading and faux patriotism that was whipped up in the rush to war and race to Baghdad.

[msongs]

4. obama consistently votes to support and fund the iraqi occupation nt

[rug]

5. #1: He chose political expedience.

#2: He moved away from his base to appeal to a more conservative base.

#3: He funded weapons of mass destruction deployed against the Iraqi people, in addition to soldiers' canteens.

#4: As quick as a frog snags a fly.