Obama To Iowa Dems: 'Because Of You' Iraq War Ended, Health Care Law Passed'

[jefferson_dem]

Obama To Iowa Dems: 'Because Of You' Iraq War Ended, Health Care Law Passed

President Barack Obama is addressing Iowa Democrats tonight, saying “because of you” the Iraq War ended and the health care reform law passed.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/3444

[jefferson_dem]

1. "It's going to be a big battle," Obama said of 2012. "I hope you're geared up. I'm excited."

[Vattel]

2. I could scarcely be less excited.

But I really hope Obama wins.

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Great to see so many Iowa Dems

turning out despite the lack of primary
excitement. Positive sign for the GE--
building enthusiasm, planning campaign strategy. SG

[dflprincess]

7. Chances are there are other issues and races they showed up for - assuming their caucuses are at all

like Minnesota's.

I've attended every caucus since 1972 but I've given serious thought to not showing up this year but, as it turns out, there is a contest for the DFL Congressional Candidate so I'll turn up for that. There is also a state senate race I'm interested in. But when it comes to the presidential race I will list myself as "uncommitted". I'll do the same with national Senate race as our incumbant senator, Amy Klobuchar, leaves me colder than Obama does. (Yes, I'll vote for them but only as the lesser as evils, but they won't get any of my time and I can't afford to donate any money because I have to try to save enough money cover my insurance out of pockets.)

It may be that the Iowa Democrats are showing up more for down ticket races or party offices.

[ellisonz]

4. Fired up! Ready to go!

[Politicub]

6. +1

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

5. Actually, it was because of Iraqis that the war "ended."

BAGHDAD — The United States has agreed to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by next June and from the rest of the country by the end of 2011 if conditions in Iraq remain relatively stable, according to Iraqi and American officials involved in negotiating a security accord governing American forces there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/world/middleeast/22baghdad.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=all

Unfortunately, I don't believe it is quite over yet...

[emilyg]

9. Shhh!

Love your user name.

[arely staircase]

10. and a u.s. president that respected their sovereignty in that regard

a republican would have cared not whit about the iraqis' position regarding immunity from prosecution of american forces. they simply would have told them they would keep as many troops on however many bases they liked and that the iraqis would simply not be allowed to try americans for anything. problem solved. nobody believes a republican president would have stuck to that timetable. you think the bush/cheney gang ever expected or wanted it to be honored? that is not how they think or operate, i believe that anyone suggesting otherwise was not watching them work those eight dreadful years.

[TheWraith]

12. Do you REALLY believe that a Republican would have ended the war?

If so, you're living in a fantasyland.

[RZM]

13. Here's what the Google shows on it

'Would McCain Have Violated the SOFA?' (from Aug. 2010)

http://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2010/08/05/would-mccain-have-violated-the-sofa/

'John McCain Blasts Panetta on Iraq Withdrawal' (From Nov. 2011)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/11/mccain-blasts-white-house-over-iraq-withdrawal/1

Hard to say what would have happened. I think McCain would have made a lot more noise about the immunity issue, but I think he would have backed down eventually since polls showed people in the US were more than ready to leave for good. He'd be gearing up for an economy-themed election campaign right now and harping endlessly about Iraq would be seen as being out of touch and not caring enough about the issue that matters the most to people. The buzz would probably be that he was the next George HW Bush.

The Dem field would be hammering him constantly on all of this stuff as well.

He might not have been happy about it, but I think he would have adhered to the SOFA.

[joshcryer]

19. I don't buy that. McCain would've stayed in Iraq, and here's why.

Obama was fully consistent, but for McCain to get reelected he would've had to have shown tough force against groups in Iraq. He would've touted the 2009 bombings in Baghdad, which was what really prompted Petraeus and Gates to question the SOFA. McCain would have fear mongered the Iraqi's into letting him keep the troops there. SOFA would've been renegotiated the next day. There's no real evidence to suggest that Petraeus and Odierno would not have recommended keeping U.S. troops in Iraq past the 2011 deadline had McCain renegotiated SOFA at an earlier time frame due to bombing incidents all around Iraq in 2009. If it was renegotiated they would likely have recommended we stay.

Meanwhile we'd be heading in to Iran.

[Beacool]

8. The war in Iraq ended because of Iowa?????

And here I was thinking that Obama removed the troops according to the deadline established by the Bush administration.

[arely staircase]

11. and a republican president would have done the same?

that's not how they operate - at least not based on past behavior, which is the best indicator of future behavior.

[Beacool]

14. How do you know that they wouldn't have stuck to their own withdrawal deadline?

Yours is mere supposition.

[Lord Magus]

15. Yeah, Repigs never lie, right?

Of course they would've gone against their own withdrawal deadline.

[arely staircase]

16. it is indeed my supposition - based on the fact the Repubs. never once told the truth on iraq

never once on anything of substance, ever. they lied us into it and they lied us through their disasterous mis-management of it. president obama said he would get us out of there, and he did.

[joshcryer]

18. Because McCain himself criticized Obama's withdrawal? And AUMF is still in effect?

[karynnj]

23. You do remember that Bush was pushed to make that agreement

after he vetoed legislation demanding he set a timeline - and after Republicans like John Warner, Chair of the Armed Service committee praised the idea as a way to gracefully curtail our departure. The first version was Kerry/Feingold that both Obama and Clinton were too conservative to sign - though within 6 months both had plans that had the same outline with minor differences - and slightly longer time frames. Remember in 2008, that Democrats, including Kerry spoke of even Bush following Obama's lead on this - while McCain was more militant than Bush was.

Bush always insisted that the agreement was not that "timeline" or "deadline" - which he had called "cut and run", but an agreement that could change if either side thought it warranted. But, the fact is that had Obama lost, he not Bush, would have been there and even in 2008, he was against the agreement.

[jefferson_dem]

21. Well, Iowa launched Obama's winning streak toward the nomination and then the presidency.

Remember, when easily Obama won it, followed by Edwards...and then Hillary? Here - http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/results/states/IA.html

Oh, don't you recall McCain criticizing soon-to-be President Obama's Iraq withdrawal strategy? Short memories, eh?

[UnrepentantLiberal]

17. Because of you we have NDAA

I'm excited!

[AnotherMcIntosh]

20. The idea of mandating the purchase of health insurance originated with Sen Grassley (R-Iowa) and

other Republicans, not Obama.

[JTFrog]

22. k&DUrec n/t

[Shining Jack]

24. Nothing to brag about HCR bill.

Total fiasco.

[arely staircase]

25. i guess its not if you don't care about all those sick kids

who now have health care coverage.