Obama says he has better foreign policy judgement than any other candidate running, in either party.

[jillan]

Is there a full moon or something?

Obama: 'Better Judgment' on Foreign Policy
Obama Decries Washington Foreign Policy Experience as 'Illusory'At a closed-door, off-the-record meeting with media mavens and corporate titans at the Time Warner Center in Manhattan Tuesday evening, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., the freshman senator who just three years ago was an Illinois state senator, said he had better judgment about foreign policy than any presidential candidate in either party. "One thing I'm very confident about is my judgment in foreign policy is, I believe, better than any other candidate in this race, Republican or Democrat," Obama...

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/comments?type=story&id=3413377

[Bluestar]

1. . . . also has an enormous ego n/t

[ripple]

5. More than the other candidates?

After all, they all make similar statements. Obama happens to have a record to back his statement up.

And I think Michelle probably keeps his ego in check. ;-)

[aquart]

10. A foreign policy record?

Link?

[sandnsea]

17. Lugar-Obama loose nukes

Act, for one. Congo legislation. Willingness to talk to ANY world leader would seem to be sufficient to claim better judgment than most of the field.

[Ethelk2044]

25. Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy

Obama's foreign policy experience includes graduating from Columbia University with a degree in political science with an emphasis on international relations. In the U.S. Senate Obama is unique among Senators in that he serves on three of the four Senate Committees dealing with foreign policy issues including the Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans' Affairs committees and is the Chair of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Relations which is responsible fore U.S. relations with European countries, the European Union, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (i.e., NATO). When comparing Obama's foreign policy experience with other candidates for President you have Democrat Joseph Biden who is Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Democrat Hillary Clinton who is a member of the Armed Services Committee and John McCain who is the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee yet there is no Senator except for Barack Obama who serves on three of the four committees that deal with foreign policy.

Foreign Relations Committee

Obama service on the Foreign Relations committee has placed him in an unique position in that he is the Chair of the Subcommittee on European Relations and serves on the Subcommittees on African Affairs; East Asia and Pacific Affairs; and International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection. This cross-section of subcommittees places Obama in a unique position of having knowledge about Asian, African and European issues. The only other member of the Foreign Relations committee who is running for President is Democrat Joseph Biden who is Chairman of the full Foreign Relations Committee yet unlike Obama he does not serve on any of the other foreign policy committees and his experience is limited to foreign policy issues covered by the Foreign Relations Committee.

Obama has also traveled extensively in his capacity as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and has visited Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan in Asia; Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, and the Palestinian Territories in the Middle East; and Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa in Africa. Obama has also co-sponsored the "Lugar-Obama Act" with Republican Senator Richard Lugar who was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations at the time. This act was a bi-partisan effort to increase U.S. security in terms of the elimination of conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction. This legislation came out of Obama's trip with Senator Richard Lugar to Russia, the Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Obama has also sponsored legislation such as the "Democratic Republic of Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act" which was signed into law by President Bush on December 22, 2006. Obama has co-sponsored immigration related bills related to his service on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee including the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act. His extensive foreign policy experience exceeds that of every other Presidential candidate including his trips abroad in the performance of his official duties as a member of committees dealing with foreign relation issues.

While some have criticized Obama's foreign travel claiming that he is the most traveled freshman Senator in doing so they often fail to mention that as a result of his extensive trips abroad is legislation such as the Lugar-Obama Act instead preferring to make the political connection between his travels abroad to his run for President yet others will recognize the experience he has gained as a result of his foreign trips and recognize that as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he is expected to travel extensively and that his travels often were with the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Among the three top freshman who have received attention along with Obama in terms of foreign travel you have Barack Obama who serves on three committees dealing with foreign policy, Republican Richard Burr who serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence and Republican Tom Coburn who serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and it must be noted that such travel was part of an official delegation and was approved and paid for by the Senate.

http://www.obamapedia.org/page/Does+Barack+Obama+have+e ...


I would like to see a link of Hillary's Foreign Policy

[jillan]

40. Book knowledge is NOT experience

[ripple]

45. Obama said 'judgment'.

And if you care to look at his positions and voting record, as opposed to the other candidates, you will find that he's correct in his statement.

Unless, of course, you think the IWR was a swell idea.

[Bluestar]

42. What is his record, please? Exactly my point n/t

[babylonsister]

2. Off the record? But I love

a man who's optimistic. And smart, and charming. He could do it. The big unknown...

[Kagemusha]

3. Lots of other candidates have more experience. Take McCain.

Lots more experience than Obama. Does that experience make McCain's judgment better?

Joe Lieberman isn't running, but he has tons more experience than Obama. Is his judgment better?

I'm sure the names Joe Biden and Bill Richardson will be coming up very shortly. Certainly they have much more experience in foreign affairs. Is their judgment better? I wouldn't know. I chiefly remember their SAYING their foreign policy judgments are wiser than everyone else's, but I am a little short on viable proof of that assertion.

Maybe you'd rather Obama say, oh, my foreign policy judgment sucks compared to the other candidates?

[aquart]

12. Defensive much?

And how very Republican to go on the attack when your man has made a gaffe.

I get that you trust him with your life. Why?

[Kagemusha]

32. Look, forgive me I don't take Jake Tapper's writings as gospel.

But even if Obama said what Tapper says Obama did, as Tapper says Obama did, I still find your line "trust him with your life" rather silly, for the simple reason that there is a "none of the above" option here, I can easily trust none of them with my life, but hey, I, and the world, will be stuck with one of them in '09 and beyond for a few years.

But I just really don't like the idea that talking with bad people is DANGEROUS, that it hurts and kills people, that it's simply unacceptable for any Serious Person to leave the door open to talking instead of slamming the door and presenting flaming hoops to be dutifully jumped through before talks can occur. When people call that the Bush administration approach, I agree, honestly and without reservation.

[jillan]

13. Don't forget to add Dodd to your list.

[BenDavid]

4. His judgment is off when he

declares he has better judgment then all others.He got his ass handed to him after making that statement in the debate the other night....It makes no matter that republicans especially those in prior administrations are saying Obama was wrong.....
Does Obama think that Nixon picked up the phone and called China and said I am on my way. Be there in three days to talk....Hell NO! This was months if not years in the making.....
Obama my friend, being president is not like walking across the street to a neighbor and telling them their dog chit in my yard....

I do thank you
Ben David

[pnwmom]

6. If he didn't think that, he shouldn't be running.

Otherwise, he should just endorse whoever he thinks has the better judgment.

[rinsd]

41. Yup! Why are people shocked when a guy running for the top job tells you he is the best?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

7. This is what happens when a candidate constantly has to tell people he is experienced enough

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRCWbFFRpnY

[jillan]

11. or this?

[Hippo_Tron]

50. I love that movie, but I don't see how the comparison is valid

I'd take the inexperienced Bill McKay over the experienced Crocker Jarmon without question. I'd imagine that most at DU would as well.

[LittleClarkie]

8. His job is to sell himself. If he didn't think he had the answers, he wouldn't be running

Good for him.

[killbotfactory]

9. I agree with him

[avrdream]

14. I just choked on my glass on wine.

Give me a small break, Senator. I can name at least 3 others with more experience. As far as judgment goes, prove it.

[sandnsea]

15. Any proof it isn't?

:shrug:

I know you like Biden, but I don't think he's been particularly good on Iraq and his hacking up the country plan isn't so good either. We need somebody to put aside the ideas of the old country immigrant and bring in new ideas of a multicultural world. Barack's the one to do it. Nothing wrong with him saying so.

[Forkboy]

16. LOL

:silly:

[madrchsod]

18. i would be more interested in what kind of advisor's

a candidate would pick to be their sec. of state, etc, than what he would "do" . the decision making process of a candidate is what i am looking at..

[IndianaGreen]

19. I read in DU that Wes Clark is advising Obama on foreign policy

I think it was one of the Clarkies that posted that. Perhaps one of them will be kind enough to enlighten us...

[Alamom]

20. A du'er posted Obama "sounds" like Wes_Clark. I find Colin Powell & Obama. Don't

find anything about Clark teaching foreign policy to anyone.

I could've missed it. :shrug:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3400533

[IndianaGreen]

21. I hope a Clarkie can provide more info on this

afterall, it was a Clarkie that posted something along those lines on a Wes Clark thread.

[Adelante]

35. I don't know any more about it than this

The Politico 5/31/07
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0507/4262.html

-snip

But in the meantime, he's been acting more like a Democratic Party wise man than a candidate in his own right, to the degree that he's offered private advice in recent weeks to potential rivals. He's spoken in recent weeks to leading presidential candidates, said Clark spokesman Erick Mullen.

"It's a regular dialogue with most of these candidates about war and diplomacy," said Mullen.

And he's also emerged as a possible valuable supporter for Democratic front-runners with no military experience.

"Wesley Clark is an asset and has a lot to offer, and we'd certainly value his support," said Clinton spokesman Phil Singer.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton agreed and said Obama recently spoke with Clark. "Like most Americans, Sen. Obama thinks that Gen. Clark has a wealth of experience in issues of national security," Burton said.

Clark occupies a unique role in the Democratic Party. His military credentials, stretching from service in Vietnam to the position of NATO supreme allied commander during the war in Kosovo, stand out in a wartime election in which none of the front-running Democrats, and only one leading Republican, served in the military.

If it's an ongoing relationship, I don't know. I would also stress that Wes is on an advisory basis with just about every Democrat in Congress, so it's possible to make too much of his having advised Obama or any other candidate.

However, I did feel that this article of Obama's had a lot of Wes's sensibility in it. But it could be they simply have a similar viewpoint on national security.


Renewing American Leadership
Barack Obama
From Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007


http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070701faessay86401-p0/barack-obama/renewing-american-leadership.html

[IndianaGreen]

46. The article has commonalities with Wes Clark's global views

Clark is the closest thing we got to a George Marshall. I hope that a future Democratic President is wise enough to bring Clark into the Administration.

[Tellurian]

27. Colin Powell has been advising Obama...

If Wes Clark was advising Obama, he would have endorsed him. Clark hasn't endorsed anyone afaik.

[wyldwolf]

33. Colin Powell is...

[Hippo_Tron]

22. Wait a candidate for President promoting himself? thats like never happened before

What the fuck did you expect him to say? "Hillary has better foreign policy judgment than I do, but vote for me anyway"

[monmouth]

23. Obama better than Joe Biden?? I think not. Biden is a living text book

on foreign policy and could teach it.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

43. Exactly

Of course Obama is going to sell himself but a candidate has to do so within reason. He actually compounds his problem on the experience issue by making an absurd statement like this.

[Tellurian]

24. How many foreign leaders has Obama met with?

[shaniqua6392]

26. Good point!!!

How many? Probably none in his short tenure as a Senator. She knows them all by their first name. Richardson would make an excellent VP choice for Hillary and then we could really make progress polishing our tarnished reputation in the world. The love for an inexperienced Senator running for President of the United States is a little frightening. He gives a good rousing speech but......

[harun]

29. Probably more than Bush or Cheney (n/t)

[wyldwolf]

30. nope.

[Dawgs]

28. He's right!!

For example, http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid901176778/bclid900482168/bctid659820802

[JANdad]

31. This is just too stupid of a statement to respond to...

But I will anyway:

Richardson:

International Experience: Richardson spent part of his childhood living in Mexico. His first professional job was working on congressional relations at the U.S. State Department. He later was a staffer for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As a member of Congress he travelled extensively around the world, and played a key role shaping U.S. foreign policy as the U.N. ambassador.
In 1995, Richardson successfully negotiated with Saddam Hussein for the release of two American workers being held in Iraq. Similarly in 2006, he negotiated the release of an American journalist held in Sudan by President Omar Al-Bashir.

http://usforeignpolicy.about.com/od/2008presidentialrace/p/brichardson.htm

Biden:

International Experience: Senator Biden is a long serving member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and serves as chair in the 110th Congress. He is considered one of the Democratic Party's leading voices on foreign policy. And his assignment on the Senate Judiciary Committee has given him experience on immigration, citizenship, and international narcotics regulation.
Foreign Policy Positions: Biden voted in favor of the Iraq War resolutions but has since said the Bush Administration misrepresented the case for war, and he called for Congress to repeal the authorization to use force in Iraq. He has spoken out on energy independence and security. Biden has called for NATO action to end the genocide in Darfur, and he has advocated stronger U.S. action on global climate change.
For the last Congressional term, Citizens for Global Solutions gave Senator Biden an A+ rating on his foreign policy positions.

http://usforeignpolicy.about.com/od/2008presidentialrace/p/jbiden.htm

Hillary Clinton:

International Experience: Clinton's years in the White House involved many overseas trips and the hosting of dignitaries from around the world. She and daughter Chelsea made an unprecedented tour of Africa in 1997. In the Senate, Clinton has been involved in foreign policy issues through her assignment to the Senate Armed Services Committee and her significant involvement with Homeland Security issues.
Foreign Policy Positions: Senator Clinton voted in favor of the war in Iraq, but has since been highly critical of how the war has been executed. She has called for the United States to lead renewed international cooperation on Iraq and a number of other foreign issues. Clinton has had mixed positions on free trade issues. She is a leading supporter of Israel and has been outspoken on American failure to end genocide in Darfur.
For the last Congressional term, Citizens for Global Solutions gave Senator Clinton an A+ rating on her foreign policy positions.

http://usforeignpolicy.about.com/od/2008presidentialrace/p/hclinton.htm

International Experience: In the Senate, Edwards served on the Select Committee on Intelligence. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Edwards, along with former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp, chair a task force on U.S.-Russia relations. In the Fall of 2006, he visited Uganda with the International Rescue Committee.
Foreign Policy Positions: John Edwards voted for the Iraq War resolution in 2002, but in November of 2005 he said this vote was a mistake. He has been cautious on free trade and often highlights the dangers of outsourcing American jobs. He advocates tough action to keep Russia on the road to democracy.

http://usforeignpolicy.about.com/od/2008presidentialrace/p/jedwards.htm

But Obama DID take his family on vacation to Africa once...and oh, he did live overseas as a little boy...

[BigDDem]

34. Even though he's not my pick....

I use to think this guy was highly intelligent.
Boy was I wrong.

[Dawgs]

38. You care to explain why?

[Imagevision]

36. Experience my ass! look where * & Cheney's experience got us, Obama simply needs

competent leadership, the rest is supervision of the go-fers...!

[draft_mario_cuomo]

44. New BO slogan: Experience means nothing. Just give me a shot. Please. I promise to do well.

Team Obama has to be careful with this. By totally writing off the importance of experience they will actually compound Obama's problem on the experience issue.

[LWolf]

37. I don't know about that, but he's got enough hubris for all 8. n/t

[Hideboh]

39. He will be very easily destroyed by Tim Russert

on press the meat.

[Grandrose]

47. They are coming out of the woodworks!

Be careful Sen. Obama, remember with all of your intelligence, life story, education, charisma...you are still just a Black man who must be put in his place.

You must not show ego or be confrontational and naivety equates to be called in the old days "boy". How dare you challenge the establishment and I mean both parties, they are waiting to pounce!

Do not worry about the Repubs, it will be the Democratic Party to do you in.
This is the Clinton Party and Hillary's turn, so you are suppose to back off!

They really think you are a younger version of Jesse and Al, but I have a feeling that you are going to surprise a lot of people!

That Sen. Clinton, whom I had always respected crossed the line, humiliation was not necessary in the last debate and clinched it for me.

You will have my vote, contributions and prayers for you and your family!:)

[jillan]

48. If Obama really thinks this, then why didn't he show up at the Foreign Policy debate

a couple of months ago hosted by School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University????

The audience was made up of Foreign Policy experts and scholars.

He said he was too busy or something like that. Too busy to discuss Iraq. The Mideast. War. Peace.

Don't get a boner, HRC supporters, she weaseled out too.

Gee - I am so glad they are the "top two" candidates:puke:

[Donald Ian Rankin]

49. I think the words of the immortal Mandy Rice-Davies are applicable here:

"Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?"