First Read: Obama Explains His Non-Vote

[flpoljunkie]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/09/20/372106.aspx

Obama explains his non-vote

Posted: Thursday, September 20, 2007 4:17 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Mark Murray

Obama's presidential campaign gives First Read this statement from Obama about not voting today on the Senate measure condemning the MoveOn.org print ad criticizing Gen. David Petraeus.

"The focus of the United States Senate should be on ending this war, not on criticizing newspaper advertisements," Obama says. "This amendment was a stunt designed only to score cheap political points while what we should be doing is focusing on the deadly serious challenge we face in Iraq. It's precisely this kind of political game-playing that makes most Americans cynical about Washington's ability to solve America's problems. By not casting a vote, I registered my protest against this empty politics. I registered my views on the ad itself the day it appeared.

Obama goes on to say, "All of us respect the service of General Petraeus and all of our brave men and women in uniform. The way to honor that service is to give them a mission that is responsible, not to vote on amendments like the Cornyn amendment while we continue to pursue the wrong policy in Iraq."

[Ian David]

1. Then why did Reid let it get to the floor, and why did ANY Democrat vote on it?

The "I'm not gonna bother to vote because it's silly" strategy only works when EVERYONE does it.

[Ethelk2044]

4. He is not responsible for everyone in the Senate.

The others should have pressured Reid not to let it go to the floor for a vote.

[flpoljunkie]

5. There was no procedural way to block it from coming to the floor for a vote.

[Ian David]

13. Ahh... I didn't realize that. Thanks! n/t

[LSK]

19. ummm no, the Senate Majority leader controls legislation

[Zodiak]

27. Does he?

I thought the rules were idfferent in the House and Senate.

Apparently not about the leadership.

So who should we blame.....Reid and the right-wing Dems...or just the right-wing Dems?

(of course we blame Bush and the pukes, but thy are our enemies....this is expected from them)

[Zodiak]

25. Not when we only have 25 votes.

The real question is why do we allow this turn-coat section of the party to continue to run things?

They enabled it, and then voted for it.

40 Senators could have filibustered this, but the DLC wing is half of the Dems......so we get another Bushco-sponsored Senate vote in Bushco's favor.

[JI7]

2. the BEST response

[Ian David]

3. Yes, it IS an excellent response. Why didn't ALL the Dems do that then?

And if they all walked out, would there have been a lack of a quorum?

[silverweb]

6. Perfect.

:thumbsup:

[William769]

7. In essence, he saying

fuck you MoveOn.org .

[Ian David]

10. No, he is saying, "Screw you guys.... I'm goin' home" to the idiots who brought it to a vote. n/t

[glowing]

8. General Petreus is betraying the troops by signing onto the political

coatails of the neo-cons in Washington... the real troops are betrayed and the American people are continued with the lies...

[reality based]

9. Admiral Fallon n/t

[madfloridian]

11. So he didn't take a stand for free speech.

.

[beaconess]

33. What does this have to do with free speech?

[madfloridian]

45. That should not even need an answer.

I see some here have thought a certain way for so long that it seems natural. What the Senate did today seems ok to some people who have perhaps been part of the more conservative part of the Democratic party.

Fighting back seems unnatural to some. That is why we are in Iraq and letting Bush and Petraeus lie about how great things are going.

[durrrty libby]

41. That is what it looks like, or it looks like he was just plain

:scared:

[2rth2pwr]

12. So why did he vote on the Boxer amendment? nt

[reality based]

20. Bingo!

[sandnsea]

23. I would have preferred he didn't

But this is fine too.

[goodhue]

32. indeed!

[mark414]

46. because the hillbots would've castigated him for not voting for that too

haven't you heard? hillary can do nothing wrong and everything obama does is gutless and displays total lack of leadership

so far though, Obama is the only Senator that i've heard calling this bill for what it is - a stupid distraction, a waste of time...not even worthy of attention

[LSK]

14. K&R

[SaveElmer]

15. CYA...

How come he didn't make this statement on the floor?

[LSK]

17. you watched the entire debate?

[SaveElmer]

26. Nope...guess I'm making the assumption

That since the reason for confusion as to why he didn't vote is because he did not make a clear statement during debate...hence his later release to the press...

Why then the vote on the Boxer amendment...

Am I wrong?

[debbierlus]

16. Sorry. Pathetic. PATREAUS IS THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO BE CENSURED

Moveon was DEAD RIGHT about Patreaus.

Show respect for the liar who advocates a failed policy & the continuing death & destruction of our soldiers & the Iraqi people.

Fuck Patraeus.

And, fuck Obama for not voting against this censure.

[Grandrose]

18. Hell YES!!

Thank you very much Sen. Obama for showing how ridiculous this stunt was!:yourock: :applause: :kick:

[Catchawave]

21. A simple "no" from the floor would have sufficed.

This is getting good :evilgrin:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. A Simple Abstention Would Have Been The Appropriate Choice

eom

[Catchawave]

37. A vote 'no' would have been better...eom..

[Catchawave]

49. But aren't Senate "protest" votes announced before the "vote"?

Not in a campaign email 3 hours later?

I'm sure you'll correct me if I'm wrong.

[FrenchieCat]

22. So he's saying that it was a bunch of Bullshit......

to which I say....."damn right"!

Others, meanwhile, put salt and pepper on the shit to taste and ate it up.

The reviews say...."that shit was delicious!"

[flpoljunkie]

38. You do have a way with words, FrenchieCat!

[Catchawave]

51. No "bullshit" before the vote?

I would have supported that.

[jenmito]

28. Great answer!

And today Bush said the ad not only went against Petraeus, but the troops, and he's saddened that more Dems. care more about MoveOn than the troops on the ground. :eyes: Meanwhile, he and the Repubs. just voted against allowing the troops to have as much down time as war time.

[FrenchieCat]

31. Now ain't that ironic.......

NOT!

More like perfectly orchestrated.

and we have fallen for it, once again. Shame on us!

[jenmito]

34. Exactly...

but not ALL of us have fallen for it. :hi:

[Adelante]

29. I'm with Obama on this

The Boxer amendment meant something, even though it condemned the MoveOn ad, it also condemned the Swiftboater attacks, and the Dems voted for it while the Repukes did not. I respect any of the Dems who refused to vote or voted NO on the one-sided Cornyn resolution, but I wish they had ALL refused to vote.

[goodhue]

30. I would rather he voted no

Voting no to stunt should not have been hard

[jenmito]

36. It would've been used against him...

this way he did it on HIS terms and said what HE wanted to say. Why should he be forced to vote on a Repub. distraction bill?

[jackster]

35. I have no problem with the three who abstained.....

it's the other 20-odd who voted yes that have me hopping mad!

Thank god I never have to VOTE for any of them since my two, Kerry and Kennedy, are TRUE Democrats!

[Odin2005]

39. Once again, Obama pwns his detractors.

He has apparently sent the DU "Kucinichite" ideological purists screaming and cussing, though.

[LittleClarkie]

40. That's reasonable

Thanks for posting.

[AtomicKitten]

42. Thanks for posting this.

This is completely reasonable much to the chagrin of the bashers.

Cheers!

[flpoljunkie]

43. Thank you, AK!

[Crunchy Frog]

44. Good statement from Obama.

He's up in my estimation.:thumbsup:

[mark414]

47. you don't have to like, support, or vote for the guy to agree that that's the right thing to say

concerning this stupid amendment

meanwhile, the Republicans killed habeas corpus and keep killing our troops - but Obama didn't vote on a toothless and petty symbolic gesture, so let's attack him instead

[renie408]

48. Good statement! n/t

[Debi]

50. Yeah Biden and Obama!!

What a POS prank this vote was! :bounce:

[ProudDad]

52. Good for him!!! (n/t)