Obama on Iranian President at Columbia today.

[illinoisprogressive]

NEW YORK--— Democrat Barack Obama says he probably wouldn’t have invited Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia University but would be willing as president to meet with the Iranian leader as a way to protect U.S. interests.

‘‘The hateful lies that he may utter about Israel, the Holocaust — the answer is for us to promote the truth and show the world the values and ideals that we hold dear,’’ Obama said Monday. ‘‘One of the values we believe in is the value of academic freedom. He has a right to speak.’’
» Click to enlarge image
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a press conference as he announces an endorsement by New York City's Correction Officers' Benevolent Association (COBA), Monday, Sept. 24, 2007 in New York.
(AP)

Obama earned a bachelor’s degree in 1983 from Columbia, where the Iranian president spoke on Monday. The Illinois senator was asked about the appearance at a news conference where he was endorsed by New York City’s Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association.

Columbia has come under heavy criticism for providing a forum to Ahmadinejad, who has called the Holocaust ‘‘a myth’’ and has said Israel should be ‘‘wiped off the map.’’

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/572263,obama24c.article

[Justitia]

1. Now that seems like a very reasoned response. -eom

[eleny]

2. Carefully crafted and no evidence of pants wetting over Ahmadinejad's appearance

I give Obama a B+.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. Real leaders don't act childish over things like this. right

[LakeSamish706]

4. Straight forward, he believes in Freedom of Speach... Now, to bad some others...

(In power) didn't feel the same way!

[ericgtr]

6. Actually

Bush touts this every chance he gets when someone says something he doesn't like, usually with something like.. "well, I guess you should feel lucky that we have freedom of speech to say all those things".

[ludwigb]

5. Yet Ahmadinejad does not deny the Holocaust

He simply objects to it justifying the Israeli land grab and repression in Palestine.

I will not allow the media to build up fact-less caricatures--not when war is possible. Here and elsewhere, Obama reinforces right-wing propaganda--as he does on nearly every issue of relevance to Israel. It seems craven to me, as in practice getting tougher on Israel and getting some new thinking on the peace process is so essential.

Increasingly, Obama's ill-advised foreign policy positions are pushing me towards Richardson. I already know I will vote Richardson if Obama or Edwards don't move a lot closer to BR position on Iraq.

All that said, it's good to hear Obama would meet Ahmadinejad.

[maximusveritas]

8. It's more than that

He was clear today that he had 2 questions. The first was whether the Holocaust happened. The second was whether it justified "the Israeli land grab and repression in Palestine", as you put it. If he just stuck to that second question, he wouldn't have any problems, but that's not what he's doing.

By the way, if you think Richardson is going to get tougher on Israel, you are very mistaken. Read this:
http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=7191&TM=34442.46

[Colobo]

7. Gobama!