Joe Biden: Military Commanders Want Obama To Visit Iraq

[Hope And Change]

Joe Biden: Military Commanders Want Obama To Visit Iraq

By Greg Sargent - July 14, 2008, 1:54PM

There was a striking moment just now on an Obama campaign conference call with reporters: Top Obama supporter Joe Biden said that all the military commanders he talks to privately say they want Barack Obama to make the trip to Iraq that's been ridiculed by the McCain camp.

"One thing I can tell you for certain from recent trips is commanders in the field...all want to see Barack Obama," Biden said, in a reference to Obama's planned trip.

"They know the policy that's being pursued now is one that baffles them," Biden said, stressing that the commanders know, as Obama does, that current troop levels in Iraq can't be sustained and that more resources need to be freed up for Afghanistan.

Biden also came very close to suggesting that the commanders were not favorably disposed towards McCain: "They don't get this administration and they surely don't get John McCain right now."

Biden stressed that he was not speaking for the Obama campaign when he said this.


http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/joe_biden_military_commanders.php">Read the entire article here

[jillan]

1. I heard on Andrea Mitchell today that Biden is working with Susan Rice as an advisor the the Obama

campaign.

:)

[Pirate Smile]

13. I'm really thinking he may be the VP pick. I think the odds are on him now.

Just my opinion. :)

[bdamomma]

2. Senator Biden should go with Obama

Hagel is going, Biden and Kerry should go with him.

[jillan]

6. Someone in the Biden group had a good reason for why they shouldn't.

If Biden and/or Kerry went with Obama ~ who are the reporters going to ask questions to since both Biden and Kerry are foreign policy experts?
I can hear the reporters now asking those 2 questions on how it went.

Better to go with the knowledgeable, but quiet spoken Reed and an outspoken R on this occupation.

[bdamomma]

9. yes, my Senator from RI is going

http://www.projo.com/news/johnmulligan/reed_obama_iraq_14_07-14-08_12ARO00_v11.403774e.html

[jillan]

10. Great article.

Reed is an impressive guy.

Just not an effective public speaker, which is too bad, because we would all be better off hearing more from him.

[gateley]

11. I wasn't all that familiar with Reed --

actually had only heard his name from a few DUers who suggested him for this trip, and a couple who threw his name into the VP pool.

When Obama announced his participation, I looked him up. Very impressive! You must be proud and grateful.

[livetohike]

3. Having a thoughtful, intelligent commander-in-chief will be

a big change for them too. I'm sure the commanders do want to meet/talk with Obama - he'll be their next boss :-).

[ellacott]

4. Joe, Joe, Joe

I love that man.

[bdamomma]

19. me too.

[Eurobabe]

5. God love ya Joe, but he's NOT D-CT Joe!!

Someone made a boo boo on that picture. LOL

[jillan]

7. Oh my!

Only a true Bidenite would notice that.

hmmmm.

[Eurobabe]

17. LOL

Yeah, there's a bit of a difference, right? :rofl:

[gateley]

8. Also from this article: (love this part)

In another interesting moment, Biden predicted that Obama's planned trip to Iraq and Afghanistan will be a big political success in that it will give the commanders a chance to assess their would-be future commander in chief -- and that they would like who they were seeing.

"They're going to see a man, when they see him, of real strength," Biden said. "They're going to see a man who emanates, who radiates from him conviction and strength, and that this is a solid, solid, solid guy."

Obama's gonna knock their socks off! I'm confident they'll see someone who cares about actually ending this war, and will work toward that goal and for them.

[democrattotheend]

12. Didn't McCain criticize Obama a month ago for NOT visiting Iraq

Didn't he invite Obama to join him on a trip to Iraq and criticize Obama for declining the invite?

[Max_powers94]

14. yeah I think he will be the VP...I am cool with this.

[TwilightGardener]

15. I hate to be the fly in the soup, because I like Joe and I'm glad he

is defending Obama, BUT: he cannot seem to speak for the military or imply that they side with one party's position over another. The military is supposed to be a neutral tool. It's wrong when Repubs do it, it's equally wrong when Dems do it, and Joe was really skirting that line.

[jillan]

16. Biden walked right up to that line, didn't he?

At least he had the intelligence to immediately say he was not speaking for the Obama campaign when he said that.

Biden has publicly said many times that he is not going to sit back while the repugs try to paint Obama as weak on terror. Sit back and enjoy the ride, you never know what's going to come out of Joe's mouth (). My only hope is that the msm starts picking up on it and stops telling everyone the foreign affairs benefits "McBombBomb".

[Alexander]

18. He was also unusually careful in what words he chose.

The commanders he talks to want to "see" Obama and they don't "get" McCain.

Worded just enough to get the point across, but not enough to where someone can actually accuse Biden of claiming the military is pro-Obama.

Biden normally has a huge foot-in-mouth problem. Maybe this is a sign of progress.