HEADLINE: Obama WARNS "Democratic activists" on security

[Bluebear]

Well, first he tells us we don't reach out to the faithful. Now our stance on security isn't tough enough. Anybody else feel that this rhetoric from the Senator is a bit counterproductive at this point in time?

===

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., warned Democratic activists Sunday that the party must take a tougher stance on national security if it wants to succeed in the November elections.

"What Democrats have to do is to close the deal," said Obama, the keynote speaker at Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's 29th annual steak fry. "We have got to show we have a serious agenda for change."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060917/ap_on_el_ge/obama_democrats

[JI7]

1. yeah, wait until AFTER the elections at least

the biggest thing the Republicans win against us on is the weak on security shit.

[Hippo_Tron]

2. IMO, the problem isn't Obama, it's the reporting

They report the story on the premise that Obama is telling weak Democratic "activists" to start being tough on national security. Yet I don't see that anywhere in Obama's statements. He's saying that Democrats need an alternative to Bush and the AP reports the story as Obama tells Democrats they need to stop being weak on security.

[Rosemary2205]

6. Agreed

Obama is talking about campaign strategy and is in no way accusing anyone of being security wimps.

[goclark]

20. That's the way I see it too

[Rosemary2205]

24. How a reporter managed to pull that from THAT speech is incredible

The speech was just fabulous and really honed in on the most important issues that America actually faces. Healthcare, global competition and rewarding companies that invest in American workers, the reality that privatized everything doesn't work, the reality that terror is being used as a wedge issue instead of actually doing what needs done. The speech was incredible. For a reporter to pull that one thing out of that speech just shows how pathetic the media has become.

[Bluebear]

12. HT, that is an entirely valide observation.

Maybe the AP reporter is projecting their own feelings on our being supposedly weak on security.

[Jim Sagle]

3. It's only counterproductive for him if he's actually a Democrat.

Is he?

[DemNoir]

4. He sees a job opening up

Barack seems to be positioning himself as the new Lieberman. Chief Democratic scold and tut tutter.

[katinmn]

5. hmmff. Sounds out of touch with what people are concerned about

The war, mass corruption, lobbyists' control, economy, health care. No one I know has mentioned security except that Bush has politicized Homeland Security and cut funds to NY and DC in favor of petting zoos in Kansas.

Obama should be focusing on the Democratic tradition of getting at the ROOT of the problem. Why do we have a security problem? Duh.

[Kagemusha]

7. It's too bad Obama's so hated on DU and other leftist forums.

And no, hated is not too strong a word. I've seen nicer things said about Lieberman.

Just seems too bad somehow, but why argue? It'll just look like telling people what to think.

[Bluebear]

11. Well, I do not 'hate' him, it does seem he chides his party a lot

Now Lieberman, on the other hand, I cannot stomache.

[malaise]

15. Bluebear he did not say that

listen to the speech on CSpan1 now.

[katinmn]

13. I don't hate him. I just think he is playing political strategist

instead of focusing on issues.

But he is far from alone. Legistators, candidates and citizenry are all trying to out-manuever the opposition. There really is little substative talk about issues and solutions to critical problems.

[CarlVK]

14. I want to know what he means by "being tougher on security", don't you?

That sounds annoyingly ambiguous, and if there is ever a time we will not be served by ambiguity, it's this one.

[Rosemary2205]

23. This might be a start

http://obama.senate.gov/issues/homeland_security/index.html

[1932]

8. Where's the quote that supports that claim? It's not in the OP.

I like the quote in the OP.

[havocmom]

9. How old is he?

[malaise]

10. He's on CSPan1 now

I didn't hear that part. Sounds more like media spin -listen for yourself - he just started.
edit headline

[Renew Deal]

16. I don't see what's wrong with that?

We need to close the deal by providing a serious agenda. I agree.

[magellan]

17. He's not wrong

The headline is calculated to inflame, that's all.

Obama is right. It'd be really nice to hear the Dems put together a national security agenda that does the real work the Republicans won't. Port and transportation security. Human intelligence on the ground, infilitrating these groups to learn what they're up to. Immigration reform that does a better job of denying terrorists or anyone else the ability to lose themselves in this country.

I've really begun to wonder why the Dems haven't been harping on this. It's important.

[Bluebear]

19. 'The headline is calculated to inflame, that's all.'

Agreed. As another poster pointed out, the article and his actual quotes are not in agreement.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

18. Actually I Think His Comments In That Article Were Great.

Not sure why you have a problem with them. :shrug:

I also think that Obama is absolutely one of the best senators we have right now. I for one have seen no reason to be anything but 100% support of him. He frames the message great and is a man of solid intelligence and integrity. I'm proud as hell to have him on our team.

[madmusic]

21. He's right.

We have to want to fight and not let the terrorists win.

The question is only one of how.

[Bluebear]

22. 'not let the terrorists win'

Oh, indeed. We can't allow that. Good thing we're in Iraq!~ :crazy:

[madmusic]

28. No connection.

The people know that, the non-cool-aid drinkers, anyway.

So what now?

[bling bling]

25. I knew just looking at the headline....

That it was going to be a headline that didn't match up with what was actually said.

Ahhhhh, the media strikes again. They're less like professionals and more like a bunch of little troublemakers stirring the pot and manipulating the scenario's to get people riled up.

They're like the monkeys in those commercials where that one normal professional guy works with a bunch of monkeys who just monkey around and royally screw everything up but don't give a shit -- they just laugh and squawk and scratch themselves while the professional guy looks on in disgust.

[Rosemary2205]

27. Amazing isn't it? nt

[T Town Jake]

26. He is quite right.

(n/t)

[mmonk]

29. Our leaders that chide us for telling the truth bother me.

Does it bother anyone else, especially when republicans are winning largely on falsehoods and straw men?

[Bluebear]

30. Several posters have commented that the speech did not match the article

The AP reported wrote an inflammatory article and I withdraw the thread. I do not want to contribute to disparaging the Senator as the Ap did.

[MissB]

31. He's just trying to boost his own image on security issues

by trashing others, whether or not their views are "weak on security" or not.

[Broken_Hero]

32. Locking

per request of the OP

petersond
DU Moderator.