Posted by
Andrews on Thursday, February 28, 2008 4:07:17 PM
I have
been saying that Obama will falter once he has to take a stand on issues to win over the center. Well, in his reply to McCain's criticism of his defense policies, we may be seeing the first steps in the Obama collapse:
"I do know that al-Qaida is in Iraq and that's why I have said we
should continue to strike al-Qaida targets," he told a rally at Ohio State University
in Columbus.
"But I have some news for John McCain," Obama added. "There was no such
thing as al-Qaida in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade
Iraq. . . . They took their eye off the people who were responsible
for 9/11 and that would be al-Qaida in Afghanistan, that is stronger now than
at any time since 2001."
Obama said he intended to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq "so we actually
start going after al-Qaida in Afghanistan and in the hills of Pakistan like
we should have been doing in the first place."
As Best of the Web quips:
So let's see if we have this straight. Al Qaeda in Iraq isn't worth fighting
because it wouldn't be there if it weren't for Bush and McCain. Obama is going
to pull all U.S. troops out of Iraq to go fight in Afghanistan and Pakistan,
although he will send them back to Iraq if al Qaeda are there, even though he
now wants to withdraw notwithstanding al Qaeda's presence.
Yes, we can!
My point is a bit more serious.
This is the first episode of what I predict will characterize the rest of the general election campaign. Obama made a short, foolish, but relatively innocuous statement (that he would go back to Iraq if al Qaida started organizing), McCain called him on it, and Obama launched into a much longer, and more deeply foolish response.
Not only that, but a response that is sure to appeal to no one. The anti-war crowd will like neither the determination to fight on in Afghanistan, nor the promise to return to Iraq, and the center will not like the harsh cut and run rhetoric, nor the strong strain of Bush hatred. And I doubt promises to invade Pakistan will get much of a positive reception from either group. In other words, in trying to win over everyone, Obama is managing to alienate everyone.
A few more statements in this vein, and I see my prediction coming true, the honeymoon will be over, Obamania will draw to a close, and the left will realize they have John Edwards Mark II as their candidate.
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For more of my on thoughts on Obama in general see
here and
here.