Somebody sent me a link to this YouTube video today. It does an awesome job highlighting Obama's shifting positions on Iraq.



This video includes the following quotes from Obama:

"I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse." (January 10, 2007, MSNBC)

"And I said at the time, when I opposed the surge, that given how wonderfully our troops perform, if we place 30,000 more troops in there, then we would see an improvement in the security situation and we would see a reduction in the violence." (January 5, 2008, Democratic debate)

The video provides this "translation:" You're never wrong if you pretend you gave the right answer all along.

Also:

"It is clear at this point that we cannot, through putting in more troops or maintaining the presence that we have, expect that somehow the situation is going to improve." (October 22, 2006, Meet the Press)

"My assessment is that the surge has not worked and we will not see a different report eight weeks from now." (July 18, 2007, Today)

"Finally, in 2006-2007, we started to see that, even after an election, George Bush continued to want to pursue a course that didn't withdraw troops from Iraq but actually doubled down and initiated a surge and at that stage I said very clearly, not only have we not seen improvements, but we're actually worsening, potentially, a situation there." (November 11, 2007, Meet the Press)

This is important because Obama will be coming back from Iraq, and he will have to radically change his tune. In fact, he already has - the Obama website has removed portions that claim the surge is not working. Why? Because the surge has been working. Violence is way, way down. Which means that McCain was right all along. And Obama will shift his position on Iraq, again. As he has done with so many things. But in doing so, he will upset his angry left base, and to the center he will reveal himself as a man with no principles.

Bill Clinton could get away with stuff like this. For one thing, he was a better liar. But far more importantly, Obama has to contend with the internet, which is a vast archive of all of his previous positions. He can't plausibly claim now that he thought the surge would work, despite the fact that he opposed it, because when he originally opposed it he said (quite eloquently, I might add) that the surge would make the situation worse. But he likewise can't tell the truth and say that he was against it all along, because doing so removes any credibility that as commander-in-chief he could make the right decision.

Perhaps the best part about this video, that is so hard-hitting against Obama, is that it comes from the McCain campaign. This is a good sign - that they have the gumption to call Obama out on his lies, and that they will use the internet to get this message out.

The center has always belonged to McCain, for good or ill, and he doesn't have to "shift" to get there at all. But as Obama tries to shift to the center, he will meet the same problems that Kerry did in 2004. His record is far too liberal to survive the shift. The only variable left is how tough McCain will get. If this video is any indication, McCain is ready to pull if off.

Labels: politics