Obama Says His Foreign Policy Resembles That of Elder Bush, Reagan, JFK
GREENSBURG, Pa. — Sen. Barack Obama said Friday he would return the country to the more “traditional” foreign policy efforts of past presidents, such as George H.W. Bush, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
At a town hall event at a local high school gymnasium, Obama praised George H.W. Bush — father of the president — for the way he handled the Persian Gulf War: with a large coalition and carefully defined objectives.
Obama began a six-day bus tour through Pennsylvania, the largest remaining primary prize in the contest with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Sen. John McCain is the Republican nominee-in-waiting.
“The truth is that my foreign policy is actually a return to the traditional bipartisan realistic policy of George Bush’s father, of John F. Kennedy, of, in some ways, Ronald Reagan, and it is George Bush that’s been naive and it’s people like John McCain and, unfortunately, some Democrats that have facilitated him acting in these naive ways that have caused us so much damage in our reputation around the world,” he said.
Obama faced criticism in January from Clinton and then-challenger John Edwards for saying Reagan had changed the trajectory of American politics — and that Republicans had been the party of ideas for the last decade or more.
In one of the more heated moments of the Democratic debates, Clinton challenged him directly on the topic, saying those GOP ideas were “bad for America, and I was fighting against those ideas.”
In his speech Friday night, the Illinois senator charged that Clinton, for all her criticism of the current President Bush, has too often gone along with his decisions.
“I do think that Sen. Clinton would understand that George Bush’s policies have failed, but in many ways she has been captive to the same politics that led her to vote for authorizing the war in Iraq,” he said. “Since 9/11 the conventional wisdom has been that you’ve got to look tough on foreign policy by voting and acting like the Republicans, and I disagree with that.”
McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said Obama “represents an absolute departure” from Reagan and other presidents “whose strength in the face of an outspoken and determined enemy won the greater peace for a generation.”
You people really do not understand this thing with Rev. Wright - Obama “disowning” him and stating that he would have left the Church if the Rev. would not have resigned is bull and you know it.
Try as he might, Obama cannot disassociate himself from this fact.
For 20 years he (Obama) sat, he (Obama) listened, he (Obama) did nothing.
Silence is acquiessence.
This is the real issue and for those of you who think it is over, take a class in Politics 101…
Here’s your sign. Please tell me that people are not that dumb. ( PLEASE )
Quote”Obama Says His Foreign Policy Resembles That of Elder Bush, Reagan, JFK”end quote
Ya he probably stole their policies just like he did all of Hillary Clintons! This guy is laughable!!!!!
obama . Copy Cat , Copy Cqt. This man is all hot air and has no idea’s of his own . i will vote Mccain before I ever vote Obama , the racist .
I thought he said he was changing the way things are not going backwards
Remember when Obama said if Pakistan do not assist us in hunting down terrorist, then we should go and bomb inside Pakistan and Clinton and McCain said that was crazy. What did the White House do, they bombed inside Pakistan without Pakistan’s permission. Please tell me who looks like who was right and who will become our next President of the United States of America.
Obama 08!
Obama is big on judgement.. His judgement in staying with Wright for 20 pretty much puts that away. So what’s left. His honesty. Well, he lied about not knowing of Wright’s hateful, anti-American speeches. Scratch honesty. What does he have left??? just words. Not enough!
Hillary, is superior, not on race, but leadership, strength, courage and brilliance!
Sorry barak, Ronad Reagan never cut and ran, George bush sr never cut and ran. You advocate immediate withdrawl and neither of those two would leave the mess that w created to the terrorosts and islamic extreemists. You are turning more disingenuous by the day. Stop lying to America just to get elected.
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hillary has championed legislation to improve the lives of our veterans and their families. She worked to provide access to TRICARE for National Guard and Reserve members. She authored the Heroes at Home Act that will begin to help service members struggling with post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. She worked with others in the Senate to pass legislation to increase the military survivor benefit from $12,000 to $100,000.
As president, she will honor three fundamental commitments: First, every member of our armed forces will receive a fair shot at the American dream when their service is over. Second, every veteran in America will have health care. Third, every veteran will receive the benefits they have earned and the assistance they need - right from the start.
Enact a GI Bill of Rights for the Twenty-First Century. Hillary will enact a GI Bill of Rights for the 21st century that will resurrect the spirit of the original 1944 GI Bill and offer service members, veterans and their families with expanded education, housing and entrepreneurial benefits. Her plan will guarantee equal access for all components of the Armed Forces - Active, Guard and Reserve - that have deployed overseas in support of a combat operation since September 11 or served two years of active duty since September 11.
She will fund undergraduate education for service members, as well as education for specialized trade or technical training, and certification and licensing programs. She will expand the VA Home Loan Guaranty program to allow veterans to use low-interest, no-fee loans to purchase, build or improve a home valued up to $625,000. She will establish a Veterans Microloan Program to provide veterans with no-collateral, low-interest microloans of up to $100,000 for entrepreneurial ventures.
Provide Affordable and Quality Health Care for All Veterans. As President, Hillary will ensure that all of the 1.8 million uninsured veterans in this country have access to quality, affordable health care. She will restore the Clinton-era policy that opened the VA’s excellent and cost-effective health care system to all veterans who seek to enroll. She will make a long-term commitment to the VA system to ensure it is adequately funded and has the capacity to avoid backlogs and to handle greater enrollments. And she will provide coverage through the American Health Choices Plan to all veterans who choose not to use the VA system.
Ensure All Veterans Receive the Benefits They Have Earned and the Assistance They Need — Right from the Start. As President, Hillary will commit to getting a fair, accurate, and timely decision for every veteran filing a disability claim. She will increase the number of qualified VA evaluators to reduce the backlog of claims. She will provide fast-track training for new claims specialists and expand the Benefits at Discharge Program to smooth the transition from service to discharge for all those who serve our country.
Extend Hiring Preferences to Veterans-friendly Contractors. Today, there are between 7.2 and 7.6 million federal contractors, 2 million more than there were five years ago. The privatization of government by the Bush administration has meant veterans are losing job
For 20 years my husband and I were republicans. After 8 years of Bush, we switched to the democratic party and support Hillary. She has survived the media lynching, bashing, biased and their kitchen sink, tub, toilet and whatever you can think of. She is courageous and brilliant. Her agenda to put our country back on track is well structured. Her words are of substance. Hillary has the leadership qualities that we need. I urge Hillary supporters to contact CNN, MSNBC and Fox to give Hillary equal air time and fair publicity. They should focus their scrutiny on Obama and dig up all of his lies. Hillary’s exaggeration of Bosnia is nothing compared to Obama’s lies about his knowledge of Wright’s speeches (give me a break!) weather underground, Rezko, black panthers. We know all about Hillary but know nothing about Obama. He’s about ready to implode.
Hillary, we are behind you all the way to the Whitehouse and them some!
Chris Matthews from MSNBC, you make me sick to my stomach!