THIS WEEK IN HYPOCRISY

In The Last Week, Obama Proved That His New Politics Rhetoric Doesn't Match His Old Politics Hypocrisy
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Throughout His Campaign, Obama Has Promoted His "New Kind Of Politics":

"Senator Barack Obama Often Offers A Crisp Sales Pitch To Voters, Imploring Them To Be Part Of Something New, Different And Hopeful. 'If You Want A New Kind Of Politics,' He Says, 'It's Time To Turn The Page.'" (Jeff Zeleny, "A New Kind Of Politics Closely Resembles The Old," The New York Times, 6/16/07)

OBAMA HYPOCRISY ON IRAQ

Obama Claimed He Has Been Accurately Re-Stating McCain's "100 Years" Comment, But Non-Partisan Groups And Media Outlets Disagree:

Obama: "John McCain got upset today apparently because I had repeated exactly what he said, which is that we might be there [Iraq] for 100 years if he had his way." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 4/2/08)

Columbia Journalism Review's Zachary Roth: "[L]ately, Barack Obama in particular has stepped up his attacks on McCain's '100 years' notion. But in doing so, Obama is seriously misleading voters--if not outright lying to them--about exactly what McCain said." (Zachary Roth, Op-Ed, "The U.S., Iraq, And 100 Years," Columbia Journalism Review, 4/1/08)

Slate's Christopher Beam: "In context, McCain's statements seem clear: He doesn't want the war to continue for 100 years. But he's willing to keep a few brigades there as long as they're not getting killed. ... [F]or Obama and others to paint McCain's stance as a war without end doesn't quite hold up." (Christopher Beam, "The '100 Years' War," Slate's "Trail Head" Blog, www.slate.com, 4/1/08)

Non-Partisan Politifact.Com Calls Obama Attacks On "100 Years" Comment "False." "Obama twisted McCain's words in the Cleveland debate. He said, 'We are bogged down in a war that John McCain now suggests might go on for another 100 years.' As we explain above, McCain was referring to a peacetime presence, not the war. So we find Obama's statement False." (Politifact.Com Website, www.politifact.com, Accessed 3/25/08)

In The Course Of Two Weeks, Obama Shifted His Position On Whether Or Not He Would Keep Troops In Iraq Three Times:

On Tuesday, Fox News Reported That Obama Campaign Said Strike Force Would Not Be In Iraq. Fox News' Carl Cameron: "Senator McCain has accused Mr. Obama of twisting his words. And the Obama campaign is arguing that Sen. McCain has got Obama's policies wrong. The strike force that Obama says he would keep would be in the region, not in Iraq. So the battle continues between Obama and Clinton and Obama and McCain over national security." (Fox News' "Live," 4/1/08)

One Day Earlier, Obama Claimed That He Would Keep A Strike Force In Iraq Or "Perhaps Outside Of Iraq" To Protect Civilians And Respond To "Potential Problems." Obama: "What I've said is that we will have troops looking after our embassy there [in Iraq], which we do everywhere. ... We have some military personnel that ensure that our diplomatic forces are taken care of. We have troops to make sure that our civilian populations are cared for. And what I've said is I would have a strike force in the region, perhaps in Iraq, perhaps outside of Iraq, so that we could take advantage or we could deal with potential problems that might take place in the region." (Sen. Barack Obama, Press Conference, 3/31/08)

As Recently As Two Weeks Ago, Obama Said A Counter-Terrorism Strike Force Would Remain In Iraq. Obama: "In order to end this war responsibly, I will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. We can responsibly remove 1 to 2 combat brigades each month. If we start with the number of brigades we have in Iraq today, we can remove all of them 16 months. After this redeployment, we will leave enough troops in Iraq to guard our embassy and diplomats, and a counter-terrorism force to strike al Qaeda if it forms a base that the Iraqis cannot destroy." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks On Iraq, Fayetteville, NC, 3/19/08)

NOTE: Today, The New York Sun Reports That A Key Adviser To Obama Is Recommending That 60,000 To 80,000 Troops Remain In Iraq As Late As 2010. "A key adviser to Senator Obama's campaign is recommending in a confidential paper that America keep between 60,000 and 80,000 troops in Iraq as of late 2010, a plan at odds with the public pledge of the Illinois senator to withdraw combat forces from Iraq within 16 months of taking office." (Eli Lake, "Obama Adviser Calls For 60,000-80,000 U.S. Troops To Stay In Iraq Through 2010," The New York Sun, 4/4/08)

OBAMA HYPOCRISY ON ENERGY

Obama Attacked McCain On Energy Policy, Saying He Will Be A "Third Bush Term;" However, McCain Voted Against 2005 Energy Bill While Obama Supported It:

Obama: "Make no mistake, this is an area where John McCain is offering a third Bush term." (Thomas Fitzgerald, "Obama Knocks McCain, Says Primary Fight Not Hurting, Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/1/08)

"Obama, Of Course, Voted For The 2005 Energy Bill, Which Passed The Senate Overwhelmingly 74-26." (Jake Tapper, "Who's Offering A 3rd Bush Term On Energy?" ABC News' "Political Punch" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 4/3/08)

"Someone Else Who Voted Against It? The Candidate Whom Obama Says Is Offering 'A Third Bush Term' On Energy Policy -- John McCain." (Jake Tapper, "Who's Offering A 3rd Bush Term On Energy?" ABC News' "Political Punch" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 4/3/08)
OBAMA HYPOCRISY ON DENOUNCING THE POLITICS OF PERSONAL DESTRUCTION

Obama Refused To Denounce Howard Dean's Personal Attack On McCain's Character:

DNC Chairman Howard Dean Called McCain "A Blatant Opportunist." Dean: "While we honor McCain's military service, the fact is Americans want a real leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn't understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years." (Democrat National Committee, "Dean: New Ad, But No New Ideas From John McCain," Press Release, 3/28/08)

"The Republican National Committee Demanded An Apology From Mr. Dean And Denouncement Of The Remarks From Mr. Obama And His Democratic Rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Of New York. Neither Democratic Candidate Has Denounced Mr. Dean's Comment." (Christina Bellantoni, "Obama Salutes McCain Patriotism," The Washington Times, 4/1/08)

"The Washington Times Asked Mr. Obama Whether He Agreed With Mr. Dean's Characterization, But The Senator From Illinois Said He Had Not Seen The Ad Nor Heard The DNC Chairman's Remark." (Christina Bellantoni, "Obama Salutes McCain Patriotism," The Washington Times, 4/1/08)

OBAMA HYPOCRISY ON PUBLIC FINANCING

Obama Backtracked On His Earlier Pledge To Accept Public Funds In The General Election:

Obama Has Pledged To Accept Public Financing In The General Election, But Now "Has Been Less Clear" About His Commitment To The System. "Senator Barack Obama, who earlier pledged to accept public financing for the fall campaign if the Republican nominee did, has been less clear, saying he would negotiate with McCain in deciding whether to accept the money and spending limits of the federal matching funds system." (Susan Milligan, "McCain's Commitment To Public Financing Questioned," The Boston Globe, 3/30/08)

"Mr. Obama Was The Candidate Who Proposed The [Public Funding] Pledge In The First Place, In February 2007, A Time When He Was Not Raising The Prodigious Sums He Is Now." (Elisabeth Bumiller, "Skirmishing By McCain And Obama On Financing," The New York Times, 2/15/08)

FLASHBACK: In Response To A 2007 Questionnaire, Obama Said He Would Accept Public Funding In The General Election And Noted He Is "A Long-Time Advocate For Public Financing." Question: "If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?" Obama: "Yes. I have been a long-time advocate for public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests." (Sen. Barack Obama, "Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," Midwest Democracy Network,

www.commoncause.org, 11/27/07)

OBAMA HYPOCRISY ON SUBPRIME LENDING

Obama Has Attacked McCain On His Housing Plan, But Relies On A Campaign Adviser With Extensive Ties To Subprime Lending:

Obama Attacked McCain's Housing Plan During A Pennsylvania Town-Hall Meeting. "During a town-hall-style meeting here, Obama said McCain offered 'four more years of the same George W. Bush policies that have gotten us into the pickle that we're in right now.' ... McCain's response to the housing crisis, Obama said, 'amounts to little more than standing on the sidelines and watching millions of Americans lose their homes.'" (Maeve Reston and Peter Nicholas, "Democrats Take Swings At McCain," Los Angeles Times, 4/2/08)

Penny Pritzker, Obama's National Finance Chair, Served As Chairwoman Of The Board For Superior Bank When It Began Engaging In Subprime Lending In 1993. "Superior, co-owned by Pritzker family trusts, began focusing on subprime loans in 1993, according to the FDIC Inspector General's report. At the time, Pritzker was the board's chair." (Ken Dilanian, "Campaign Advisers Tied To Lending Crisis," USA Today, 4/3/08)

Superior Ultimately Collapsed In 2001 Due To Its Reliance On A Subprime Business Strategy. "Obama's national finance chairwoman, Penny Pritzker, was chairwoman of the board of a Chicago-area bank in 1993 when it adopted a subprime business strategy that regulators say ultimately led it to collapse in 2001." (Ken Dilanian, "Campaign Advisers Tied To Lending Crisis," USA Today, 4/3/08)

"'Superior Was Effectively Facilitating Very Sleazy Lending,' Said Bert Ely, A Washington, D.C., Banking Consultant Who Testified Before Congress On The Superior Failure." (Ken Dilanian, "Campaign Advisers Tied To Lending Crisis," USA Today, 4/3/08)

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