Obama Smacks Down Bush on Foreign Policy

This is awesome:

Asked if voters know enough about Obama, Bush replied:
"I certainly don't know what he believes in". . . . Obama has also advocated more diplomatic contact with Iran, an approach Bush tried as recently as May, but not an "embrace" of its president.

The Obama Campaign quickly fired back with a statement on Sunday:

"Of course President Bush would attack the one candidate in this race who opposed his disastrous war in Iraq from the start. But Barack Obama doesn't need any foreign policy advice from the architect of the worst foreign policy decision in a generation."

http://www.thenation.com/...  (my emphasis)

One of the things I've long admired about Barack Obama and his campaign is his ability to deliver a conversation-ending comeback.  It's something we've long been missing in our Democratic candidates and I look forward to more of the same in the general election against John McCain and the Republican noise machine.

•  That feels so damn good

  I have read it over and over.
  This is not John Kerry.
  Fast, poignant response that punches them right in the face. We need so much more of that.
  No more "pussy-footing".

  by librarianman on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:42:40 AM PDT

  •  I am relishing every word

    It reminds me a little of the debate where he said "I'll look forward to your advice in my administration too, Hillary"--there is just nothing left to say!

    by oscarsmom on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:47:31 AM PDT

    •  I heard about what he said about Bush.

      That was awesome.  I also liked the crack about getting advice from Hillary.  If he becomes prez, I hope he'll take advice from her and lots of other Democrats.

      by Boston Boomer on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:30:09 AM PDT

  •  Anyone who thinks Obama can't handle

    Republican attacks simply hasn't been paying attention.    Australia's PM, John Howard, got a dose of Obama last year and we haven't heard from him since.  

    I've admired how Obama's deflected the criticism of his reliance on "hope".  He says he's accused of being a hopemonger and makes those accusers look foolish.  Anyone who wants to engage in a battle of wits with Obama had better make sure they go to war armed with nuclear weapons.  He even managed to get someone to muzzle Bill.  How often does that happen?

    by Hanging Up My Tusks on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 09:05:58 AM PDT

•  This is why I look forward to

  The debate in the fall. I don't fear what the Repubs will say about Obama, because he isn't putting up with it. He will not be swiftboated and he'll define himself before they get a chance to try.

  by atlliberal on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:48:05 AM PDT

  •  He has a sharp wit

    Did anyone else ever hear his guest appearance on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" a few years ago?  I was actually listening not knowing who it was, just thinking, "Hey, this guy is really funny!" so I left the radio on til I heard who it was--and it was Obama!

    by oscarsmom on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:54:56 AM PDT

    •  listen to it

      here

      by AlyoshaKaramazov on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 09:39:55 AM PDT

      •  Wow! Thank you!!

        by oscarsmom on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 12:02:34 PM PDT

•  That was a proper smackdown. n/t

  by cybrestrike on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:52:02 AM PDT

•  I love Obama's comebacks. When I heard Bush

  give that comment about Obama, I laughed because it just seemed so obvious Bush was prepared and had memorized that statement. Surely, his other answers were not spoken so coherently.

  by paige on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:55:04 AM PDT

•  fish in a barrel...

  to smack down Bush.  Both candidates should have regular smackdowns on their schedules, just for fun.

  by YatPundit on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:57:53 AM PDT

•  One of my sons was a little wary

  about Obama as a candidate. Early on he said that Obama was obviously really bright, but maybe a little too nice to be President. It is good to see him do that sort of thing -- it will dispell that worry very quickly.

  In many ways Obama's obvious decency (niceness) also serves him well -- it makes him the anti-Bush, as opposite as one can get to the viciousness on the neo-cons that have run the country into the ground -- people are so sick of it, and not just hard-core Dems, damn near everyone. Be nice, but show you won't put up with guff from thugs and punks (like Bush and McBush).

  by global citizen on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:58:17 AM PDT

  •  I think Obama has been more hard-hitting

    of late--he really seems to be more aggressive towards Hillary--not in a personal way but on policy and electability.  I think he's showing the backbone he needs to, without putting himself in danger of a backlash of sympathy for Hill.

    by oscarsmom on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 09:01:22 AM PDT

•  I think Obama

  will take on a harder, sharper tone once he is not debating fellow dems. He will isolate the bushco element and will not be afraid to offend that 24% who are still blindly loyal to Bush. The other 76% can get on board the Obama express and change the country for the better.

  by Hawkjt on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 09:17:17 AM PDT

•  Bill Burton basically rocks.

  He does it every time.

  by barath on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 09:18:23 AM PDT

•  Hey George: Obama just told you

  to fold this 5 ways and put it where the moon don't shine.

  by bobdevo on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 09:20:49 AM PDT

•  Credit to CNN on yesterday about this issue

  Jack Cafferty (who I thinks secretly wants Senator Obama to be the next President), Dana Bash and to my surprise Toobin (who is a closet Clinton supporter) really took President Bush to task over his comments about Senator Obama in Foreign Policy.  Jack said the interviewer didn't even call the President on what he said which was untrue. Dana Bash said the Republicans are worried about Senator Obama being the nominee so they are trying to place doubt in the minds of the voters.  Even Wolfe said that what President Bush said Senator Obama said was what the President said TWICE.

  by Lady Bird Johnson on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 09:47:35 AM PDT

•  You may be right but not for the reasons you give

  There is no such thing as a

  conversation-ending comeback

  unless you're in front of cameras. A presidency happens in twos and small meetings and small groups - not in a stadium in front of cameras. And I can guarantee, rhetoric like what you call a "conversation-ending comeback" is high school compared to a meeting of high-powered minds. Success will not rely on who has the best comeback but who can make the right outcomes.

  To Obama's credit, he's running an excellent campaign - tricky, gaming the popular vote. I imgaine he's got a good closing plan too. That matters - rhetoric, not so much. Comeback to Bush? Not at all.

  by kck on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:08:49 AM PDT

  •  However, it plays the media right

    Every time they discuss what Bush said about Obama now, they also include Obama's comeback.  It's a good strategy!

    by oscarsmom on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 12:04:17 PM PDT