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Obama Moves on MoveOn

July 01, 2008 2:40 PM

FROM GUEST-BLOGGER RICK KLEIN, from ABC's The Note.

Almost lost in the Wes Clark haze of Monday’s patriotism speech in Independence, Mo., was this line from Sen. Barack Obama:

“All too often our politics still seems trapped in these old, threadbare arguments -- a fact most evident during our recent debates about the war in Iraq, when those who opposed administration policy were tagged by some as unpatriotic, and a general providing his best counsel on how to move forward in Iraq was accused of betrayal.”

That last clause is a direct shot at the liberal group MoveOn.org, which greeted Gen. David Petraeus’ congressional testimony last fall with a full-page ad in The New York Times that asked the question: “General Petraeus or General Betray Us?"

Several journalists have noted that Obama rather conveniently skipped the Senate vote cooked up by Republicans to condemn MoveOn.org’s ad back in September, even though he cast other votes that day.

But perhaps more interesting is that this is the second time in a week that Obama is lining up in opposition to MoveOn.org, perhaps the most politically influential online liberal group -- whose members endorsed Obama’s candidacy back in February.

Last week, MoveOn.org launched a petition drive urging Obama to reconsider his position on a compromise measure extending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Obama has said he’ll vote for the measure, despite his previous vow to filibuster any bill granting immunity to telecommunications companies that cooperated with the Bush administration

Now, with this speech, Obama seems to be going out of his way to tweak his erstwhile allies.

And, intriguingly, MoveOn.org is taking Clark’s side in the dust-up over his comments. This from the group’s latest online petition: “The American people deserve the truth --not sensational reporting. The media has consistently twisted General Clark's words.”

This isn’t in overt opposition to Obama’s stance on Clark’s comments. But as we noted Monday, the Obama campaign isn’t defending Clark, and isn’t interested in Clark’s nuances. Surely Obama wants this whole episode to go away, not kept alive online.

To be clear, Obama was never a pure Netroots candidate -- many in the liberal blogosphere were more keen on John Edwards or Chris Dodd in the primaries.

But these breaks with MoveOn.org are interesting -- and seem to me at least partly separate from Obama’s migration from liberal positions on issues like guns, welfare, NAFTA, and even FISA.

To Obama supporters, this is their candidate showing he’s not in the thrall of any interest group, regardless of ideology. He’s making clear (as he did in denouncing Clark) that what’s good for the McCain goose is good for the Obama gander, when it comes to below-the-belt politicking.

But is he making online enemies?

What do you think?

-- Rick Klein

July 1, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (115)

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Come November 4th, Obama will have alienated everyone--small town America and the moveon.org crowd are just the beginning. I've voted Dem in every election since 1984. Not this time. Now, that's change you can believe in. Obama s*cks!

Posted by: Nancy | Jul 1, 2008 10:57:36 PM

Hi All: Well I am excited at the coming of the anti obama talk show. Please go to the home page of www.hcsfjm.com, click on the banner that say "No Obama Talk Show" and look at the proposal.You may also vote on it. One more thing, if you think you have what it takes to be a radio star, then on the right side is a list of commerical I need for this radio program. All the instruction are there, so record those commercials and send them to me. It will be about 10 days before I have the equuipment I need to get here to start this show. Once it is here, then we will go live via the internet and take your calls. Ed

Posted by: cindy | Jul 1, 2008 10:36:55 PM

NOBAMA, America is in trouble, no time for a rookie.

Posted by: drwfll | Jul 1, 2008 10:32:41 PM

I think that Obama knows the far left is going to vote for him no matter what he does or says at this point. His base will support him because they have no other choice - they are certainly not going to defect to McCain and voting for Nader is a vote thrown away. Obama can do anything he wants and not worry about alienating those who handed him his candidacy. He is now heading to the middle where he can woo independents and attempt to siphon votes away from McCain.

By the way, I noticed when I first read Obama's speech that he specifically did not mention MoveOn by name. Wonder why? So he can later deny that this comment was directed at them.

Posted by: Deidra | Jul 1, 2008 10:28:11 PM

Desperate times calls for desperate measures. The republicans are pathetically desperate. Willing to latch on to anything to keep afloat.

Now I realize why Obama is getting so much heat. The republicans can't tout their candidate because half of are repulsed by McCain. So instead of touting their candidate half the time and trashing Obama the other half, they trash Obama full time

Desperate times calls for desperate measures.

OBAMA 08

Posted by: Omentum | Jul 1, 2008 10:23:16 PM

What do I think?

Obama could make his "pivots to the center" without the snide put-downs.

Posted by: Lori | Jul 1, 2008 9:42:03 PM

I'm sorry but Obama is a typical politician even worse is he is a typical corrupt ChiTown Illinois politican. Any who doesn't realize this is dislusional.

Posted by: chattyway | Jul 1, 2008 9:41:36 PM

How much money do you think Wall Street donators are giving OBAMA to change his mind on these issues. Obama says $5. HAHAHAHAHA. Pretty funny. I smelled out this guy right at the beginning. He is dangerous like Hitler. Watch out or our freedoms will be gone and he will be DICTATOR OF USA.

Posted by: DemocratNoMore2 | Jul 1, 2008 9:40:36 PM

Obama really should distance himself from the libs--------he is a socialist. Unfortunately, I think his distance really isn't a distancing but more an attempt to run a scam on independents.

Posted by: chattyway | Jul 1, 2008 9:07:38 PM

To those who say that there is no PERFECT candidate, I have just TWO WORDS for you.....RALPH NADER (who by the way, has never FLIP-FLOPPED EITHER)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Keith | Jul 1, 2008 8:53:28 PM

Amen Molly! Obama will say ANYTHING to get a vote. Note that I write "say", not "do". Once he's president, who knows what he'll do! Heck, we don't know the guy!

Posted by: AGT-R | Jul 1, 2008 7:58:18 PM

Hey Chippertooth,

This was news a while back...maybe you should find some new material. You would probably be the first liberal to say that, during the Lewinski debacle, that all that was between Bill and Hillary, and agree with the "Right Wing Conspiracy" theory. Well, now, for some reason, it's all right to bring keep talking about McCain's personal life, as if it were the same as Clinton having inappropriate relationships with interns while serving as President - and in the White House to boot. Good grief you liberals just LOVE the double standard.

Posted by: Lisa Again | Jul 1, 2008 7:52:25 PM

Rev Wright was RIGHT - "Obama will say whatever he has to - he is a Politician"

Looks like the radical racist preacher was right about obama FRAUD!

Posted by: Molly | Jul 1, 2008 7:52:12 PM

Well - sure hope the DNC is happy with their guy of CHANGE!!!!
The DNC picked the WEAK candidate that will NEVER be elected due to his RADICAL, questionable background.
Obama is a FRAUD!!!

Posted by: Jakc | Jul 1, 2008 7:48:56 PM

Hillary COME BACK!!

Posted by: Carol in Alabama` | Jul 1, 2008 7:44:53 PM

Can you say "bait and switch"?

Obama plays the liberal to get MoveOn's support, and rid himself of Hillary, and then moves so fast to the right that his media toadies and gullible supporters are getting whiplash.

He disdains actual policies and positions (he scornfully said that everyone has a 10-point plan). He expects people to vote only for him; not his positions, which are every changing, not his support team, which are easily jettisoned when no longer useful, and not his accomplishments, which are nonexistent. We must vote only for him - and trust only him. He alone knows what is best for us (although you can guarantee that he has no clue what that is right now).

He said he is a blank slate on which others write their hopes. (Empty suit, much?)

How insane are his followers? Haven't they ever heard of a cult of personality? Apparently not, because that is what Obama is asking us to put in place. No policies, no principles, just a messianic figure to adore and believe in. And, how well did that work in the past?

Wake up people, this is not what America's founders had in mind. George Washington said he did not want to be king. Apparently, Obama has something else in mind.

Posted by: David H | Jul 1, 2008 7:24:37 PM

I think BO knew Wes Clark would say that -- after all the general had said it before.

I would not be at all surpised if they put the general out there, waitied for him to say it again, and then jumped to BE SEEN to disagree.

BO has no friends; loyalty means nothing to him.

Posted by: JSF | Jul 1, 2008 7:22:31 PM

I hope some delegates come to their senses and throw Obama under the bus, this August.If Obama were up for his seat in the Senate, I bet he would lose.

Posted by: rogersm234 | Jul 1, 2008 7:13:43 PM

"Obama has said he’ll vote for the measure, despite his previous vow to filibuster any bill granting immunity to telecommunications companies that cooperated with the Bush administration"

Isn't anyone catching on to this yet?

He said he'd work to remove the immunity clause. There's no chance of that happening, and thats' precisely why he said it.

Good grief are liberals gullible.

Posted by: drjohn | Jul 1, 2008 7:12:37 PM

Don't tell me anyone really believes Obama when he said he denounced Wright. I mean come on, he swore he would never turn his back on him, and didn't. When he thought he had absolutely no choice, when his back was against the wall, then he comes out and pretends denounces him just for show. No one in their right mind is going to beleive that.

Posted by: rogersm234 | Jul 1, 2008 7:06:48 PM

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