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Obama Focuses Iraq Attacks on McCain

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March 20, 2008 12:25 PM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Barack Obama is looking back on Iraq and forward to the general election.

For the second day in a row, Obama, D-Ill., delivered an Iraq-themed speech pegged to fifth anniversary of the start of military operations on March 19, 2003.

In a 26-minute address, the Democratic contender criticized both nomination rival Senator Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and potential general election foe Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., but Obama mentioned McCain's name nine times and Clinton's name only once.

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

"Because of the Bush-McCain politics, our debt has ballooned. This is creating problems in our fragile economy," Obama told the Charleston, West Virginia, crowd.

Much of the speech was spent attempting to connect McCain with President Bush uin an attempt to paint McCain as responsible for the negatives of the war.

Obama complimented former President George H.W. Bush, saying he understood how important it was to manage the costs of war, but reserved no mercy for the current President.

"None of this has been the case in the war George W. Bush and John McCain have waged the current Iraq war," he added.

Obama asserted that McCain "refuses" to learn from the "failures" of the Bush years and claimed instead of offering an exit strategy from Iraq, McCain is offering a 100-year occupation.

"John McCain seems determined to carry out a third Bush-term," Obama said.

Obama also criticized McCain for his stance on Bush's tax cuts saying, "John McCain once opposed these tax cuts –- he rightly called them unfair and fiscally irresponsible. But now he has done an about face and wants to make them permanent, just like he wants a permanent occupation in Iraq."

The candidate's sole mention of Clinton also involved McCain.

"At that debate in Texas several weeks ago, Senator Clinton attacked John McCain for supporting the policies that have led to our enormous war costs," Obama said, "But her point would have been more compelling had she not joined Senator McCain in making the tragically ill-considered decision to vote for the Iraq war in the first place."

For all the latest from the campaign trail, read The Note every morning exclusively on ABCNews.com

March 20, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (261)

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Senator Obama might want to focus more on his campaign and on his own record of lies and deceit. First he lies about Rezko money, then he lies about NAFTA, then his people call his opponents names, then he lies about whether he has heard divisive comments in the pews of his church. Let's hear something POSITIVE from Senator Obama. Wasn't he ABOVE this kind of thing?

I have had a belly full of Senator Obama.

Posted by: beebopareebop | Mar 20, 2008 1:20:48 PM

John McCain....what a laugh and what a dope, a flunkie of the American oligarchy.

Posted by: LA rider 1 | Mar 20, 2008 1:23:20 PM

Obama shold drop out immedeatly, Clinton would have been forced to.
I will vote McCain before hate.

Posted by: Kurt | Mar 20, 2008 1:25:54 PM

Shame on you ABC news, you guys are biased at Obama, always reporting,instigating and speculating falshood about mr Obama, this wickedness and hatred should stop.

Posted by: Davey | Mar 20, 2008 1:29:27 PM

A CITIZEN ---- The Dems have only controlled both houses for just over a year. The Repubs controlled the houses for almost 12 years. What is your point?

Posted by: Mike M. | Mar 20, 2008 1:31:19 PM

After what one mans church has preached and celebrated for 20+ years, that man has no business running for any public office. And yes he attended these "rallies"

Posted by: Kurt | Mar 20, 2008 1:33:12 PM

If the American People have not made a decision about Senator Obama, we have a problem. He is a Racists. He has no qualifications to be President. He has spent his whole political career running for President. If he is elected to any office with all the Foreign Saudi money being filtered into his effort where will his head be? This guy is a snake in the grass

Posted by: James Dreyer | Mar 20, 2008 1:35:53 PM

BKMC .. I am curious? How would you know about a Rhum Shop in Castries? I do agree with you though, because if you've been there, then you know what you are talking about.

Posted by: Angel | Mar 20, 2008 1:37:27 PM

There is no debating the right-wing, mind-controlled, close-minded, hypocritical GOP sheep on this post. Thye have their closed minds made up, and DAMN the evidence. They distort, smear, and use race-tinged attacks to try and scare people. In short, these people are what is wrong with American today. They are the loyal followers of Karl Rove, Rush, MCain, Bush, and Cheney. They are lemmings incapable of thinkng for themselves. Thus, they feel threatened by an intelligent, reasoned, logical candidate like Obama. They DESERVE 4 more years of lies, deceit, and fearmongering from McCain because that is all they know and understand. If I did not know that they and the administraiton they voted for were dragging this country down more and more, I might kind of feel sorry for them. They are pathetic...

Posted by: miles1967 | Mar 20, 2008 1:37:36 PM

Obama will serve McCain up as an appetizer in a debate. McCain is such an idiot but i'm glad ot see he was honest enough to say he would see us in Iraq for hte next 100 years. That was very telling of him. Of course, our economy would collapse about 95 years before that could happen, but clearly, McCain won't let total economic collapse deter him from his unbalanced war views. He is damaged goods. I never understood why anyone would think some former POW Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Sufferer would be a good person to lead a country or a war.

Posted by: jessboston | Mar 20, 2008 1:44:30 PM

good to see the racial double standard in America is going strong. Wonder what would happen if the Aryan Lowriders endorsed McCain? hmm guess that would be ok huh?

and to all the joy-joy happy feeling hippies who want a healer in the white house.. ha you must be high. A healer? or how about a Shaman, or maybe Gandalf the Grey? There will always be someone out there that hates us. Remember the hostages in Iran? the bombing of the Marine barracks? Just think, who would our enemies want to win?

Posted by: SS 8 10 | Mar 20, 2008 1:46:51 PM

I'm kind of thinking, Obama, who really cares what you say. Tell us why you continue to go to that hate filled church first.

Posted by: Jeff | Mar 20, 2008 1:49:06 PM

I think OBAMA is the best man to get us out of this multinational corporate wars and greed, Hilary is part of them she belongs to a weird church in Washington political circles, a book in May talks how this circle doe snot include Jews, Catholics, Blacks, women, Asians or Latinos, is almost a supremacist group, and she has to pay back to all those lobby rich war mongers back...

OBAMA is the man, yes he might have his flaws but he is the best candidate by far.

Posted by: Peter Shultz | Mar 20, 2008 1:49:42 PM

obama says he had good judgement to oppose the war from day one, where was his good judgement to denounce, distance and oppose his pastor cum spiritual leader for the evil sermons????

Posted by: pam | Mar 20, 2008 1:49:44 PM

What about his decesion to attend Rev. Wrights church for 20yrs. What this say about his judgement. I don't think that he should be lecturing Hillary about judgement and making mistakes! He has been neutralized on the judgement argument. With that large american flag in the background looks like he is trying to show that he is now proud to be an american. Well Hillary has always been proud of her country! Maybe next we will see him with one on his lapel.

Posted by: russell | Mar 20, 2008 1:49:57 PM

McCain...what a joke. He needs Lieberman by his side to spoon feed him for he is ignorant and out of it. Just a mouthpiece for the American oligarchy.

Posted by: LA rider 1 | Mar 20, 2008 1:51:13 PM

I'ts a shame that the presidentel campainge has turned Into a racial war. It seem's Obama think's he has all the answer's to unite all race's of people. If you ask me he should leave this alone. I work with black people that I like and get along with. Obama and the pastor have stirred up thing's they should have left alone. It is just gonna get worse for him..

Posted by: jeanette | Mar 20, 2008 1:51:25 PM

Obama should not count his chickens before they come home to roost.

Posted by: sarah | Mar 20, 2008 1:52:06 PM

Jeff, I continue to go to my catholic church, who tell me that premarital sex is a sin (whatever), the birthcontrol is a sin (even bigger whatever) that we should forget about those pedophile priests (yeah right, go near my son I'll sock you!), I'm not supposed to take communion if i'm prochoice (tee hee hee) that we are not allowed ot even discuss the stupidity of priets who do not marry adn no female priests... I can't tell you how much of these sermons I just let fly right by my head thinking "when do the hyms start? I always love to hear the choir..really lifts my spirits..."

I could really care less what his preacher says. I care about what he says.

Posted by: jessboston | Mar 20, 2008 1:53:29 PM

After going to Rev. Wrights church for 20yrs. he has the gaull to say that Hillary does not have good judgement! I noticed the large american flag behind hime today good to see he has become so patriotic! Maybe he will convince his wife and Rev Wright to do the same! Next look for the flag on his lapel!

Posted by: russell | Mar 20, 2008 1:53:45 PM

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