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Al Qaeda in Iraq (Almost) Trips Obama

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April 11, 2008 11:11 AM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller and Teddy Davis Report: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., came close to once again saying that al Qaeda is not in Iraq while speaking Thursday in Gary, Indiana.

The Democratic frontrunner's near gaffe was quickly seized on by aides to presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, R-Ariz., who YouTubed the remarks and emailed them to reporters covering Obama.

"Al Qaeda is not in Ir --" said Obama at which point he caught himself and finished the sentence by saying: "the key Al Qaeda leadership is not based in Iraq."

Watch it: HERE

Thursday is not the first time that the McCain campaign has hounded Obama on al Qaeda in Iraq as a way of casting the freshman senator as too inexperienced to be commander-in-chief.

When Obama said at a Feb. 26 debate in Cleveland with Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, that he would reserve the right to send U.S. troops back to Iraq if Al Qaeda formed a base which threatened the U.S. or its interests, McCain scolded the senator who is 25 years his junior.

"I have some news," said McCain while campaigning the next day in Tyler, Texas. "Al Qaeda is in Iraq! It's called al Qaeda in Iraq."

"If we left," McCain continued, "they wouldn't be establishing a base. They wouldn't be establishing a base, they'd be taking a country, and I am not going to let that happen, my friends."

Watch McCain's Feb. 27 comments HERE.

Later that same day, Obama hit back while campaigning in Columbus, Ohio. He made the point that although al Qaeda is now in Iraq, it was not in Iraq prior to the 2003 U.S. invasion which Obama opposed and McCain supported.

"Well, first of all, I DO know that al Qaeda is in Iraq," Obama said. "That's why I've said we should continue to strike al Qaeda targets."

"But I have some news for John McCain," he added, "and that is that there was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq!"

April 11, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (115)

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J: You're right! The only gaffe Hilary ever made about Iraq is her vote to invade Iraq! How right you are! For real? LOL

Posted by: Susan | Apr 11, 2008 12:21:52 PM

Deep Release,
Why do you people act like she is the only one that chose to vote for that war?

If I remember correctly a good percentage of Americans wanted revenge after 9/11 and didn't have a problem with it. Now because it's not going well, the are suddenly against it.

Not one of you were privied to the information that the Senators had, including Saint Obama. How can you know what YOU would have done in their shoes???????

Posted by: J | Apr 11, 2008 12:26:08 PM

Back off Gramps - if you bring attention to this near "gaffe" on Obama's part - your 6 or so "misstatements" will be brought front and center.

Posted by: Julie | Apr 11, 2008 12:27:23 PM

If Clinton gets off the script she gets lost. She's not much of a smooth talker, but sure can tell a whopper. She's more of a follower than a leader.
========================================
Clinton, she would be a good V.P., but it won't happen!!!
========================================

Obama 2008 -- Yes, WE CAN!!!

Posted by: Jackt51 -- Vietnam Vet and Proud Liberal | Apr 11, 2008 12:27:29 PM

If McCain is having "senior" moments what are Obamas's gaffes? "idiot" moments?

Posted by: geevill | Apr 11, 2008 12:28:18 PM

Leaving flordia and Mich. out is the only way Obama can win.

Posted by: Bishop | Apr 11, 2008 12:31:37 PM

Bottom Line:
OBAMA is not qualified to be a senator.

Posted by: raquela | Apr 11, 2008 12:32:22 PM

All of us in my family have switched
to Hillary once we realized how dumb
Obama really is - thats true of all my friends
families too...

Even in my gym now everybody is
fed up with Obama ....


Posted by: rutherford | Apr 11, 2008 12:35:25 PM

J: For the most part, the U.S. has gone about war inteligently and with a level-headed strategy. This wisdom is evident during the Cold War. However, we no longer seek a wise approach to war. We are losing the war on terrorism precisely because of the hot-headed approach which took hold of this country in the aftermath of 9/11.

I fully support Obama because of his views on the war, despite the fact that I wanted blood after 9/11 too. I was in the military when those planes struck the homeland. And, I also voted for Bush in the last elections. After everything I have learned since then, I vowed never to make a bad vote again. I am taking my chances on Obama this time around.

Posted by: Susan | Apr 11, 2008 12:36:07 PM

Voting for Obama is not "cool" its
dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: ricki | Apr 11, 2008 12:37:51 PM

True Truth - Lets not forget many of Obama's 2300 donors were found to be babies in diapers and children. Obama returned what was discovered by the media but as the FEC stated, there is no requirement to prove the age of donors and therefore no way to be certain just how many other donations are illegal. Richardson was also caught with these types of donors.

Posted by: mixed-american | Apr 11, 2008 12:39:28 PM

Obama opposed the war in the beginning because he had no clue in any intelligence as he had not clearance. It is purely based on a hunch, on ideology, which is fine as an activist. Would he have said, "I agree with you, Mrs. Senator", were he in the senate at that time, after the question was posted to his opponent first?

He has rarely been asked a question first during a debate, and every time at his turn to respond, he is always, "I agree with Senator XYZ".

On which issue has Obama come up with his OWN ideas, so far?

Posted by: tooth | Apr 11, 2008 12:40:31 PM

1) You singled Clinton out as not having made a gaffe rergarding Iraq, not me.

2) Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
Posted by: Deep Release--------------
-----------------------
No kidding 9/11 didn't have anything to do with Iraq you dolt. I didn't say it did. But people wanted revenge on whomever and Bush came up with this war to finish what Daddy started and people were all for it until it went horribly wrong.

Who else was I going to bring up there isn't anybody else running. You got the bobsie twins making blunders on Iraq more than once. How can you trust those 2 to run this country?

Posted by: J | Apr 11, 2008 12:41:21 PM

Meanwhile Obama's iranian friends continue to taunt and harass our Naval ships.

Posted by: geevill | Apr 11, 2008 12:42:41 PM

I vowed never to make a bad vote again. I am taking my chances on Obama this time around.
Posted by: Susan-----
------
I hate to tell you this but you are making a third mistake, but that's up to you.

Posted by: J | Apr 11, 2008 12:44:55 PM

tooth: First, I speak frequently with my husband who was a debater for many years about the "first question" issue and he does not understood the problem Clinton has with being asked questions first. In debates, this is an advantage as this person sets the tone for the rest of the dialogue.

Second, do you think any of the candidates have ideas they can claim as "original" (i.e., as their own)? All advances in human societies are based on the ideas of previous generations. What is your point?

Posted by: Susan | Apr 11, 2008 12:45:56 PM

Why is Obama still in the race? he does not know how to handle the issues. If is not a prepared speech, he does not know what to say. Obama is unelectable, he is damaging the Democrat Party.

Posted by: libre | Apr 11, 2008 12:48:41 PM

Susan - Did not you take a chance on Bush last time? You know, Bush had even more experience than Obama! Look what you got on taking that chance. Now, again??? You need to choose a CiC who has at least some records, not on a single record of a protest-agains-the-other-party speech before the war.

Posted by: lazy to think | Apr 11, 2008 12:49:32 PM

The point is Obama can not think
an original thought and thus
based on his terrorist/racist upbringing/friends
will tend to resort to that.

Posted by: randi | Apr 11, 2008 12:49:43 PM

Frankly and sadly, Obama is not
qualified to be a Senator.

Posted by: Maxine | Apr 11, 2008 12:50:58 PM

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