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Flip Flop? Obama Acknowledges 'Shift in Emphasis'
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ShareJuly 15, 2008 3:45 PM
ABC News' Jennifer Parker Reports: Sen. Barack Obama acknowledged Tuesday that he has made a "shift in emphasis" on some issues during his campaign but argues Sen. John McCain's reversals are much more severe.
In an attempt to broaden his appeal before the general election, Obama raised reversed an earlier pledge and voting in the Senate to give legal immunity to phone companies that took part in warrantless wiretapping after the Sept. 11 attacks -- a move that raised the ire of his liberal allies.
It was the latest in a series of perceived shifts in policy Obama has taken on issues that range from gun control, the death penalty, and his newly voiced support for President Bush's faith-based programs giving taxpayer money to religious groups.
Asked during an interview with PBS's Gwen Ifill about his position on wiretapping legislation and his support for the Supreme Court decision striking down the District of Columbia's handgun ban, Obama initially argued there hasn't been any "wild shifts" in his public policy positions.
"I do think that this notion that somehow we’ve had wild shifts in my positions is simply inaccurate," Obama told Ifill in an interview that will air tonight on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer. "You mentioned the gun position. I’ve been talking about the Second Amendment being an individual right for the last year and a half. So there wasn’t a shift there."
But when Ifill pressed Obama on his refusal to accept public financing that would limit spending during the presidential campaign, despite his earlier promise to take public financing, the presumptive Democratic nominee said, "Well, campaign finance, there’s no doubt that that was a shift in recognizing that we could not broker a deal with the Republicans that would prevent the Republican National Committee or the Republican Governors Association or all these other organizations, that are already spending millions of dollars against us, that we could not contain them within a public financing system."
"So the broader point, Gwen, is if you compare sort of my shift in emphasis on issues that I’ve been proposing for years, like say, faith-based initiatives, which have raised questions in the press, if you compare that to John McCain ... if you compare that to John McCain’s complete reversal on oil drilling, complete reversal on George Bush’s tax cuts, complete reversal on immigration where he said he wouldn’t even vote for his own bill, that I think is a pretty hard case to make that somehow I’ve been shifting substantially relative to John McCain," Obama said.
The Republican Party reacted Tuesday, blasting Obama in an emailed statement sent to reporters.
“Who is Barack Obama kidding? Obama’s excuses for breaking his promise on public financing defy honesty and reality. Obama should drop the pretenses and admit what everyone knows: He abandoned his principles in order to gain a political advantage,” said Republican National Committee Alex Conant.
ABC News' George Sanchez contributed to this report.
July 15, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (33)
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This guys ability to sell you snake oil is amazing... I think he believes his own rhetoric
Posted by: Nick | Jul 15, 2008 4:03:41 PM
Nick wants more of the same
Posted by: The IN-famous El Guapo | Jul 15, 2008 4:05:54 PM
I think the media has been giving McCain a pass on his flipflops and gaffes to try and keep alive some semblance of an exciting race.
McCain is just such a bad choice he is out of date and out of touch. T
Posted by: Citizen Voter | Jul 15, 2008 4:12:02 PM
He can only sell you the snake oil if YOU believe his rhetoric! He pretends that he couldn't accept public financing because only Republican organizations would be advertising. He knows that the Democrats would be doing the same thing but no one challenges that disingenuous and deliberately misleading assertion. People need to start ignoring that "thrill that runs up their leg" when he speaks and start paying attention to what he is saying,
Posted by: Charlie35 | Jul 15, 2008 4:14:29 PM
Last week Mccain said no extra troops needed in Afghanistan. Today after Obama speech calling for extra brigades there.....guess.
Now McGoo is calling for more troops because "I know how to win wars"
Posted by: watching | Jul 15, 2008 4:20:28 PM
Obama is the biggest distraction to HIMSELF!
Posted by: HP Boston | Jul 15, 2008 4:30:41 PM
The man loves to whine and point finger at others if things go wrong with him and he is caught treading the wrong steps.
Posted by: Rachel | Jul 15, 2008 4:32:40 PM
I agree rachel, McCain is a classic republican, never take responsibility for his mistakes and blames others. Just look at how many shakeups he has in his campaign. And why, because he won't listen to any of his advisors and goes off on wild tangents, then when they don't work out, he fires his advisors. Classic republican, blame everybody but himself.
Posted by: JR | Jul 15, 2008 4:43:15 PM
since when did a "shift in emphasis" become a flip-flop?
this is stupid
Posted by: dl | Jul 15, 2008 4:47:12 PM
JR, you got it all wrong. I was talking about the smart and intelligent candidate.
Posted by: Rachel | Jul 15, 2008 4:53:40 PM
Obama - flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop. Can't he maintain a position on anything? Apparently not yet, his lemmings follow merrily along maintaining that his different positions are really the same thing.
Funny, even the NY times and virtually every other media outlet recognizes his every changing positions. Only the lemmings refuse to see.
Posted by: Aston | Jul 15, 2008 4:56:05 PM
Obama's speeches are full of hypocrosies and sometimes lies (or truths after flip-flopping like a seal in the Artic). No more speeches, Mr. Obama, please. No more talk, no more lies, no more hypocrisy.
Posted by: no_more_speeches | Jul 15, 2008 5:13:58 PM
The London times quotes BHO as saying he would invade Pakistan with or without their permission should he see fit to do so.
Now, who's the war monger?
Posted by: Soetoro No! | Jul 15, 2008 5:17:37 PM
I'm with you Rachel, the smart and intelligent candidate Obama. McCain is out of touch and he didn't rate 5th from the botton of his class for no reason. Dumb doesn't do enough justice to McCain's mental powers. After all, he plans on continuing Bush policy. He just can't see that what has failed for over seven years will keep failing. What a bozo.
Posted by: JR | Jul 15, 2008 5:25:00 PM
OMG... who is calling who a flip flopper?? Tell me what exactly do you call it when every 2 hours McCain is on a new thought???
Posted by: becky | Jul 15, 2008 5:29:00 PM
OMG... who is calling who a flip flopper?? Tell me what exactly do you call it when every 2 hours McCain is on a new thought???
Posted by: becky | Jul 15, 2008 5:29:00 PM
Rachel:
In other words, you were talking about Hillary?
Posted by: SandyB | Jul 15, 2008 5:36:46 PM
It's kind of funny to me that this is the worst thing they've been able to accuse him of at this stage.
McCain has notably been pushing the boundaries (if not breaking) other campaign finance laws. Is that really better than "shifting position"?
Posted by: Tony | Jul 15, 2008 5:49:20 PM
Sen. Barack Obama acknowledged Tuesday that he has made a "shift in emphasis" on some issues during his campaign but argues Sen. John McCain's reversals are much more severe.
===
Right, this phony, affirmative action candi asks you to choose between a bigger devil and a smaller devil. Maybe he is changing his position of "phoniness"; perhaps we shall call him a little phony now - after all, he is admitting that he has deceive you, the voters and stole the dems nomination from a better more experience and more knowledgeable candidate.
Posted by: fact check | Jul 15, 2008 5:53:23 PM
becky
you call that senile
Posted by: rodney | Jul 15, 2008 5:53:31 PM
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