« Previous | Main | Next »

Stephanopoulos: Obama Considered Joining the Military

Share

September 07, 2008 11:35 AM

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos reports: In an exclusive "This Week" interview, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said he considered joining the military after finishing high school.

"I had to sign up for selective service when I graduated from High School," Obama said. "I actually always thought of the military as an ennobling and you know, honorable option."

Obama suggested his decision not to enlist was an issue of timing, not service. "I graduated in 1979.  The Vietnam War had come to an end.  We weren’t engaged in an active military conflict at that point.  And so, it’s not an option that I ever decided to pursue," he said.

In his first Sunday morning show appearance since accepting the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama used the question as an opportunity to criticize Republican presidential candidate John McCain on veteran’s benefits.

"One of the things that I want to make sure of," Obama said, "is that, for those young men and women who decided to pursue a military career, that they are treated with the honor and dignity they deserve during service and when they get home."

"And this is actually an area where John McCain and I have had some disagreements in terms of funding veteran services and disability payments, and dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder -- things that I prioritize," Obama said. 

September 7, 2008 in Obama, Barack, Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (298)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

I wanted to join military when I was FIVE years old….. ABC ..talk about Obama's room mate siddique when he was in Columbia and those LOST years………

Posted by: inde | Sep 7, 2008 11:49:39 AM

Posted by: newme234 | Sep 7, 2008 11:56:42 AM

UMMM, OKKKK!!
Sure, you did. Because any cursory review of your history supports that. His grandfather testified UNDER OATH that he was a Communist, and they moved to Seattle just so Obama's mother could attend a left wing high school, that taught classes about anarchy...
Not to mention Obama's mentor in Hawaii, Frank Marshall Davis, who was a communist also. (who bragged in his memoir about a 13 year old he and his wife seduced, that Frank)
If you're in effect raised by Communists, joining the military is the LAST thing you want to do, unless you're lying in full pander mode trying to save your own butt in an election.

Smear? If the truth is a smear, then I guess I'm smearing.

Posted by: hippie_chucker | Sep 7, 2008 11:59:36 AM

SARAH PALIN IS NOT ON TRAINING WHEELS WE CAN BELIEVE IN

"There's a lot of complaining that the McCain campaign won't allow anyone to interview Sarah Palin. And for the major news outlets that would be in line for such an interview there's a logic to keeping up the drumbeat. But McCain campaign manager Rick Davis is right: It's their campaign to run. They can do it how they want. Everyone else should just shut up, stop complaining and call the reality for what it is.

Davis says Palin won't give any interviews until she feels "comfortable" giving one. And this morning he added that she wouldn't give any "until the point in time when she'll be treated with respect and deference."

Sarah Palin could be the President of the United States in four and a half months. We tend to think of this as an abstraction; but it's true. And yet today she's so unprepared and knows so little about the challenges and tasks facing the country that she can't even give a softball interview.

That's really all we need to know. Yes, she's off being prepped at some undisclosed location. And I've little doubt that by the time her debate rolls around she'll be sufficiently pumped full of slogans and bromides to make a show of it. But now, this moment, is the one that tells us all we need to know.

As is so often the case, Palin is the incarnation of the Republican slurs. The darling of the hard-right; she gives a stem-winding speeches. She pushes all their buttons. But she's such a lightweight, they can't risk letting her answer a few questions. Not even on Fox. They know she's not ready and probably never will be. But they think the politics might work for them."

--Josh Marshall

Posted by: Ehhh | Sep 7, 2008 12:02:50 PM

We all had to sign up for Selective Service you bofo! That's not "considering to join the military." Obama is clearly losing it. Why oh why did we not pick Hillary as our nominee?

Posted by: Joe | Sep 7, 2008 12:04:18 PM

Hahahahaha...LOL. This guy is about to be president?

You see, the media has been successful to portray that W Bush is dumb guy despite the fact that he went to Yale and Harvard Business School. And as it turned out, his grades were better than those of Al Gore and John Kerry. And now the liberal democrats and their faithful media have been successful to portray that Obama is a genius despite his very poor direct and unscripted communication skills. And he does not even have any publications under his name except his two autobios. What a megalomania guy.

Obama's candidacy is a fraud.

Posted by: John Carson | Sep 7, 2008 12:06:04 PM

i suppose we all consider it to some degree or another. I considered it for a short period after high school. Never too seriously, but i considered it nonetheless.
I think George was reading an email from someone who asked if Obama ever considered it, or why he never considered it. It was kind of a condescending question...like if you don't serve you're not worthy of being an american. Typical right wing uber/psuedo patriot rantings.

Posted by: dave | Sep 7, 2008 12:08:33 PM

LMAO!

Posted by: trettion | Sep 7, 2008 12:12:58 PM

It sounded soooooooo cheap!

Well, that was not above his pay grade, anyway. He is always capable of lying.

Posted by: Rob | Sep 7, 2008 12:13:24 PM

hippie_chucker,

You're identifier is "hippie_chucker?" I think I just tuned out.

Have a nice Sunday.

Posted by: really | Sep 7, 2008 12:13:24 PM

Sarah Palin is spending time with her oldest son, Track, this weekend since he will be leaving for duty in Itaq next week. I don't blame her for that because I spent a lot of time with my son before both his tours there. He is there as we speak.

Semper Fi

Posted by: Bob | Sep 7, 2008 12:15:55 PM

Obama got C in political science whwn he was in Columbia.... They don't want to talk about his Lost years.

Posted by: Clinton supporter | Sep 7, 2008 12:16:18 PM

=======================================
Hey, EHHHHHcho. How about sticking with the topic of this thread. It's about Obammy DODGING the military, remember.

Ok, since you are obsessed with Sarah Palin, let's roll.

Think back, try, back 3, 4, 5 months ago. Sarah was running a State government, giving birth, fighting state corruption, and balancing a budget. No one could dream she would be chosen for the 2nd most important job in the free world. Why the hell should she care what went on in the Oral Office?

So now, you want her to jump in and face the Pr!ck Noberman, have Matthews slobber all over her, and each not give her a chance to answer their questions before they drum her off the stage. Yes, I can see that you WOULD like that.

But it don't work that way. She will get some OJT (that stands for On the Job Training for you Obammabots) before she has to go into battle with liberal whackos.

So, give her just a little leeway. Just pretend that she is a "community organizer".


Palin - 08

Posted by: LarryMan | Sep 7, 2008 12:21:29 PM

Obama is a serial liar.

Posted by: young_voter | Sep 7, 2008 12:22:20 PM

In this interview, Obama says he is in favor of school vouchers and a bigger military. I have to hand it to Barrry...he said it without giggling.

Posted by: Change? | Sep 7, 2008 12:25:41 PM

from the article: "I graduated in 1979. The Vietnam War had come to an end. We weren’t engaged in an active military conflict at that point. And so, it’s not an option that I ever decided to pursue,"

Personally, I graduated in 1983 and DID enlist in the military.

Leadership from the community organization specialist?

Posted by: greg216 | Sep 7, 2008 12:25:52 PM

lol. Is he really that nervous about where this election is going?!

Posted by: mpCT | Sep 7, 2008 12:27:00 PM

Clinton supporter,

Change your name to "Obama hater" or "Republican," it would be more honest. Or does honesty matter to you?

BTW - If you were able to dig up all this information, what makes you think the rest of us can't? Whose intelligence are you disregarding? The people you're trying to convince? Huh.

Maybe we should ask about your grades.

Posted by: really | Sep 7, 2008 12:27:15 PM

Why the preferential treatment for Sarah? If she is as good as they say she is, she can handle it all! WOW, aren't you all being protective one who needs to be able to handle the heat.

Posted by: veritas1st | Sep 7, 2008 12:32:01 PM

I would like to know the answer to this question - Did Obama write about considering military service in either one of his 2 memoirs/books?

If the answer is no, I am very suspect of his claim in Sept. 2008.

Posted by: MCarroll | Sep 7, 2008 12:32:39 PM

Post a comment