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Anti-Obama Talking Point Number 3

By wt

Number 1 is here. Number 2 is here.

Number 3 is one that John McCain will surely use, and is probably already writing speeches about -- Obama's inability to adequately deal with interests hostile to the United States. The difference is that Hillary can also use this talking point against him, as she drapes herself in the mantle of experience. Here's a good summary:

What is the role of a conciliator in an unconciliating world?

You might think that in such conditions he is even more of an historical necessity---but why would you think that all that stands between the world and peace is one man?

George W. Bush was not single-handedly responsible for getting us into our strategic mess and Barack Obama will not be single-handedly responsible for getting us out of it.

There are autonomous countries and cultures out there. The turbulence that I have described is not caused by misunderstandings. It is caused by the interests of powers and the beliefs of peoples. Beijing, Moscow, Tehran, Pyongyang, Islamabad, Gaza City, Khartoum, Caracas-does Obama really believe that he has something to propose to these ruthless regimes that they have not already considered?

Does he plan to move them, to organize them, to show them change they can believe in? With what trick of empathy, what euphoria, does he hope to join the Shia, the Sunni, and the Kurds in Iraq?

Ouch. I think this is a fairly good talking point for either Hillary or McCain, but they should be prepared to have Obama hit them back on "more of the same" lines.

With McCain, I think that's a good response. They can each enforce their own talking points from there.

But with Hillary, I suppose I'd ask what Obama means by that. What were some of the foreign policy mistakes that Bill Clinton made, and what grand theory would separate him?

First, force him to explain himself. Second, get him to bash up on Bill a little bit, hope that he makes a gaffe, and then pounce on that statement as well.

Full post as published by Expressio Unius on February 15, 2008 (boomark / email).