I was a big fan of Obama's, I'm still a fan, but I didn't like "The Audacity of Hope." Here are some

[Stop Cornyn]

other reasons Obama is too centrist and too moderate to be my first choice:

Heath care

Immigration

Protecting the middle class

Sabre rattling over terrorists

This is from Obama own Senate website:

Moderate approach

He chose a half-dozen or so mostly noncontroversial topics on which to carve a niche. And on those issues - which range from the government's preparedness for avian flu to destroying weapons stockpiles in the former Soviet Union - he has mostly crafted a moderate stance, often working closely with a Republican colleague.

He went to Russia and the Ukraine with Sen. Richard Lugar, R- Ind., to inspect weapons storage sites. He teamed up with Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., to offer a "sensible center" proposal on the divisive issue of immigration reform.

And he joined Sen. Coburn on Katrina, where he generated considerable attention by visiting New Orleans and wading into the debate over whether the slow response was driven by racism. (That accusation, he said at the time, was "too simplistic," although he took the Bush administration to task more broadly for its policies toward the poor.)

Since then, Obama has focused his follow-up efforts on being a government watchdog as the Federal Emergency Management Agency doles out billions of dollars in reconstruction money.

He and Coburn called for a chief financial officer to oversee all the spending. Their proposal has stalled, but the two senators have continued to pound on FEMA in public and private on the issue.

Obama said his interests converged with those of Coburn, the conservative Republican. "Tom and I may not agree how money should always be spent, but we can agree that money should not be wasted," he said. "When you're allocating huge sums of money that's vanishing in no-bid contracts, that's hurting poor people as well as the taxpayers."

Obama's approach has mostly earned him rave reviews - from Republicans and Democrats alike - who say he is an open-minded, deliberative lawmaker.

Coburn called him a "phenomenal young man who will go to great heights," while Martinez said he hasn't seemed "dogmatic" or "ideologically driven" on any issue.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and a frequent maverick within the GOP, said: "He's very impressive, he's thoughtful, he's centrist."

Cautious on Iraq

Obama's voting record shows fewer signs of independence. He supported a GOP-backed bill to impose new limits on class-action lawsuits and also said yes to Condoleezza Rice's confirmation for secretary of state, even as some of his Democratic colleagues used that vote to object to the Bush administration's Iraq war policy. But he has otherwise mostly voted with his fellow Democrats.

Obama also has taken a cautious tack on Iraq. He campaigned strongly against the war last year, and many expected him to be a forceful voice on the subject.

But Obama waded into the fray over Iraq after there was already a deafening drumbeat of criticism from both Democrats and Republicans of the administration's conduct of the war. And his speech offered little new; his call for a phased draw-down of troops, for example, had already been bandied about by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and others.

"The war has been a big challenge" for him, said Ronald Walters, a political science professor at the University of Maryland. "Because he comes from a community that is opposed to the war, and from a caucus that has mixed views . . . he has to be careful." His stance is "symptomatic of his moderation," said Walters.

Walters sees such positions as politically smart, and he sees Obama as part of a "new generation" of African-American leaders who are "less strident, less demanding, less militant."

Obama said his view on the war has been consistent. He thought it was wrong to get in but that now the United States has a responsibility to see the conflict through, which is why he doesn't support a quick withdrawal. Obama said he doesn't think he's being too cautious - on Iraq or anything else.

His allies and several outside observers agree. Mooney, the University of Illinois professor, said it would be more out of character for Obama to strike a hard line than to craft moderate policies as he's doing.

"I don't see him doing anything different than he did in the state house," Mooney said. "He's not a knee-jerk ideologue."

In his short time in the Senate, Obama has moved well to the center since his liberal days before he was a national figure.

I'm not saying Obama isn't a great guy, because he is, but he's too moderate for my taste. I'll work my ass off to see him elected if he's our nominee, but he isn't my first choice in the primary.

[AX10]

1. Obama: All hat, no cattle.

First Choice: Joe Biden!

[snowbear]

3. Let me get this straight.....

Stop Cornyn states that he "was" a fan of Obamas, but that he doesn't care for how moderate and centrist Obama is...

You on the other hand have been screaming just the opposite about all Democrats all evening.

You've stated in two separate threads that you don't like "left wing Democrats" --- or as you called them "the God damned left wing"

.... S/Cornyn suggests Obama is too moderate.

.... You don't like liberal Democrats.

What's wrong with this picture?

[BeyondGeography]

4. Looks like his objections might not be purely ideological

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

[Clintonista2]

10. I'm pretty sure he means "left wing" not left wing

"Left wing" refers to people such as yourself, who claim to be "Left wing" but support a centrist candidate.

[Beacool]

7. All noise and no action?

Too many "present" and missing votes.......

[Renew Deal]

2. He's gotten a 100% and 95% from ADA and two 8's from ACU.

How much more liberal do you want him to be?

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=9490

[FrenchieCat]

5. Well Obama is not Edwards.........

Obama has been consistent, at least.

such audacity, so little time! :eyes:

[asdjrocky]

6. I think he could learn how to be more Progressive.

Here's one of my problems:

Senator Barack Hussein Obama Jr. REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY
RESPONSES TO CITIZENS ON ISSUES THROUGH THE 2008
POLITICAL COURAGE TEST WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY

Key national leaders of both major parties including:
John McCain, Republican Senator
Geraldine Ferraro, Former Democratic Congresswoman
Michael Dukakis, Former Democratic Governor
Bill Frenzel, Former Republican Congressman
Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart President

News organizations throughout the nation also urged candidates to supply their issue positions through the Political Courage Test.


Urge Senator Barack Hussein Obama Jr. to fill out the Political Courage Test

I think anyone that wants to be president, should respond to the Political Courage Test, from Project Vote Smart.

[snowbear]

8. Which link are you quoting from?

What is the source for your content. Please advise.

[asdjrocky]

12. I don't just make stuff up-

http://votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=9490

Take a look.

[Stop Cornyn]

13. Thanks for the link.

[Czolgosz]

9. I agree Obama is a good person but not especially liberal.

[Tejanocrat]

11. BINGO!

[Catchawave]

14. I think a lot of this has to do with still being a sitting Senator

I wish he were more progressive like Russ Feingold, but he's playing it safe like John Kerry did. Also, Biden, Dodd and Clinton are still Senators, and probably why they're not as progressive as I'd like, though they do take risks, like showing up to vote their position :D