Obama's under attack for dodging tough issues by voting "Present" instead of Yes on No.

[MethuenProgressive]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/20/528491.aspx
Fellow Dems Slam Obama On Present Votes
Reps. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Anthony Weiner and Joe Crowley of New York -- held a conference call with reporters, questioning Obama's leadership and record for voting "present" numerous times while in the Illinois state Senate.

"The president of the United States needs to take a tough stand on tough issues -- and not say, 'I'm here, but I'm not going to take a position,'" said Tubbs Jones, referring to today's New York Times report that Obama voted "present" nearly 130 times as a state legislator on issues ranging from juvenile crime to abortion.

Weiner chimed in, "He took ... the easy way out on a lot of controversial votes," adding, "It shows, I think, a lack of leadership."

Crowley cited other votes that Obama has skipped while serving in the US Senate, like one condemning MoveOn.org and another designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.
--------
Obama's supporter claim Present is an acceptable option, even when confronted with Obama's own words:

While these votes occurred while Obama and the Democrats were in the minority in the Illinois Senate, in the Audacity of Hope (page 130), Obama explained that even as a legislator in the minority, "You must vote yes or no on whatever bill comes up, with the knowledge that it's unlikely to be a compromise that either you or your supporters consider fair and or just."

So here's the question:
Should we believe what Obama himself said in Audacity of Hope, of the current spin offered by his Campaign?

[William769]

1. Happy Holidays! MethuenProgressive

[MethuenProgressive]

9. Presents!

That's what Obama was doing! He thought he was writing Santa!! :rofl:
Happy Holidays back at cha.

[Occam Bandage]

2. This is a perfect example of when one ought to vote "present," actually.

[CTLawGuy]

3. do you do anything

besides constantly attack Obama?

Seriously...

three people who are supporting Hillary and have NO idea how Illinois lege politics works...?

[JohnLocke]

4. No, he smears Edwards too.

[CTLawGuy]

12. fair enough

but not Clinton?

Is that interesting to you as well?

[Renew Deal]

5. He posted the same article yesterday.

He's part of the HAM. Hillary Attack Machine.

[MethuenProgressive]

8. ObamaNation's delusion: If you don't worship Obama, you be a HillBot

Cults have that kind of paranoia too.

[zbdent]

6. 130 typos ...

he was voting "President" ...

[Bitwit1234]

7. Somebody ought to ask him why he wants to bomb IRAN

Hillary didn't, she didn't even vote to bomb Iraq.

[MethuenProgressive]

10. He was way off base with that - his inexperienced was glaring.

[MethuenProgressive]

11. 90% of DU is voting "Present"!!

Go Bama! :rofl:

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[HughMoran]

14. Thanks for the "present" option

This makes it a less contentious way of making your point :D

[LSK]

15. as an Edwards supporter, this issue is beyond stupid

[MethuenProgressive]

16. Yes 2, No 1, Present 26. "You must vote yes or no on whatever bill comes up," - Obama

C'mon, DU - oBama says Yes or No only! :rofl:

[ClarkUSA]

17. OP should be "Clinton surrogates attack Obama on 3% of his 4000 votes as IL lawmaker"

All those votes were "gotcha" bills by the GOP, too. Voting "Present" was a way to turn the tables. For more, read the following:

Primer Lesson: Obama sponsored and fought for 823 bills over 8 years as an Illinois lawmaker
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3870386&mesg_id=3870386

Gawd, y'all are desperate.

Love that new NH poll where Obama TIES Hillary now, don't you? :-)

[MethuenProgressive]

18. ObamaBots make excuses for Obama dodging tough issues with "I Pass!" instead of spine.

Porn shops near schools? Pass!
Abortion rights? Pass!
Gun control? Pass!
Obama for President? Pass!

[ClarkUSA]

19. For an alleged Richardson supporter, you sure post OPs like a loyal Mark Penn stenographer.

Where are you posting all this material from? HillaryIs44, HillaryHub, or the other half-dozen attack Obama websites and bloggers that have
sprung up in the past two months since Obama has caught up with your girl? Gold Star for you from Mark Penn!

Clinton Kool-Aide apologists make strawman arguments to distract from Hillary's neocon IWR and Kyl-Lieberman votes as well as her speeches
in support of the Iraq war over the years (until she started running for president, that is) as well as her long support for NAFTA (until she started
running for president, that is), her vote for the Patriot Act and attendant speeches in support, etc.

"Lobbyists are people, too" ~ Hillary Clinton, Yearly Kos 2007

Love that Obama has tied Her Royal Swift Boater in NH, don't you?

[MethuenProgressive]

20. Poor ObamaNation - under the delusion only Clinton backers don't worship their guy.

Do the math. Most people don't support your candidate.

[ClarkUSA]

23. There are no illusions as to why you keep posting OP after OP every single day attacking Obama...

Hillaryworld is scared shitless Obama is going to rob Her Royal Parser of her coronation.

I and "most people" can't wait until Hillary comes in third in Iowa.

[MethuenProgressive]

25. If he gets the bigot wing of his church out to vote, he'll win Iowa.

Let's "Hope" Iowa is smarter than that.

[ClarkUSA]

27. lol! Say, has Hillary fired the two homophobes that are her SC co-chairs yet? No, huh?

What a stupid hypocritical argument. But you know that.

And if Hillary gets the DLC Lieberman Democrats out to vote, she'll win Iowa. Good luck with that one!

Too bad no one likes Hillary... god, what a pathetic joke, that "Likeability Tour"! Too funny! :rofl:

[MethuenProgressive]

28. Typical - it's Hillary's fault your guy's pandering to bigots.

You and the HillBots deserve each other.

[ClarkUSA]

33. *yawn*

:boring:

[LWolf]

21. Other: we don't need to believe anything he's said, at any time. n/t

[calteacherguy]

22. There is no contradiction in Obama's statement. Present=No!

That's the way it works in the Illinois state legislature. The practical effect of voting "present" on a bill is the same as voting "no" because it requires a majority of legislators to pass a bill, not just those present.

[ClarkUSA]

24. Yup...they were "gotcha" bills by the GOP and he effectively turned the tables on them

Glad you're back, PC. :hi:

[MethuenProgressive]

26. Yes 2, No 2, Present 34!

I wonder if ObamaNation will vote Present! in the Iowa caucus? :rofl:

[ClarkUSA]

29. Wrong... he cast 4000 votes as an IL lawmaker. The "present" votes represent 3% of the total.

You're desperate... I love it.

[MethuenProgressive]

30. Abortion rights? Present! Gun control? Present! Porn shops next to schools? Present!

Keep spinning his spineless voting record - the more people who know about it, the better!

[ClarkUSA]

32. All "gotcha" votes by the GOP. And you're conveniently ignoring 97% of his 4000 votes...

Keep Hillary's neocon pro-war voting record -- the more Iowans think about it, the less likely they will vote for her... guess that's why
they dislike her so much that she has to drag out that "Likeability Tour" huh?

Did you record a gushing "The Hillary I Know" video testimonial yet? :rofl:

[Lucinda]

31. Another MSNBC piece that talks about the pros and cons of the "present" votes

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22335739/

I didn't copy any quotes because I think the whole thing merits reading.

[MethuenProgressive]

34. The first two paragraphs:

In 1999, Barack Obama was faced with a difficult vote in the Illinois legislature — to support a bill that would let some juveniles be tried as adults, a position that risked drawing fire from African-Americans, or to oppose it, possibly undermining his image as a tough-on-crime moderate.

In the end, Mr. Obama chose neither to vote for nor against the bill. He voted “present,” effectively sidestepping the issue, an option he invoked nearly 130 times as a state senator.

The Obama Sidestep in action.

[Perry Logan]

35. I believe what Obama says, no matter how many times he changes it.