What positions of Obama's are you unclear about?

[BL611]

This is kinda related to a conversation in another thread, but I think it deserves its own. I see many criticism's on DU that people don't know where Obama stands on the issues. His positions however are just as clear as anyone else's are, not to mention the two extremely introspective books he authored. My question is what issues specifically are people unclear about?

[goclark]

1. Thank you for your question

And when he runs in the Primaries we will have a chance to update our understanding of his stands on specific issues.

I would never count anyone out until the votes are counted ~ and not stolen.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I think the problem is

that many people haven't done the research on Obama to know his positions and where he stands. Their attention has been elsewhere, and suddenly Obama's name is bandied about for President, and they don't know that much about him. Like me, for instance. I can go google the fellow and find the information, but if you have some links you'd recommend, I'd appreciate them.

[BL611]

4. Sure

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama
http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=BS030017
http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Barack_Obama.htm

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

23. Thank you!

Just back from work and online again so I can now check these out.

[Guaranteed]

27. It's because he doesn't run on the issues and his positions. He runs on

his pretty face and speaking style.

[never cry wolf]

29. I voted for him in Illinois based upon the issues

A pretty face and speaking style count in politics but this guy has alot of substance behind all that.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. 1. marriage equality 2. Iraq policy. Please edify. n/t

[BL611]

6. OK

1. He is against gay marriage, for robust civil unions.
2. He was against the war from the start, has maintained it was wrong to go in all along, and is calling for a beginning to withdrawal in 4-6 months. He just gave a major speech on the issue that is available on his website.

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. Is he in favor of *legislating* against "gay marriage"...

... as you call it.... eg . in the form of constitutional amendment? State by state basis?

What *exactly* does he suggest be done?

[k_jerome]

13. he believes in letting the states decide. you see how that has gone...

it is called covering your ass both ways. same as most of them.

[JetCityLiberal]

25. Yep. And I am done with that crap from Democrats

Gotten way too old. Didn't know his position on this. Glad to know.

Equal rights under the law for every person Obama.

[Sapphocrat]

31. Bingo.

He's another "leave it up to the states" guy -- which is a total cop-out. Perhaps he's just too young to have the slightest clue how hollow "separate but equal" rings.

[Critters2]

37. He is a member of the largest church in our denomination, and it's

also a pretty not-gay-friendly church--in the most gay-friendly of Christian denominations. I never kenw for sure where he stood on the issue, but I assumed, knowing he belongs to Trinity Church. I think it's time for marriage equality, and I'm tired of the fence-sitters on the issue. Even when they belong to my party and my church, and represent me in the Senate.

I'm not a fan.

[itsmesgd]

5. it wont matter. his middle name will sink him.

the RW'ers will say that not only is he black, but he's a Hussein. he may be a great guy, but there are too many bigots and other closed minded individuals.
greetings from georgia.- yee haw (the shame)

[Perky]

32. people who would vote against for his name

Would never vote for him in the first place that is only about 10% in the south.

[longship]

7. How he will vote in the long term in the Senate.

That's why I cannot support the guy right now. Anyway, it's a whole year before anybody has to decide anything about 2008. All these so-and-so 2008 threads, although interesting, are actually meaningless since a lot can and will change before we have to decide anything.

The operative question here might be, why would you select a candidate this far out from the election when you don't even know who's running and who's not?

I'm not ready to decide, but it will very likely *not* be Barack Obama.

[BL611]

8. Because out of all the possible candidates

I believe strongly he's the best. Unless my avatar pops out of his grave, I can't see anybody else on the horizon I would prefer. Of course if he decides not to run or loses in the primaries, I will happily support whoever gets the Dem nomination.

[stansnark]

10. too pro-corporate for me nt.

[BL611]

22. In what way?

If you're going to say something try backing it up with at least one or two facts...

[Perky]

33. what is the basis for that view?

[Golden Raisin]

16. Yes. Its a little like the stores

who start putting up their Christmas decorations on the 5th of July. It's just too damned early. So much can change between now and 2008.

[More Than A Feeling]

11. I'm part-way through his second book.

I can't decide whether he chose the proper title, or if a better one would have been "The Futility of Wishful Thinking". He assures us that he understands the nature of the Republicans, and the feelings of the Democratic base, and then he goes on about bringing the nation together, etc. I wonder if he truly understands exactly what we are up against, or if he is just saying that so we won't be angry with him if he chooses compromises that sell out Democratic values and to triangulate against the party. He was mentored by Joe Lieberman after all, and I wonder exactly what it was he learned from Traitor Joe.

I haven't ruled him out (or anyone else) but he does make me nervous. I don't know if I can trust him to maintain his integrity and do what's right for our country, or if he will care more about what the media thinks of him.

[The Count]

12. I hear him saw investigation into why we went to Iraq is not needed

Which gave me an inkling on how he would have voted in 2003, had he been in the Senate then.

[BL611]

18. He was on record from the start

of the march to war through his Senate campaign and up to today in saying he was against the war resolution. It doesn't get any clearer than a candidate running for Senate saying "If I was in the Senate I would vote this way", if that doesn't satisfy your inkling nothing will because you've clearly come to a decision without looking at the facts.

[blm]

24. Downing Street Memos were the closest thing to a smoking gun Dems had and

Sen. Obama did not believe they deserved further investigation and did not sign the letter of inquiry that was passed around the senate. 10 senators signed it.

[never cry wolf]

30. So a freshman senator joined 89% of his colleagues in not signing

Are the blessed 10% the only ones on your radar? The bill, if it made it to the floor, would have been written by the majority party. Perchance their proposed investigation was a paper tiger and that is why 80% of dem senators voted against it.

[shadowknows69]

14. Most of them

I admit I haven't researched his various speeches. I'm kind of boycotting doing that yet because I don't like the media picking my candidate on his supposed "rock star" status.

[BL611]

19. So don't let the media pick your candidate

research it yourself. His "rock star" status is based on the fact that a lot of people really like him including moderates and people who are generally apolitical. He was the number one biggest draw on the campaign trail in '06, thats not because the media is herding people to his campaign stops. Has he received pretty favorable coverage from the mainstream media? Yes. That should not be a reason to like someone or not to. Let me also remind you that the media's has hardly had flawless coverage of him either, this whole we don't know where he stands meme was perpetrated by the MSM (and of course bought into by those on DU who have decided they are anti-obama, because to many the the MSM's accuracy is how much they agree with their own views)that I am trying to address in this thread.

[shadowknows69]

20. Too early in the game for me to decide

I want a huge field of contenders and I want to see them all get press. I do have a problem with the trend to make Obama or Hilary the candidate based on the 1st woman or 1st black President bandwagon. Those two factors will still be anathema to enough redneck righties in this country. We just better make sure we have the votes because either one of them will mobilize the redneck right voters like never before.

<edit to add> A Gore/Clark ticket in my opinion would be unbeatable and I think we need to draft Al ASAP.

[GreenTea]

15. Why is he so fucking moderate & why does he need to read polls before he opens his mouth?

As one prominent reporter said, Obama ALWAYS checks to see which way the wind is blowing before he says a word. This is fact.

He's just another fine speaker and opportunist...

My opinion from watching this dude for years now.

You believe he's the new savior of all saviors....

Give me a hard core liberal like a Paul Wellstone (which are few, obviously and far between) anyday over a fucking Clintonese moderate!!!

Do you understand I despise fucking moderates... fence sitters, waiting, which ever way the wind is blowing clowns...do they have an ideology or do they make it up and take pieces from different parties as they go along!

[BL611]

21. As ridiculous as this post is

I'll address it because it will help knock down some of the common straw men.

It's a fact? According to who? one anonymous "prominent reporter"? A fact is that on the defining issue of our time (at least to many, especially on DU), Obama ran as an outspoken anti war candidate at a time was public opinion was staunchly pro-war.

He's an opportunist based on you watching him for years? Care to substantiate that claim with something or should I just take your word for it, as close of a watcher as I'm sure you are of the Illinois state legislature.

DEspite your hatred of "fucking moderates" this thread was directed at more people than yourself. Again you have failed to give any examples of how he is a "fence sitting clown". But your are right that I prefer a more reasoned pragmatic progressive like Obama to your angry ad hominem attacks, and I'm sure most of America would too.

[JetCityLiberal]

26. Do you work for him?

Where are you getting your info about him.

Equal rights under the law for every single person Obama.

[BL611]

28. I'm getting my info

from easily accessible sources like the websites I posted earlier in the thread. Do you ask every Clark,Gore,Edwards, etc. supporter on DU if they work for their preferred candidate? For the record though, I don't, but I follow him closely and am a big supporter.The point is many on DU seem to have the impression that Obama positions on many issues were not clearly stated and I started a thread to rectify that. You don't want to vote for him because of his position on marriage, thats your prerogative ( although to the best of my knowledge its the same position held by every other potential Democrat running).

[never cry wolf]

34. WHAT prominent reporter, do yo have a link?

Obama is NOT a moderate! He is an unabashed liberal. His mentor and idol was the late great Sen. Paul Simon. Dick Durbin is as left as they come and he has set up a petition to urge Barack to run. How many years have you been watching? In the Illinois Senate his track record was solid liberal.

On what basis do you judge Obama as a moderate despite all the evidence to the contrary?

[Perky]

35. sheesh Not sure I want even want you in the party

Lighen up a bit. You are entitled to you opinion but come on.

Are you so liberal that no one is worthy of your vote?

[warrens]

17. No one knew this guy here until shortly before the primary

I switched to him from another candidate at the last minute. A couple of months later, EVERYBODY knew him and where he stood. I expect a similar trajectory here, assuming he makes a real run.

He's a bit more conservative than I am, on the whole, but he's essentially a classical liberal.

[madville]

36. He has been very anti-gun in the past

That doesn't sit well with many people. Of course he is from Illinois and they have more firearms restrictions than most states. Firearms are a hobby of mine along with being a right gauranteed in the constitution and I don't really care for someone that has a record against them. He is a supporter of the ridiculous clinton-era Assault Weapons Ban, which sounds scary but really did nothing but make 10+ round magazines cost about 2x more than they did before the "ban". BTW they always fail to mention that real assault weapons are heavily regulated under laws passed in the 1930s and no new ones could be bought by the general public after 1986. Obama, Kennedy, Feinstein, Schumer, etc need to lay off the firearms restrictions for awhile, it makes Democrats look bad to your average Americans.

[MzNov]

38. I was immediately repelled by his early endorsement and

general love fest for JOE LIEBERMAN. Also, he needs more experience to be president, otherwise he's very eloquant.

[Odin2005]

39. It seems the only people who hate Obama are the ideological purist culture warriors.

to some people a politician has to be totally "pure" on social issues to be a "real" Democrat, hogwash.