Posted by
Over the Kohls on Saturday, March 01, 2008 7:27:58 PM
One thing that has been clear in this campaign is that Obama’s hearing is as sharp as his ears are big. This week alone, Obama has answered back in lightening speed fashion both an ad by the Clinton campaign challenging his inexperience and a quip by McCain regarding Obama’s plan to exit from Iraq. Obama turned around the “Who will answer the phone at the White House” ad by the Clinton campaign with a response at a speech yesterday and with a very quick ad of his own. Earlier, McCain challenged Obama’s Iraq quick exit plan and Obama’s readiness to reinvade in the event that al-Qaeda returns to Iraq with “I’ve got a news flash for Obama, al-Qaeda is already in Iraq”. It seemed like mere moments later that Obama responded to McCain by saying “I’ve got news for John McCain, al-Qaeda was not in Iraq when Bush and McCain went into Iraq.”
Actually, I admire the quick response by Obama to charges against him. It’s one of the things that has always bothered me about George Bush during his two terms in office. He was either too slow or a no show in responding to criticism especially when he had the ammunition to fire back and make strong points on his own behalf . But he never was able make his own case to the American people which was a major factor in his low approval ratings.
Now Obama seems to have learned from Bush’s failings and has been very quick at the trigger. I’m wondering if McCain, being an old military guy, may be able exploit Obama’s tendency to react quickly and set a trap for the 3 year Senator from Illinois. Why not use Obama’s own inexperience against him? Let’s hear Obama respond to a statement like “If Obama gets his way and the troops leave Iraq leaving a vacuum for al-Quada to return, who will be responsible then for the slaughter of potentially millions of Iraqis who supported the U.S. troops and their mission? al-Qaeda will certainly butcher anyone who was a supporter of the U.S. effort and those crimes against humanity will be on a scale that would make Pol Pot and Joseph Stalin proud.” Would Obama respond to that statement? Would a lack of a response be more telling than an actual response?
How about criticizing Obama’s lack of support for the renewal of the Patriot Act and FISA Acts both of which have kept us safe since 9-11? Obama doesn’t take kindly to criticism and McCain may be able to draw out many of Obama’s very liberal positions and use those against him in the early campaign volleys. The Rabbit eared Obama may not be able to resist the bait.