Border Lines

If Obama’s Campaign Organization Prepares Him For Any Test, Why Does He Always Blame His Staff When Something Goes Wrong?

Today, Barack Obama Said His Campaign Organization Proves He Is Ready For Any Test:

Barack Obama Says The Campaign Organization He Built Has Faced Tests Recently And Proves He Is Prepared To Handle Tests As President. CBS’ Harry Smith: “Are you more ready to be president of the United States than John McCain?” Obama: “I tell you, all I can say is this. We’ve had, over the last couple of months, I think, an interesting series of tests, and I think that I have been steady. I think my advisers and my team and my organization, what we built has performed with the kind of calm, dissolve and liberation that the White House needs right now. Any president is going to be tested by the enormity of the challenges that we face.” (CBS’ “The Early Show,” 10/23/08)

In The Past, Obama Has Said His Campaign Experience Was Equal To Elected Executive Experience:

In September, Obama Compared His Experience Running For President To Palin’s Executive Experience. CNN’s Anderson Cooper: “Some Republicans critics have said you don’t have the experience to handle a situation like this. They’ve, in fact, said that Governor Palin has more executive experience as mayor of a small town and as governor of a big state of Alaska. What’s your response?” Obama: “Well, you know, my understanding is, is that Governor Palin’s town of Wasilla has, I think, 50 employees. We’ve got 2,500 in this campaign. I think their budget is maybe $12 million a year. You know, we have a budget of about three times that just for the month. So I think that our ability to manage large systems and to execute I think has been made clear over the last couple of years. And certainly in terms of the legislation that I’ve passed, just dealing with this issue post-Katrina of how we handle emergency management. The fact that many of my recommendations were adopted and are being put in place as we speak I think indicates the degree to which we can provide the kinds of support and good service that the American people expect.” (CNN’s “American Morning,” 9/2/08)

But During His Senate Campaign, Obama Blamed A Staff Member For Not Denouncing Yasir Arafat:

Obama Failed To Denounce Yasir Arafat On A Campaign Questionnaire. “During the Senate campaign, Mr. Obama joined in a ‘Walk for Israel’ rally along Lake Michigan on Israel Solidarity Day. The Crowns and other Jewish leaders raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for him. Several days before the primary in 2004, some of his Jewish supporters took offense that Mr. Obama had not taken the opportunity on a campaign questionnaire to denounce Yasir Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, or to strongly support Israel’s building of a security fence.” (Jo Becker and Christopher Drew, “Pragmatic Politics, Forged On The South Side,” The New York Times, 5/11/08)

“In An E-Mail Message, Mr. Obama Blamed A Staff Member For The Oversight, And Expressed The Hope That ‘None Of This Has Raised Any Questions On Your Part Regarding My Fundamental Commitment To Israel’s Security.’” (Jo Becker and Christopher Drew, “Pragmatic Politics, Forged On The South Side,” The New York Times, 5/11/08)

And Obama Blamed A Staff Member For Filling In Liberal Answers To A Survey In 1996:

“The Obama Campaign Tells Politico That The Questionnaire Was Not Filled Out By Obama Himself, But Rather By His Campaign Manager At The Time…” (Mark Memmott and Jill Lawrence, “Will ‘Liberal Views’ Come Back To Haunt Obama?” USA Today’s “On Politics” Blog, blogs.usatoday.com, 12/11/07)

Washington State Chairman For Obama, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) Claimed Answers To Questions Were Different Than Positions Obama Holds. Rep. Smith: “That was a questionnaire filled out in his first state senate campaign back 1996 not by Senator Obama but by somebody on his staff who didn’t get it cleared. You look at his record and what he said about even those issues in that campaign in ‘96, on capital punishment, on health care, on gun issues and they are different than what was put down in that questionnaire.” (MSNBC’s “Super Tuesday,” 12/11/07)

Rep. Smith: “Those [survey answers] are not a reflection of Senator Obama’s views now or ever for that matter.” (MSNBC’s “Super Tuesday,” 12/11/07)

Obama Has Blamed His Staff For Other Mistakes:

Obama Blamed His Research Team For Releasing The Memo Calling Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) A Senator From Punjab. “‘It was a screw-up on the part of our research team,’ Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois, said during a meeting today with Des Moines Register editors and reporters. ‘It wasn’t anything I had seen or my senior staff had seen.’” (Thomas Beaumont, “Obama: Campaign’s ‘Punjab’ Remark Was ‘Stupid’,” The Des Moines Register, 6/18/07)

Obama Blamed His Staff For Not Being Able To Attend The International Association Of Fire Fighters In New Hampshire. “Barack Obama threw his staff under the proverbial bus last Friday during his call-in with leaders of the International Association of Fire Fighters in Portsmouth. ‘My staff had already scheduled some things and they couldn’t wiggle out of it,’ he said, according to CNN. ‘They heard from me a little bit because I wasn’t happy I couldn’t be there personally.’” (John DiStaso, “Richardson Puts Together His NH Team,” The [Manchester] Union Leader, 5/17/07)

According To ABC’s Jake Tapper, Obama Has Blamed His Staff On At Least 14 Occasions. “So, for those keeping track at home, that’s ten instances of Obama publicly blaming his staff for various screw-ups. … (You of course could also add Austan Goolsbee, Samantha Power, Gordon Fischer, and retired Gen. Tony McPeak.) That would be 14. We will continue to keep track.” (Jake Tapper, “Obama’s Inability To Hire Good Help Rears Its Head … Again,” ABC’s “Political Punch” Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 5/12/08)

Paid for by the Republican National Committee. Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate’s Committee. http://www.gop.com/

Related posts:

1. Accountable America Targets Swiftboat Republican Donors New Group Targets ‘Swiftboat’ Donors Focus on Top McCain Donors Sheldon Adelson, George Argyros, Mel Sembler $100,000 Reward Offered for Information Leading to Convictions of...
2. AFL-CIO Launches Campaign to Help Protect U.S. Hispanics Against Voting Rights Abuses Nonpartisan coalition efforts to feature voter education radio commercials with Edward James Olmos WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The AFL-CIO today announced the launch of...
3. CQ Politics Launches 2008 Election Forecasts for All 50 States New series features state-by-state race ratings and analysis of the presidential race and competitive congressional contests WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Congressional Quarterly Inc., the...
4. Louisiana Events What is so great about Louisiana is that there are always some events going on. When it’s not time for Mardi Gras, there is places...
5. Aggreko Supplies Power to Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony BEIJING, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire/ — Aggreko, the global leader in temporary power and temperature control, today played a crucial role in supporting the Opening Ceremony...