Hello Everyone:

Because of how high that the cost will be if the Neocon controlled Republican nominee wins the 2008 Presidential election (he will pick up right where Bush leaves off on Neocon foreign policy and on other issues on 1/20/09), I think that Democrats need to make sure that they get it right about who they nominate.

Hillary Clinton is viewed as being the most electable 2008 Democratic Presidential candidate based on all of the major polls that I am looking at right now:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/14095

Polls show that Hillary Clinton is the most electable 2008 Democratic candidate!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on December 11, 2007 - 10:38am.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13848

GALLUP: Clinton Best Odds of Being Elected President & Clinton Eclipses Giuliani

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 9, 2007 - 3:48am.

Hillary Clinton is a very well known person who we know for sure what we are getting in a Democratic nominee.  I do not think that we will see very much come up about Hillary in the general election that we do not already know about right now!

That can hardly be said about Barack Obama being so new on the scene with not much known about his past to the entire country.  Any "surprises" that come up about Obama during the general election that we do not already know about right now could possibly be deadly and might cost Democrats the 2008 election.  This is exactly why the tough but fair questions need to be asked of Obama right now BEFORE any primary votes are cast!

Here are some tough but fair questions that I can see Barack Obama being asked in the general election which I have not seen him credibly answer yet:

1) You mention that "Washington experience" is not needed which most people would probably agree with but that is not the real question.  The real question is about your foreign policy and national security experience in order to be able to handle whatever Bush leaves behind in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and anywhere else in the world.  Here is what you told Larry King about your experience:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0703/24/lkl.01.html

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Encore Presentation: Interview With Barack Obama

Aired March 24, 2007 - 21:00   ET

KING: "How do you react to the "St. Petersburg Times" writing a view, "The world is too complex and dangerous for this likable, charismatic African-American neophyte to practice on-the-job training? Why should Americans trust you to lead them in difficult times?" Is experience a fair issue?

OBAMA: I think experience absolutely is a fair issue. Ad I am happy to put forward my experience against the other candidates. My experience as a community organizer means that I know how to bring people together to solve problems at the grassroots level, as well as at the legislative level. My experience as a civil rights attorney means that -- and as a constitutional lawyer means that I'm going to be mindful of our civil liberties and our civil rights in a way that this administration has not been. My experience as a state legislator, reaching across the aisle to solve difficult problems, like reforming a death penalty that's broken, or expanding health care to children who didn't have it, or passing ethics reform even against the objections of some people in my party, I think those are experiences that will signal to people that I am not about business as usual.

And I think even in the United States Senate, over the last several years, my work with people like Senator Dick Lugar, Republican of Indiana, on proliferation of weapons, trying to curb the proliferation of weapons, or working with Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma on creating more transparency in government, those are all experiences that I think are going to be relevant to the American people. And I feel very confident that if they know my vision and what I've accomplished in the past, that we will end up doing very well..."

What does any of this specifically have to do with foreign policy, national security, and being able to inherit and fix the huge foreign policy mess that Bush will leave behind on 1/20/09?

Here are the posts that go into further detail about this question:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/11596

TRANSCRIPT & ANALYSIS: Larry King specifically asks Obama about his "experience"

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on March 27, 2007 - 3:41pm.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10998

ANALYSIS: Obama is trying to shift attention away from Foreign Policy Experience

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on February 9, 2007 - 3:24pm.

2) You made this statement about "the strongest experience I have in foreign relations:"

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/20/clinton-hits-obama-on-foreign-relations-experience/

November 20, 2007
Clinton hits Obama on foreign relations experience

"On Monday, Obama told an Iowa audience, "Probably the strongest experience I have in foreign relations is the fact that I spent four years living overseas when I was a child in Asia—Southeast Asia."

According to the campaign, Obama was six years old when he moved to Indonesia in 1967, and stayed until he was 10.

Obama said his time there and the fact that his father is from Kenya gives him the knowledge "of how ordinary people in these other countries live..."

What kind of assurance will that give to the general public that you are ready to inherit and fix what Bush will leave behind on 1/20/09?  Also, what will you tell the 2008 GOP nominee if it is Rudy Giuliani and he brings this up and compares this statement to his running New York City after 9/11 or if it is Mitt Romney and he compares it to his running an entire state?

Here is the post that goes into further detail about this question:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13948

Obama said strongest foreign relations experience was living overseas as a child

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 21, 2007 - 9:17am. 

UPDATE: Obama also brought up this issue again in April of 2008 which I thought was a big mistake that Hillary should have taken better advantage of:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15328

AUDIO: Obama claimed to "know more" about the world than both Hillary or McCain!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 21, 2008 - 7:33am.

Hillary in my opinion should have used Obama's own ridiculous foreign policy experience quotes against him in her campaign ads and in primary debates!

3) You promised BOTH in November of 2004 and in January of 2006 on Meet The Press that you would definitely NOT run for President or for Vice President in 2008 and that you would serve your full six-year Senate term:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6430019/

Meet The Press Transcript for November 7, 2004

Guests: Karl Rove, senior advisor to the president; Senator-elect Barak Obama, D-Ill.; Maureen Dowd, columnist, New York Times; William Safire, columnist, New York Times

MR. RUSSERT: "Before you go, you know there's been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your full six-year term as U.S. senator from Illinois?

SEN.-ELECT OBAMA: Absolutely. You know, a little--some of this hype's been a little overblown. It's flattering, but I have to remind people that I haven't been sworn in yet. I don't know where the rest rooms are in the Senate. I'm going to have to figure out how to work the phones, answer constituent mail. I expect to be in the Senate for quite some time, and hopefully I'll build up my seniority from my current position, which I believe is 99th out of 100.

MR. RUSSERT: Barack Obama, we thank you for sharing your views.

SEN.-ELECT OBAMA: Thank you so much..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10909406/

Meet The Press Transcript for January 22, 2006
Barack Obama, James Carville, Paul Begala & Mary Matalin

MR. RUSSERT: "There’s been enormous speculation about your political future, Senator. The man you succeeded in the Senate, Peter Fitzgerald, a Republican, said this recently. “I think there’s a very good chance that Senator Obama is on the Democratic ticket in 2008 as the vice presidential nominee.” Do you agree?

SEN. OBAMA: No. You know, I can’t speculate on those kinds of things. What I have said is that, you know, I’m not focused on running for higher office, I’m focused on doing the job that the people of Illinois just sent me to do.

MR. RUSSERT: But there seems to be an evolution in your thinking. This is what you told the Chicago Tribune last month: “Have you ruled out running for another office before your term is up?” Obama answer: “It’s not something I anticipate doing.” But when we talked back in November of ‘04 after your election I said, “There’s been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your six-year term as United States senator from Illinois?” Obama: “Absolutely.”

SEN. OBAMA: I will serve out my full six-year term. You know, Tim, if you get asked enough, sooner or later you get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But my thinking has not changed.

MR. RUSSERT: So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?

SEN. OBAMA: I will not.

MR. RUSSERT: Senator, thank you very much for your candor and for joining us and sharing your views.

SEN. OBAMA: Had a great time, Tim. Thank you..."

These were not Larry Craig "I intend to" kind of statements, they were more like George H.W. Bush "read my lips" type of statements.

What significant thing changed in 9 months from 1/22/06 when you firmly promised to serve out your full 6 year Senate term and promised NOT to run for President or VP in 2008 to 10/22/06 when you felt that you had to break those definite promises that you made?"

Also, if you broke your firm promises NOT to run for President or VP in 2008 and to serve out your full six-year year Senate term, then how can anyone know for sure that you will keep any future promises that you make during the general election?

Lastly, how can you be ready to be President right now when you made this statement about yourself in November of 2004?

SEN.-ELECT OBAMA: "I don't know where the rest rooms are in the Senate. I'm going to have to figure out how to work the phones, answer constituent mail. I expect to be in the Senate for quite some time, and hopefully I'll build up my seniority from my current position, which I believe is 99th out of 100." 

Here is the post that goes into further detail about this question: 

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10648

TRANSCRIPT: Obama Promised one year ago Today NOT to run for President in 2008!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on January 22, 2007 - 2:23pm.

4) You said said on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 that you are not worried about swiftboat attacks and that you do not pay much attention to what Mitt Romney says about you:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21562193/

Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate for October 30
Read the transcript from the special coverage

updated 11:16 a.m. CT, Wed., Oct. 31, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES PARTICIPATE IN A DEBATE

SPONSORED BY MSNBC

OCTOBER 30, 2007

BRIAN WILLIAMS, MSNBC ANCHOR:  "Senator Obama, we’re going to transfer into a new area here.  A question specifically for you because you’re in a rather unique position.  It’s about religion and misinformation.  Governor Romney misspoke twice on the same day, confusing your name with that of Osama bin Laden.

Your party is fond of talking about a potential swiftboating.  Are you fearful of what happened to John McCain, for example, in South Carolina a few years back; confusion on the basis of things like names and religion?

OBAMA:  No, because I have confidence in the American people.

OBAMA:  And I don’t pay much attention to what Mitt Romney has to say—at least what he says this week.  It may be different next week..."

Do you understand why John Kerry lost in 2004 and do you understand exactly what you will be up against if you are the 2008 Democratic nominee?  Do you understand the key points that authors Mark Halperin and John F. Harris made about both the 2004 and 2008 elections in their book titled "The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008?"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/03/AR2006100301030_pf.html

The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008
Chapter 1: The Way to Lose

By Mark Halperin and John F. Harris
Tuesday, October 3, 2006; 6:08 PM

"The bottom line was that the Bush campaign and its allies did a better job than the Kerry campaign and its allies in using the Freak Show -- its magnification of the personal and negative -- to define the opposing candidate. But the story as told in this chapter is a tactical one. What is more important for the next presidential election is the strategic reality that the Freak Show does not affect both parties equally.

The dynamic in 2008 will be the same as it was in 2004. There are structural issues in politics and media that now favor Republicans over Democrats. Freak Show politics will represent only a moderate threat to Republicans and give them a major advantage as they try to define the opposition on unfavorable terms. On the other side, Freak Show politics offers virtually no advantages for Democrats, but will again present a huge threat to any politician hoping to keep control of the narrative of his -- or her -- life story..."

Do you really understand how truly powerful that Rush Limbaugh and the Neocon GOP attack machine really are:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13578

ANALYSIS: Why Rush Limbaugh is so powerful & what many media pundits do not get!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 10, 2007 - 1:47am.

Here are the posts that go into further detail about this question:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13894

ANALYSIS: Statements from Obama that show his lack of electability if nominated!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 14, 2007 - 10:46am.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13782

Barack Obama will be swiftboated & will get eaten up alive if he is the nominee!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 1, 2007 - 3:49am.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13433

ANALYSIS: Why I think that Obama would be a very weak general election candidate

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on September 24, 2007 - 9:01am.

If I could think of these questions, then so will the 2008 GOP nominee, Rush Limbaugh, FOX News and company!

It is very important in my opinion that all of these questions are specifically answered by Barack Obama BEFORE any primary votes are cast because of how very high that the cost will be IF we lose the 2008 Presidential election!       

Mitch Dworkin

http://www.securingamerica.com/ 

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10756 
StopIranWar.com: "War is not the answer"
Submitted by Wes Clark on February 21, 2007 - 11:40am.

http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191 
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!