Obama’s Advisers Supported the Iraq War

Obama announced last week his foreign policy group. Its members are identified here. This group certainly does nothing by its membership to suggest change of any sort. I’m sure that the group was composed with an eye to appearing solid on national security. But goodness what a bunch of retreads.

The interesting and intellectual group that assisted early in the campaign are all gone and replaced by people — at least those on record — who supported the war that Obama has so famously criticized. Hillary Clinton’s support of the war wa probably more conditional than that of these advisers. Given the adamance of Susan Rice and Tim Roemer about invading Iraq, I wonder whether they’d like to bomb Iran if given the chance.

Obama Supports Bill to Provide Telecoms Retroactive Immunity

The FISA compromise that Senator Feingold called capitulation to the Republicans is supported by Obama. It expands warrantless wiretaps and gives telecoms retroactive immunity. Obama seems to be moving much farther to the right than McCain is to the left for the election.

The Off Shore Drilling Proposal = Summer Gas Tax Issue

By now hopefully everyone knows that giving the oil companies a carte blanche on drilling would have no effect on gas prices, at least not for a couple of decades and then it might reduce the price by one percent or so. Obama and McCain debating this issue is exactly like the Obama-Clinton debate on the summer suspension of the gas tax: It’s a red herring. This offers no solution whatsoever and is presented solely to falsely tantalize voters.

It hurts McCain to be offering up gimmicks like this as solutions.  Obama comes off looking much more serious and far sighted.  Voters may be smarter than McCain believes as two thirds of Americans support Obama’s position.