Barack Obama says that if elected president he would talk to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Both Hillary Clinton and John McCain say that’s a bad idea. According to a recent Gallup poll (May 19-21), a majority of Americans favor Obama’s approach. 59% think chatting up Ahmadinejad is a “good idea.”
Tag Archive for 'iran'
In a speech today in Billings, MT, Barack Obama forecefully restates his position that the U.S. should engage in direct diplomacy with Iran. (And don’t be calling him no naive appeaser.)
Sound Bite: “If we were willing to talk to Gorbachev, if we were willing to talk to Krushchev, then there’s no reason why we shouldn’t talk to Iran. Seems like common sense.”
It’s turning out to be fascinating watching what sound bites the campaigns pick after debates to represent their best moments. Below, we have John Edwards lecturing us about lobbyists. Here is Joe Biden’s “straight talk” — their description.
First, on the resolution for war: He says voting for the war raised the price of oil, emboldened George Bush to do what he wants, and drove moderates in Afghanistan and Pakistan underground. “All it has done is hurt us.”
Next, Iran: “What is the greatest threat to America: 2.6 kilograms of enriched uranium in Tehran or an out-of-control Pakistan? It’s not even close.”
Rudy Giuliani: “There’s only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun and verb and 9/11… This man is truly not qualified to be president…. I’m looking forward to running against Rudy Giuliani.”
Chinese toy imports: “If I were president, I’d shut down, flat shut down any imports from China. Period, in terms of toys.”
He’s on a roll.
Rudy Giuliani addresses the Republican Jewish Coalition and bets that most of them are the first Republicans their families (cue applause). He says that he was at a bar mitzvah in New York when he found out that Ronald Reagan would be president and he was surprised how many people there talked about voting for him. “This is the city Abraham Lincoln didn’t carry.”
He assures the crowd that Iran will never get nuclear weapons. He wishes for — doesn’t quite call for — regime change there and argues for divestment of Iranian investment. “The military option is not off the table.”
It’s a little hard to come off as serious and presidential standing behind a Disneyland sign. But at the start of a speech in California, someone in the crowd urges Dennis Kucinich to “give ‘em hell” and Kucinich proceeds to do his best, attacking the war in Iraq.
He boasts about trying to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney. “Impeach Bush,” somebody in the crowd yells out. “I didn’t want to start there, because then we’d end up with Cheney,” Kucinich says. But then he says that when the president starts talking about World War III in relation to Iran, “it means that he would start it” and Kucinich argues that it is time to start talking about impeaching Bush.
A cool and casual Barack Obama took a seat on Jay Leno’s couch last night, mixing punch lines with policy positions.
On whether Hillary has the nomination wrapped up:
Obama says there’s too much saber-rattling about Iran and nukes. His solution: mobilize the international community to impose economic sanctions.
Mitt Romney calls for closing the borders — well, closing them for one man: the president of Iran.
Joe Biden highlights from last night’s Democratic debate in New Hampshire:
Iran with a nuke:
Joe Biden has no problem with hypotheticals. When asked what if Iran had a nuclear weapon capable of hitting targets in the region, Biden says Iran is a decade away from putting a nuclear warhead on a missile. In addition, since Iran is “weak,” economic sanctions should be employed. “But if they posed a missile, stuck it on a pad, I’d take it out.”
How to End Earmarks:
Senator Joe Biden says getting rid of earmarks is easy — “Go to public financing of elections.” Unfortunately, he doesn’t have enough time to explain why Congress is unlikely to even consider such legislation.
On Darfur:
Send NATO troops if the UN won’t act and “impose a no-fly zone.”
MoveOn.org has produced an ad criticizing John McCain for his “Bomb Iran” joke and they’re asking for donations to buy TV time.
Says MoveOn:
John McCain’s reckless stump speech Wednesday sends a message that war with Iran is a viable strategy. We can’t afford to let this go unchecked. Can you contribute to get an emergency ad on the air to respond? We need to get out of the war we are in not start another.
“Lighten up and get a life,” says Senator McCain.
During a campaign Q&A in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina on April 18th, Senator John McCain mixed a little stand-up with a little karaoke. To a questioner who asks about the possibility of attacking Iran, McCain says “That old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran.” And then to the tune of Barbara Ann, he riffs “bomb, bomb, bomb . . .”
