That is the headline at the Washington Post, minus the question mark. What does the WP think is going on?
Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday dismissed criticism that he is abandoning his principles to move toward the political center, saying he has been consistent in embracing moderate views on several issues, especially his belief that pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq must be done “carefully.”
Obama addressed what he called “this whole notion that I am shifting to the center, or that I am flip-flopping,” with a firm denial that he has tilted his emphasis away from swiftly bringing the war to an end. “Don’t be confused: I am going to bring the Iraq war to a close when I am president of the United States of America,” Obama said.
Ah. That’s what’s going on. The WP is trying to cover Obama’s long held conviction, as repeated by virtually every one of the Nutroots, that Iraq was a distraction, a mistake, we can’t win, and we need to get the hell out now.
The remarks came as both candidates scrambled to clarify their visions for Iraq in the face of changing events on the ground. Sen. John McCain, who has repeatedly derided calls for a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, suddenly found himself confronted with the American-backed Iraqi leadership raising the prospect of exactly that.
And how did McCain refine his position? By explaining that he is against timetables, and wants the conditions on the ground to dictate when we leave. Hmm. He apparently refined it to be exactly what his position has been. I wonder if the dictionaries will offer a definition of “refine” to include “taking the same position as one has always held”?
The entire article is piece designed to make those who do not read the whole article believe that McCain is flip flopping around on Iraq just like Obama, and, for those who do read it, that it is perfectly OK for Obama to change his positions around to the massive displeasure of the people who gave him the presumptive nomination because “McCain is doing it too!” Even though McCain has not changed.
But, hey, good news, Post: The candidate who leads in July has lost the last 6 of 9 elections.
how could saying you will immediately begin a withdrawal of all troops from iraq and then changing to a careful assessment and phased withdrawal based on advice from the ground commanders would be flip-flopping? They are most definitely the same thing 8-}
Obama is simply lying to gain the middle, and the MSM will carry his water. And Dems get all upset when we tell them they have no principles.