RNC Jumps on Obama, Circulating Former Rivals’ Attacks

As pundits congratulate Barack Obama this morning as the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has wasted no time in circulating criticism of the Illinois senator, using a litany of attacks from Obama’s former Democratic rivals.

The RNC circulated a list of attacks made during the Democratic primary race by Sens. Joe Biden (Del.), Chris Dodd (Conn.), former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, and former Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), as well as attacks made by Hillary Clinton.

Collectively, the attacks allege that Obama is inexperienced, elitist, politically pragmatic, and confused when it comes to foreign policy. They criticize his willingness to meet with America’s enemies, his proposals on health care and social security, his association with former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers, and his stated openness to conducting a military strike within Pakistan’s borders.

See a copy of the memo below:

 

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE…

 

Will Obama Address His Fellow Democrats’ Attacks On His Policies, Judgment And Readiness

Democrats Questioned Whether Obama Is Ready To Serve As Commander In Chief:

Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) Reaffirmed That Obama Was Not Ready To Be Commander In Chief. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos: “You were asked is he ready. You said ‘I think he can be ready, but right now I don’t believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.'” Sen. Biden: “I think that I stand by the statement.” (ABC’s “This Week,” 8/19/07)

• Sen. Biden: “Having talking points on foreign policy doesn’t get you there.” (“Biden Lashes Out At Obama,” ABC News’ “Political Radar” Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 8/2/07)

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Said That While She And Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) Had Crossed “The Commander In Chief Threshold … You Will Have To Ask Senator Obama With Respect To His Candidacy.” Sen. Clinton: “In this election we need a nominee who can pass the commander-in-chief test. Someone ready on day one to defend our country and keep our families safe. And we need a president who passes that test, because the first and most solemn duty of the president of the United States is on protect and defend our nation. And when there is a crisis and when the phone rings whether it’s 3:00 p.m. or 3:00 a.m. In the White House, there is no time for speeches and on the job training. Senator McCain will bring a time of experience to the campaign. I will bring a lifetime of experience and Senator Obama will bring a speech he gave in 2002. I think that is a significant difference. I think that since we now know Senator Mc Cain will be the nominee for the party, national security will be front and center in this election. We all know that. And I think it’s imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander in chief threshold. And I believe that I have done that. Certainly Senator McCain has done that. And you will have to ask Senator Obama with respect to his candidacy.” (CNN’s “Newsroom,” 3/8/08)

 

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Called Obama’s Foreign Policy Statements “Confusing And Confused.” Sen. Dodd: “Over the past several days. … Senator Obama’s assertions about foreign and military affairs have been, frankly, confusing and confused. He has made threats he should not make and made unwise categorical statements about military options.” (Anne E. Kornblut, “Obama Again Stirs Up Rivals With Statement On Use Of Nukes,” The Washington Post‘s “The Trail” Blog, blog.washingtonpost.com, 8/2/07)

A Democrat Attacked Obama’s Votes To Cut Off Funding For U.S. Troops Serving In Iraq And Afghanistan:

Sen. Biden Attacked Obama And Other Democrats For Voting Against Funding U.S. Troops In Iraq And Afghanistan, Accusing Them Of “Cutting Off Support That Will Save The Lives Of Thousands Of American Troops.” Sen. Biden: “And, look, Tim, if you tell me I’ve got to take away this protection for these kids in order to win the election, some things aren’t worth it. Some things are worth losing over. That would be worth losing over. Hundreds of lives are being saved and will be saved by us sending these vehicles over which we are funding with this supplemental legislation. And I want to ask any of my other colleagues, would they, in fact, vote to cut off the money for those troops to prote ct them? That’s the right question. This isn’t cutting off the war. This is cutting off support that will save the lives of thousands of American troops.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 9/9/07)

Sen. Biden: “My colleagues voted against the funding to make a political point … There’s no political point worth my son’s life. There’s no political point worth anyone’s life.” (Abby Simons, “Biden Blasts Rivals For Votes Against Iraq Money,” The Des Moines Register, 8/15/07)

A Democrat Attacked Obama’s Pledge To Meet Unconditionally With America’s Enemies:

Sen. Clinton Attacked Obama’s “Continuing To Say That He Would Meet With Some Of The Worst Dictators In The World Without Preconditions.” Sen. Clinton: “And I disagree with his continuing to say that he would meet with some of the worst dictators in the world without preconditions and without the real, you know, understanding of what we would get from it.” (Sen. Clinton, NBC Democrat Presidential Debate, Cleveland, OH, 2/26/08)

Democrats Attacked Obama’s Public Pronouncement That He Would Unilaterally Attack Pakistan:

Sen. Biden Called Obama’s Pronouncement “Very Naive.” Sen. Biden: “It’s a well-intended notion he has, but it’s a very naive way of thinking how you’re going to conduct foreign policy. … [T]he way to deal with it is not to announce it, but to do it. The last thing you want to do is telegraph to the folks in Pakistan that we are about to violate – quote – ‘their sovereignty.'” (“Biden Lashes Out At Obama,” ABC News’ “Political Radar” Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 8/2/07)

Sen. Dodd Called Obama’s Pronouncement “Dangerous.” Sen. Dodd: “If you’re making a mistake today, you ought to stand up and say so. It was a mistake in my view to suggest somehow that going in unilaterally here, into Pakistan, was somehow in our interest. That, I think, is dangerous. And I don’t retreat from that at all.” (Sen. Chris Dodd, MSNBC AFL-CIO Presidential Candidates Forum, Chicago, IL, 8/7/07)

A Democrat Attacked Obama’s Ties To Unrepentant Domestic Terrorist Bill Ayers:

Sen. Clinton: “[I] also believe that Senator Obama served on a board with Mr. Ayers for a period of time, the Woods Foundation, which was a paid directorship position. And, if I’m not mistaken, that relationship with Mr. Ayers on this board continued after 9/11 and after his reported comments, which were deeply hurtful to people in New York and, I would hope, to every American, because they were published on 9/11, and he said that he was just sorry they hadn’t done more. And what they did was set bombs. And in some instances, people died. So it is — I think it is, again, an issue that people will be asking about.” (Sen. Hillary Clinton, ABC News Democratic Presidential Debate, Philadelphia, PA, 4/16/08)

Democrats Attacked Obama As Elite And Out of Touch:

Sen. Clinton: “Now, like some of you may have been, I was taken aback by the demeaning remarks Senator Obama made about people in small town America. Senator Obama’s remarks are elitist and they are out of touch. They are not reflective of the values and beliefs of Americans.” (Hillary Clinton For President, “Gov. Tom Vilsack, PA Mayors Respond To Senator Obama’s Recent Characterizations Of Pennsylvanians,” Press Release, 4/12/08)

Former Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA): “I must say that after reading and reviewing Senator Obama’s comments, I have found them to be condescending and disappointing and they reflect in my view a very flawed reading and understanding of people who live in small towns in Pennsylvania and across the United States. Folks who work everyday, play by the rules, and want to do right by their families and their communities. I found his remarks undercutting his message of hope. … I think the most glaring misreading and misunderstanding of people in small towns were Senator Obama’s comments about God and guns. He suggests that in some way the faith of those who live in small towns is superficial. It’s used as a crutch in a time of need. That’s not what I know.” (Hillary Clinton For President, “Gov. Tom Vilsack, PA Mayors Respond To Senator Obama’s Recent Characterizations Of Pennsylvanians,” Press Release, 4/12/08)

A Democrat Criticized Obama’s Failure To Take Tough Stands As A State Senator, And Instead Casting Over 100 Present Votes:

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) Attacked Obama’s Unwillingness To Take Tough Stands And Instead Voting Present Over 100 Times While In The Illinois State Legislature. Sen. Edwards: “I mean, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus who are sitting in front of me right now know they have to go to the floor of the House every day and vote on hard issues, and they have to vote up or down or not show up to vote — one of those three choices. What I didn’t hear was an explanation for why over 100 times you voted ‘present’ instead of yes or no when you had a choice to vote up or down.” Sen. Obama: “I’ll be happy to answer — because in Illinois, in Illinois oftentimes you vote ‘present’ in order — in order to indicate that you had problems with a bill that otherwise you might be willing to vote for, and oftentimes you’d have a strategy that would help move the thing forward. Keep in mind, John, I voted for 4,00 0 bills, and if you want to know whether or not I worked on tough stuff, I passed the first…” Sen. Edwards: “No, I don’t question whether you worked on…” Sen. Obama: “No, no, no, hold on a second…” Sen. Edwards: “I don’t question whether you worked on tough stuff. This, the question is…” Sen. Obama: “No, no, but you…” Sen. Edwards: “Why would you over a hundred times vote ‘present.'” Sen. Obama: “John…” Sen. Edwards: “I mean, every one of us, every one – you’ve criticized Hillary, you’ve criticized me for our votes. We’ve cast hundreds and hundreds of votes. What you’re criticizing her for, by the way, you’ve done to us, which is you pick this vote and that vote out of the hundreds that we have – (applause) – and all I’m saying is, what’s fair is fair. You have every right to defend any vote, you do, and I respect your right to do that on any – on any substantive issue. It does not make sense to me and what if I had just not shown up…” Sen. Obama: “John, John.. .” Sen. Edwards: “Wait, wait, wait, let me finish.” Sen. Obama: “Now, hold on a second.” Sen. Edwards: “What if I had just not shown up to vote on things that really matter to this country? It would have been safe for me politically. It would have been the careful and cautious thing to do. But I have a responsibility to take a position even when it has political consequences.” (Former Sen. John Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama, CNN Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Myrtle Beach, SC, 1/21/08)

A Democrat Attacked Obama’s “$1 Trillion Tax Increase” Plan For Social Security:

Sen. Clinton Accused Obama Of Wanting “A $1 Trillion Tax Increase.” Sen. Clinton: “I do not want to fix the problems of Social Security on the backs of middle-class families and seniors. If you lift the cap completely, that is a $1 trillion tax increase. I don’t think we need to do that.” (Sen. Hillary Clinton, CNN Democratic Presidential Debate, Las Vegas, NV, 11/15/07)

Sen. Clinton Said Obama’s Social Security Tax Hike Plan “Would Impose Additional Taxes On People Who Are, You Know, Educators Here In The Philadelphia Area Or In The Suburbs, Police Officers, Firefighters And The Like.” Sen. Clinton: “I’m certainly against one of Senator Obama’s ideas, which is to lift the cap on the payroll tax, because that would impose additional taxes on people who are, you know, educators here in the Philadelphia area or in the suburbs, police officers, firefighters and the like.” (Sen. Hillary Clinton, ABC Democrat Presidential Debate, Philadelphia, PA, 4/16/08)

A Democrat Said Obama’s Health Care Plan “Flunks The Test”:

Sen. Clinton Said Obama’s Health Care Plan “Simply Flunks The Test.” “Sen. Obama’s plan does not and cannot cover all Americans. He’s called his plan universal, then he called it virtually universal, but it is not either. And when it comes to truth in labeling, it simply flunks the test.” (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Remarks On Health Care, Des Moines, IA, 11/28/07)

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