David Axelrod has a rather defensive interview on HuffPo today, which concerns Obama’s seeming refusal to go to Iraq again. He also brings up the lobbying issue, which they have bashing McCain with.
“What does all his experience get us?” asked Obama’s strategic guru. “What do all those visits [to Iraq] get us?” He continued: “The fact that he goes to Iraq and gets a tour apparently does little to provoke the kinds of questions that should be asked, and what Sen. Obama has been asking since the beginning. So it is not a question of longevity in government. It is a question of judgment, it is a question of a willingness to challenge policies that have failed. And he seems just dug in.”
Well, it can give you some information. One would think a candidate for president would be interested in information although this candidate seems to prefer watching ESPN on TV. As far as changing policies is concerned, it was McCain who kept telling Bush to change his policies and, when they were changed, things improved. I suspect Obama does not wish to see this as it conflicts with his theme of withdrawal regardless of consequences.
On Iran, Axelrod says:
Axelrod also lambasted McCain for accusing Obama of being naive in his willingness to meet with world leaders both friend and foe. “I guess the question is, if you had a chance to make progress on some of these issues that go to the security of our country and the world, why would you say you would never be willing to? It is an odd thing to say. What Sen. Obama is saying in essence is that we need to use all the tools in our toolbox when we are working and fighting for our security, including for aggressive diplomacy, which has been shunned by the Bush administration to our detriment.”
That, of course, ignores the issue of preconditions and preparation, which the Obama camp has been desperately spinning the past week. I don’t think they are convincing anyone. I have predicted that Obama will be hurt by YouTube and I seem to be correct.
Axelrod has been exposed as a lobbyist in Chicago, which undercuts the theme of McCain and his lobbyist friends. And, of course, the Rezko trial proceeds. We may hear some more about that, too.