Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Kansas joins 21 other states in having its Democratic presidential primary today.
Many voters know about Barack Obama’s rare charisma, and they rightly consider it when determining their decision.
nutgraf
Obama opposed the war from the start, in the heat of a campaign and at a time when more than 60 percent of the country supported the war.
Indeed, Obama’s oratorical gifts allow him to frame progressive issues in a way that is more palatable to Americans who would otherwise not accept his left-leaning agenda.
Obama offers policies every bit as substantive as Hillary Clinton’s, and he is better suited to improve America’s standing in the world.
Obama and Clinton offer very similar domestic agendas, but Obama’s foreign policy ideas convince me to caucus for him.
The 2002 Iraq War resolution is history, but Clinton’s tortured explanations are instructive of her foreign policy judgment.
In the last debate, she claimed she voted to authorize using force to give Bush leverage to get the inspectors into Iraq. She emphatically claimed that it was not a vote to go to war. This echoes Kerry’s rather uncompelling argument in 2004.
Clinton’s vote against the Levin amendment, which would have required Bush to return to Congress for a second authorization to actually invade Iraq, belies her claim.
Clinton abandoned her responsibility as a senator to check Bush’s rush to war, and her subsequent attempts to cover it up undermine my confidence in both her honesty and judgment.
Obama opposed the war from the start, in the heat of a campaign and at a time when more than 60 percent of the country supported the war.
Clinton called Obama naive for pledging to meet with enemy regimes, but she’s the shallow one for assuming that engagement necessarily means harmful concessions.
The most important policy difference is their stances on torture.
Obama steadfastly and categorically rejects torture and includes his opposition to it in his stump speech.
Although Clinton has opposed the Bush administration’s tactics (not exactly a hard call to make), the New York Daily News wrote, “Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) said she supports legalizing the torture of a captured terror suspect who knows about ‘an imminent threat to millions of Americans’ — making an exception to her opposition to torture and marking a key difference from her possible rival for the White House, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).”
There are major problems with this position, and they disqualify her as a candidate.
She concedes that torture can be an effective interrogation technique, undermining one of the most potent arguments against the practice. Tortured suspects do not give accurate information, rendering the stakes of the interrogation irrelevant. Torture erodes the basic empathy that underpins ethics.
Clinton runs to the right of McCain on this issue, and Democrats should not concede important ground to the GOP this fall.
Hillary Clinton certainly possesses diligence and intelligence, but Obama has demonstrated those qualities and more.
He matches stirring rhetoric with sound policy, a combination that promises to push America in a new and positive direction, especially in foreign policy.
For this Democratic caucus goer, the choice is clear.
Andrew MacDonald is senior in history and political science.
Biden says he and Obama ‘share a ...
Barack Obama and Joe Biden were officially named the Democratic presidential and ...
Sen. Barack Obama picks Sen. Joe Biden ...
After months of speculation, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee announces his running ...
Moore reiterates Obama support at DNC
The representative for Kansas’ 3rd congressional district also says Sebelius has Cabinet ...
Sebelius persuades students to support Obama
Kathleen Sebelius spoke at the University on Monday about the upcoming Democratic ...
Does Sebelius really have the veep potential?
Editorial: Why students should vote for Obama
The Kansan editorial board's endorsement
Student delegate details Democratic Convention
Clarissa Unger has spent time across the country campaigning for Barack Obama.
Kansan bloggers' take on the prolonged primaries
Joshua Anderson, Andy Greenhaw and Kelsey Hayes discuss the ramifications of the ...
Politically Correct: The ethics of torture tactics
Our panelists offer their opinions on whether torture should be permitted in ...
Armstrong: Will Obama’s policy be any better ...
Some who can’t vote still care
These international students followed the presidential elections though they weren’t able to ...
Red and blue don't always mix
While U.S. politics are heating up headlines, politically mixed relationships are feeling ...
Guest Column: Diagnosing Iraq
There isn't a more complicated issue in the world right now than ...
De Oliveira: Calling an end to the ...
President Obama needs to avoid the confrontational nature of former President Bush.
Obama speaks to El Dorado, KC to ...
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius openly supported Obama for the first time yesterday.
KU student to represent Obama at national ...
Unger is one of three students from the state who will serve ...
Greening it
Your guide to greener living
Guest: The Image of Kennedy, the shadow ...
A Q&A with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius
Kansas' governor discusses the issues.
Democratic Caucus unorganized yet successful
More than 4,000 democrats attended the caucus last night. This number was ...
Letter: Why students shouldn’t vote for Obama
Notes from Election 2008
Kansan staff members attend a Barack Obama event in Kansas City on ...
Sebelius VP bid ends
Home state, lack of foreign policy experience keep Kansas governor from winning ...
KU vets see potential in Obama administration
Veterans at the University hope Obama’s and his cabinet picks can bring ...
Letter: War turned me into a Democrat
Compton: Obama fails to bring post racial ...
After one year in office, issues of race still remain prevalent for ...
Letter: Palin insulting to women’s causes
Politically Correct: More troops to Afghanistan
Three columnists give their insights on sending more troops to Afghanistan.
Cohen: Gear up for caucuses
Politi-geek urges students to partake in elections
The Iraq War
The two candidates offer different views on the Iraq War.
Supporters cheer after Obama is named President
Students and Lawrence residents celebrate at watch party, relishing in the historic ...
Poole: How Republicans can make the transition
Hawktopics
News you can use
Letter to the editor: Why KU students ...
This generation foots the bill
Cohen: How Palin’s campaign made me appreciate ...
Armstrong: The election is over
KU professor talks politics across globe
Burdett Loomis gives lectures for the U.S. State Department.
Past, present, future presidents discussed
The four-part series, presented by journalists and speakers from across the country, ...
Cohen: Democrats have plenty to laugh at, ...
From Hillary to Barack, the Dems are full of faults
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID