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VIEW THE VIDEO HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHEIi4XKRmM
Script For "The Obama Iraq Documentary: Whatever The Politics Demand" (VIDEO 7:40)
CHYRON: The Obama Iraq Documentary
CHYRON: Where Does Barack Obama Stand On Iraq?
CHYRON: Said The Surge Would Make Things Worse
BARACK OBAMA (1/10/07): "I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse."
CHYRON: Said He Always Said The Surge Will Make Things Better
BARACK OBAMA (1/5/08): "And I said at the time, when I opposed the surge, that given how wonderfully our troops perform, if we place 30,000 more troops in there, then we would see an improvement in the security situation and we would see a reduction in the violence."
CHYRON: Translation: You're Never Wrong If You Pretend You Gave The Right Answer All Along
CHYRON: Predicted That The Surge Would Fail
BARACK OBAMA (10/22/06): "Given the deteriorating situation, it is clear at this point that we cannot, through putting in more troops or maintaining the presence that we have, expect that somehow the situation is going to improve."
BARACK OBAMA (7/18/07): "My assessment is that the surge has not worked and we will not see a different report eight weeks from now."
BARACK OBAMA (11/11/07): "Finally, in 2006-2007, we started to see that, even after an election, George Bush continued to want to pursue a course that didn't withdraw troops from Iraq but actually doubled them and initiated a surge and at that stage I said very clearly, not only have we not seen improvements, but we're actually worsening, potentially, a situation there."
CHYRON: Now Says It's Working
BARACK OBAMA (2/21/08): "I think it is indisputable that we've seen violence reduced in Iraq."
BARACK OBAMA (4/8/08): "I also think that the surge has reduced violence and provided breathing room."
BARACK OBAMA (7/2/08): "The extraordinary work that our troops have done. They have performed brilliantly throughout the process. And obviously, I am very pleased to see the reductions in violence that have occurred over the last several months. There's no doubt that because of their heroism and their outstanding work, we had the opportunity to salvage the situation in Iraq."
CHYRON: Translation: He Isn't Going To Let Facts Get In The Way Of His Position
CHYRON: For Immediate Withdrawal
BARACK OBAMA (9/12/07): "So let me be clear. There is no military solution in Iraq. There never was. The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq's leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year, but now."
BARACK OBAMA (3/19/08): "In order to end this war responsibly, I will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. We can responsibly remove one to two combat brigades each month. If we start with the number of brigades we have in Iraq today, we can remove all of them in 16 months."
BARACK OBAMA (5/2/08): "When I promise that we are going to bring this war in Iraq to a close in 2009, I want the American people to understand that I opposed this war in 2002, 2003, '04, '05, '06 and '07, so you can have confidence that I will be serious about ending this war."
CHYRON: Against Immediate Withdrawal
ANCHOR (4/5/04): "You've said you thought troops should be withdrawn." BARACK OBAMA: "No. No, I've never said that troops should be withdrawn. What I've said is that we've got to make sure that we secure and execute the rebuilding and reconstruction process effectively and properly and I don't think we should have an artificial deadline when to do that."
BARACK OBAMA (6/21/06): "A hard and fast, arbitrary deadline for withdrawal offers our commanders in the field, and our diplomats in the region, insufficient flexibility to implement that strategy."
CHYRON: Translation: Changes His Position To Fit the Election
CHYRON: Against Funding The Troops
BARACK OBAMA (11/16/03): "Just this week, when I was asked, would I have voted for the $87 billion, I said no. And I said no unequivocally, because, at a certain point, we have to say no to George Bush."
CHYRON: For Funding The Troops
BARACK OBAMA (4/5/04): "What's important is what I don't want a situation in which we have 80 or 90,000 young American men and women who are over there in a situation where they do not have the resources sufficient to ensure their own protection. And what we have to do is make sure that we have enough troop strength. As long as we have troops there, we have to make sure we have enough troop strength to make sure we are safe and secure."
BARACK OBAMA (1/10/07): "We've got to make sure that they have all the resources necessary to come home safely and to execute the missions that have been laid out for them."
CNN'S WOLF BLITZER (3/28/07): "Some ardent opponents of the war, like Dennis Kucinich, for example, who is a Democratic presidential candidate" BARACK OBAMA: "Right." BLITZER: "He takes a principled stand. He's not going to vote to fund the troops going off to this war, because he believes that would help bring the troops home." OBAMA: "Right. You know, the problem is, is that you have got an obstinate administration that has shown itself unwilling to change, in the face of circumstances on the ground. And, in that situation, what you don't want to do is to play chicken to -- with the president, and create a situation in which, potentially, you don't have body armor; you don't have reinforced humvees; you don't have night-vision goggles."
ABC'S GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (5/13/07): "You said then that you have to say 'no' to George Bush because we can't get steamrolled. Yet you go in the Senate, your critics say, and vote for the funding every single time." BARACK OBAMA: "Because at that point you've got hundreds of thousands of young men and women who have to carry out the mission on behalf of the American people."
CHYRON: Against Funding The Troops -- Again
BARACK OBAMA (6/19/07): "Now, I introduced a plan in January that would have already started bringing our troops home by now, with the goal of bringing all combat brigades home by March 31st, 2008. Now we know the president vetoed a bipartisan plan just like that one a few weeks ago. And I'm proud I voted against giving a blank check."
CHYRON: Translation: Only in Barack Obama's Mind Is Voting Against Troops A Virtue
CHYRON: Says He Will Put A Strike Force In Iraq
BARACK OBAMA (3/19/08): "After this redeployment, we will leave enough troops in Iraq to guard our embassy and our diplomats, and a counter-terrorism force to strike al Qaeda."
CHYRON: Says He Won't Put A Strike Force In Iraq
REPORTER (3/31/08): "You've said you'd leave a small force there to deal with terrorist attacks. How long would you leave them there? And what's your criteria for pulling them out?" BARACK OBAMA: "Well, no, no, that's not what I've said. What I've said is that we will have troops looking after our embassy there, which we do everywhere. We do it in France. We do it in Great Britain. We have some military personnel that ensure that our diplomatic forces are taken care of."
CHYRON: Translation: How To Keep Troops In Iraq And Still Sound Like You Want A Withdrawal
CHYRON: So What Is Barack Obama's Position On Iraq?
BARACK OBAMA (6/5/08): "Well, you know, I never say there's nothing or never or no way in which I'd change my mind."
CHYRON: Translation: Barack Obama's Position: Whatever the Politics Demand
AD FACTS For "The Obama Iraq Documentary: Whatever The Politics Demand" (VIDEO 7:40)
CHYRON: The Obama Iraq Documentary
CHYRON: Where Does Barack Obama Stand On Iraq?
CHYRON: Said The Surge Would Make Things Worse
BARACK OBAMA (1/10/07): "I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse."
· In January 2007, Barack Obama Said The Surge Would Actually Worsen Sectarian Violence In Iraq. Obama: "I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse." (MSNBC's "Response To The President's Speech On Iraq," 1/10/07)
CHYRON: Said He Always Said The Surge Will Make Things Better
BARACK OBAMA (1/5/08): "And I said at the time, when I opposed the surge, that given how wonderfully our troops perform, if we place 30,000 more troops in there, then we would see an improvement in the security situation and we would see a reduction in the violence."
· In January 2008, Barack Obama Claimed That He Always Said That Increasing The Number Of Troops In Iraq Would Improve Security. Obama: "Now, I had no doubt -- and I said at the time, when I opposed the surge, that given how wonderfully our troops perform, if we place 30,000 more troops in there, then we would see an improvement in the security situation and we would see a reduction in the violence." (Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Manchester, NH, 1/5/08)
CHYRON: Translation: You're Never Wrong If You Pretend You Gave The Right Answer All Along
CHYRON: Predicted That The Surge Would Fail
BARACK OBAMA (10/22/06): "Given the deteriorating situation, it is clear at this point that we cannot, through putting in more troops or maintaining the presence that we have, expect that somehow the situation is going to improve."
· In October 2006, Barack Obama Said That We Cannot "Through Putting In More Troops Or Maintaining The Presence That We Have, Expect That Somehow The Situation Is Going To Improve." Obama: "Given the deteriorating situation, it is clear at this point that we cannot, through putting in more troops or maintaining the presence that we have, expect that somehow the situation is going to improve, and we have to do something significant to break the pattern that we've been in right now." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 10/22/06)
BARACK OBAMA (7/18/07): "My assessment is that the surge has not worked and we will not see a different report eight weeks from now."
· In July 2007, Barack Obama Said The Surge Had Not Worked In Iraq. Obama: "But we are facing a choice. My assessment is that the surge has not worked and we will not see a different report eight weeks from now." (NBC's "The Today Show," 7/18/07)
BARACK OBAMA (11/11/07): "Finally, in 2006-2007, we started to see that, even after an election, George Bush continued to want to pursue a course that didn't withdraw troops from Iraq but actually doubled them and initiated a surge and at that stage I said very clearly, not only have we not seen improvements, but we're actually worsening, potentially, a situation there."
· In November 2007, Barack Obama Said The Surge Has Not Worked, And Had Potentially Worsened The Situation In Iraq. Obama: "Finally, in 2006-2007, we started to see that, even after an election, George Bush continued to want to pursue a course that didn't withdraw troops from Iraq but actually doubled them and initiated a search and at that stage I said very clearly, not only have we not seen improvements, but we're actually worsening, potentially, a situation there." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 11/11/07)
CHYRON: Now Says It's Working
BARACK OBAMA (2/21/08): "I think it is indisputable that we've seen violence reduced in Iraq."
· In February 2008, Barack Obama Said That It Was "Indisputable" That Violence Had Been Reduced In Iraq. CNN's Campbell Brown: "Senator Obama, in the same vein, you were also opposed to the surge from the beginning. Were you wrong?" Obama: "Well, I think it is indisputable that we've seen violence reduced in Iraq. And that's a credit to our brave men and women in uniform." (Sen. Barack Obama, CNN/Univision Democrat Presidential Debate, Austin, TX, 2/21/08)
BARACK OBAMA (4/8/08): "I also think that the surge has reduced violence and provided breathing room."
· In April 2008, Barack Obama Said That The Surge Has Reduced Violence. Obama: "I also think that the surge has reduced violence and provided breathing room -- but that breathing room has not been taken the way we would all like it to be taken." (Sen. Barack Obama, Committee On Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 4/8/08)
BARACK OBAMA (7/2/08): "The extraordinary work that our troops have done. They have performed brilliantly throughout the process. And obviously, I am very pleased to see the reductions in violence that have occurred over the last several months. There's no doubt that because of their heroism and their outstanding work, we had the opportunity to salvage the situation in Iraq."
· In July 2008, Barack Obama Said That He Was Pleased With "Reductions In Violence." Obama: "Now, that does not detract from the extraordinary work that our troops have done. They have performed brilliantly throughout the process. And obviously, I am very pleased to see the reductions in violence that have occurred over the last several months. And there's no doubt that because of their heroism and their outstanding work, we had the opportunity to salvage the situation in Iraq." (Sen. Barack Obama, Interview With Military Times, 7/2/08)
CHYRON: Translation: He Isn't Going To Let Facts Get In The Way Of His Position
CHYRON: For Immediate Withdrawal
BARACK OBAMA (9/12/07): "So let me be clear. There is no military solution in Iraq. There never was. The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq's leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year, but now."
· In September 2007, Barack Obama Called For The U.S. To "Immediately Begin To Remove Our Combat Troops" From Iraq. Obama: "So let me be clear. There is no military solution in Iraq. There never was. The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq's leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year, but now." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks On Iraq, Clinton, IA, 9/12/07)
BARACK OBAMA (3/19/08): "In order to end this war responsibly, I will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. We can responsibly remove one to two combat brigades each month. If we start with the number of brigades we have in Iraq today, we can remove all of them in 16 months."
· In March 2008, Barack Obama Said He Would "Immediately Begin To Remove Our Troops From Iraq." "In order to end this war responsibly, I will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. We can responsibly remove on to two combat brigades each month. If we start with the number of brigades we have in Iraq today, we can remove all of them in 16 months." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks On Iraq, Fayetteville, NC, 3/19/08)
BARACK OBAMA (5/2/08): "When I promise that we are going to bring this war in Iraq to a close in 2009, I want the American people to understand that I opposed this war in 2002, 2003, '04, '05, '06 and '07, so you can have confidence that I will be serious about ending this war."
· In May 2008, Barack Obama Said "I Promise That We Are Going To Bring This War In Iraq To A Close In 2009." "When I promise that we are going to bring this war in Iraq to a close in 2009, I want the American people to understand that I opposed this war in 2002, 2003, '04, '05, '06 and '07, so you can have confidence that I will be serious about ending this war." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At The North Carolina Democrat Party 2008 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Raleigh, NC, 5/2/08)
CHYRON: Against Immediate Withdrawal
ANCHOR (4/5/04): "You've said you thought troops should be withdrawn." BARACK OBAMA: "No. No, I've never said that troops should be withdrawn. What I've said is that we've got to make sure that we secure and execute the rebuilding and reconstruction process effectively and properly and I don't think we should have an artificial deadline when to do that."
· In April 2004, Barack Obama Opposed Withdrawal And Said We Should Not Have An "Artificial Deadline." Anchor: "But right now the U.S. is the one that's there. And you've said you thought troops should be withdrawn." Obama: "No. No, I've never said that troops should be withdrawn. What I've said is that we've got to make sure that we secure and execute the rebuilding and reconstruction process effectively and properly and I don't think we should have an artificial deadline when to do that." (WTTW11's "Chicago Tonight," 4/5/04)
BARACK OBAMA (6/21/06): "A hard and fast, arbitrary deadline for withdrawal offers our commanders in the field, and our diplomats in the region, insufficient flexibility to implement that strategy."
· In June 2006, Barack Obama Said That "A Hard And Fast, Arbitrary Deadline For Withdrawal Offers Our Commanders In The Field, And Our Diplomats In The Region, Insufficient Flexibility To Implement That Strategy." Obama: "A hard and fast, arbitrary deadline for withdrawal offers our commanders in the field, and our diplomats in the region, insufficient flexibility to implement that strategy." (Sen. Barack Obama, Congressional Record, 6/21/06, p. S6233)
CHYRON: Translation: Changes His Position To Fit the Election
CHYRON: Against Funding The Troops
BARACK OBAMA (11/16/03): "Just this week, when I was asked, would I have voted for the $87 billion, I said no. And I said no unequivocally, because, at a certain point, we have to say no to George Bush."
· In November 2003, Barack Obama Said He Would Have Voted Against $87 Billion For War Funding. Obama: "Just this week, when I was asked, would I have voted for the $87 billion, I said no. And I said no unequivocally, because, at a certain point, we have to say no to George Bush. If we keep on getting steamrolled, we are not going to stand a chance." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks To The New Trier Democratic Organization, 11/16/03)
CHYRON: For Funding The Troops
BARACK OBAMA (4/5/04): "What's important is what I don't want a situation in which we have 80 or 90,000 young American men and women who are over there in a situation where they do not have the resources sufficient to ensure their own protection. And what we have to do is make sure that we have enough troop strength. As long as we have troops there, we have to make sure we have enough troop strength to make sure we are safe and secure."
· In April 2004, Barack Obama Said He Wanted To Ensure That Troops Had The Resources They Needed For Their Protection. Obama: "What's important is what I don't want is a situation in which we have 80 or 90 thousand young American men and women who are over there in a situation where they do not have the resources sufficient to ensure their own protection. And what we have to do is make sure that we have enough troop strength. As long as we have troops there we have to make sure that we have enough troop strength to make sure that we are safe and secure." (WTTW11's "Chicago Tonight," 4/5/04)
BARACK OBAMA (1/10/07): "We've got to make sure that they have all the resources necessary to come home safely and to execute the missions that have been laid out for them."
· In January 2007, Barack Obama Said That Congress Needed To Make Sure That Troops In Iraq Had "All The Resources Necessary To Come Home Safely And To Execute The Missions That Have Been Laid Out For Them." Obama: "I think that we have to look at a variety of options where Congress can exercise its responsibilities. I know nobody in Congress, Republican or Democrat, who is going to in any way strand troops who are presently in Iraq. We've got to make sure that they have all the resources necessary to come home safely and to execute the missions that have been laid out for them." (MSNBC's "Reaction To The President's Speech On Iraq," 1/10/07)
CNN'S WOLF BLITZER (3/28/07): "Some ardent opponents of the war, like Dennis Kucinich, for example, who is a Democratic presidential candidate" BARACK OBAMA: "Right." BLITZER: "He takes a principled stand. He's not going to vote to fund troops going off to this war, because he believes that would help bring the troops home." OBAMA: "Right. You know, the problem is, is that you have got an obstinate administration that has shown itself unwilling to change, in the face of circumstances on the ground. And, in that situation, what you don't want to do is to play chicken to -- with the president, and create a situation in which, potentially, you don't have body armor; you don't have reinforced humvees; you don't have night-vision goggles."
· In March 2007, Barack Obama Said He Did Not Want To Leave The Soldiers In A Position Where They Were Not Equipped. Blitzer: "Because some ardent opponents of the war, like Dennis Kucinich, for example, who is a Democratic presidential candidate" Obama: "Right." Blitzer: "[H]e takes a principled stand. He's not going to vote to fund troops going off to this war, because he believes that would help bring the troops home." Obama: "Right. You know, the problem is, is that you have got an obstinate administration that has shown itself unwilling to change, in the face of circumstances on the ground. And, in that situation, what you don't want to do is to play chicken to -- with the president, and create a situation in which, potentially, you don't have body armor; you don't have reinforced humvees; you don't have night-vision goggles." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 3/28/07)
ABC'S GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS (5/13/07): "You said then that you have to say 'no' to George Bush because we can't get steamrolled. Yet you go in the Senate, your critics say, and vote for the funding every single time." BARACK OBAMA: "Because at that point you've got hundreds of thousands of young men and women who have to carry out the mission on behalf of the American people."
· In May 2007, Barack Obama Told ABC's George Stephanopoulos That He Supported Funding To Give Troops The Equipment They Need. Stephanopoulos: "[Y]ou said then that you have to say 'no' to George Bush because we can't get steamrolled. Yet you go in the Senate, your critics say, and vote for the funding every single time." Obama: "Because at that point you've got hundreds of thousands of young men and women who have to carry out the mission on behalf of the American people. It's not their fault that our civilian leadership made bad decisions and what I wanted to make sure of was that they had night vision goggles that they needed, the Humvees that they needed and I also felt and I've continued to feel this way that if we could create some semblance of stability and success in Iraq, that would be a good thing." (ABC's "This Week," 5/13/07)
CHYRON: Against Funding The Troops -- Again
BARACK OBAMA (6/19/07): "Now, I introduced a plan in January that would have already started bringing our troops home by now, with the goal of bringing all combat brigades home by March 31st, 2008. Now we know the president vetoed a bipartisan plan just like that one a few weeks ago. And I'm proud I voted against giving a blank check."
· In June 2007, At The Take Back America Conference, Barack Obama Said He Was "Proud" Of His Vote Against The Iraq Funding Bill. Obama: "Now, I introduced a plan in January that would have already started bringing our troops home by now, with the goal of bringing all combat brigades home by March 31st, 2008. Now we know the president vetoed a bipartisan plan just like that one a few weeks ago. And I'm proud I voted against giving a blank check to the man who said he sees keeping us -- keeping our troops in Iraq for as long as we have kept them in Korea. But we can't give George Bush the last word here. We are 16 votes away in the Senate from ending this war, a comparable number in the House. We need to keep turning up the pressure on all those Republican congressmen and senators who refuse to acknowledge the reality that the American people know so well. We will call them; we will knock on their doors. We will bring our troops home . It is time to bring this war to a close. It is time to recognize there is no military solution to the problems in Iraq. It is time to turn the page." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At The 2007 Take Back America Conference, Washington, DC, 6/19/07)
CHYRON: Translation: Only in Barack Obama's Mind Is Voting Against Troops A Virtue
CHYRON: Says He Will Put A Strike Force In Iraq
BARACK OBAMA (3/19/08): "After this redeployment, we will leave enough troops in Iraq to guard our embassy and our diplomats, and a counter-terrorism force to strike al Qaeda."
· In March 2008, Barack Obama Said He Would "Immediately Begin To Remove Our Troops From Iraq." "After this redeployment, we will leave enough troops in Iraq to guard our embassy and our diplomats, and a counter-terrorism force to strike al Qaeda if it forms a base that the Iraqis cannot destroy." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks On Iraq, Fayetteville, NC, 3/19/08)
CHYRON: Says He Won't Put A Strike Force In Iraq
REPORTER (3/31/08): "You've said you'd leave a small force there to deal with terrorist attacks. How long would you leave them there? And what's your criteria for pulling them out?" BARACK OBAMA: "Well, no, no, that's not what I've said. What I've said is that we will have troops looking after our embassy there, which we do everywhere. We do it in France. We do it in Great Britain. We have some military personnel that ensure that our diplomatic forces are taken care of."
· In March 2008, Barack Obama Claimed That He Would Keep A Strike Force In Iraq "Looking After Our Embassy There." Reporter: "You've said you'd leave a small force there to deal with terrorist attacks. How long would you leave them there? And what's your criteria for pulling them out? Obama: "Well, no, no, that's not what I've said. What I've said is that we will have troops looking after our embassy there, which we do everywhere. We do it in France. We do it in Great Britain. We have some military personnel that ensure that our diplomatic forces are taken care of." (Sen. Barack Obama, Press Conference, 3/31/08)
CHYRON: Translation: How To Keep Troops In Iraq And Still Sound Like You Want A Withdrawal
CHYRON: So What Is Barack Obama's Position On Iraq?
BARACK OBAMA (6/5/08): "Well, you know, I never say there's nothing or never or no way in which I'd change my mind."
· In June 2008, Barack Obama Told CNN's Candy Crowley "I Never Say There's Nothing Or Never Or No Way In Which I'd Change My Mind." Crowley: "You have said you want to go back to Iraq." Obama: "Yeah." Crowley: "See what the situation is on the ground. Is there nothing that they could show you or that General Petraeus could tell you that would move you from wanting to immediately begin removing U.S. troops?" Obama: "Well, you know, I never say there's nothing or never or no way in which I'd change my mind. Obviously, I'm open to the facts and to reason. And there's no doubt that we've seen significant improvements in security on the ground in Iraq." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 6/5/08)
CHYRON: Translation: Barack Obama's Position: Whatever the Politics Demand
