Jul 19 2008
White House endorses Obama
Was it really a mistake, or is somebody in the Bush White House looking out for the future of the country? Perhaps we’ll never know…
White House Tips Press Off to Maliki Interview
WACO, Tex. — The White House is quick to distribute its point of view in e-mail messages with headings like “News You Can Use,” “In Case You Missed It,” and “Setting the Record Straight.” So it was a surprise on Saturday morning when the White House distributed an article by Reuters that offered an endorsement of Senator Barack Obama’s Iraq policy by the leader of Iraq.
“Iraq PM backs Obama troop exit plan,” the headline read over a story about an interview of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki in the German magazine Der Spiegel, in which he expressed support for the senator’s plan to withdraw American combat brigades from Iraq over the next 16 months.
“U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months,” Mr. Maliki told Der Spiegel, Reuters reported. “That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes.”
Turns out it was a mistake by the White House clipping service, which had intended to distribute it internally but instead sent it to thousands signed up to receive the administration’s press releases, transcripts, statements and other documents, drawing attention to an interview that might otherwise have received less.
The timing compounded the mistake. It came a day after the White House announced that President Bush, in a significant shift, had agreed to a “general time horizon” for withdrawing American forces, though not on the strict timetable Mr. Obama favors. Mr. Maliki’s remarks suggested a position not entirely in line with President Bush’s, despite Friday’s announcement.
Troops meet future Commander-in-Chief
Related: “Obama Opens a Foreign Tour in Afghanistan.”
3 Responses to “White House endorses Obama”
That’s more than Bush did, He showed up at the most secure place in Iraq and ate a quick Thanksgiving dinner, and then abdrubtly left, making sure it was well documented with film and pictures. He was there maybe a couple a hours. I didn’t see him, I was in another location, but just let me say we weren’t impressed by his “courage”
Ah, yes…the Bush administration doing what it knows best–making mistakes.
No wonder they have such a difficult time with the real issues. They can’t even handle sending emails to a mailing list..
I think I will have to reserve my claps and sound them loud only when this is effected. Right now, I still consider it a promise, which can either be fulfilled or broken. Anyway, I must say I am very happy for the move. Enough is Enough. Let’s leave Iraq for the Iraqis.