Obama Rejects Politics Of Fear, Hillary... Not So Much

By: Scripple
Published On: 1/16/2008 11:53:19 AM

Clinton was asked whether she was playing the "fear card" against Obama when she raised the possibility of a terror attack testing the new president. Her answer:

The fact is that we face a very dangerous adversary and to forget that, to brush it aside, I think is a mistake. So I do feel that the next president has to be prepared. Because we are up against a relentless enemy. They will take advantage of us. They will certainly, as they have over the last several years, continue their attacks against our friends and allies around the world.

Obama responds:

I have to say that when Senator Clinton uses the specter of a terrorist attack with a new PM during a campaign, I think that is part and parcel with what we've seen with the use of the fear of terrorism in scoring political points. Which I think is a mistake. Now I don't want to perpetuate that. I think that's part of why we ended up going into Iraq. And made a big strategic error that has made us less safe.

Watch the video for his entire answer.

If you're a Democrat who's been frustrated with Republicans using the spectre of terrorism to scare voters and manipulate public policy over the last seven years, then you will find this as refreshing as I do.

We don't need a Democratic version of the "politics of fear."  Maybe Hillary Clinton doesn't mind using it because she fell for it back in 2003, when she and so many other senators let the Bush Administration scare the people into supporting the War in Iraq.

We need a leader who will transcend the politics of fear, not just give us a Democratic version of it.  With Barack Obama, we have a leader who is willing to stand up against these tactics, and help us as a country unite, and move on past the politics of division and fear.

Once again, watching him last night, I was so proud to be supporting him.

Comments



I Am Comfortable With Barack (Lee Diamond - 1/16/2008 7:37:23 PM)
I do not have any qualms about my support for Barack Obama for President.  Given his relatively short time on the national stage, however, I do think that the experience issue can be legitimately raised.  It is possible to raise the concern in a manner that is not inflammatory.  Barack Obama has expressed a willingness to be tested.   This should happen during the campaign for the Democratic nomination rather than in the fall.

In any case, I intend to intensify my support for Barack in the coming days and weeks.  I hope to travel to South Carolina next week and spend several days volunteering before the primary.



The only candidate I find truly scary: Giuliani (Doug in Mount Vernon - 1/16/2008 7:48:13 PM)
This ethic in the campaign needs to be effectively annihilated.  Giuliani scares the crap outta me because he seems hell-bent on perpetuating the most destructive pattern in American politics since the McCarthy era.  He wants to scare Americans into perpetual war and effectively isolate us from forming broad cooperative coalitions via diplomacy, international law, and plain old cooperation.

It's the most un-American way of running this country I can imagine, and it's also quintessential Rudy.



Good Leadership is an INTANGIBLE thing (TMSKI - 1/16/2008 9:50:47 PM)
Few people fully understand art of Command and Good Leadership .... which ought to be Affirmative Leadership as Senator Webb might say. And as Commander in Chief you should lead in a positive and affirmative manner (bringing people together for a purpose) which makes commanding much easier .... even given difficult and deadly task (War as an example).

To lead by fear and intimidation is severely flawed for the long term (the dictator's plight - etu' Brute'). It might work in the short term but can be fatal as a long term method (generates lots of enemies).

Anyhow we've had nearly 7 years of fear mongering and leadership by intimidation .... what has it gotten us? Giant Moral and Fiscal Deficits along with a world that distains America.

It is an arrogance for the Clinton campaign to suggest Hillary is more prepared to be Commander in Chief then any other candidate in the Democratic field. She has not commanded anything in her life that I'm aware of .... and leadership at it's best is founded upon the ability to INSPIRE and MOTIVATE people of all walks to a greater good and purpose.

OBAMA is INSPIRING and I have every confidence he will be able to Command Skillfully ....  not unlike Abraham Lincoln.