Response to McCain's Most Recent Attack Ad on Taxes

August 09, 2008

"This ad is a lie, and it’s part of the old, tired politics of a party in Washington that has run out of ideas and run out of steam. Even though a host of independent, nonpartisan organizations have said this attack isn't true, Senator McCain continues to lie about Senator Obama's plan to give 95% of all families a tax cut of $1,000, and not raise taxes for those making under $250,000 a single dime. The reason so many families are hurting today is because we’ve had eight years of failed Bush policies that Senator McCain wants to continue for another four, and that's what Barack Obama will change as President," said Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan.

SCRIPT: ANNCR: Life in the spotlight must be grand, but for the rest of us times are tough.

RESPONSE: MCCAIN'S REPEATING CELEBRITY THEME THAT HE WAS ROUNDLY CRITICIZED FOR BY HIS OWN ALLIES LAST TIME AROUND

McCain's Former Strategist: McCain's Ad Is "Childish" And "Reduces McCain." "John Weaver, for years one of John McCain's closest friends and confidants, has been in exile since his resignation from McCain's presidential campaign last year. With the exception of an occasional interview, he has, by his own account, bit his tongue as McCain's campaign has adopted a strategy that Weaver believes 'diminishes John McCain.' With the release today of a McCain television ad blasting Obama for celebrity preening while gas prices rise, and a memo that accuses Obama of putting his own aggrandizement before the country, Weaver said he's had 'enough.' The ad's premise, he said, is 'childish.' 'John's been a celebrity ever since he was shot down,' Weaver said. 'Whatever that means. And I recall Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush going overseas and all those waving American flags.' Weaver remains in contact with senior McCain strategists and, for a while early this year, regularly talked to McCain. The strategy of driving up Obama's negatives 'reduces McCain on the stage,' Weaver said. 'For McCain to win in such troubled times, he needs to begin telling the American people how he intends to lead us. That McCain exists. He can inspire the country to greatness. He added: 'There is legitimate mockery of a political campaign now, and it isn't at Obama's. For McCain's sake, this tomfoolery needs to stop.'" [The Atlantic, 7/30/08]

Former McCain Adviser Schnur Called First Celebrity Ad An Example Of "Name-Calling." "Even some McCain allies have winced at the Paris/Britney spot. Republican strategist Dan Schnur, a former McCain adviser, said that 'most voters won't see the parallels between a presidential candidate and two party girls. So a legitimate point about inexperience gets lost in the appearance of name-calling.'" [Washington Post, 8/1/08]

David Gergen: Celebrity Ads Diminish McCain "Because They're So At Variance With Who He Normally Has Been." "I think they've made a cold-blooded calculated decision to refocus their campaign away from the positive, toward the negative, bring down Barack Obama at least two or three notches make fun of him. And pave the way to the White House…Over time, these kind of mocking ads will come back to haunt John McCain because they're so at variance with who he normally has been. But John McCain is increasingly put himself in danger that he's going to become the subject of ridicule." [NBC, 8/1/08]

Washington Post: McCain Campaign's Celebrity Ad Shows It Is "Adopting The Aggressive, Take-No-Prisoners Style Of Karl Rove." "As Election Day nears, McCain's campaign is adopting the aggressive, take-no-prisoners style of Karl Rove, the GOP operative who engineered victories for President Bush. The campaign continued the attack Wednesday with a sarcastic television ad deriding Obama as a 'celebrity,' part of an intensifying effort to cast him as an elitist. But the sharp-edged approach is being orchestrated for an unpredictable candidate who often chafes at delivering the campaign's message of the day. It is that freewheeling style that has made him popular with voters and cemented his reputation for candor and straight talk." [Washington Post, 7/31/08]

McCain Said He Was "Proud" Of The "Celeb" And Said It Stresses "Substance And Not Style." "McCain said at a town hall meeting here that he is 'proud' of the ad as stressing 'substance and not style,' and his spokeswoman, Nicolle Wallace, defended it. 'The ad is meant to acknowledge reality -- that he is huge, that he is a celebrity,' she said of Obama. 'It wasn't meant to be insulting. One of the things we learned from Hillary Clinton running against Obama is that railing against his celebrity, whining about his celebrity, doesn't work.'" [Washington Post, 8/1/08]

SCRIPT: Obama voted to raise taxes on people making just $42,000.

MCCAIN CAMP HAS REPEATEDLY MADE INACCURATE CLAIMS ABOUT THIS VOTE--IT DIDN'T RAISE TAXES

Annenberg Fact Check: Vote McCain Refers to Was a Non-Binding Budget Resolution That Doesn't Raise Taxes But Assumes Most Bush Tax Cuts Expire, and "Bears No Relation To Obama's Proposed Economic Plan." FactCheck.org wrote that the vote McCain campaign cites "refers to Obama's March 2008 vote for a non-binding budget resolution that would have set general revenue and spending targets for congressional tax-writing and appropriations committees. The resolution does not contain a specific provision to raise tax rates, but rather assumes that most of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts expire as scheduled in 2011. It also bears no relation to Obama's proposed economic plan. In fact, Obama has stated repeatedly that his plan would increase taxes only for those making more than $250,000 per year." [Factcheck.org, 7/8/08]

Annenberg Fact Check: The Hypothetical Taxpayer McCain Ad Refers To Would Get a $502 Tax Cut Under Obama Plan, but No Change Under McCain. "The most comprehensive nonpartisan analysis of Obama's tax proposal available is the Tax Policy Center's comparison of McCain's and Obama's economic plans. That analysis mostly supports Obama's claim that his plan won't raise taxes, though it says that families earning between $169,480 and $237,040 would see an average tax increase of $486 under Obama's plan. All those earning less than $169,480 would see tax cuts. In fact, that hypothetical taxpayer with the $32,000 in taxable income would get a $502 tax cut under Obama's plan. McCain's plan, by contrast, would leave that person's taxes unchanged." [Factcheck.org, 7/8/08]

Annenberg Fact Check: Budget Resolutions Do Not Alter The Tax Code. Factcheck.org wrote, "As we have described before, budget resolutions basically set targets for appropriations committees to use. They are more like guidelines than actual rules. And, like many budget resolutions, this one passed on a party-line vote, with just one Democrat and two Republicans crossing party lines." On July 3rd, 2008 Factcheck.org wrote that "Budget resolutions merely set targets for tax-writing and appropriations committees and don't alter the tax code directly." [Factcheck.org, 7/8/08; Factcheck.org, 7/3/08]

MSNBC: The Budget Resolution Is Not A Law And Is Not Binding. First Read at MSNBC wrote, "The budget resolution is NOT/NOT a law, NOT binding. (The President of the United States doesn't even sign it.) Instead, it's a blueprint of sorts that gives guidance to how congressional tax writers write tax laws in the Finance Committee. That panel is not bound to what the budget says, and often votes to "waive" budget rules. [MSNBC, 7/7/08]

SCRIPT: He promises more taxes on small business, seniors, your life savings, your family. Painful taxes, hard choices for your budget. Not ready to lead. That's the real Obama.

RESPONSE: OBAMA PLAN WILL CUT TAXES ON MOST AMERICANS, INCLUDING ELIMINATING INCOME TAXES ON SENIORS MAKING LESS THAN $50,000

Obama Plan: Eliminate Income Taxes for Seniors Making Less than $50,000: Barack Obama will eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year. This proposal will eliminate income taxes for 7 million seniors and provide these seniors with an average savings of $1,400 each year. Under the Obama plan, 27 million American seniors will also not need to file an income tax return. [Barack Obama Economic Plan]

Obama Plan: Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families: Obama will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. The "Making Work Pay" tax credit will completely eliminate income taxes for 10 million Americans. [Barack Obama Economic Plan]

Obama Plan: Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama will ensure that the IRS uses the information it already gets from banks and employers to give taxpayers the option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return. Experts estimate that the Obama proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees. [Barack Obama Economic Plan]

OUTSIDE OBSERVERS AGREE: CLAIMS THAT OBAMA WILL RAISE TAXES ARE "WRONG," "FALSE," "MISLEADING"

McCain's Chief Economic Advisor: "I Used To Say That Barack Obama Raises Taxes…I Stand Corrected." "Take this one, for instance: 'The choice in this election is stark and simple,' John McCain said at recent Denver event, repeating a phrase that is a staple of his stump speech. 'Senator Obama will raise your taxes. I won't.' Seems clear enough, right? You already know the old argument: Republicans cut taxes, Democrats raise them. Except it's not true, at least not in the way that it seems. But don't take my word for it. Here is Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain's chief economic policy adviser. 'I used to say that Barack Obama raises taxes and John McCain cuts them, and I was convinced,' he told me in a phone interview this week. 'I stand corrected [about Obama's plans].'" [Time, 7/24/08]

Economists At The Tax Policy Center Came To The Conclusion That Obama's Tax Plan Offers A Net Tax Cut. Michael Scherer of Time wrote, "So I want to make a few things clear. First, the Obama campaign calculates that its tax plan offers a net tax revenue reduction over ten years, if the health plan is included. Second, independent economists at the Tax Policy Center come to the same conclusion. Third, Holtz-Eakin has repeatedly, and quite seriously, invoked the net-tax-cut calculations of Obama to make the argument that the Democrat has a fiscally irresponsible economic plan." [Time, 7/30/08]

Time: McCain's Tax Plan "Benefits Mostly Those In Higher Income Brackets While Obama's Plan Benefits Mostly Those In Lower-And Middle Income Tax Brackets." "They do, however, offer plans that differ strikingly from each other. McCain's tax plan benefits mostly those in higher income brackets, while Obama's plan benefits mostly those in lower- and middle-income tax brackets. McCain wants a tax cut for corporate profits, while Obama has proposed a whole host of tax cuts that will benefit those in the middle-income brackets." [Time, 7/24/08]

Stanford Group Economist: "Overwhelmingly Most Americans Will Not See Their Income Taxes Increased" Under Obama's Tax Plan. Anne Mathias, an economist at the Stanford Group Company, "points out that 95.1% of the American people are in households that earn less than $200,000 -- so overwhelmingly most Americans will not see their income taxes increased, if Obama's math is correct." [ABC News, 7/7/08]

Washington Post Fact Checker: McCain Campaign Attacks on Obama Tax Plan "Overblown," "Wrong," and "Greatly Exaggerated." "The McCain camp is attempting to persuade Americans that their taxes will increase dramatically with Barack Obama as president. The presumptive Republican nominee has repeatedly said that Obama would enact 'the largest tax increase since the Second World War.' A surrogate, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, insists that Obama has not proposed 'a single tax cut' and wants to 'raise every tax in the book.' … The claim that Obama will 'enact' the largest tax increase since World War II is also overblown. The Bush tax cuts will expire automatically at the end of 2010, so it is hardly a question of 'enacting' a new tax increase. ... Carly Fiorina is wrong to claim that Obama has proposed no tax cuts and wants to raise 'every tax in the book.' John McCain is on more solid ground when he claims that Americans from many different backgrounds could be affected by a rise in capital gains taxes, but he has greatly exaggerated the adverse impact." [Washington Post, 6/11/08]

Politifact: McCain's Statement That Obama's Tax Plan Would Raise Taxes Is "False." Politifact reported, "So calling it a tax increase might not be considered fair. There's no disputing that taxes will rise, but the question of who's responsible for that tax increase is another matter entirely. At PolitiFact, we've concluded, as have others, that it's unfair to call Obama's plan a tax increase merely because it doesn't change existing tax law to keep rates low. We think about it this way: The reason taxes will increase is because of tax policy signed into law not by Obama, but by somebody else… the more recent data — combined with the fact that Obama's proposal does not constitute a tax increase in the traditional sense, since some taxes would be lower under his plan than they would under current law — persuades us to classify McCain's statement as False." [Politifact, 6/11/08]

FactCheck.Org: McCain's Largest Tax Increase Charge Wrong and Misleading. According to the Annenberg Public Policy Center's Factcheck.org: "By the measure most economists prefer, McCain is wrong in his claim that Sens. Clinton and Obama want to implement "the single largest tax increase since the Second World War;"… At a more basic level, it's misleading to tag Clinton and Obama for something that was scheduled during the Bush administration – the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts, which by law will occur at the end of 2010." [Factcheck.org, 5/14/08]

OBAMA TAX PROPOSAL WAS PRAISED AS A "TAX FAIRNESS, PRO-CAPITALIST INITIATIVE," WILL NOT RAISE TAXES AND WILL PROVIDE A BIGGER BREAK FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES THAN MCCAIN'S PLAN

Analysts Say That Obama's Tax Cut Plan "Offers Three Times The Break For Middle Class Families Than Proposals" Of McCain. "The tax cut plan of Democratic nominee to be Barack Obama offers three times the break for middle class families than proposals of likely Republican nominee John McCain, according to analysts working for a left-leaning think tank. Families making between $37,595 and $66,354 of annual income with Obama would get an average tax cut of $1,042 per family while McCain's tax cut for this group would be $319, the report states." [Nashua Telegraph, 6/12/08]

Under Obama's Plan The Middle Of The Middle Class Would See Taxes Cut By $1,042 A Year; McCain's Tax Plan Would Give Them Only A $319 Tax Cut. According to the non partisan Tax Policy Center's computations, "under Mr. Obama's plan, the middle of the middle class, or those earning $37,595 to $66,354, would see taxes cut by $1,042 a year. Under Mr. McCain's plan, taxes for people in that category would also fall, but by $319; the largest chunk of the benefits would go to those making $2.8 million a year or more." [New York Times, 6/13/08]

Obama Plan: $80 Billion A Year In Tax Cuts "To Middle-Class Workers, Homeowners And Retirees." "Senator Barack Obama proposed a plan on Tuesday to provide at least $80 billion a year in tax cuts to middle-class workers, homeowners and retirees, saying if he was elected president he would 'end the preferential treatment that's built into our tax code.' Mr. Obama said he would give a $500 tax credit to more than 150 million workers, create a tax credit for homeowners who do not itemize their deductions and eliminate income taxes for older taxpayers who make less than $50,000 a year." [New York Times, 9/19/07; Tax Fairness For The Middle Class]

Martire: Obama's Tax Plan Is A "Tax Fairness, Pro-Capitalist Initiative." Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, wrote in an article, "The audacity of Sen. Barack Obama is now clear. He actually intends to make tax fairness - targeted at workers and seniors, no less - a platform in his candidacy for the White House. Obama just unveiled a proposal that would cut taxes by about $80 billion annually for middle-class folks, low-income folks, homeowners and seniors. The senator would pay for this program by, now get this, increasing taxes on capital gains and dividends, and eliminating other tax loopholes that primarily benefit the most well-to-do…Under Obama's proposal, more than 150 million workers - those who have been left out during America's recent economic expansion, would get a tax break. Better yet, because their incomes are stagnant or declining, they'll in all likelihood use this tax break to purchase necessities, creating a stimulus in their local economies. Bush's tax break for dividends and capital gains, on the other hand, overwhelmingly benefits the richest Americans. According to Internal Revenue Service data, three-quarters of this tax break, about $68 billion annually, goes to the wealthiest 0.6 percent of income earners, while costing over $91 billion in 2005 alone. Not only does this worsen income inequality, but it is patently anti-capitalist. Eliminating this tax break would more than cover the $80 billion annual cost of Obama's tax fairness, pro-capitalist initiative." [Springfield Journal-Register, Editorial, 9/24/07]

Kansas City Star Editorial: "Obama's Plans For Reducing Inequalities In Tax Policies And Helping Working Families Offer The Better Blueprint To Move Forward." "Discussions about health care, Social Security and energy are needed to produce a big picture of how each candidate will manage the economy. Based on proposals so far, however, Obama's plans for reducing inequalities in tax policies and helping working families offer the better blueprint to move forward." [Kansas City Star, 6/13/08]

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McCain's False Allegations on Visiting Wounded Troops in Germany

July 29, 2008

OUTLETS AGREE: MCCAIN AD ALLEGATIONS ARE NOT TRUE, AND OBAMA NEVER INTENDED TO BRING PRESS

Andrea Mitchell: The McCain Ad Is "Literally Not True" And "I Can Vouch" That Obama Had No Intention Of Bringing Cameras; "It Seems Inexplicable That This Whole Thing Has Become Such An Issue." Andrea Mitchell said, "As someone supporting John McCain, I've got to ask you about this new John McCain ad. It says, literally, he could have gone, but did other things, but not with cameras. That literally is not true. Let me play a bit of Robert Gibbs, Obama's spokesman reacting to that today… The point is he had no intention of bringing cameras. I was there, I can vouch for it. Why put up an ad claiming that's why he didn't visit the troops? They claim the reason they didn't go was they were concern it would seem to political since that was the political leg of his journey… Well, he wasn't planning to bring an entourage. He certainly visited the soldiers only four or five days earlier when he was in Iraq and visited them in Walter Reed without notice and entourage. It seems inexplicable that this whole thing has become such an issue, but clearly, the McCain campaign wants this to be an issue, wants to paint him as someone who's unfeeling about the troops." [MSNBC, 7/28/08]

Annenberg Fact Check: The McCain Ad's Insinuation That Obama Canceled The Visit Because Of the Press Ban Or The Desire For Gym Time "Is False." "A new McCain ad says Obama 'made time to go to the gym, but canceled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras.' McCain's facts are literally true, but his insinuation – that the visit was canceled because of the press ban or the desire for gym time – is false. In fact, Obama visited wounded troops earlier – without cameras or press – both in the U.S. and Iraq. And his gym workouts are a daily routine. The Obama campaign canceled the visit with wounded troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, Obama says, when he learned that the Pentagon would not allow him to bring along a retired Air Force major general who is serving as a foreign policy adviser to the campaign. Obama says that 'triggered then a concern that maybe our visit was going to be perceived as political.'" [FactCheck.org, 7/28/08]

Retired Chief Of Medical Operations For USAF At Ramstein Air Force Base: McCain's Ad Is "Dishonest And Shameful." Col. Katherine Scheirman (Ret.), the retired Chief of Medical Operations for United States Air Force in Europe Headquarters at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany said, "John McCain's new ad is dishonest and shameful, and I say that as the former Chief of Medical Operations. Senators Hagel and Reed confirmed to Bob Schieffer yesterday that Senator Obama visited the Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad as a part of their CODEL, with no media present. In Germany, Senator Obama made the right decision to respect wounded troops, and the doctors and nurses doing crucial and time-sensitive work, by not making a visit that was characterized as a campaign event by the Pentagon. Senator Obama should be thanked for putting our military above politics. And, I would hope that John McCain would think in those same terms, the next time he is put in a similar situation. Senator Obama has voted for the troops when John McCain has not, most recently on the new GI Bill. I am happy that Senator Obama puts the welfare of our troops above politics." [Politico, 7/28/08]

Tapper: "The McCain Campaign Provides No Evidence For The Assertion That Being Told He Couldn't Bring Media Had Anything To Do With The Trip's Cancellation." "McCain's ad asserts that Obama 'made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras.' The McCain campaign provides no evidence for the assertion that being told he couldn't bring media had anything to do with the trip's cancellation. Oddly, when discussing Obama's trip to the gym, the ad uses footage of Obama playing basketball with US troops in Kuwait over the weekend." [ABC News, 7/26/08]

Tumulty: "There Is Absolutely No Evidence" That Obama Cancelled The Trip Because He Couldn't Bring Media And The Military Confirmed That The Plan Was To Leave Media And Staff At The Airport. "Jake Tapper notes the ad also claims that Obama cancelled the trip because he was told he couldn't bring the media. There is absolutely no evidence for that one. The campaign insists that the plan had been to leave us at the airport, and the military has confirmed that arrangements were being made to hold media and staff there at a passenger terminal." [Time, 7/26/08]

TPM: A Pentagon Spokesperson Confirmed That Pentagon Officials Told Obama Aides That He Couldn't Visit The Base With His Campaign Staff. Greg Sargent at Talking Points Memo wrote, "A Pentagon spokesperson confirms to me that because of longstanding Department of Defense regulations, Pentagon officials told Obama aides that he couldn't visit the base with campaign staff. This left Obama with little choice but to cancel the trip, since the plan to visit with campaign aides had been in the works for weeks." [Talking Points Memo, 7/25/08]

OBAMA CAMPAIGN AND OTHERS: THE ISSUE WAS CONCERN THAT THE TROOPS WOULD BE POLITICIZED BY A "CAMPAIGN" VISIT

MCCAIN CAMPAIGN HAS ADDRESSED SIMILAR CONCERNS OVER POLITICIZING AMERICAN TROOPS

OBAMA HAS VISITED WITH WOUNDED TROOPS RECENTLY, CALLED SOLDIERS AT LANDSTUHL

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Fact Check: Obama Regularly Says Immigrants Need to Learn English

July 09, 2008

SPEECH AT LULAC, 7/8/08, WATCH IT HERE

"We have to finally bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows. It is time we did that. Now, let's acknowledge, yes, they broke the law. And they should have to pay a fine, and learn English, and go to the back of the line, behind those who have been waiting patiently. But we also have to put them on a pathway to citizenship."

DEBATE, FEBRUARY 21, 2008, WATCH IT HERE
RAMOS: Senator Obama, is there any downside to the United States becoming a bilingual nation?

OBAMA: "Well, I think it is important that everyone learns English and that we have that process of binding ourselves together as a country. I think that's very important.

I also think that every student should be learning a second language because -- (interrupted by applause) -- you know -- so when you start getting into a debate about bilingual education, for example, now I want to make sure that children who are coming out of Spanish-speaking households have the opportunity to learn and are not falling behind. And if bilingual education helps them do that, I want to give them the opportunity. But I also want to make sure that English-speaking children are getting foreign languages because this world is becoming more interdependent, and part of the process of America's continued leadership in the world is going to be our capacity to communicate across boundaries, across borders.

And that's something, frankly, that's fallen very -- where we've fallen behind. And one of the failures of No Child Left Behind, a law that I think a lot of local and state officials have been troubled by, is that it is so narrowly focused on standardized tests that it has pushed out a lot of important learning that needs to take place. (Cheers, applause.)

And foreign languages is one of those areas that I think has been neglected. I want to put more resources into it."

OBAMA POLICY PAPER
"Obama supports a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens. Obama will also expand opportunities to learn English and obtain civic education classes to help immigrants assume all of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship."

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OBAMA HAS CONSISTENTLY SAID HE WILL LISTEN TO COMMANDERS ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ

July 03, 2008

June 2008: Obama: I've Consistently Said That I Will Consult With Military Commanders On The Ground And Be Open To The Possibility Of Tactical Adjustments. Obama said, "I've also consistently said that I will consult with military commanders on the ground and that we will always be open to the possibility of tactical adjustments. The important thing is to send a clear signal to the Iraqi people and most importantly to the Iraqi leadership that the U.S. occupation in Iraq is finite, it is gonna be coming to a foreseeable end." [MSNBC, 6/16/08]

March 2008: Obama Said He Would Give Senior Military Leaders Opinions Great Weight In Implementing His Iraq Plan But As Commander In Chief Would Make His Own Assessment Of The Situation. Obama was asked "what weight will you give to the counsel of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command] commander, the combatant commander on the ground in Iraq and current intelligence chiefs on the ground in Iraq regarding an immediate phased withdrawal?" Obama said, "I will give their counsel great weight. But, as commander in chief, it is my responsibility to make my own assessment of the situation. We must send a clear signal to the Iraqi political leadership that we are leaving Iraq on a timeline. Doing so will put pressure on those leaders to begin to resolve the political impasse at the heart of this civil war. But I also want to be clear about another thing. I am worried our Army is overstretched and that we have asked an awful lot from our military families. Many in our senior military leadership are worried about a plan that will keep 130,000 troops on the ground in Iraq for the foreseeable future. So, as commander in chief, I will also have to take into consideration the counsel of other senior military leaders who may be concerned that Iraq is undercutting our ability to confront other security challenges." [Washington Post, 3/2/08]

March 2008: Obama Said The Size Of The Residual Force Will Depend On Consultation With Military Commanders And "Will Depend On The Circumstances On The Ground." Obama said, "The precise size of the residual force will depend on consultations with our military commanders and will depend on the circumstances on the ground, including the willingness of the Iraqi government to move toward political accommodation. But let me be clear on one thing: I will end this war, and there will be far fewer Americans in Iraq conducting a much more limited set of missions that include counterterrorism and protection of our embassy and U.S. civilians." [Washington Post, 3/2/08]

November 2007: Obama Said He Would Leave Residual Troops In Iraq Based On The Levels Of Violence, "It's Not My Job To Specify Troop Levels." Obama said, "If we see a serious effort by the Iraqi leadership to arrive at an agreement and an accommodation and you've seen continued reductions of violence, then you need one level of troop protection for the embassy…If things have gone to hell in a hand basket then you need another ... It's not my job to specify troop levels. My job is to tell our commanders on the ground, 'Here's your mission. Protect our embassy, protect our diplomats and our humanitarian workers in the area and make sure al Qaeda in Iraq, or other terrorist organizations inside of Iraq are not re-establishing bases there." [Fosters, 11/28/07]

November 2007: Obama Said U.S. Has To Make Sure "We Are Not Just Willy-Nilly Removing Troops" And That It May "Take A Little Bit Longer" In Some Areas Where There Is Less Stability. "According to all the reports, we should have been well along our way in getting the Iraqi security forces to be more functional. We then have another 16 months after that to adjust the withdrawal and make sure that we are withdrawing from those areas, based on advice from the military officers in the field, those places where we are secured, made progress and we're not just willy-nilly removing troops, but we're making a determination – in this region we see some stability. We've had cooperation from local tribal leaders and local officials, so we can afford to remove troops here. Here, we've still got problems, it's going to take a little bit longer. Maybe those are the last areas to pull out." [New York Times, 11/1/07]

November 2007: Obama: "If The Commanders Tell Me They Need X, Y And Z, In Order To Accomplish The Very Narrow Mission That I've Laid Out, Than I Will Take That Into Consideration." "You raise a series of legitimate questions. As commander in chief, I'm not going to leave trainers unprotected. In our counterterrorism efforts, I'm not going to have a situation where our efforts can't be successful. We will structure those forces so they can be successful. We would still have human intelligence capabilities on the ground. Some of them would be civilian, as opposed to military, some would be operating out of our bases as well as our signal intelligence…But listen, I am not going to set up our troops for failure and I'm going to do something half-baked. If the commanders tell me that they need X, Y and Z, in order to accomplish the very narrow mission that I've laid out, than I will take that into consideration." [New York Times, 11/1/07]

November 2007: Obama: "Even Something As Simple As Protecting Our Embassy Is Going To Dependent On What Is The Security In Baghdad…If There Is Some Sense Of Security, Then That Means One Level Of Force. If You Continue To Have Significant Sectarian Conflict, That Means Another." "I have not ascribed particular numbers to that and I won't for precisely the reason I was just talking to Michael about. I want to talk to military folks on the ground, No. 1. No. 2, a lot of it depends on what's happened on the political front and the diplomatic front. Even something as simple as protecting our embassy is going to be dependent on what is the security environment in Baghdad. If there is some sense of security, then that means one level of force. If you continue to have significant sectarian conflict, that means another, but this is an area where Senator Clinton and I do have a significant contrast." [New York Times, 11/1/07]

September 2007: Obama Said He Believed "That We Should Have All Our Troops Out By 2013, But I Don't Want To Make Promises." Obama said, "I think it's hard to project four years from now, and I think it would be irresponsible. We don't know what contingency will be out there. What I can promise is that if there are still troops in Iraq when I take office -- which it appears there may be, unless we can get of our Republican colleagues to change their mind and cut off funding without a timetable -- if there's no timetable -- then I will drastically reduce our presence there to the mission of protecting our embassy, protecting our civilians, and making sure that we're carrying out counterterrorism activities there. I believe that we should have all our troops out by 2013, but I don't want to make promises, not knowing what the situation's going to be three or four years out." [NH DNC Debate, 9/26/07]

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Fact Check on Washington Post's Misleading Story on Obama Mortgage

July 02, 2008

RHETORIC: "The freshman Democratic senator received a discount. He locked in an interest rate of 5.625 percent on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, below the average for such loans at the time in Chicago. The loan was unusually large, known in banker lingo as a 'super super jumbo.' Obama paid no origination fee or discount points, as some consumers do to reduce their interest rates. Compared with the average terms offered at the time in Chicago, Obama's rate could have saved him more than $300 per month." [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

REALITY: OBAMA DID NOT GET SPECIAL TREATMENT AND RECEIVED HIS RATE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CUSTOMER. HIS RATE IS CONSISTENT WITH RATES FOR OTHERS WITH HIS FINANCIAL PROFILE.

REALITY: NORTHERN TRUST DOES NOT HAVE A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE DISCOUNTS TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS

Unlike Countrywide Northern Trust Did Not Have A Program To Provide Discounts To Public Officials. "Unlike Countrywide, where leaked internal e-mails documented a special discount program for friends of chief executive Angelo Mozilo, Northern Trust says it has no formal program to provide discounts to public officials." [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

REALITY: NORTHERN TRUST TAKES INTO ACCOUNT EVERY PERSON'S OCCUPATION AND SALARY

Northern Trust: Any Person's Occupation And Salary Would Be Taken Into Consideration For A Mortgage. "'A person's occupation and salary are two factors; I would expect those are two things we would take into consideration,' said Northern Trust Vice President John O'Connell. 'That would apply to anyone seeking to get a mortgage at Northern Trust.'" [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

REALITY: THE RATE OBAMA RECEIVED WAS CONSISTENT WITH INTERNAL NORTHERN TRUST RATES AT THE TIME

The Rate Obama Received Was Consistent With Internal Northern Trust Rates At The Time. "He added that the rates offered to Obama were 'consistent with internal Northern Trust rates at that time.' 'The bottom line is, this was a business proposition for us,' he said. 'Our business model is to service and pursue successful individuals, families and institutions.'" [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

REALITY: CONSISTENT WITH NORTHERN TRUST POLICIES THE LOAN RATE WAS ADJUSTED TO ACCOUNT FOR A COMPETING OFFER

The Loan Rate, Consistent With Northern Trust Policies, Was Adjusted To Account For A Competing Offer From Another Lender. "Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said the rate was adjusted to account for a competing offer from another lender and other factors. 'The Obamas have since had as much as $3 million invested through Northern Trust,' he said in a statement…The Obama campaign called the rate 'consistent with Northern Trust policies, and it reflected the base rate set for that period discounted to address the competition for the account and other opportunities, such as personal financial services, that the relationship would bring to Northern Trust.'" [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

RHETORIC: The Obamas bought the house for $300,000 less than the asking price of $1.95 million, while Rezko's wife, Rita, bought the neighboring lot for the full asking price of $625,000. Rita Rezko later sold a portion of the undeveloped lot to the Obamas, enlarging the senator's yard. [Washington Post, 7/2/08]

REALITY: OBAMA'S MADE THE THREE OFFERS ON THE HOUSE, INCLUDING THE HIGHEST; THE PRICE OF THE HOUSE WAS NOT CONTINGENT ON THE PRICE OF THE LOT

Brown: "I See No Proof" That Obama Did Something Improper In The Purchase Of His House. Mark Brown wrote, "On the central question: Did Obama do something improper in the purchase of the house? I see no proof he did, other than that he had no business at all getting involved with Rezko in any personal financial transaction." [Chicago Sun-Times, 3/15/08]

Zorn: There Was No "Special Discount" And The Price Of The Lot Was Not Inflated. Eric Zorn wrote, "The Obamas did not get a special discount on the house" and "The sellers rejected two lower bids from the Obamas" and "The Rezkos did not pay an inflated price for the vacant lot."
[Chicago Tribune, 6/10/08]

AP: Obama "Has A Spotless Reputation" And "Has Been Accused Of No Wrongdoing Involving Rezko Or Anything Else." The AP reported, "Obama, who has a spotless reputation after 11 years in public offices, has been accused of no wrongdoing involving Rezko or anyone else." [AP, 1/22/08]

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