Obama's handwriting on liberal questionnaire aides say he "never saw or approved"

[DeepModem Mom]

The Politico: Obama had greater role on liberal survey
By: Kenneth P. Vogel
March 31, 2008

During his first run for elected office, Barack Obama played a greater role than his aides now acknowledge in crafting liberal stands on gun control, the death penalty and abortion — positions that appear at odds with the more moderate image he has projected during his presidential campaign. The evidence comes from an amended version of an Illinois voter group’s detailed questionnaire, filed under his name during his 1996 bid for a state Senate seat.

Late last year, in response to a Politico story about Obama’s answers to the original questionnaire, his aides said he “never saw or approved” the questionnaire. They asserted the responses were filled out by a campaign aide who “unintentionally mischaracterized his position.”

But a Politico examination determined that Obama was actually interviewed about the issues on the questionnaire by the liberal Chicago nonprofit group that issued it. And it found that Obama — the day after sitting for the interview — filed an amended version of the questionnaire, which appears to contain Obama’s own handwritten notes added to one answer.

The two questionnaires, provided to Politico with assistance from political sources opposed to Obama’s presidential campaign, were later supplied directly by the group, Independent Voters of Illinois — Independent Precinct Organization. Obama and his then-campaign manager, who Obama’s campaign asserts filled out the questionnaires, were familiar with the group, its members and its positions, since both were active in it before Obama's 1996 state Senate run.

Through an aide, Obama, who won the group’s endorsement as well as the statehouse seat, did not dispute that the handwriting was his. But he contended it doesn’t prove he completed, approved — or even read — the latter questionnaire....

***

Taken together — and combined with later policy pronouncements — the two 1996 questionnaires paint a picture of an inexperienced Obama still trying to feel his way around major political issues and less constrained by the nuance that now frames his positions on sensitive issues....

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=03FA375F-3048-5C12-00CC7D33B6E8E59E

[MNDemNY]

1. Just because he wrote on it, does not mean he saw it. Leave him alone, Hilbot.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. delete

[MNDemNY]

6. I'm sorry, I forgot something:

:sarcasm:

[DeepModem Mom]

7. I'm so sorry! Wow, you got me with that one! nt

[ORDagnabbit]

2. maybe he was dodging sniper fire?

[MNDemNY]

3. He may have been "coked out" at the time, and does not remember. Give him a break.

[ORDagnabbit]

9. Nah...I think he was bringing peace to Ireland and wasnt paying attention

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

4. He was inexperienced during his first run for state senate, 12 years ago?

Shocking! :eyes:

[grasswire]

8. this is troubling

[IowaGirl]

10. Obama has a pattern of disavowing knowledge of anything embarrassing or generally unpopular after...

the fact. Another example would be not knowing about the Rev's outrageous remarks, oops, scratch that, yes he did know about them after his staff had a chance to review the blogs and report that the people weren't swallowing that whopper. :eyes:

[jobycom]

11. Or when he was born, or whether his grandfather was a goatherd... Normal politics, but...

Since he's pretending he's a "different" type of politician, and is claiming that his judgement and character make up for his slacker-level experience, it seems more fundamental to who he is. To me, at least.

It would have been very easy for him to say "Yes, I filled that questionnaire out near the beginning of my career. My views have evolved and grown since then." Most politicians go through that, and voters are quite used to it, since they, too, go through it. The fact that Obama's first instinct is to evade and lie bothers me a great deal. And it's odd how Clinton is accused of that very same fault when she's less likely to do it than Obama.

But he's god, he walks on water, and the media loves him. So it's no big deal, right?

[Sinistrous]

12. Your post is gibberish:

Mr. Obama has repeatedly stated he heard "provocative" statements. He denied hearing the "God damn America" sermon. Do you have proof that he, in fact, was in the congregation that day?

(Sorry, but anything tainted by Sean Hannity is unacceptable for any use, especially proof.)

Sinistrous

[IowaGirl]

13. I NEVER go on the basis of any reporter's comments without seeing clips of the candidates..........

themselves. I saw the first clip denying hearing anything and then saw clips where he contradicted himself within a couple days. Sorry, but it seems to be a pattern to me.

[Sinistrous]

14. Too bad your bias prevented you from understanding what was said.