Linda Chavez: There are 2 issues here. One is Obama’s foreign policy naivete. The other issue is Obama’s lack of truthfulness.
Linda Chavez: “In July 2007, Obama was asked by a YouTube questioner, ‘…would you be willing to meet separately, WITHOUT PRECONDITION, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries? ’ His answer was simple and direct: ’ I WOULD. AND THE REASON IS THIS, THAT THE NOTION THAT SOMEHOW NOT TALKING TO COUNTRIES IS PUNISHMENT TO THEM — WHICH HAS BEEN THE GUIDING DIPLOMATIC PRINCIPLE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION — IS RIDICULOUS.’ “
Linda Chavez: “Since then, he’s been hdging and qualifying his statement, most recently with respect to Iran when he addressed the pro-Israel group AIPAC on Wednesday…. But then he did what he often does. HE PRETENDED HE HADN’T SAID EARLIER WHAT HE CLEARLY HAD: ‘I HAVE NO INTEREST IN SITTING DOWN WITH OUR ADVERSARIES JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TALKING,’ he claimed, BLAMING THE CONFUSION ON HIS ADVERSARIES.”
Linda Chavez: “There are 2 issues here: ONE IS FOREIGN POLICY NAIVETE. His original statement suggests HE HAS NO IDEA HOW DIPLOMACY ACTUALLY WORKS. As a well-meaning amateur trying to rewrite the rules to conform to his idea of how the world should be, Sen. Obama could endanger the very security he seeks. But the other issue — and the one the mainstream press has so far largely ignored — is Sen. Obama’s truthfulness.”
…
Linda Chavez: “THE MEDIA ARE USUALLY PRETTY EAGER TO CATCH A POLITICIAN IN A CONTRADICTION. THEY ARE USUALLY AGGRESSIVE WHENEVER A CANDIDATE CHANGES HIS OR HER STORY, even when the matter itself is trivial. SO WHY HAVEN’T THE MEDIA BEEN MORE DOGGED… “
…
Linda Chavez: “SEN. OBAMA’S SLEIGHT OF HAND RAISES AN IMPORTANT ISSUE OF CHARACTER. And the media have traditionally played an important role in helping voters define a candidate’s character by ASKING TOUGH AND PROBING QUESTIONS. So far, they’ve been reluctant to do so with Sen. Obama, certainly on substantive matters. It’s time they start.”