Obama's Handwriting Found On Survey He Said His Staff Filled Out

Politico:

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's 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.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[maxwellinformed]

There is nothing this article that changes Obama from being the best candidate left standing. Funny how Hillary supporters have resorted to neocon gotcha, and name calling when they think they've found something on Obama. Liberals, Obamabots, Obamaniacs, Obamicans, Kind of childish don't you think? I could call you all HillBillies but then I would be stooping to your level. Seriously though, take a look at your criticisms of Obama and Is your candidate any different thusly better?

Now take your personal issues out of the equation and look at the issues. Who is the best candidate? If you are for John McCain, then you believe Bushes tax cuts on the top 5 % should be permanent. If you are for John McCain then you believe that we should continue war in Iraq no matter how many American's are killed, ignoring the fact that there are not end goals defined and that the war is being financed by loans from communist China. If you are a real "conservative" how can you live with this fact. Commies are financing Old Glory. There is nothing more un-American then that. But at least John McCain went to the right kind of Church.

Now if you are for Hillary, well her and Obama agree on most of the issues. Only problem is Hillary was supposed to be crowned before there was even an election.

[Kreskytim]

Oh my God one of you Obamaington Post employees slipped up and let this get in. As Donald Trump would say "you're fired"!

[AjicNYC]

(Sigh ) yet another lie, What is that like 60th lie to the public to date

OBAMA IS A LIAR!! 08

[SocialConscience]

Truthiness.

[DesertLight]

It is DeJa Vu all over again. I watched it with Clinton in 1991-2. He could say or do anything and he was the "Hope of the World." He was articulate, open, sensitive, well spoken and he could, "feel your pain." All the red flags were ignored, pooh-poohed and maet with contempt. Now with Obama, it is the same thing. Keep ignoring the red flags, folks. This is just another in the continuing saga of, "I never saw it. I never said it. I wasn't there when it was said and I never filled out the survey. I have a word for you Obamaites and the end of hope and at the end of the rainbow, is another concept you need to grasp, it is called 'reality."

[LAcarlito]

DL: Get a grip. Take a look at the facts on NAFTA, Bosnia, Ireland, justification for her Iraq vote, etc... I think you are looking at the wrong candidate who is spinning words into lies.

Clinton II is a replay of Clinton I. She learned from the master. For all we know, maybe she taught the master how to spin a tale. Your concern over the candidate that is short on reality is named Clinton once again.

[MichaelTenery]

Sorry for some double posts, at some point all my posts vanished and then returned. Thanks for bearing with. I am happy to debate any subject between these two candidates respectfully.

[MichaelTenery]

I give up. This thread seems to be broken. My replies appear and disappear so I'll refrain from further posts on this thread.

[MichaelTenery]

You know this is a bit silly. On page 116 of Audacity of Hope he says he fills those surveys out all the time. And even laments how narrow they are and how he sometimes has to write in the margins because he doesn't always agree with the questions. He also admits a time or two of getting scolded by his staff for not answering the questions the way that would get him the most support.

This looks like a case of over zealous staff.

[vincie]

THATS RIGHT, OBAMA CAN DO NO WRONG. HE DOESN'T LIE. HE IS LIKE A JUMPING JACK, CATCH HIM ON SOMETHING, AND HE HAS AN EXCUSE. HE IS THE MESSIAH.

[uglybetty]

Anyone buying that is in serious trouble !!

[pupbayer]

He always has an excuse, doesn't he?

[beerguy]

Who are you really Barrack? What are your true values? OPERATION CHAOS

[sparkandy]

The only people who will be surprised by the lying and inconsistencies are the Obama cultists. First of all, he's a politician. It's his job to lie, waffle, backtrack, equivocate. He's no worse and no better than Clinton or McCain. And the only people who will have a problem with this story are the cultists. Everyone else knows Obama is flawed, just like the other two. It's just a matter of whose flaws we want in the WH next year. Personally, I know a lot of people who are distressed by Obama's use of race, a lot of people who have hated Clinton since day one, and a lot of people who think McCain will drop dead of apoplexy within a year. You just gotta pick your least lame choice and go with it. But Obama is not the Messiah, come to deliver us. He's just another politician.

[tlk221]

Wow the Title of this Blog changed. Someone got caught at giving the appearance of negativity towards BO. Used to say he never saw the survey (as does the article). Now it's been down played to he said his staff filled it out. What the????

[indie17]

I found this statement from the article very telling: "After Politico’s story on the first questionnaire, Clinton aides seized on the handgun-ban answer in particular, which a campaign press release asserted called into question Obama’s electability."

So, the Clinton strategy here is to take a questionnaire written 12 years ago, and attack Obama in a way that gives fodder to the Republicans?

I guess this is in line with Clinton's cosponsorship of a bill to criminalize flag-burning, her vote for Kyl-Lieberman, her vote to allow cluster-bombs, etc. I gather she thinks you need to vote like Republicans, and state your issues like Republicans in order to win.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

[MichaelTenery]

Also in Audacity of Hope he clearly shows a progression on gun issues where first he was more strongly in the camp of control and then visiting his rural constituents he came to realize what guns meant to the rural cultural that he had not yet experienced. Unfortunately thanks to republicans politicians are never allowed to learn. They are supposed to be born with all the right answers.

[joeinvt]

You make a good point. Certainly, the statute if limitations has run out after 12 years--although only on embarassing political positions one is trying to run away from and NOT for BJs in the Oval office, which are crucial to the future of the country. I think BHO must have been present for Rev. Wright's sermon about WJClinton "doing us like he did Monica Lewinsky." Seriously, why is it that every time an issue is raised which may be critical of BHO in some way that the defense is 1) that was then, this is now 2) he never knew about that or 3) HRC is even worse?

How does it diminish BHO to acknowledge that he can actually be wrong at times?

[KQuark]

Stop the presses Obama is not perfect. The real pattern here is the reaching the media is doing trying to catch Obama in some kind lie to offset the lies in the Hillary camp. If this is all they have on Obama it is pathetic. Lately we are supposed to believe that a 12 year old survey, calling himself a professor in a campaign mailer and referring to a family legend is as bad as lying about being a in combat situation. The reason people don't care about these trivial matters is because Obama was in no way trying to change reality. The reason Hillary's Bosnia lie was her macaca moment is that she altered reality to try and give herself C-in-C bona fides. We have seen this for 8 years in the Bush administration.

[MichaelTenery]

Unfortunately for Hillary it isn't working.

[bodi1313]

What a liar.

[neocon43]

His lies are getting up there in the Hillary numbers.Empty suit with nothing in the tankexcept more government spending!

[LAcarlito]

I don't get what the big deal is about this story. Obama's handwriting was found BY ONE QUESTION ON:LY in the redraft of the responses. And the person who interviewed him (in person) for the responses said he is still the same person that she interviewed in 1996--all he has done is evolve his views, but not changed them in a material way.

So where is the sniper fire and Sinbad on this story? I don't get it.

[AnninCA]

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The press has burned Hillary bad on Bosnia.

The press has also been doing some digging on Obama, and it's clear he also exaggerates, fudges, lies.........

They are simply showing that both candidates are not perfect people.

If you'd like to excuse his lies but skewer hers, that's OK.

But then don't be surprised when you get labeled as unfair.

[MichaelTenery]

No excuse. If there was a mistake made he needs to own up to it. But the problem is your candidate when caught in a lie digs herself in deeper.

[MichaelTenery]

But it isn't equal on any level. One goes to the credibility the candidate herself defined another is an admitted weakness he has clearly defined in his book and in a debate.

[MichaelTenery]

Replies disappearing again. what we are talking about is something that goes to the core of the test she has established for herself vs something from 12 years ago that goes to a weakness Obama himself admits.

[LAcarlito]

Ann: so where is Obama's BIG LIE? He wrote on the margin in response to a survey. But clearly did not write the survey/response. The small writing in the survey still does not prove he actually wrote the survey responses and the author acknowledges this (you Clinton backers do not).

Clinton got caught telling a big fat lie on Bosnia and numerous other resume padding fibs about her role in the White House and even when she gets caught, she refuses to admit she is wrong (of course, until the video tape surfaces, then she FINALLY owns up to the lie).

So there does seem to be a difference here. Obama admits to weaknesses, flaws, whatever you call them. Hillary does not. Maybe the lesson for Hillary is to admit she is human and the press will let up.

[vincie]

YOU OBAMA SUPPORTER DON'T SEE ANY BIG DEAL IN ANYTHING HE DOES. ITS ONLY CLINTON, THE SMALLEST THING SEEMS TO BE BIG FOR YOU. GET A LIFE.

[pupbayer]

He said he never saw the survey. That's the big deal. I think you Obama supporters call it lying.

[klondiker]

The reporter of this piece is obviously a typical white person out to get Obama because everyone knows that NOTHING is EVER Obama's fault.

[boombox]

This kind of wimpy sarcastic exasperation seems to be all you guys have left!

[klondiker]

Go ahead. Ignore the message behind the sarcasm.

Wright. Meek. Rezko. Questionnaire.

Nothing is Obama's fault. There is an explanation for everything.

Jump on Hillary and her supporters for saying the mildest things, while Obama can say things like "typical white person" or Claire McCaskill can denigrate an entire generation of African-American leaders as victims. There's no accountability for them.

Damn right, I'm exasperated.

[AnninCA]

What does race have to do with vetting him?