Lawyer-Wearing-Yarmulka

Less than 24 hours into his presidential run, he has made his first mistake. Part of the appeal of Obama is that he is supposed to be a straight shooter, someone who would rise above typical politics. Well, based on what he said on Monday, he's not.

On Sunday, Obama criticized the war in Iraq, saying:

We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized, and should have never been waged, and to which we now have spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted.

Now, I don't think there is anything wrong with that statement. I'm not sure why some conservatives got all upset. If you believe that the war was a terrible mistake, and then by extension, it has got to be a waste as well. I don't agree with the statement, but when in comes to Iraq, reasonable minds may differ.

But Obama backtracked from what he he said.

"I was actually upset with myself when I said that, because I never use that term,'' he said. ''Their sacrifices are never wasted. . . . What I meant to say was those sacrifices have not been honored by the same attention to strategy, diplomacy and honesty on the part of civilian leadership that would give them a clear mission."

Or as James Taranto put it, this is what Obama meant:

We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized, and should have never been waged, and to which we now have spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans that have not been honored by the same attention to strategy, diplomacy and honesty on the part of civilian leadership that would give them a clear mission.

If Obama had any conviction, he would have stood by what he said. Turns out, he's just another politician. Not a good start.

Kind of nitpicky, aren't we? Obama's original statement was probably hurtful to loved ones of soldiers who died, so he changed it. Of course their were wasted, but to say so in public is tactless.

Where are your posts on Romney's huge flip-flops on abortion or McCain's on pretty much everything? Or Bush's huge one about nation-building?

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

So what if it's hurtful- truth hurts.

I'm not sure what Romney, McCain or Bush's policy changes have anything to do with this.

The point is you're playing a silly game of gotcha by pointing out the smallest inconsistencies on one side while totally ignoring those on the other. Yes, of course, Obama's a politician. So is everybody else running.

Yes, of course, Obama's a politician. So is everybody else running.

I'm holding him to a higher level. Seems only fair given the way the media has be gushing about him.

What's interesting is that nobody else (that I've seen) has come at it from this angle, but I agree 100% with you that his mistake was his "apology" and not the statement itself.