Barack Obama delivered a major foreign policy speech today at the Wilson Center. Marc Ambinder writes:
Dems know they need to (a) act tough (b) talk tough) and (b) be tough on terror -- AT&B is the watchword. The press still writes about counterterrorism as if it is a trademark Republican wedge issue and seems collectively surprised when Democrats offer aggressive proposals that go against the grain. Voters themselves give Democrats more breathing room, but Dem consultants remain very worried about how the Republicans have mastered the symbolism and language of terror politics. Judging by the early returns -- "Obama As Jack Bauer?" (NBC) -- "Bold" (ABC) -- the press is receiving Obama's speech exactly as the campaign intended.
Andrew Sullivan sounds deeply impressed:
He will not be Dukakized. And his emphasis in his major foreign policy speech today homes in on a key Bush-Cheney failing: al Qaeda in Pakistan. This is something a Republican should be comfortable saying...Outflanking Bush-Cheney with a serious, aggressive, intelligent campaign against Islamist terror? It's what the country wants. And it seems to be what Obama is offering...This is the speech of a potential president.
Matthew Yglesias writes, "It seemed pretty good to me, although nothing extraordinary." Ezra Klein says it "certainly seems good. It also fulfills what I called for yesterday, namely, for Democrats to refocus thinking on the War on Terror, rather than merely invoking it in context of something Iraq distracted us from."
Kathryn Jean Lopez makes sure to point out the speech didn't include the phrase "war on terror." John Podhoretz tries to sum up Obama's ideas as follows: "Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to be: Make nice with nightmarishly bad regimes that have effectively or rhetorically declared war on the United States (North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba) but invade an erstwhile, problematic ally (Pakistan)."
Electorally I think this was a great moment for the Obama campaign. On policy terms, I'm wondering if there are any good liberal/left critiques of the military-heavy tone of Obama's promises. Is it good foreign policy or saber-rattling? Sam Boyd half-jokingly cliff-notes Obama's speech as "Barack Obama will personally track down Osama bin Laden and kill him with his bare hands." One thought, though, is that I'm quite glad Obama is able to sound tough and strong without the "Islam" this, "Islamist" that nonsense Sullivan -- and a lot of others on the right -- toss around so easily.
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