Barack Obama "Can't Seem To Get His Story Straight" On Iran

"Senator Obama can't seem to get his story straight on whether or not he would meet with the President of Iran. I mean, do you think he realized that his initial statement was a mistake, and that this was hurting him politically and now he's trying to dial it back?" -- CNN's Campbell Brown

CNN's "CNN Election Center"
May 22, 2008

CNN'S CAMPBELL BROWN: "As Barack Obama courts Jewish voters in Florida and across the nation, his target audience will be wondering about his position on Iran. Wondering, because they may have trouble figuring out what his stance really is on negotiating with Tehran. First he said one thing, and then when there was fallout from that, his position sort of evolved over time. It started last summer with this question at the CNN/YouTube debate. Listen."

(VIDEO)

STEPHEN SORTA: "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?"

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA: "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."

(END OF VIDEO)

BROWN: "So, he got a lot of heat for that. And in November, in an appearance on 'Meet The Press,' he was asked if he stood by that statement, and listen as he shifts a little bit."

(VIDEO)

SENATOR OBAMA: "Obviously, there is a difference between preconditions and preparation. Preconditions, which was what the question was in that debate, means that we won't meet with people unless they've already agreed to the very things that we expect to be meeting with them about. Preparation means that we are sitting down ahead of time, various lower-level diplomats and envoys are sorting out what's the agenda going to be?"

(END OF VIDEO)

BROWN: "And just two days ago in an interview with Wolf Blitzer, he was asked about it again."

(VIDEO)

CNN'S WOLF BLITZER: "There seems to be some confusion whether you would be willing personally as president to sit down, without preconditions, with Ahmadinejad of Iran or other Iranian leaders. Is your openness to a meeting with Iranian leaders, inclusive of Ahmadinejad?"

SENATOR OBAMA: "You know, I think this obsession with Ahmadinejad is an example of us losing track of what's important. I would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders if we had done sufficient preparation for that meeting. Whether Ahmadinejad is the right person to meet with right now, we don't even know what's going to -- how much power he's going to have a year from now. He is not the most powerful person in Iran."

(END OF VIDEO)

BROWN: "But on another occasion, Obama said that he would, in fact, meet with Ahmadinejad specifically. So, joining me once again, we've got radio talk show host Ed Schultz, Tara Wall of The Washington Times, Dan Gilgoff of Beliefnet.com. And, Ed, I'm going to start with you. Senator Obama can't seem to get his story straight on whether or not he would meet with the President of Iran. I mean, do you think he realized that his initial statement was a mistake, and that this was hurting him politically and now he's trying to dial it back?"

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