Barack Obama Watch: Meeting Ahmadinejad

Barack Obama at the You Tube Democrat debate, July 23, 2007

In the furor yesterday over Barack Obama’s LATEST Pastor problem with Father Michael Pfleger, the changing of Obama’s position on meeting with Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without preconditions may have been missed.

Last July this is what Barack Obama said:

“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?” asked Stephen Sixta, a video producer who submitted the question for the CNN/YouTube Democratic debate.

Mr. Obama, the first candidate to respond, answered, “I would.”

But, Obama has taken heat for his comment. Hillary Clinton has criticized him, as have Jewish groups, the GOP and Senator John McCain.

And, like the Flag Pin controversy, the Iraq War trip, Obama finesses his way out of bad policy.

In the debate, Obama said “I would.”

Today he says:

“he would reserve the right to choose which leaders he would meet, should he choose to meet with them at all.”

Senator, what has changed?

Michael Ramirez on Barack Obama and the Appeasement Flap