Events Calendar
In This Section
Famous hobby rocket begins new voyage at museum
UA stadium crews driving toward opening goal
10 runs barely enough in Tribe's win
Patrick McManamon: Varejao's $50 million deal isn't really $50 million
Hospital connects to patients online
Cavs, Varejao agree on six-year deal
YRC, Teamsters reach tentative deal on concessions
Most Read Stories
Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family
Woman, 75, charged with beating fawn to death
Akron woman found dead at Brimfield Township store
Man shot in back near Akron park
Man shot outside his Akron home during robbery attempt
Man admits repeatedly biting 2-year-old
Tragic day puts man on path to be Pinnacle owner
Blogs:
Pets:
Dogs' Bark: Not fair! Study shows pups get jealous
The Heldenfiles:
Who Will Get the Michael Media Treatment Next?
Patrick McManamon:
More on Varejao
Akron Zips:
Opponent outlook: Kent State
Browns Bulletin:
Quick thought on Browns rookies
Tribe Matters:
Wedge challenges relievers
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth test showed marijuana
Kent State Sports:
Men's Basketball Scheduling update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Andy’s Signed According to ESPN
All Da King's Men:
Does Medicare Have Lower Administrative Costs ?
Blog of Mass Destruction:
CIA Did Mislead Congress
Akron Law Café:
Breaking Story: CIA Lied to Congress about Secret Program
Varsity Letters:
East basketball update
See Jane Style:
Oh Baby!
Car Chase:
Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Closings….Not the Good Kind!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Margy inquires-when is a Taste of Hudson?
Sound Check:
LeVert II live performance Saturday night — "Dedication" album due July 13,
HRLite House:
DDI One of Best Places to Work
Akron Gamer:
First 24 'Guitar Hero 5' songs announced
Pair battle in media over comments on Iraq war
By Dennis J. Willard
Beacon Journal Columbus Bureau
Published on Thursday, Feb 28, 2008
COLUMBUS: Following the Democratic debate Tuesday evening in Cleveland, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain waged a war of words of their own over the presence of al-Qaida in Iraq.
McCain, the U.S. senator from Arizona and the presumed Republican nominee, criticized Obama for stating during his debate with U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-New York, that he would reserve his right if
elected president to attack al-Qaida in Iraq if the terrorist group established a base there after the U.S. withdraws under his pledged, but undetermined, timetable for next year.
McCain, according to published reports, stated during a speech Wednesday in Tyler, Texas, he had news for the U.S. senator from Illinois, that al-Qaida was already in Iraq.
Obama countered McCain during a rally at Ohio State University, explaining he is well aware that al-Qaida has established a presence in Iraq.
''I have some news for John McCain,'' Obama said. ''There was no such thing as al-Qaida in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq.''
Stating he would stand strong against terrorism as president, Obama said Bush and his followers waged the wrong war, and they should have been focusing on al-Qaida in Afghanistan and the foothills of Pakistan.
Obama spent nearly an hour speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of more than 5,000 at St. John Arena on the OSU campus.
Closing the gap
Next Tuesday, voters in Ohio are likely to determine the Democratic presidential nominee. Primaries are scheduled for the same day in Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Obama trails Clinton by 8 to 11 points according to recent polls, but he has narrowed the gap in Ohio with a spate of television and radio advertisements that touch upon hot-button issues, particularly the unpopular North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed by former President Bill Clinton.
Before the crowd of students and other supporters, Obama returned to NAFTA and the state's troubled economy, promising once again to provide tax breaks to companies that invest in the U.S. and to strip incentives from businesses that export jobs and outsource work across our borders and overseas.
Obama again pledged to make affordable health insurance available to the 47 million uninsured Americans and to mandate that parental coverage extend to their children until age 25.
The candidate outlined plans to roll back tax breaks for the wealthy and provide a tax cut to anyone earning $75,000 or less annually, raise the minimum wage on a regular basis rather than once every 10 years, fund early childhood education initiatives and reward teachers financially for their hard work.
Obama said he would overhaul the No Child Left Behind Act, increase standards in schools while moving away from high stakes testing, expand the arts curricula in classrooms, and provide a $4,000 tuition credit to make college more affordable in return for community service from students.
Throughout the speech, Obama cast himself as an agent of change, willing to take on the Washington establishment while battling special interests and lobbyists.
He said he is not afraid to confront people, noting he told automakers in Detroit that they will need to improve their mileage per gallon on future vehicles and he once again mentioned the struggle the country faces in converting to alternative energies because it means taking on companies like Exxon that reported $11 billion in profits last quarter.
He addressed his critics, particularly Clinton, who deride his message of hope as being naive, noting the idea means not walking around with one's head in the clouds, but imagining the possibilities for positive change and then fighting to make them real.
They act like ''I kinda stumbled into running for the presidency,'' Obama said.
Dennis J. Willard can be reached at 614-224-1613 or dwillard@thebeaconjournal.com.
COLUMBUS: Following the Democratic debate Tuesday evening in Cleveland, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain waged a war of words of their own over the presence of al-Qaida in Iraq.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
