The RNC Turns Attention To Obama

The Republican National Committee stepped up its cross-pressure on Sen. Barack Obama today, tagging him "A Leader Who's Never Led" (a phrase attributed to Ezra Klein) and castigating his Senate record as showing a "lack" of "leadership and accomplishments." A research memo, like the one you can read after the break, shows that the RNC takes Obama seriously as a potential Democratic nominee.

"A LEADER WHO'S NEVER LED"

Obama Claims To Have Led By Bringing People Together, But Record Shows Lack Of Accomplishment And Liberal Party Line Votes

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Obama "Ready To Lead" -- Claims He's Been Able To Bring People Together And "Get Things Done":



Today's Des Moines Register Headline: "Thoughtful Obama Says He's Ready To Lead" (Carol Hunter, "Thoughtful Obama Says He's Ready To Lead," The Des Moines Register, 6/20/07)



In A Meeting With The Des Moines Register's Editorial Board, Obama Claimed He Has Been Able To "Bring Together Democrats And Republicans" And "Get Things Done." Obama: "I've been able to bring together Democrats and Republicans and make progress and get things done ... I think what people are looking for is actually who's got the judgment for the job, who's got the capacity to bring people together to actually move forward on the promises that are made during the campaign." (Carol Hunter, "Thoughtful Obama Says He's Ready To Lead," The Des Moines Register, 6/20/07)



But Obama's U.S. Senate Record Shows Lack Of Leadership And Accomplishments:



The American Prospect's Ezra Klein: "Obama Is That Oddest Of All Creatures: A Leader Who's Never Led." Klein: "Indeed, Obama is that oddest of all creatures: a leader who's never led. There are no courageous, lonely crusades to his name, or supremely unlikely electoral battles beneath his belt. He won election running basically unopposed, and then refused to open himself to attack by making a controversial but correct issue his own." (Ezra Klein, Op-Ed, "Dreaming Of Obama," Los Angeles Times, 10/8/06)



The Washington Times' Donald Lambro: "But The Harvard-Educated Obama Has Problems, Too, Specifically His Tissue-Paper-Thin Experience And A Record Of Virtually No Accomplishment." (Donald Lambro, Op-Ed, "The Obama Factor," The Washington Times, 12/14/06)



* Lambro: "He has led no causes, fought no major legislative battles in the past two years he has been in the Senate, and seems to be deeply risk-adverse to getting into a principled fight about anything larger than himself." (Donald Lambro, Op-Ed, "The Obama Factor," The Washington Times, 12/14/06)

In His U.S. Senate Career, Obama Was Lead Sponsor On 91 Bills. (S. 697, Introduced 4/5/05; S. 918, Introduced 4/27/05; S. 969, Introduced 4/28/05;S. 1180, Introduced 6/7/05; S. 1194, Introduced 6/8/05; S. 1426, Introduced 7/19/05; S. 1630, Introduced 9/7/05; S. 1638, Introduced 9/8/05; S. 1685, Introduced 9/12/05; S. 1770, Introduced 9/26/05; S. 1920, Introduced 10/25/05; S. 1975, Introduced 11/8/05; S. 2045, Introduced 11/17/05; S. 2047, Introduced 11/17/05; S. 2048, Introduced 11/17/05; S. 2125, Introduced 12/16/05; S. 2149, Introduced 12/20/05; S. 2154, Introduced 12/20/05; S. 2179, Introduced 1/18/06; S. 2201, Introduced 1/26/ 06; S. 2247, Introduced 2/6/06; S. 2257, Introduced 2/8/06; S. 2259, Introduced 2/8/06; S. 2261, Introduced 2/8/06; S. 2280, Introduced 2/14/06; S. 2286, Introduced 2/14/06; S. 2319, Introduced 2/16/06; S. 2348, Introduced 3/1/06; S. 2358, Introduced 3/2/06; S. 2359, Introduced 3/2/06; S. 2441, Introduced 3/16/06; S. 2446, Introduced 3/16/06; S. 2484, Introduced 3/30/05; S. 2506, Introduced 4/4/06; S. 2984, Introduced 5/23/06; S. 3155, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3156, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3157, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3158, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3159, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3160, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3161, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3162, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3163, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3243, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3244, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3245, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3249, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3250, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3251, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3475, Introduced 6/7/06; S. 3554, Introduced 6/21/06; S. 3627, Introduced 6/29/06; S. 3631, Introduced 7/11/06; S. 3694, Introduced 7/19/06; S. 3757, Introduced 7/27/06; S. 3822, Introduced 8/3/06; S. 3969, Introduced 9/28/06; S. 3988, Introduced 9/28/06; S. 4069, Introduced 12/7/06; S. 4102, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 114, Introduced 1/4/07; S. 115, Introduced 1/4/07; S. 116, Introduced 1/4/07; S. 117, Introduced 1/4/07; S. 133, Introduced 1/4/07; S. 433, Introduced 1/30/07; S. 453, Introduced 1/31/07; S. 674, Introduced 2/16/07; S. 692, Introduced 2/27/07; S. 713, Introduced 2/28/07; S. 737, Introduced 3/1/07; S. 767, Introduced 3/6/07; S. 768, Introduced 3/6/07; S. 795, Introduced 3/7/07; S. 823, Introduced 3/8/07; S. 906, Introduced 3/15/07; S. 976, Introduced 3/23/07; S. 1067, Introduced 3/29/07; S. 1068, Introduced 3/29/07; S. 1084, Introduced 4/10/07; S. 1151, In troduced 4/18/07; S. 1181, Introduced 4/20/07; S. 1222, Introduced 4/25/07; S. 1271, Introduced 5/2/07; S. 1306, Introduced 5/3/07; S. 1324, Introduced 5/7/07; S. 1389, Introduced 5/14/07; S. 1430, Introduced 5/17/07; S. 1513, Introduced 5/24/07; S. 1574, Introduced 6/7/07)



* Only One Of These (1.1%) Has Passed The Senate (The Bill Went On To Become Law). S. 2125, a bill to "promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo" became law in December 2006. (S. 2125, Became Law 12/22/06)

Obama's Brief U.S. Senate Career: Bringing People Together With Liberal Party Line Votes?:



The [Washington] Examiner's Bill Sammon: "Obama Almost Always Ends Up Voting Liberal." "Although he frequently makes a point of finding something charitable to say about his opponents' arguments, Sen. Barack Obama almost always ends up voting liberal." (Bill Sammon, "Perception Vs. Reality," The [Washington] Examiner, 1/31/07)



* In 2005, Obama Voted With The Democrat Party 97% Of The Time. (Congressional Quarterly Website, www.cq.com, Accessed 6/12/07)

* In 2006, Obama Voted With The Democrat Party 96% Of The Time. (Congressional Quarterly Website, www.cq.com, Accessed 6/12/07)

National Journal's Richard E. Cohen: "During His Two Years In The Senate, Obama Has Been Among Its More Liberal Members." (Richard E. Cohen, "Left To Right," National Journal, 3/2/07)



* "Obama's 'Lifetime Average' Composite Score In [National Journal's] Vote Ratings Is The Most Liberal Of The Current Presidential Candidates Who Serve In Congress ..." (Richard E. Cohen, "Left To Right," National Journal, 3/2/07)

* "Of The Four Democratic Senators Who Are Running For President, Barack Obama Of Illinois Had The Most Liberal Score In 2006 [From National Journal]." (Richard E. Cohen, "Left To Right," National Journal, 3/2/07)

Americans For Democratic Action (ADA), America's Oldest Liberal Organization, Rated Obama (95) As Liberal As California Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer (95) And Massachusetts Democrat Senator John Kerry (95) In 2006. (Americans For Democratic Action Website, www.adaction.org, Accessed 2/5/07)



Newsweek's Jonathan Alter: "Obama's A Blue State Democrat, All Right, And By Most Standards A Liberal One." (Jonathan Alter, Op-Ed, "The Audacity Of Hope," Newsweek, 12/27/04)



Even In The Illinois Senate, Obama Chose Not To Lead On Tough Issues:



Obama Had A Habit Of Voting Present "Even On Some Of The Most Controversial And Politically Explosive Issues Of The Day." "[O]bama's history of voting 'present' in Springfield - even on some of the most controversial and politically explosive issues of the day - that raises questions that he will need to answer." (Nathan Gonzales, Op-Ed, "The Ever-'Present' Obama," The Rothenberg Political Report, 2/13/07)



* A "Present" Vote Is "Used To Provide Political Cover." "Because it takes affirmative votes to pass legislation in the Illinois Senate, a 'present' vote is tantamount to a 'no' vote. A 'present' vote is generally used to provide political cover for legislators who don't want to be on the record against a bill that they oppose. Of course, Obama isn't the first or only Illinois state senator to vote 'present,' but he is the only one running for President of the United States." (Nathan Gonzales, Op-Ed, "The Ever-'Present' Obama," The Rothenberg Political Report, 2/13/07)

On An Abortion Bill In The Illinois Senate, Obama Voted "Present" So As Not To "Look Insensitive And Endanger [His] Re-Election." "Obama said he sought compromise with abortion opponents, but they balked. As a fallback, he said he worked out an arrangement with abortion-rights advocates to encourage Democrats to vote 'present' on some bills if they feared a 'no' would look insensitive and endanger their re-election." (Rick Pearson and Ray Long, "Careful Steps, Looking Ahead," Chicago Tribune, 5/3/07)



* In 1997, Obama Voted "Present" On Legislation Banning Partial Birth Abortions That Contained An Exception For The Life Of The Mother And A Provision Prohibiting Prosecution Of The Mother. (David A. Joens and Paul Kleppner, Almanac Of Illinois Politics - 1998, p. 81)

The President Does Not Have The Option Of Voting "Present" On Tough Issues. "But as Democrats - and Americans - are searching for their next leader, the Illinois senator's record, and not just his rhetoric, will be examined under a microscope. As president, Obama will be faced with countless difficult decisions on numerous gray issues, and voting 'present' will not be an option. He will need to explain those 'present' votes as a member of the Illinois Legislature if he hopes to become America's commander-in-chief." (Nathan Gonzales, Op-Ed, "The Ever-'Present' Obama," The Rothenberg Political Report, 2/13/07)



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