Real Round Table Discussions with Michelle Obama

Here are the answers to your right wing questions to Michelle. But since you're a conservative you probably won't accept them anyhow.

1. Barack didn't invite reporters. Those goons on their own, with the 1st amendment behind them, went to cover a hot story. Whether you like it or not, Barack was news at the time. They went to actually see how he would behave on the world stage and how he would be received. But more importantly, they came to see if he would make a gaff.

2. If Barack is the president, that means he is commander in chief. He has the last word on military matters. He can disagree with Patreus anytime just like other presidents have disagreed with generals. Generals do not and should not dictate foreign policies. All generals can do is suggest, and if Obama doesn't agree with his suggestion, it should not be construed to imply that he is "unqualified."

3. Despite what your conservative cronies have you believe, Obama didn't go visit the hospital because of a scheduling conflict, not because he was dismissing them. He also let it be known that he didn't want to appear as if he were pandering with the camera crews there. He had previously visited the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just because he missed one hospital, should he be deemed as uncaring? That is being unfair and disingenuous.

4. Although a certain group of military wives hosted the event, he didn't exclude any other military spouses. All were invited in the Virginia Beach area. The event you saw on television (the one with airplay) was only one of many.

5. You may think she dresses like Jackie O, but to me she just looks like a classy lady like any other politician's wife. McCain's wife could also be said to look like Jackie, but she is blonde so they are more likely to compare her to a barbie doll. It was the media that painted the Jackie image in the minds of viewers. Obviously, you were one of them.

6. Come on. You have to be realistic, and to some extent patient. You know with our budget there is no way Obama will get everything done in one term. Which means he will prioritize. That means he will focus on energy first, then health care, then the military...

7. Your question implies that "the mission" is something to complete, even when it has been proven to be unclear what the mission is. If US soldiers stay in Iraq, your loved ones won't be "protected", their chances of being shot and blown to smithereens are increased if they were to stay altogether. And I'm sure the last thing you want is for the Military to come knocking at you door to give you the bad news.

8. Even though he said he would redeploy, he doesn't mean to redeploy at the same levels as the Bush plan. When they do redeploy, it will be minimal because Barack will focus more on diplomatic strategies and sanctions if need be, not war mongering.

9. You fail to realize, or accept, that our so-called NATO allies don't agree with Bush. He has lost their respect, so why should they spend billions of dollars and put their soldiers into jeopardy. Let war-mongering Bush and the rich Americans stretch their military thin.

10. Getting the UN Security Council's perspective is standard foreign relations procedure. Condi Rice spoke with the UN Security Council about the Georgia Conflict, do you mean to say her decision was silly?

1. He did invite the reporters. All three network reporters were given the invite and promised and interview if they tagged along.
2. Barack ISN'T the CIC yet. He is unqualified to be the CIC when he doesn't even know what languages the two countries speak. He publically disagreed with a General who actually does know the language. The question was what makes him qualified..
3. He worked out during the what would have been the hospital visit. Landstuhl is where they take all the seriously wounded troops so it would have been different than visiting in Iraq or Afghanistan. McCain visited Landstuhl without and cameras and fanfare.
4. The event was by INVITATION ONLY as is the other events.

5) no she dresses like Jackie O as many first ladies have tried to do.
6)No, you can't do everything at once,but it shows the difference in rhetoric. Try means won't with politicians.
7.) Barack Obama says he will leave a residual force, so again that was not an answer to my question. What is the residual force?
8)How will redeploying a small number do anything? It will be much the way it was in Mogadishu with a "small number" but not enough to save soldiers if there is trouble..
9)NATO was given control over Afghanistan. It isn't a "Bush" problem either. This is a problem we have been having with NATO long before BUSH see Kosovo etc. In fact most of the Nato countries don't live up to their bargain. Germany is 20 years behind us in technology so they can't even coordinate with our troops most days. It is a EUROPE problem not a Bush one.

10) Yes,I do think Condi's decision to go to the UN is silly. Russia has a veto in the security council so going to the securty council would have been a sideshow. UN is an ineffective outdated corrupt organization. Our contract was negotiated by a Soviet Spy( Algier Hiss) and it shows because we get the shaft.

I didn't ask "right wing" questions. I asked question that Obama should have to answer. They are legit questions.

1) Barack didn't "invite" them. He didn't call them up and say, "Hey, come with me to the Middle East". He only promised interviews if they went, that is different. That is not an invite in the technical sense. The media would have followed him despite promising interviews.

2)A president doesn't have to know the languages of the countries he deals with in order to construct foreign policy and, therefore, doesn't disqualify him. Did Nixon know Chinese when he visited China in the 70's? Did Reagan know Russian when dealing with Gorbachev? Knowing a language doesn't necessarily mean that someone is qualified to make critical foreign geopolitical decisions. And as far as Obama being "unqualified" read my blog entry "What's with this disqualified jazz?" It addresses the "unqualified" issue.

3) So what he worked out. I don't see how anyone can fault him for that unless they just want any excuse to excoriate him. I guess with you, Obama would be damned if he did, damn if he didn't. If he did go, you'd probably accuse him of pandering or only doing it to rack up votes...Him not visiting Landstuhl, in the grander scheme of things, is really a non-issue. So what if McCain went, Obama doesn't have to copy everything McCain does, and then be criticized for it. That's tit-for-tat stuff and shouldn't be used as a criteria to support or not support Obama.

4) You're wrong on the invitation only events. Obama has held many public events for military people in Nevada, Virginia, Florida, California and Maryland. If that one event was invitation only then it was because it was a photo op. But you can't fault Obama for that. McCain also had invitation only events sometimes. All politician s do it for safety issues or to stay focus on a selected voting bloc.

5) You're right, you are catty when it comes to this. There's no sense in arguing. That is just dumb.
6) You're making assumptions about all politicians. You are closed minded. You think all politicians lie. Because you have this assumption, you base your arguments on it, and this is not an intelligent way to prove a point. What if I assumed all white people were racists? All my arguments would imply that they are, even though I would be 100% wrong.
7)I guess you are expecting a definite number. No one knows for sure, but it definitely will be a lot smaller than Bush's or McCain's. He may withdraw our troops altogether because he may feel it is a waste of resources. I wish people like you would stop believing that our presence there is what is keeping the peace. The Middle East is unstable, and will remain unstable whether our troops are there or not.

8) If we were to move out, of course the number will decrease. That doesn't mean those left behind would be in more danger than what they are in now. You have no proof of such danger. Your logic for us staying with current levels is based on fear and nothing more which is approximately the same fear most Americans have if our troops stay.

9)NATO is smart enough to know that taking out the Taliban and Al-Queda is more of a covert operation, not a bomb-bomb-bomb approach like Bush sees it. Bush actually equates the war on terror with real wars like World War II or WWI. This war must be handled differently and more smartly. Our troops in Iraq and in Afghanistan will not stop terrorists networks.

10) Since you think Obama's and Condi's decision to speak to the UN council was silly, what would you have done? It always easy to be a backseat driver. Any ideas? Call the White House, I'm sure they would take your advice.

1) If you say to someone "come to my house and I will give you an interview." Are you inviting them--Yes. You are playing the coconut game. It was an invitation.
2)He doesn't need to know how to "speak" the languages although it was Obama who said we should be able to speak multiple languages. As a military wife, when America enters a conflict I do the basic research on something that may affect my family. As contender for CIC, I would atleast expect the same. No he doesn't need to know how to speak Chinese to meet with the Chinese, but should he at lease be aware WHAT language they speak. Obama ignorant statement that we were taking translators from Aghanistan and sending them to Iraq is extremely IGNORANT. The afganis speak Farsi & the Iraqis speak Arabic. Shouldn't a contender for CIC who publically disagrees with a General who is more knowlegdable at least know the regions he is talking about?
Asking what is qualifications are is a legit question. He cites his qual. as college study & living abroad.. Guess what, I can be President. Just because the constitution states basic qual. doesn't mean that voters don't look at the bigger qualifications. He may have the "basics" but if there is a better applicant then that is who should be hired.

3) You stated he had a scheduling conflict. Working out is not a scheduling conflict. No he wouldn't have been "damned" had he went. When comparing candidates "tit for tat" is more than necessary. If McCain could go unassuming and quietly to Landstuhl WHILE CAMPAIGNING for Presidency than Obama could have. Face it, he didn't go for a stupid reason.
4) I am not wrong on the invitation only. When I see the next "meeting" of Michelle with military families that shows that some non-Obama supporters were among the audience and they were allowed to ask critical questions then I will stop citing this. I already have some very serious questions how they are recruiting within their group while they may not be letting those they call their husband's rank- the military is small enough that a lot would know their rank and if they are using the alert rouster as their information an investigation into undue command influence should be done. Even if this was being done with McCain campaigning.

5) The comment was more for comic relief... much the way it would be if I said Cindy McCain looks like a cupi doll. Geez get thicker skin or a sense of humor. Oh I forgot anything said about Obama isn't funny.
6) All politicians do lie. Even if they say they are going to do xy and z- the checks and balances of our systems may stop them, so when I hear Obama say yes we can and adamantly say he is going to change the healthcare system economy, but only TRY to help the military... I assume he is lying. And I am not the one who post a post about "right wing nuts" even my leftist hate blog doesn't say that the whole left is like that. Nor did I post the comments about the military which BTW you haven't in served in years and don't know what the heck you are talking about.
7.) I wish people like you would stop thinking that our withdrawal from Iraq would not affect us in any way. I want to know the answers to the questions. I don't want our troops "sent" back into a region they were pulled out of for political purposes. It would be more dangerous because we will have given up our bases. I don't want just "support" troops there. I don't want what happened in Mogadishu to happen where the troops were sent to do a mission that was made a million times harder because " the administration" didn't want to escalate things by sending in reinforce armored vehicles and airsupport for the delta, rangers and 160th. People died on the mission because of the administration fear of publicity and I don't want another administration who governs militarily by polls or by their base.

8)SEE ANSWER TO QUESTION 7
9)Nato isn't even fighting Al Qaeda they are largely fighting the Taliban. We don't bomb, bomb, bomb in Afghanistan. I'd lay outs that delta, seals, rangers etc are all over the mountains and in the no-man region on Pakistani/Afgan border, but since I am not privy to that information you will just have to do your own research. We should have never put NATO in charge. As far as Bush handling the war on terror smartly that is for a whole nother discussion. I disagree with some of the things Bush is doing but I would venture to bet that they are not the same things YOU disagree with. Al Qaeda is now losing the war within the Muslim Community largely by killing their own. Since we haven't been attacked in 7 years a record since 93, I tend to trust him a little bit.

10.) What I would do about Russia? I would start propping up the Eastern block countries that Russia still sees as their back yard. First thing I would do is push to get Ukraine and Poland into NATO. This legitamizes these countries giving them equal standing with Russia. I would break away from the UN both financially and politically. It has become a body of debate and no action, especially if you live in Africa. You can't face evil in the world if you don't believe in it.