NYT: Obama Lied to Iowa Voters
Mr. Obama scolded Exelon and federal regulators for inaction and introduced a bill to require all plant owners to notify state and local authorities immediately of even small leaks. He has boasted of it on the campaign trail, telling a crowd in Iowa in December that it was “the only nuclear legislation that I’ve passed.”
“I just did that last year,” he said, to murmurs of approval.
A close look at the path his legislation took tells a very different story. While he initially fought to advance his bill, even holding up a presidential nomination to try to force a hearing on it, Mr. Obama eventually rewrote it to reflect changes sought by Senate Republicans, Exelon and nuclear regulators. The new bill removed language mandating prompt reporting and simply offered guidance to regulators, whom it charged with addressing the issue of unreported leaks.
Those revisions propelled the bill through a crucial committee. But, contrary to Mr. Obama’s comments in Iowa, it ultimately died amid parliamentary wrangling in the full Senate.
“Senator Obama’s staff was sending us copies of the bill to review, and we could see it weakening with each successive draft,” said Joe Cosgrove, a park district director in Will County, Ill., where low-level radioactive runoff had turned up in groundwater. “The teeth were just taken out of it.”
The history of the bill shows Mr. Obama navigating a home-state controversy that pitted two important constituencies against each other and tested his skills as a legislative infighter. On one side were neighbors of several nuclear plants upset that low-level radioactive leaks had gone unreported for years; on the other was Exelon, the country’s largest nuclear plant operator and one of Mr. Obama’s largest sources of campaign money.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/us/politics/03exelon.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
















Also interesting how the NYT didn't come out with
this piece until weeks after the Iowa election.
Kinda sad.
May 12, 2008 8:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Quit grousing losers
May 12, 2008 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Some of us have an addiction to reality: Obama did that and it's not a pattern I want in the White House. I'd feel safer with McCain in the White House proposing bad things and the Democrats fighting them rather than Obama there giving away the farm while so called Democrats are rolling over to have their tummies rubbed.
May 12, 2008 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Notice that "Present" is actually Slumlord.
Two racist creeps in one.
May 12, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
When you're dumb, and are too lazy to learn anything
about the opposing candidate to even know whether
or not you oppose them, it's ok. Just call them racist.
May 12, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
(( YAWN ))
May 12, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
We've been through this issue already. A few times, actually.
May 12, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Old news that has been debated ad-infinitum.
May 12, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Old news that you agree is basically true?
May 12, 2008 10:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Has anyone noticed that "present" has somehow managed to disable his reply button. His profile url shows that notorious troll "slumlord" at the end.
While I am not into censorship in any way, I do think the management needs to look into this. If he can disable is reply button and change his name without changing his url, what other kind of meta damage can he do?
May 12, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wait, the "scandal" is that this was reported after Iowa? If memory serves (and it does seem like it was 15 years ago, doesn't it?) Iowa was the first state in the primary election. There have been plenty of states since then. If AJM and Lullvull and the author of this post thought this was so incredibly newsworthy and potentially daming to the Obama Compaign,, why weren't they flogging it incessantly since then?
May 12, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
And didn't the NYT endorse Hillary? Why weren't they boosting this story the way the boosted the warmongers in the Bush Admin?
May 12, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
maybe you should read what I wrote, and
then comment.
otherwise you look foolish.
May 12, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am not flogging this cause its part of the legislative process. The point to me is that he is simply a Politician trying to get things done. You gotta stop placing expectations and dreams on a man that probably isn't going to live up to them. Its unhealthy as an electorate to do that. Your only going to be disappointed because he came from the same clay that we all came from. Then in typical fashion you'll turn on him which is completely unfair. He is who he is.....not the Second Coming.
Which is what separates the two sides in the campaign. Reality versus fantasy. WE know who Hillary is. Unapologetic about that. She isn't perfect and we all know that. But, we know she is capable of greatness at times as well. Its the light of day.
If that is how you see Obama then that is fine as well. Just don't see that much level-headedness with the typical Obama supporter.
May 12, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Being a sore loser is so unattractive.
May 12, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
That optimism went away fast there hr
May 12, 2008 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's also an article in the NYT about Obama's "present" votes and how they are a legitimate strategic move in the Ill legislature, and how Obama was asked to vote "present" on certain bills that he sponsored by, like, NARAL. Hillary is, of course, fully aware of it, but it hasn't stopped her from trying to exploit the issue for political gain.
May 12, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
The NYT is hiring low budget writers for their
political commentary.
They have stated that they can no longer afford to
really follow the elections now. One reason they
are now in bed with General Electric's puppet
Tim Russert. They have teamed with NBC for
coverage.
A reason their political coverage is slanted to get
a weak candidate elected in November.
'Corporate America likes our president's weak. It
keeps us happy to work for low wages in unhealthy
work environments.
It allows the Coal Companies to continue Mountain Top
Removal.
It allows the health industry to rip us off.
The NYT is doing its thing for corporate wealth, and is
being rewarded for their service.l
May 12, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
YOU, NOT OBAMA, IS THE LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIYER:
You misrepresented the article, especially Obama's response to the charges. Here is what the campaign is reported to have said by the author of the article you reference. It might be helplful to actually hear directly from Obama on this matter. But here's what the decidedly anti-Obama, hit piece offers on Obama's side of the ledger.
You are what you're accusing him of being. Of course, passion gets the best of us. I'm imagining that you have many reasons for being so intensely against Obama. I would like to know what are the top items on your list, things that you believe mark him as a less than adequate candidate.
May 12, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
You got that from the campaign site? As others have told me ....They don't count.
May 12, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink