Obama speaks to Olmert

Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 5:59 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Slipped into a press release on the Middle East talks by the Obama campaign was this: "I spoke with Prime Minister Olmert today, and assured him of my strong support for this effort and my unshakeable commitment to Israel's security as a core principle as negotiations move forward.”

Here’s the full release:
Obama Statement on Annapolis Talks
Chicago, IL- Senator Barack Obama released the following statement on today's talks in Annapolis, and his ensuing conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

"Annapolis is a hopeful development because Israelis and Palestinians are engaged in serious discussions again and the countries of the region are involved, and I commend Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas for making the effort.

"I spoke with Prime Minister Olmert today, and assured him of my strong support for this effort and my unshakeable commitment to Israel's security as a core principle as negotiations move forward.

"The Administration deserves credit for finally trying to use presidential diplomacy to bring the parties together. It's a big change from the last six and a half years, when President Bush badly neglected this conflict. Recognizing the complexity of the issues under discussion and the importance of the conflict, it is my hope that this conference is just the start of a sustained push by the United States, the Israelis and the Palestinians to achieve the goal of two states living side-by-side in peace and security."

EMAIL THIS

Comments

Is it a yes or no, Mr. Obama regards to the new revelations of campaign finance practices ?

Johnny V. (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:15 PM)

All this and Barak's spouse never sodomized and intern.

Monica, D.C. (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:15 PM)

All this and Barak's spouse never sodomized an intern.

Monica, D.C. (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:16 PM)

Where or where did the money go, Mr. Obama ? I'am talking about the Hopefund ?

American Voters (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:17 PM)

Johnny V, American Voters (Hillary Clinton in disguise):

Give it up, you are begining to sound like a sore loser! No one is asking about Norman Su's contribution and the Chinese connection. Hillary transfered money from her PAC to the presidential campaign, which is just a step more than what she is accusing Obama.

I think we should get back to issues and tell the American people how she will "force" the american people to buy health insurance, whether they can afford it or not.

Vallab (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:38 PM)

BREAKER . . . BREAKER has Senator Clinton released her White House papers yet (yes or no)? BREAKER . . . BREAKER has Senator Clinton said how she will enforce her health care mandate (yes or no)? BREAKER . . . BREAKER did Senator Clinton buy off Gov. Vilsak's endorsement with camapign funds (yep)? BREAKER . . . BREAKER did Senator Clinton's campaign encourage Hillriaser Norman Hsu to give donations to local officials to secure their endorsement of her presidential camapign (yep)? Don't "American Voters" deserve the answers to those questions?

MK, Los Angeles, California (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:39 PM)

I love the Clinton spambots, making posts totally irrelevant to the topic. Keep up the good work guys.

You want to talk about whether funds were disproportionately allocated, I want to talk about Clinton paying off Vilsack's debts and her complete lack of disclosure. Obama's campaign has done nothing illegal.

John (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:39 PM)

Whats the going rate on the Lincoln Room in 2009? Hillary the Lobbyists want to book early!

NANDO, Palm Coast,FL (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:41 PM)

American Voters... the hopefund was also given to Hilary. Why don't you ask her where the money is.. Never mind, she pocketed it for her Presidential run, while Obama continued to give to other House and Senator members running for re-election in states like California, Florida as well as Iowa and New Hampshire. At least he's trying to build up the Democratic Party, while Clinton is only trying to build up her ambition.

RAH (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:42 PM)

Where or where did the money go, Mr. Obama ? I'am talking about the Hopefund ?

--------------------------------------------

When you are tired of talking point let us know? How about the HillPAC funds or the $400,000 to vilsack

Bee (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:43 PM)

I think that it is funny that there are a handful (maybe a little less than a handful) of posters on this site that write the same things about Hopefund over and over. I happen to be neither an Obama supporter nor a Clinton supporter, but he already answered this. He did. He stated clearly that the facts bear out that this accusation is false, then he presented the facts to prove it. Hopefund even contributed to Hillary's campaign. So, stop spreading this nonsense and find something real to attack him on.

Luke M, Columbia, SC (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:47 PM)

What a sad attewmpt to push his foreign policy chops...

http://www.political-buzz.com/

matt (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:50 PM)

Go Obama go! They are just too scared of your upward mobility and lightning political progress. They can cry blood, but your countless army of supporters are with you untill victory is achieved. God willing, Israelis and Palestinians will have peace, and the world will heave a sigh of relief.

Erz Siam (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:59 PM)

888 T H E H O P E F U N D 888 OBAMA $$$$$$$$$

Bart (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:08 PM)

H o p e fun...where is all the money gone ? oops hopefund

Tony S. (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:19 PM)

Luke M. - I completely agree with you. The only problem is, it's hard to find ANYTHING to attack Obama on. He's just that kind of guy!! Sounding very presidential in this press release, I must say!

modernwoman, Anytown,USA (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:38 PM)

This is what i called leadership. I know Hillary can't pull that off.

Bee (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:55 PM)

We repect Senator Clinton, but is being the wife of a womanizer, a man so sick that he ejaculated on the Oval-office, a qualification to be the president of the UNITED states. if she had a clue should she have not know what Bill was up to,

lars (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 8:37 PM)

How about releasing Hillary's tax returns?
How about releasing her earmarks?
How about releasing all the bundlers and whom they bundling from?
How about the other Norman Hsus, Gutpas?
How about releasing the White House records of what Hillary actually did during those time?
How about talking about Mark Penn connection with Blackwater?

Hillary is THE QUEEN of frauds. She & Bill are right up there with Bush & Cheney.

Trish, San Diego, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:04 PM)

Hey Hillary supporters, what about Vilsack? She gave hime $400,000 after he endorsed her. That is four times the amount that hopefund gave out LEGALLY!! This argument is rediculous just like her canidacy!!
Obama/Edwards 08
or
Obama/Biden 08

Michael, Sioux City, IA (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:06 PM)

Trish, San Diego, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:07 PM)

From what I've seen, Democrats are too focused on the race to understand the significance of what might be happening in Annapolis. At least one of your candidates pretends to appreciate the possibility. Okay, now that I said my peace, you can go back to bickering over PAC crap.

Harry in Pa (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 10:12 PM)

latest from the zogby poll fallout: Mark Penn buckling under the pressure of bad polling, Reference drudgereport. Clinton campaign is in turmoil

hillaryhater (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 10:31 PM)

Clinton Claims He Opposed Iraq War From The Beginning.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/us/politics/28clinton.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Bill Clinton Rewrites History on Iraq?
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/11/bill-clinton-re.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/27/clinton-claims-he-opposed_n_74406.html

Banko (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 11:31 PM)

If there's anybody who could bring pea ce to the Middle East as President, it's Obama.

RedWhite&Blue (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 2:26 AM)

Democrats would be foolish to take a gamble with our party's future on a two year old senator still in political diapers. I will under no circumstance vote for Obama - a man who seriously lacks experience, no matter how much the media hype him up. Also I have a problem with these mean spirited Obama supporters. How can Obama, be promoting hope and optimism for the country, but everytime you read blogs the Obama supporters are always bad mouthing Hillary. They never mention what Obama plans are for the country, they are too obsessed with hating Hillary. If Obama is chosen by us Dems, we will be making a foolish mistake. If we select him, I will either not vote in the general election or I will vote Republican.

clinton, des moine, Iowa (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 3:04 AM)

Another disgusting display of appeasement and kowtowing the Israel lobby.

I see Mr. Obama's statement as nothing more than political maneuvering and desperate campaign shennagians to satiate the Israel-first crowd who were infuriated when he suggested in May in Iowa that -God forbid- the Palestinians were suffering too? And the pro-Israel, nasty neocon floodgates were open and Mr. Obama learned a few lesson or two just the very next day at AIPAC annual convention.

I'm not kidding people, look it up yourself.

Ron Paul Supporter (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 3:54 AM)

America and the world is falling in love, stop playing hard to get, you love Obama and he loves you back. So come on to PAPa and stop all the bickering children, we are truly becoming one nation under God finally, we're just having a little family spat about it because some of us need more attention than others. But in the end Obama will do what he does best and that is bring us together and that's why we love him. Obama '08

Snell King (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 4:53 AM)

Here is a dose of reality..This is what obama said recently in an interview:
"My life experiences of living abroad when I was young, traveling by bus in Kenya," Lake said, "have given me a real grasp of the troubles around the world."
Oh, really? Seriously, this is laughable at best. Americans deserve better than this poser..and that is exactly what he is.
Please Iowa, think before you vote... there is no margin for error this time.
Well just like Oprah, all he has going for him is young voters who are inexperienced (just like him) and his holier than thou attitude.

Give me a break.

MJL Redondo Beach, CA (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 7:47 AM)

obamabots vs hillarybots...no wonder you people can't win elections

Rick, WS, NC (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 8:29 AM)

time for a change....bring on obama!!!

word made flesh, gulfport, ms (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:10 AM)

Hope is only a word if you don't have a candidate experienced enough to implement it. Support Clinton, Dodd, or Biden--anyone but Obama. Fired up? Ready to go? Please do. Go away and don't ruin our chance at winning in the general. Look at Jena, LA and tell me that race relations are what you think they are and then tell me that Obama will bring us together? Support a real viable candidate and not an EMPTY phrase that your candidate cannot back up.

LawSchoolDem (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:16 AM)

LawSchoolDem (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:17 AM)

How much money did Hillary Clinton Pay to get an endorsement in South Carolina was it $10,000? I forgot the exact amount.

Cheryl, Ventura CA (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:24 AM)

Foreign policy experience is OVERATED!! You HAVE a sitting President,people,who not only had ZERO foreign policy experience,but also a DUI!!Hillary's problem is zero credibility.She voted politcally on the sorry-ass Republican war instead of voting with her mind and heart.She didn't even use her "woman's intuition!" Obama is at least honest and no "poser"...

RT, College Park,MD. (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:25 AM)

It is scary for many to imagine that a candidate of the people could actually break through and win the Democratic nomination. It is an idea that so radically affects the traditional powerbase of the Democratic party that I sense a "civil war" on the horizon.

For Barack Obama to be doing as well as he is must mean that there are ALOT of people in this country who are VERY TIRED of being told what we want to hear, when the "insiders" in both parties already know that they don't want to change much - they are doing just fine with things the way they are.

I thought this quote from the Reverened Timothy Brown (one of the black ministers that endorsed Hillary yesterday) summed it up best "We need to look for a leader that is ready to lead right now," Brown said. "We don't need to be filling our heads with hopes and dreams."

Wow . . . who ever thought that "hopes and dreams" were things to avoid? It is this type of thinking that draws people to Senator Obama - so many of our old leaders are too set in there hopeless and self serving ways to even try to make things better.

Nashville_fan (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:34 AM)

To all the Clinton campaigners (*cough complainers), would you like some cheese with that whine :)

GoneFishing (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 9:55 AM)

Clinton supporters even sound like her. This country needs Barack Obama

Zack Goncz, Sharpsville, PA (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 10:13 AM)

If Barack wins just the anarchy that will occur in washington(Tucker Carlson described it as washington collapsing in on itself and becoming a black hole) will be well worth my vote. No lobbyist dollars, no cronyism, amazing, just amazing. Everything the government should be. Good luck Barack

Zack Goncz, Sharpsville, PA (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 10:19 AM)

the negotiations will go nowhere, it is a last attempt of Bush to have something positive the repulican candidates can run with.

Louis, Phoenix, Arizona (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 10:28 AM)

If the Democrats in the House had any "balls" either Cheney or Bush or Karl(liar)Rove or all 3 should be under impeachment proceedings RIGHT NOW!!Rudy Guiliani is just the same as them.All he did was have affairs,have welfare-tax cheats work for him,and have photo-ops after 911...Black people are just supporting
Hillary because of Bill,but onthe real,she is just as unelectable as Obama.Maybe they should team up and either shock the world or go down in flames...

RT, College Park,MD. (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 10:53 AM)

Good for you Barack - giving praise where praise is due - even if it is to our hapless leader of the free world. Like Obama said, Bush deserves some credit for making this conference happen. This is the type of bipartisanship we need in DC if there is any hope for the future politics of our nation. Barack needs to win the DEM nomination - IA, NH, SC, NEV - are you listening??

Andrew, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 11:15 AM)

GO OBAMA GO!!! You're the greatest!!! Great move speaking to Olmert. Your 'Approval Rating' has alread jumped to the high 80's in my opinion and you haven't even been sworn in yet! And who the heck is Hillary demanding ANYTHING from you when she has an entire laundry list of answers to give you and the American people first!

RuthieM (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 11:18 AM)

If there was any doubt in my mind that I would caucus for Obama, it left with that statement. I'm assuming, since it is not reported, that he did not make similar overtures to Abbas regarding any "core principles" affecting the Palestinians. So much for reaching out to everyone, and bringing everyone to the table. More pandering to Israel.

I want a candidate who will have the guts to stand up and say that Israel's security is important but so too is the creation of the Palestinian state and niether one should be viewed as superior to the other. Unfortunately, I doubt I will hear such words from a politician as they are all committed to kissing Israeli ass for another generation.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 11:30 AM)

Let's get real...money is coming into Obama's campaign from the right. The right wants to see Obama win because they can beat him. After the smoke of the democractic primary clears, it must be the candidate who can win the big election 1st before taking office. Dems must take that Pres.office back to start to reverse the bifercation of our economics, the ill-will in the world, all of the ignored policies (envionmental, monopolies, ie. SBC, etc)of the right and the flat-out discounting of all of us who vote and live here. What a shamble the US has become. Think smart, Dems...think very smartly. Let's also keep in mind, the next President must hit the ground running. Osama Bin Laden has struck twice now shortly after party changes in the white house...who do you think can actually put 4-5000 appointments into place more effectively on the Dem side. Joe Biden would be OUTSTANDING as Sec of State...let's not lose the opportunty that comes with picking the candidate who can win the country and not just the party...I am sorry, but it is not Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Kucinch or any of the others...yes, it is Clinton.

Patty Davis (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 11:49 AM)

Patty Davis said: "let's not lose the opportunty that comes with picking the candidate who can win the country and not just the party...I am sorry, but it is not Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Kucinch or any of the others...yes, it is Clinton."

Her numbers are too negative. I will not vote, before I ever vote for her, and allot of others I have talked to feel the same way. Still think she can win the country, I don't...

Gone Fishing (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:20 PM)

Patty Davis said: "let's not lose the opportunty that comes with picking the candidate who can win the country and not just the party...I am sorry, but it is not Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Kucinch or any of the others...yes, it is Clinton. "

Her numbers are too negative. I will not vote, before I ever vote for her, and allot of others I have talked to feel the same way. Still think she can win the country, I don't...

Gone Fishing (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:25 PM)

Hillary Clinton for President.

Our country needs a strong, intelligent, experienced leader to get us out of the Bush mess.

I'm voting for CHANGE...a change from inexperienced not ready to lead from day one presidents and candidates.

I'm a Hillary supporter and I did not get paid $100 or even one cent for posting this message.

Jane (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:33 PM)

LawSchool Dem,
I loved your post!

OBAMA...AN EMPTY PHRASE

How true, how true.

sam (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:35 PM)

Hillary Clinton ... a candidate for change to experience and intelligence.

An UNPAID repeat UNPAID political message

Jane (Sent Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:37 PM)

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