As Clear As Mud

"There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience."

-- Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant.

Obama wades into controversy with Iraq comments
By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

Thu Jul 3, 6:36 PM ET

FARGO, North Dakota (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama waded into controversy on Thursday over his plans to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq, first saying he might "refine" his views but later declaring his stance had remained unchanged for more than a year.

Obama was forced to call reporters back for a second news conference in Fargo, North Dakota, after he initially left open the possibility of revising his 16-month timetable for pulling U.S. combat forces from Iraq.

"Let me be as clear as I can be. I intend to end this war. My first day in office I will bring the joint chiefs of staff in and I will give them a new mission and that is to end this war," Obama told reporters in his second news conference.

But he added: "I would be a poor commander in chief if I didn't take facts on the ground into account."

At an earlier news conference, the Illinois senator had said he could "refine" his stance after he visits Iraq.

Obama was for withdrawing American troops from Iraq before he was for "refining" his position before he decided to call a second press conference on the same day to say he was going to retain the "unrefined" position he had held for more than a year.

Confused? So is Obama's Iraq policy, if you can call it that.

Is anyone still taking this buffoon seriously?