From today's Washington Times...

Article published Jan 31, 2008

Obama: Decriminalize pot

January 31, 2008

By Jen Haberkorn - DEVELOPING STORY: Updated 8:52 a.m.

Last fall during a nationally televised presidential debate, Sen.

Barack Obama hesitantly raised his hand and joined with most of his Democratic rivals to declare that he opposed decriminalizing marijuana.

But as a candidate for the U.S. Senate four years ago, Mr. Obama told Illinois college students that he supported eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use or possession, according to a videotape of a little noticed debate that was obtained by The Washington Times.

"I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws,"

Mr. Obama told an audience during a debate at Northwestern University in 2004. "But I'm not somebody who believes in legalization of marijuana."

Asked about the two different answers, Mr. Obama's presidential campaign said he in fact has "always" supported decriminalizing marijuana as he answered in 2004, meaning the candidate mistakenly raised his hand during the presidential debate last fall.

That position leaves Mr. Obama as the lone presidential candidate among the four leading challengers in either party who supports eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana. Mr. Obama's chief rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, opposes decriminalization, Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer said.

On the Republican side, Kevin Madden, spokesman for Mitt Romney, said the former Massachusetts governor is "not in favor of legalization of marijuana, and that includes medical purposes."

The campaign for Arizona Sen. John McCain did not respond immediately to questions. But the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates decriminalization, says both Republicans have told its supporters they oppose that move, including in medical cases.

When asked by The Times about decriminalizing marijuana, the Obama campaign reiterated the candidate's opposition to legalization.

"Senator Obama does not believe in legalization of marijuana, but agrees with President Bush that long minimum sentences for first-time drug users may not be the best way to occupy jail space or heal people from their disease," Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

The campaign went on to say that, as president, Mr. Obama "will review drug sentences to see where we can be smarter on crime and reduce the blind and counterproductive sentencing of non-violent offenders, and revisit instances where drug rehabilitation may be more appropriate." His campaign later stated that Mr. Obama "always"

has supported decriminalizing marijuana.

Mr. Obama's differing answers on marijuana are among a half-dozen conflicts between positions he took while running for Senate in 2004 and those he now articulates while running for president, a review of debate tapes shows. Other conflicts range from ending the embargo against Cuba to providing health care for illegal immigrants.

The Times obtained video footage of the public debates from a variety of sources, ranging from open sources such as YouTube to political operatives who oppose Mr. Obama's presidential campaign or his Senate bid four years ago in Illinois. Mrs. Clinton's campaign, for instance, recently released footage on its Web site of a 2004 speech in which Mr. Obama spoke about universal health care.

Check back for a full report on Mr. Obama's conflicting positions in tomorrow's editions of the newspaper.

You have failed to provide any examples of your left wing boogey man. Until then, STFU, because nobody can possibly know or care what you're on about.

...of hubris.

Anybody familiar w/ SpongeBob?

Not-so-Bright sounds just like PLANKTON!

Awesome, wannit?

Lends new meaning to the term "delusional".

Where's 'bop w/ the shrink wrap?

The documentary "Waco: Rules of Engagement" is required viewing, IMO.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120472/

As I recall, footage of the hearings provides ample evidence of Schumer as being as RWA when it comes to the power of the State as anyone I've ever seen. I harbor a deeply reflexive antipathy for that assh*le, largely as a result of this.

Full Disclosure: I voted for for Schumer for Senator, because I felt the alternative, D'Amato was worse.

I, for one, hope he's indulging in some Carnival revelry.

Yo, 'bop. I'm just pokin' my head in - won't be stickin around.

..."kill all the Democratic political consultants!"

Glenn you know, of course, that this post is fodder for the Democrays suck so bed they're worse than Republicans crowd.

Which includes me, sometimes.

Good morning, most.

WHile I agree w/ GG in principle, this is how it OUGHT to play out, and I HOPE this is the way it will play out.

(2) Especially a year before the election, personality trumps issues. The media has spent the last 15 years depicting John McCain as the honor-bound Man of Courage and Conviction. That's what most Americans know about him. As it becomes clear that he is one of the country's most extreme warmongers and supporters of the war, we'll see what happens to those numbers.

What are the real chances that the McCain loving media will actually do their job as journalists?

Avid HRC supporter that you are, I'm presuming you'd want to generate support for your preferred candidate.

Has it ever occured to you that your smug pronouncements might be somewhat counterproductive?

It'll be a real battle. Time to take arms against a sea of troubles.

...started ignoring...Republican trolls like WES,...

-- Taliesan

I'm dense enough that I didn't catch on to this earlier.

Must've been the regurgitation of the Dems are afraid of FOX News Talking Point that threw me.

Thank "bystander" for the linky.

But thank YOU for thinking of me. 8')

Will NOT investigate waterboarding, or Fisa felony violations, or enforce contempt citations?

And Jack Balkin's a smart man, but who in hell is talking about coming down on the CIA interrogators? Prosecute the War Criminals who gave the CIA its marching orders, fer Chris'sake!

It was Marty Lederman who wrote the Balkinization post. And I should've read the entire thing before making a hugely simplistic comment.