Obama to VFW:You are Democrats and Republicans and Independents

This is what too many in this country forget. Vetearns are not members of one party, but all of them. In the end, they served, risked their lives and live out their days with events of wars inside of them and they did it for this one nation.

“Let me be clear,” Mr. Obama said. “I will let no one question my love of this country. I love America, so do you, and so does John McCain. When I look out at this audience, I see people of different political views. You are Democrats and Republicans and Independents. But you all served together, and fought together, and bled together under the same proud flag. You did not serve a Red America or a Blue America, you served the United States of America.”

That passage received the warmest applause of his 30-minute address.

August 19, 2008, 9:27 am
Obama Returns Fire on McCain in VFW Speech
By John M. Broder

Barack Obama spoke at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention. (Photo: Matt Stroshane/Bloomberg News)Updated ORLANDO – Addressing both his opponent’s charges of weakness and vacillation, and public doubts about his credibility on military matters, Senator Barack Obama on Tuesday told the Veterans of Foreign Wars that he offered not just tough talk but smart answers to national security questions.

Mr. Obama appeared before the V.F.W. a day after his presumed Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, criticized him for advocating a policy of defeat in Iraq and suggested Mr. Obama put personal ambition before the interests of the country.

Mr. Obama struck back with tough language, although his delivery was largely without passion. He received a polite but not enthusiastic response from the estimated 3,000 veterans assembled in a cavernous convention hall here. Many seats were empty because a number of veterans left Orlando ahead of the advancing tropical storm Fay.

“If we think that we can secure our country by just talking tough without acting tough and smart, then we will misunderstand this moment and miss its opportunities,” Mr. Obama said. “If we think that we can use the same partisan politics where we just challenge our opponent’s patriotism to win an election, then the American people will lose. The times are too serious for this kind of politics. The calamity left behind by the last eight years is too great.”
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2008/08/19/obama-returns-fire-on-mccain-in-vfw-speech/?hp