Organizing for America

Fact Check: No News In Obama's Consistent Record

RHETORIC: "When Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was seeking state office a dozen years ago, he took unabashedly liberal positions: flatly opposed to capital punishment, in support of a federal single-payer health plan, against any restrictions on abortion, and in support of state laws to ban the manufacture, sale and even possession of handguns."

REALITY: As evidence of Obama's "unabashedly liberal positions," the reporter points to a questionnaire that Obama never saw or approved. It was filled out by an aide who has conceded she never got Obama's sign-off. Some of the answers accurately reflect Obama's position. Others do not.

RHETORIC: "The questionnaire, which was provided to Politico with assistance from political sources opposed to Obama's presidential campaign, raises questions of whether Obama can be painted as too liberal and whether he is insufficiently consistent."

REALITY: Obama has been consistent on every issue raised in the story. See below.

DEATH PENALTY

REALITY: OBAMA CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED THE DEATH PENALTY FOR CERTAIN CRIMES BUT BACKED A MORATORIUM UNTIL PROBLEMS WERE FIXED...

1999: Obama Said That Certain Precautions Had To Be Taken Before One Could Consider The Death Penalty, Supported A Moratorium. "As for death penalty moratoriums, Obama, who's also a constitutional lawyer, said unless proper due process exists, no one should be put on death row...'I was a main sponsor of a bill that would have put an immediate moratorium on the death penalty,' said Obama. 'We need to put more resources into the Public Defender's office, so they can do things like DNA testing and take other means to make sure you've got the right person before you consider the death penalty.'" [Chicago Weekend, 9/23/99]

2004: Obama Said He Supported The Death Penalty For Certain Crimes, But Did Not Support How The Death Penalty Was Administered. Obama said, "I support capital punishment for heinous crimes. I cannot, however, support the current system which is rife with error and lacks sufficient safeguards against wrongful convictions." The Chicago Tribune reported, "Obama qualified his stance, saying that his support eroded further when looking at how the death penalty 'is currently administered in this country.'" [AP, 3/10/04; Chicago Tribune, 2/20/04]

2007: Obama Said That He Supported The Death Penalty For Certain Crimes But Opposed The Death Penalty In Its Current Application And Would Not Change Those Views To Attack A Republican Opponent From The Right. Obama said, "That was something about him that I respected. Because my own views on the death penalty are very complicated. I've said that in theory I don't object to the death penalty for heinous crimes--terrorism, mass murder, child killers. But, in its application, it's been racially biased, highly unreliable, inconsistent. So for me to try to pretend that I was a cheerleader for the death penalty, simply to score a political point, that wasn't reflective of my views." [New Republic, 11/29/07]

AND LED THE FIGHT FOR REFORM IN ILLINOIS

Obama Played A "Key" Role In Passing Death Penalty Overhaul, "Made A Difference On A Matter Of Life And Death." The AP reported, "Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama can honestly claim to have made a difference on a matter of life and death. While an Illinois state senator, Obama was key in getting the state's notorious death penalty laws changed, including a requirement that in most cases police interrogations involving capital crimes must be recorded... Enactment of the 2003 law was a huge political achievement in a state that had been deeply divided over problems with capital punishment." [AP, 11/12/07]

"Without Barack's Energy, Imagination And Commitment I Do Not Believe The Very Substantial And Meaningful Reforms That Became Law In Illinois Would Have Taken Place." "'Without Barack's energy, imagination and commitment I do not believe the very substantial and meaningful reforms that became law in Illinois would have taken place,' said author Scott Turow, a member of the state commission that recommended many of the changes." [AP, 11/12/07]

SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE

REALITY: OBAMA HAS CONSISTENTLY SAID THAT SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE IS A GOOD IDEA IN PRINCIPLE, BUT THAT WE NEED TO BUILD ON THE SYSTEM WE HAVE RATHER THAN START FROM SCRATCH

If Obama Were Starting From Scratch, He Would Support A Single Payer System. The New Yorker wrote, "'If you're starting from scratch,' he [Obama] says, 'then a single-payer system'-a government-managed system like Canada's, which disconnects health insurance from employment-'would probably make sense. But we've got all these legacy systems in place, and managing the transition, as well as adjusting the culture to a different system, would be difficult to pull off. So we may need a system that's not so disruptive that people feel like suddenly what they've known for most of their lives is thrown by the wayside.'" [New Yorker, 5/7/07]

GUNS

REALITY: OBAMA HAS CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED COMMON SENSE GUN CONTROL, AS WELL AS THE RIGHTS OF LAW-ABIDING GUN OWNERS

Obama Supported A Package Of Legislation That Would Limit Handgun Sales To One A Month. ''The package closes the Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card loopholes which resulted in the shooting out in Melrose Park. We're eliminating 17 specific assault weapons. There is no reason why anybody should need an assault weapon to protect themselves or their family,' Obama said. 'We're limiting handgun sales to one a month. 'We're calling for handgun registration. It's very hard right now to track whether or not a felon has turned in his weapons or if he has a FOID card because we don't know how many weapons he has purchased.'" [Chicago Defender, 2/20/01]

Obama Voted To Prohibit Multiple Sales Of Handguns Within A 30-Day Period. In 2003, Obama voted to create the offense of unlawful acquisition of handguns, prohibiting the multiple sales of handguns within a 30-day period. In 2000, Obama was co-sponsor of bill prohibiting the transfer of more than one handgun within a 30-day period. The bill exempted federally licensed firearm dealers who purchase handguns in the regular course of business, military, law enforcement officials and certain hunters. [93rd GA, HB 2579, 5/16/03, 3R L; 23-36-0; 91st GA; SB 1614; 2000]

Obama Disagreed With The NRA That "People Should Be Unimpeded And Unregulated On Gun Ownership;" In Favor Of Handgun Registration And Licensing Requirements. Obama said, "I know that the NRA believes people should be unimpeded and unregulated on gun ownership. I disagree. I do not object to the lawful use and ownership of firearms, but I do think it is entirely it appropriate for the state to monitor it. Too many of these guns end up in the hands of criminals even though they were originally purchased by people who did not have a felony. I'll continue to be in favor of handgun law registration requirements and licensing requirements for training." [Chicago Defender, 7/5/01]

Obama: America Has A "Tradition Of Gun Ownership In This Country That Can Be Respected." The Weekly Standard reported, "When a student asks Obama for his views on the Second Amendment, he reminds his audience that he taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago and is thus familiar with the arguments regarding the right to bear arms. He acknowledges 'a tradition of gun ownership in this country that can be respected,' and says that his academic studies convinced him gun ownership 'is an individual right and not just the right of a militia.' But he was not finished. 'Like all rights, though, they are constrained by the needs and the rights of the community.' Obama then spoke of 34 students who were killed on the streets of Chicago and called for sensible gun control to prevent senseless death. He speaks of the importance of parental involvement in education before listing the many ways in which he would expand the role of the federal government in the schools." [Weekly Standard, 12/17/07]