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[0:00] ..." I'm Mary -- WBZ Newsradio 1030 speaking with ABC political consultant Steve Roberts 616 US soldier deaths in Afghanistan so far this month and matching the American death toll for all of October"...
[2:19] ..." resources to Afghanistan. It's Republicans who are saying yes. Putting more troops John McCain among others calling for a surge in Afghanistan similar to what. Took place in Iraq but the Democratic Party has always been far more skeptical of these foreign adventures -- far more concerned about cost and both. Troops and and and"...
[3:09] ..." to spend this money for a foreign policy but not necessarily for domestic policy and for the democrats' vice Versa."...
[3:26] ..." people to focus on it exclusively. But the Taliban's not listening to Barack Obama's agenda -- ran and then nuclear ambitions not listening to Barack Obama's agenda they have their own agendas and forcing him. Pay attention to issues you'd rather not deal with right now on the"...
[0:00]" I'm Mary -- WBZ Newsradio 1030 speaking with ABC political consultant Steve Roberts 616 US soldier deaths in Afghanistan so far this month and matching the American death toll for all of October in 2008. President Obama when he was campaigning called as a war of necessity. Obviously. Things have changed dynamics have changed he has a tough road ahead here and it's a crucial week."
[0:23]" It's an extremely tough road part of what's changed is a loss of confidence in the government. -- Karzai it's clear to everybody that if Karzai won that election at least in party did it fraudulently. But the other changes that Obama is realizing that does. It's one thing to promise you going to stabilize that country and you're gonna give the resources necessary it's another to come up with those resources. He's. Have been faced with enormous. Outlays in his first months as president for the stimulus bill now he's. Congress is talking about a health care bill it could cost as much as a trillion dollars. And it's easy to say well we're gonna subsidize poor people who can extend coverage we're gonna pay more money to doctors. And hospitals where is that money gonna come front and -- so the policy in Afghanistan is directly linked to to the health care debate because of cost and them. So it's clear that Obama is going through a very significant reassessment and that. My best estimate is he's going to ratchet back. Americans. Goals in Afghanistan. Try to modify them and minimize them. Because. I think he now realizes that trying to pacify the whole country and create a modern state that's capable of creating pockets of security is a very costly in virtually endless. Ambition."
[1:48]" Republicans have pounced saying that hit his. It delay if you will in making a decision shows no waffling on his part do you feel that to this is costing him politically because he's got to coming forward."
[2:00]" Quickly on the no I don't think the delay is the real problem I think people understand very complicated issue and he's got a lot of other things on his plate. Of the but the irony here of course is that. It's Democrats. Who are most. Questioning. A large scale commitment of resources to Afghanistan. It's Republicans who are saying yes. Putting more troops John McCain among others calling for a surge in Afghanistan similar to what. Took place in Iraq but the Democratic Party has always been far more skeptical of these foreign adventures -- far more concerned about cost and both. Troops and and and treasure. And his real problem is convincing of the liberals in his own party. To stick with the plan in Afghanistan and I think people give him time to make a reasonable decision. But. His big problem is selling its policy to his own court."
[3:01]" And to the irony here is she said it when it comes to money driving this in in no small part. You have the Republicans on one side willing to spend this money for a foreign policy but not necessarily for domestic policy and for the democrats' vice Versa."
[3:16]" Exactly and but Obama is realizing there's two things why is he cannot control the agenda he wanted this fall this summer and fall would be about health care he wanted people to focus on it exclusively. But the Taliban's not listening to Barack Obama's agenda -- ran and then nuclear ambitions not listening to Barack Obama's agenda they have their own agendas and forcing him. Pay attention to issues you'd rather not deal with right now on the other problem he's running into. Is that the Democrats in some -- victims of the -- success when you have sixty members of the US senate. That means that you have liberals from Massachusetts and New York means you have conservatives from Arkansas Louisiana and Colorado and New Mexico. You have a much broader attempt to win -- in the minority and out. It takes sixty votes in the US senate to pass most build these days because of the frequent use of the filibuster. And means Democrats need every single one of their sixty votes. And that means every single Democrat have leverage every single one can say well I won't vote for the bill unless you have to my pet problems. And so managing this majority. Is far more difficult than being in the minority and Obama is realizing that it even with this vast majority. It means that you have a lot of."
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