Sweet blog special: Dodd slams Obama for lack of substance on new Iraq proposal. "Soaring rhetoric" not enough, Dodd says. "Turn the page?" Richardson says need new book on Iraq.

UPDATES WITH MORE REACT TO OBAMA SPEECH

WASHINGTON–White House hopefuls Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Ct.) and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson hits top rivals Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) following Obama’s Wednesday Iraq speech where he unveiled plans billed as–using a campaign refrain–turning the page on Iraq. Obama, who taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago, proposed rewriting the Iraq constitution.

Richardson said. “Senator Obama has offered to turn the page in Iraq, but I think we need a new book.”

Dodd, who has supported an enforceable deadline to pull troops out of Iraq. While critical of both Obama and Clinton in a statement, his most pointed criticism was aimed at Obama.

Said Dodd, “Senator Obama has a gift for soaring rhetoric, but, on this critical issue, we need to know the substance of his position with specificity. Without tying a date certain to funding how does he plan to enforce his call for an immediate redeployment?

for Dodd statement, click below….

FROM RICHARDSON CAMPAIGN..

AUSTIN, TX — New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today issued the following statement on Senator Barack Obamas speech on Iraq:

Senator Obama promised that he would lay out a different course in Iraq. I am disappointed that he has decided to offer more of the same. Senator Obama has offered to turn the page in Iraq, but I think we need a new book. Leaving behind tens of thousands of troops in Iraq for an indefinite amount of time is nothing new. This plan is inadequate and does not end the war.

The question is simple: How does leaving troops in Iraq end the war?

“I have asked Obama, Clinton, and Edwards numerous times to be specific as to how many troops they would leave behind in Iraq and for how long. Today, Senator Obama dodged the question yet again. He laid out a timetable for removing all of the combat troops from Iraq, but he did not tell us what he would do with the tens of thousands of non-combat troops who also are stuck in the middle of a civil war. Would he leave all those troops behind unprotected? This proposed course of action is dangerous. It does not make sense. 93% of the Sunnis and over half of the Shia think it is okay to kill Americans. Our troops are targets.”

“The American people know where I stand. There is only one responsible course of action left for us in this war. We need to get all of our troops out of Iraq with no residual forces left behind. We need to withdraw both the combat troops and the tens of thousands of other troops who are there. We need to do it now.”

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WASHINGTON — Today Presidential Chris Dodd criticized Senators Clinton and Obama for stepping backwards on Iraq:

“I was disappointed that Senator Obama’s thoughts on Iraq today didn’t include a firm, enforceable deadline for redeployment, and dismayed that neither he nor Senator Clinton will give an unequivocal answer on whether they would support a measure if it didn’t have such an enforceable deadline.

“It is clear to me – especially after yesterday’s testimony – that half-measures aren’t going to stop this President or end our involvement in this civil war. I thought it was clear to Senators Obama and Clinton as well after they finally came around to supporting the Feingold-Reid measure and voting against a blank-check supplemental spending bill this spring. If ‘enough was enough’ then, why isn’t it after the bloodiest summer of the war?

“Senator Obama has a gift for soaring rhetoric, but, on this critical issue, we need to know the substance of his position with specificity. Without tying a date certain to funding how does he plan to enforce his call for an immediate redeployment?

“The only specificity Senator Obama offered was a call for a new constitution, but that will do nothing other than provide the Iraqis and the Bush Administration another excuse to delay — the ink is barely dry on the constitution they have.

“It is going to take bold leadership to change our course in Iraq. We need to do more than write letters to the President, we need to be clear with him.

“I urge Senators Obama and Clinton not to backtrack on the need for a firm, enforceable deadline and state clearly and directly whether they will support an Iraq measure if it does not include one.”

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