CNN defends their man!

“The Statement:

Gov. Sarah Palin said at the Oct. 2 vice presidential debate that Sen. Barack Obama “would be willing to meet with” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “without preconditions being met first.”

Get the facts!

The Facts:
Palin stated an assertion made repeatedly by Republican running mate Sen. John McCain. Sen. Joe Biden said at the debate “it is simply not true” that Obama said he would “sit down” with Ahmadinejad.

Obama has talked about meeting with Iranian leaders if necessary, but not Ahmadinejad specifically.

Obama addressed the issue in a July 23, 2007, Democratic debate, when candidates were asked if they would be “willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?”

“I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration — is ridiculous,” Obama answered.

The Obama-Biden Web site at present calls for “tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. ”

“Ahmadinejad is not the most powerful person in Iran. He may not be the right person to talk to. But I reserve the right, as president of the United States to meet with anybody at a time and place of my choosing if I think it’s going to keep America safe,” Obama said at the Sept. 26 debate.

Verdict: Misleading. While Obama has said he wouldn’t rule out meeting with any foreign leader, he never specifically said he’d meet with the Iranian president.”

Wrong….CNN get the facts your damn self. September 2007:

The transcript:

Reporter: Senator you’ve said before you’d meet with president Ahmadinejad…
Obama (nodding): Uh Huh
Reporter: … would you still meet with him today?
Obama: Nothing’s changed with respect to my belief that strong countries and strong presidents talk to their enemies and talk to their adversaries.

Clear as a bell wouldn’t you say? Which means that either A) CNN is lying. B) They suck at fact checking. C) They’re blinded by THE ONE.

Verdict: All Three.