NEW YORK NEWS CONFERENCE: Republican Presidential candidate Andy Martin backs Obama on Libya

Republican Presidential Candidate Andy Martin holds a New York news conference today, Tuesday, to support President Barack Obama’s Libya policy. Martin is the only Republican presidential candidate with foreign policy experience; he has actually been to Libya and is a recognized Middle East expert.

Republican Presidential Candidate Andy Martin says that “Monday night, Barack Obama became a president”

NEWS FROM:

ANDY MARTIN /2012

“The Right Republican” for

President of the United States

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www.AndyMartinforPresident.com

E-mail: Andy@AndyMartinforPresident.com

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New York, NY 10152

Tel. (866) 706-2639 Fax (866) 707-2639

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ATTENTION NEW YORK DAYBOOK/ASSIGNMENT EDITORS

Republican Presidential Candidate Andy Martin holds a New York news conference today, Tuesday, March 29th to endorse President Barack Obama’s Libya policy

Martin says the “Romper Room Republicans” who pander to Iowa conservatives are not serious candidates for the presidency

Andy says politics used to stop at the water’s edge; he supports a return to a bipartisan foreign policy.

Martin hosts a Friday conference in Washington, DC attacking Obama even as Martin supports the general principles of the “Obama Doctrine”

(NEW YORK)(March 29, 2011) Corruption-fighting Republican Presidential Candidate Andy Martin holds a New York news conference today, Tuesday, March 29th at 1:00 P.M. to announce he supports President Barack Obama’s Libyan policy as presented by Obama on Monday evening. Martin is the only presidential candidate is either party with actual foreign policy and Arabic experience. Andy has been to Libya and is recognized Middle East expert. He may be the only Republican with an Honorable Discharge from the military.

Martin is expected to separate himself from the “right-wing romper room Republicans” who pander to extremist appetites with relentless criticism of the president on foreign policy matters. Martin says the “Iowa presidential candidates” are entertaining but unelectable.

“I have always said that my differences with Barack Obama were political and not personal. Today, to the ‘extreme’ surprise of many of my Republican colleagues, I want to support the policy President Obama announced on Monday evening Politically, as a candidate myself, I want to draw a line in the sand between ‘adult’ Republican presidential candidates and the right-wing romper room presidential candidates that are thrilling Iowa conservatives. When I get to Iowa in a few weeks, it will be with serious policy proposals, not a grab bag of jingles, talking points and entertaining but ultimately counterproductive shtick.

“I was Barack Obama’s first critic, and I have been his most relentless political and policy opponent. So why do I support Obama on Libya? Two reasons: policy and politics. I believe Obama’s policy is correct and represents mainstream American values. Politically, I believe my Republican colleagues, who I also enjoy listening to, are unelectable because their political views are both extremist and impractical.

“Let me start with Obama’s policy. Ironically, both Obama and I, for different reasons, opposed the Iraq invasion. I opposed the Iraq invasion because it was unnecessary, excessively expensive and would enhance Israel’s enemies while undermining our allies in the region. I was proven correct. I lived in Baghdad during part of 2003 and I was an early critic of the chaos to come. I also predicted that President Bush’s ‘surge’ would work. But the fact that we are withdrawing from Iraq under honorable conditions should not fool us into believing the invasion was sound foreign policy.

“Watching Bill O’Reilly’s reaction Monday evening I was struck by the maturity of O’Reilly’s foreign policy instincts. Impressive. O’Reilly was quite correct that Iraq cost America. It cost us at home, and it cost us abroad. Today Iran is stronger and Israel is weaker, all as a proximate consequence of the ill-advised Iraq invasion. Fair-minded adults can recognize the reality of Iraq for what it is.

“Generally speaking, Americans are not a warlike people. We do not like to start wars or stick our noses into other people’s problems. We like to use our guns to go hunting and protect our homes, not to send our young men and women off to war. But we are also a humanitarian nation. Like President Ronald Regan, I see America as the shining city on a hill (see link below). We are always first on the ground when there is a natural disaster, and our hearts are always with the victims of terrorism and totalitarianism. When provoked, we fight. Striking the correct balance between activism and restraint is not an easy process. That is why Americans demand maturity, wisdom and experience in the White House. With all due respect, I am the only Republican candidate with the experience and restraint to serve as president and commander-in-chief.

“There is no doubt that the policy Obama announced on Monday, called by Sean Hannity and others the ‘Obama Doctrine,’ arose out of initial confusion and hesitation. Obama is reluctant to deploy military power. Guess what? Americans like that. We can’t say that ‘we are not the world’s police force’ and then ramp up a military engagement every time there is a crisis.

“Second, Obama’s policy was and is fiscally responsible. Many nations are now bearing the cost of the Libyan intervention.

“Third, subtlety is not a liability in foreign policy. It is a distinct advantage. Obama has our adversaries guessing just where we will strike, how, and what his parameters are. President Richard Nixon would approve of this Obama’s policy.

“Fourth, Monday I saw many Democrats adopting my views on America as an exceptional nation that has to act when there is urgency.

“We used to say that ‘politics stopped at the water’s edge,’ and we were a stronger and better nation when Democrats and Republicans came together to project a unified foreign policy. Since the Viet-Nam era foreign policy has been a political football, with left and right winding up on different sides. We are weaker for our divisions.

“As president I would work to develop a bipartisan foreign policy and absolutely a bipartisan consensus on military intervention. If Democrats that I usually dislike, such as Representative Anthony Weiner, are willing to walk the walk on American exceptionalism, as he is, then I want to invite him/them to sit down together and talk the talk.

“I did not serve on active duty in the military, but I received an honorable discharge from the reserves. I have been in Viet-Nam, Laos, Cambodia, China, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and elsewhere. I have seen the face of war. I believe it is essential we put aside our partisan differences and start working to establish mutual trust between every American, Democrat, Republican and independent when it comes to foreign policy. I hope for the day when, once again, politics stops at the water’s edge. That will be my goal as president.

“Now let me turn to the political implications of the Obama Doctrine.

First, this doctrine will resonate with independents. It is a policy of restraint, not interventionism. To the extent that the right-wing ‘Romper Room Republican’ presidential candidates are seen as either relentless critics or shameless activists, Obama wins.

Second, I want the 2012 election to focus on domestic policy. Obama is dead wrong on his domestic agenda, 100%, 100 proof wrong, wrong, wrong. On that point, I agree with the romper room candidates. We need a ‘war’ over Obama’s ruinous domestic policies. Fighting ‘two wars,’ over foreign policy and domestic policy, does not serve Republican interests. Republicans need to nominate an ‘adult’ candidate if they hope to defeat Obama.

“I am the only Illinoisan presidential candidate, and I know Obama’s history. If anyone thinks Obama is going to be a pushover in 2011, as the Romper room Republicans suggest, they are mistaken. Obama was a shrewd poker player in Springfield because he played he played his cards close to the vest.

“Monday night, Barack Obama became a president. Barack and I still have vast differences of policy. I don’t think he’s qualified to be president. My views haven't changed on that point. I strongly disagree with his domestic programs. But Obama was forced to do the right thing in Libya, even though it went against his grain to do so. And, in the end he did the right thing. That’s the essence of becoming a leader.

“He made the rest of the world dip their oar in this project. Just because America is an ‘exceptional’ nation does not mean Uncle Sam should be a sucker and always get stuck with the bill.

“The UAE and Qatar, and Europe’s own institutions will be stronger as a result of their joint commitment to the Libya operation. And, like a good poker player, Obama is not announcing his exit plans or parameters in advance. Thus the criticism for lack of an ‘exit strategy’ is nonsense. From what I see Obama is being very muscular in deploying our men and women. But he is doing so in a ‘conservative’ way.

“Maybe I’m the only true ‘conservative’ Republican presidential candidate. I would be a strong leader, but a restrained one. Frankly, there is much to like in the Obama Doctrine. We can improve it, but it is a sensible starting point for the world in which we live.

“Ironically, this Friday I host a Washington DC conference challenging Obama’s eligibility to serve as president. No one can deny that I have been the strongest, and often only, voice challenging Obama. I created Obama’s biggest nightmare, the ‘Birther’ movement. But I am a strong enough man, and potentially a strong enough leader, to support the president when he pursues what I believe is a sane policy in Libya.

“I have said from the beginning that I am the only genuine ‘Ronald Reagan Republican’ in the race and I think my desire for politics to end at the water’s edge reflects the Gipper’s own worldview. President Reagan did not hesitate to act decisively, and neither would I. But he also saw that in a complex world, subtlety of policy was called for. He succeeded. The ‘Romper Room Republicans’ are not capable of filling Reagan’s shoes. I am.

“In foreign policy, experience counts. I am the only candidate with real experience, on the ground and around the world. That is why I am not afraid to stand up and support Obama on Libya. His approach is reasonable,” Martin will state Tuesday.

MARCH 29TH NEW YORK NEWS CONFERENCE DETAILS:

WHO:

Republican Party Presidential Candidate Andy Martin

WHAT:

Republican Presidential Candidate Andy Martin backs Obama on Libya policy, says Obama’s views represent “Mainstream Americanism”

WHERE:

Andy Martin New York headquarters, 375 Park Avenue, Suite 2607, New York (controlled access building; ID required. Please notify us if you plan to attend)

WHEN:

Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 1:00 P.M.

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MEDIA CONTACT: (866) 706-2639 or CELL (917) 664-9329 E-MAIL: Andy@AndyMartinforPresident.com

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LINKS TO THIS STORY (cut and paste the entire link below and not just the underlined portion):

http://www.originofnations.org/books%2C%20papers/

quotes%20etc/Reagan_The%20Shining%20City

%20Upon%20A%20Hill%20speech.htm

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WATCH/LISTEN TO ANDY ON TV AND RADIO (cut and paste the entire link below and not just the underlined portion):

Andy’s presidential campaign TV ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVN368O3Ig8

Brian Tilton Show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKrWGyl6G4A

Peter Boyles Show on www.khow.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44wRFAAmvcM

Thom Hartmann Show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cgqQPI_HRY

KGO-AM two hour Brian Copeland Show debate:

http://vaca.bayradio.com/kgo_archives/

kgo_player.php?day=0&hour=10

10:00-11:00 A.M. hour:

http://vaca.bayradio.com/kgo_archives/?d=0#

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ABOUT ANDY: Chicago Public Radio calls Andy Martin a “boisterous Internet activist.” Andy is the legendary New York and Chicago-based muckraker, author, Internet columnist, talk television pioneer, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. He has over forty years of background in radio and television and is the dean of Illinois media and communications. He promotes his best-selling book, “Obama: The Man Behind The Mask” [www.OrangeStatePress.com] and his Internet movie "Obama: The Hawaii’ Years” [www.BoycottHawaii.com]. Martin has been a leading corruption fighter in Illinois for over forty years. He is currently sponsoring www.AmericaisReadyforReform.com. See also www.FirstRespondersOnline.us

Andy is the Executive Editor and publisher of the “Internet Powerhouse,” www.ContrarianCommentary.com. He comments on regional, national and world events with more than four decades of investigative and analytical experience.

Andy has over forty years of familiarity with Asia and the Middle East; he is regarded overseas as one of America’s most respected independent foreign policy, military and intelligence analysts. His analysis of the terrorist threat in Iran during the 1979-80 hostage crisis, and again in Iraq in 2003, were leading-edge predictions of what Americans faced in the future.

He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and is a former adjunct professor of law at the City University of New York (LaGuardia CC, Bronx CC). UPDATES: www.twitter.com/AndyMartinUSA www.Facebook.com/AndyMartin Andy's columns are also posted at ContrarianCommentary.blogspot.com; ContrarianCommentary.wordpress.com.

ContrarianCommentary.typepad.com

[NOTE: We try to correct any typographical errors in our stories; find the latest version on our blogs.]

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© Copyright by Andy Martin 2011 – All Rights Reserved

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