Quote du Jour: Obama Flip Flops on Bipartisan Panels

Daily Kos' mcjoan was quite pleased to present this (supposed) red meat quote to the crowd over there today:

Building on Biden's attack on McCain on the economy yesterday, Obama gave a hard-hitting economics speech today in Colorado.

Obama rejected McCain’s call this morning for a national commission modeled after the bipartisan panel that investigated the 9/11 attacks as a desperate ploy, labeling it "the oldest Washington stunt in the book."

"You pass the buck to a commission to study this problem," Obama said, rejecting the measure as unnecessary. "We know how we got into this mess. What we need now is leadership that get us out. I’ll provide it. John McCain won’t."

Impressed?

Well, let's flashback to January 2008:

Unfair to Mr. Obama

Friday, January 25, 2008; A18

Robert J. Samuelson's Jan. 9 column, "Promises They Can't Keep," unfairly singled out Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as not doing enough to address our nation's long-term fiscal imbalance and entitlement program shortfalls.

Mr. Samuelson ignored, for instance, Mr. Obama's support for the approach taken in the Bipartisan Fiscal Task Force bill I have offered with Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.). Our bill would create a bipartisan panel of lawmakers and administration officials tasked with drafting legislation to address the long-term fiscal imbalance and entitlement shortfalls -- legislation on which Congress would be required to vote.

Mr. Obama has indicated he would like to see several changes to our bill -- such as moving back the timing to allow input from the next president and opening the task force's proposal to amendment. But his support for the general task force approach is significant because it marks a break from the status quo and shows a commitment to seeking a bipartisan solution. Mr. Samuelson was told of Mr. Obama's support for this approach, but he didn't follow up with the senator's staff. That's not fair.

Mr. Samuelson is right to be concerned about our nation's long-term budget outlook. But he is wrong to single out Mr. Obama, who is committed to putting our nation back on a sound fiscal course.

KENT CONRAD

U.S. Senator (D-N.D.)

Chairman, Senate Budget Committee

Washington

Busted.

Never forget the power of Teh Googling, Senator Obama.

Update:

Here's the text of S. 2063: Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action Act of 2007