Sen. Barack Obama's vote in favor of anti-terrorist surveillance legislation on Wednesday marked an about-face on the issue that left him comfortably in the bipartisan middle, no matter the criticism from John McCain nor the discomfort among liberal Democrats.
Given the choice between voting for an improved yet imperfect bill, and losing important surveillance tools, Senator Obama chose to support the legislation, his office said, even though it contained a provision the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting had flatly opposed.
Translation: With the general election looming, preventing another terrorist attack trumped fears that privacy rights may be violated.
Ironically, the Democratic presidential contender cast his vote one day after telling a campaign audience that accounts of a shift toward the center on the Iraq War, guns, the death penalty and other issues were unfounded. The people who say this haven't apparently been listening to me, Obama said in response to a question at a town hall-style event.
Legal immunity for companies such as AT&T is not an issue likely to affect many votes in November.
The war in Iraq is a different matter, though, the issue that likely will matter most next to the economy.
Obama outmaneuvered New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination in part because he campaigned as an agent of change, and in part because he opposed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq while she voted to authorize military action.
Now, with a trip planned to the war zone and progress evident one year after President Bush ordered an increase in troop strength, Obama must preserve his anti-war credentials and continue to appeal to voters looking for a departure from conventional politics. At the same time, he must reassure voters he is ready to become commander in chief in an era of terrorism.
I am going to do a thorough assessment when I'm there, he told reporters earlier this week. I'm sure I'll have more information and continue to refine my policy.
A few hours later, he went before reporters a second time and blamed McCain's campaign for any misunderstanding about his long-standing commitment to bring combat troops home on a 16-month timeline.
He said his rival's aides had primed the pump with the press to suggest we were changing our policy when we haven't.
It wasn't a claim he could credibly make on legislation overhaul rules on secret government eavesdropping of suspected terrorists. The measure extends protection from lawsuits for telecommunications companies that helped the government eavesdrop on American phone and computer lines without court permission.
Last fall, Obama's spokesman, Bill Burton was unambiguous. To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.
That was then, with the primary campaign uppermost in Obama's mind.
This is now, with the Democratic presidential nomination in his grasp, fear of a terrorist attack a lingering public concern and the general election against McCain looming.
Predictably, McCain seemed reluctant to take yes for an answer on an issue that has long bedeviled Democrats.
In comments to reporters during the day, the Republican presidential contender looked beyond Obama's vote on the legislation to highlight their remaining difference.
We have to have the ability to monitor communications between terrorist organizations and individuals who want to destroy America and everything we stand for, said McCain, who skipped the vote.
So Senator Obama and I are still in strong disagreement on the issue of immunity for the telecommunications corporations. Obama voted for unsuccessful attempts to strip out the immunity before voting for the measure.
A leading Democratic critic of the bill, Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., expressed disappointment. All Democrats should be unified against this lousy piece of legislation, he said.
In fact, 27 Democrats voted against the measure, a group that included Clinton as well as Majority Leader Harry Reid and other top members of the leadership.
Obama was left in the company of 20 other Democrats, many of them moderates or conservatives from traditionally Republican states where he hopes to contest McCain this fall. Not to mention all 47 Senate Republicans who voted on the measure, and President Bush, the wartime commander in chief who will sign the legislation when it reaches his desk.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: David Espo covers the presidential campaign for The Associated Press.
