By Crystal Garcia
TERRE HAUTE — Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. James Smith knows whose voice he would want to hear on one end of the red phone — Sen. Barack Obama.
“ … I want to hear a voice of calmness, I want to hear a voice of character, I want to hear a voice that has life experience, a voice that respects the rest of the world, a voice that has a sense of humanity,” Smith said. “I want to hear President Obama’s voice.”
His sentiments were met by applause Tuesday afternoon from the 50 to 60 people in the Heritage Room of Tirey Hall at Indiana State University.
Smith was joined by Obama’s top foreign policy advisers, Denis McDonough, Greg Craig and Sarah Sewall, at the first of three foreign policy forums in the area.
Each of the four Obama representatives spoke briefly about their experience and why they support Obama, before fielding questions from the audience.
The first question from the audience was about Obama’s plans to withdraw troops from Iraq.
“… Barack’s view is very clear,” McDonough said. “… He says I’m tired of managing this problem, I want to lead on it.”
Two ways to lead is to set a strict timetable of 16 months to get the troops out while maintaining flexibility and to use the other elements of national politics such as diplomacy, economic power and communications to pressure Iraq’s neighbors to become part of the solution, McDonough said.
“ … So Barack’s view is quiet different from the one that has really been tried and failed for five years,” he said. “One that just says, ‘This is a problem. Let’s try and manage the problem.’ But we all know what’s it’s like to try to manage problems, we’ve all got enough challenges in our lives that we try to manage, but it’s time to lead on this one and to use the lever we have … ”
Another audience member asked if Obama will be able to “reach across the aisle” to get things done or even appoint Republicans to his cabinet.
Craig responded by pointing out Obama’s partnership with Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar to pass important legislation regarding nuclear weapons. Obama is trusted on both sides of the aisle, Craig said.
“You’re going to see an administration that the whole country can be proud of, not just Democrats,” Craig said.
Other topics brought up included expanding the Peace Corps., relations with Latin America and trading, outsourcing and NAFTA.
Tax codes that make it more profitable for companies to produce their products in other countries are the biggest contributors to outsourcing, which is something Obama wants to fix, McDonough said.
While Obama is not against trading, he wants to have standards by which to trade, such as labor and environmental.
“Barack will be a pro-trade president, but a pro-trade president who approaches trade in a way that protects our interests,” McDonough said. “ … the interests of Main Street as well as the interests of Wall Street by ensuring that these standards are a fundamental and core piece of any trade agreement.”
Ted Compton, 27, an ISU junior from Terre Haute, said he was already going to vote for Obama before he came to the forum, but hearing more about his views cemented his decision.
“One of the big points that really struck me was when they were talking about how he’s not afraid to go and talk to the enemies,” Compton said. “That, to me, seems like a bigger way to make change and that’s the slogan that’s been tossed around is making change, but doing the same old thing and not talking to our enemies makes a big impact, like if we’re not talking to the people, how are we going to change anything?”
Obama’s foreign policy advisers followed the Terre Haute forum with one in Evansville. The last forum is at 2 p.m. today at the University Place Conference Center at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis.
Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.
