On June 24, CODEPINK co-founde­r Jodie Evans paid to attend a Los Angeles fundraiser for Barack Obama, hoping that she would have a chance to ask him some pointed questions about his plans for Iraq. As she was approaching for her turn to be photographed with the Senator, he recognized her.

Before she could even say a word in greeting, he offered, “Jodie, I promise I will end the war.”

Jodie asked if that were the case, why had he chosen such a sad, hawk-like group of Foreign Advisors. She even pulled out the list of advisors to show it to him and queried, “Who on this list has a new vision?”

He answered, “I will end the war in Iraq, I promise.”

Jodie then asked him about the compromise FISA bill, which would grant President Bush protection for himself and the telecom companies from prosecution for his illegal wire-tapping and spying program. Obama's response was: “I haven't voted yet.”

We now know how that vote went: soon thereafter he voted yes on a terrible bill that granted retroactive immunity to the telecom companies.
Jodie pressed him again, “What does ‘end the war with Iraq' MEAN? All our troops out? Blackwater mercenaries out? Our bases closed? What does it actually mean?”

Without answering any of Jodie's specific questions, he reiterated his statement, “Jodie, I promise I will end the war with Iraq,” as Jodie was being pulled away to allow the next person a photo opportunity. It is difficult to trust Barack Obama's assurances without the answers to those questions.