CHANGE: From a self-described junkie to a "hope" and "change" candidate.

From his own book:
"I had learned not to care," he wrote. "I blew a few smoke rings, remembering those years. Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it. Not smack, though. ..."

"Junkie. Pothead. That's where I'd been headed"
- read Washington Post story

CHANGE: Obama told Americans he was against NAFTA, but told the Canadian government he wasn't.

Obama's campaign secretly met with a Canadian government official. Barack's spokesperson said Obama would denounce NAFTA during his debates, but in reality he would be supporting it if elected.

Obama initially denied the story, but his campaign later confirmed it had made these statements (after it was confirmed by the Canadian government).

- read The Nation story

CHANGE: From a non-commital bystander to an outspoken opponent of the Iraq war:

July '04, Barack Obama in terms of how he would have voted on the war: “I’m not privy to Senate intelligence reports. What would I have done? I don’t know.” (He wasn't in the US Senate yet, and didn't have a vote.)

- read LA Times story

Also in '04, on the proposition of war:

“There’s not much of a difference between my position on Iraq and George Bush’s position at this stage.” - Barack Obama

His excuse in 2008? "...it probably was the wrong time for me to be making a strong case against our party’s nominees’ decisions when it came to Iraq." (John Kerry supported the war)

- read LA Times story

Obama's CHANGE: Iraq Promises

July '07: We'll be out by March '09
Jan '08: 11 months after election
Sept '08: 16 months after election
Feb '09: 19 months after election

His latest plan leaves 50,000 troops to "train" and "advise" the Iraqis. That's more than 1/3 of the current troops in Iraq. There still is no timeline for withdrawal.

AP Story

CHANGE: Truth and integrity, to good old-fashioned political speak:

2004: "I can unequivocally say I will not be running for national office in four years, and my entire focus is making sure that I’m the best possible senator on behalf of the people of Illinois."

2006: Tim Russert: "So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?"
Obama: "I will not."

- read Politico story
- read TownHall story

CHANGE: From "post-partisan" to Chicago-style politics

Obama's Senate voting record was the 16th most-liberal in 2005, the 10th in 2006, and #1 in 2007, according to National Journal. He was also ranked #1 by the NAACP, NARAL, ADA, and CDF.

Obama has Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, but still can't get many of initiatives passed. So much for "governing from the center."

- read National Journal story

CHANGE: From Mentor and Pastor to rejected outsider

Obama called Jeremiah Wright his "mentor" and "spiritual advisor" of 20 years. When media questions arose about this radical preacher, Obama said he could not denounce the man.

Wright's quotes from the pulpit:
“G*d d*mn America”
"USA started AIDS virus to kill black men..."
"US KKK of A"

- read Wall Street Journal story

CHANGE: From 20 year devotee to selective amnesia

Obama and his children sat through Rev. Wright's sermons for years. Yet under media questioning, Barack said he had never heard any of Wright's controversial statements while he was in church.

As pressure intensified, Barack and his wife "resigned" from their church to quiet the stories. Apparently, they haven't found a new church yet.

-Read CNN Story

CHANGE: From a secular upbringing, to joining Trinity

Barack described his parents as "secular", though the LA Times found that he was registered as a Muslim at his childhood schools. His mother was an atheist, and his father was a "non-practicing" Muslim according to Obama.

At the age of 30, Barack joined the highly controversial Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

- Trinity United Church's Web Site
- read LA Times story

Are you sorry that you voted for Obama yet? Look at who else endorsed him:

Hamas
Farrakhan
Michael Moore
Hugo Chavez
Fidel Castro
Jane Fonda
Kim Jong Il

CHANGE: From some "guy in my neighborhood" to a close work associate and contributor

Bill Ayers is a domestic terrorist and founding member of the Weather Underground. His group bombed the Pentagon and killed police officers.

Obama denied any real connections to Ayers for a year, until it was uncovered that the two worked together for years on the board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge and Ayers hosted a fundraiser for Obama at Ayers' own home.

- read Wall Street Journal article

CHANGE: The reality of his upbringing changed for his speeches.

Barack's grandfather's family was politically-connected with the ruling British government. His father lived on the family-owned farm as a child, before being sent abroad to attend Ivy League schools in the U.S.

The truth was far from the poor goat herder and domestic servant that Obama had claimed.

- read Free Republic story

CHANGE: From supportive voters to bitter religious simpletons

Obama told a group of millionaire supporters in San Francisco that small town voters are "bitter" about losing jobs, so they "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them."

- Read NPR Story

CHANGE: From defiant liberal to patriotic candidate

Barack Obama said he wouldn't wear a flag lapel pin, because it's "a substitute for, I think, true patriotism."

After polling numbers went down, Obama decided to wear the pin again.

- read MSNBC story

CHANGE: More and more contact with convicted slum lord Tony Rezko, but only after the press digs it up.

When Obama launched his bid for the Illinois Senate in 1995, Rezko was his first substantial contributor. Obama said it was his "best guesstimate" that Rezko raised $10,000 to $15,000..." The number turned out to be more like $250,000 total.

Rezko was involved in a questionable land deal that helped the Obama buy a mansion in Chicago.
- read Chicago Tribune story

CHANGE: Publicly chastising Illinois executives while taking their donations in private.

"Obama spoke yet again of 'the Maytag worker who is now competing with his own teenager for a $7-an-hour job at Wal-Mart because the factory he gave his life to shut its doors.'" At the same time, Barack was taking donations from the executive who sent the jobs out of the U.S.

- read Chicago Tribune story