Obama and those "preconditions"...what is the truth?

In each of the three presidential debates, McCain attacked Obama for claiming that he'd meet with leaders of hostile nations "without precondition." Obama maintains he didn't say that. I'm not about to take either of these guy's words for truth, so I finally did some digging. I had to know if Obama really said that. Here is what I found. (I'll do my best to preserve context, but of course, for the full context, click through to the transcripts.)

First, McCain's accusations, and Obama's responses (or lack of sometimes)...

September 26, 2008:

MCCAIN: Senator Obama twice said in debates he would sit down with Ahmadinejad, Chavez and Raul Castro without precondition.

OBAMA: Senator McCain mentioned Henry Kissinger, who's one of his advisers, who, along with five recent secretaries of state, just said that we should meet with Iran -- guess what -- without precondition.

There's a difference between preconditions and preparation. Of course we've got to do preparations, starting with low-level diplomatic talks, and it may not work, because Iran is a rogue regime.

MCCAIN: Look, Dr. Kissinger did not say that he would approve of face-to- face meetings between the president of the United States and the president -- and Ahmadinejad. He did not say that.

OBAMA: Of course not.

Senator McCain keeps on using this example that suddenly the president would just meet with somebody without doing any preparation, without having low-level talks. Nobody's been talking about that, and Senator McCain knows it. This is a mischaracterization of my position.

MCCAIN: And I guarantee you [Henry Kissinger] would not -- he would not say that presidential top level [talks should take place].

OBAMA: Nobody's talking about that.

October 2, 2008: (Veep debate)

PALIN: [T]hose who would try to destroy what we stand for cannot be met with just sitting down on a presidential level as Barack Obama had said he would be willing to do.

BIDEN: That's just simply not true about Barack Obama. He did not say sit down with Ahmadinejad.

October 7, 2008:

MCCAIN: Now, Senator Obama without precondition wants to sit down and negotiate with them, without preconditions. That's what he stated, again, a matter of record.

OBAMA: [Did not respond directly.] Now, it is true, though, that I believe that we should have direct talks -- not just with our friends, but also with our enemies -- to deliver a tough, direct message to Iran that, if you don't change your behavior, then there will be dire consequences.

October 15, 2008:

MCCAIN: Senator Obama...wants to sit down across the table without precondition to -- with Hugo Chavez, the guy who has been helping FARC, the terrorist organization.

OBAMA: [No direct response.]

So what's the truth here? Let's investigate some of Obama's own words, on the record at various points in his campaign.

The controversy begins when Obama is asked a question during the CNN/YouTube debate, in July 2007. I've managed to find the transcript of that debate.

QUESTIONER: [W]ould you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?

OBAMA: I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration — is ridiculous.

September 2007: (Press conference)

QUESTION: Senator, you've said before that you'd meet with President Ahmadinejad. Would you still meet with him today?

OBAMA: Yeah, nothing's changed with respect to my belief that strong countries and strong presidents talk to their enemies and talk to their adversaries.

Then, October 15, 2007, in an interview with CBS' Harry Smith, Obama reiterated his intent:

HARRY SMITH: You said, "I will talk to so and so and Hugo Chavez and etc., etc."

OBAMA: Exactly, and without preconditions.

February 4, 2008: (CNN Situation Room)

OBAMA: There has been no confusion. I have been absolutely clear on this. I will meet not just with our friends but with our enemies. I will meet without preconditions.

Even Obama's own website says (or at least used to) "Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions."

Clearly, Obama meant what he said and he said what he meant. He would engage, at a presidential level, with the leaders of those nations who are right now enemies to the United States, and without precondition. To say he meant something different is just his engaging in typical politician doublespeak.

That about settles it for me.

(One more good link for you...A blog post from The Atlantic.)