President Obama’s reelection campaign today, released an ad today reminding Americans that he made the tough decision to kill Osama bin Ladin.
But as a presidential candidate in June 2008, Obama was a lot more cautious.
Obama reacted strongly to his rival Sen. John McCain, who suggested that the senator had a “pre-9/11” mindset regarding terrorism.
Although Obama said he wasn’t sure the United States would be able to capture bin Laden alive, he warned against making the terrorist leader a martyr.
“I think what would be important would be for us to deal with him in a way that allows the entire world to understand the murderous acts that he’s engaged in and not to make him into a martyr,” Obama said, “And to assure that the United States government is abiding by basic conventions that would strengthen our hand in the broader battle against terrorism.”
