DAVID OLINGER The Denver Post | Posted: Friday, March 7, 2008 12:00 am
Barack Obama told a cheering crowd at a town hall meeting in Casper on Friday that he would restore respect for law in the White House by reviewing every executive order issued by President Bush and discarding any deemed unconstitutional.
Obama's comments came in response to a question from a man who said he worried that presidents sometimes consider themselves above the law.
In his speech, Obama praised the libertarian spirit of Westerners, Republicans and Democrats alike, and condemned the Bush administration's use of warrantless wiretaps and willingness to hold prisoners without charges.
"There's nothing Republican about that. Everyone should be outraged by that," he said.
As president, he said he would ask his attorney general "to review every executive order" of the Bush administration. "We are going to overturn those that were unconstitutional. We are going to overturn those that are unnecessary."
His answer drew a standing ovation from a mostly Democratic audience at the Casper Recreation Center.
Obama's Democratic rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, was scheduled to speak in Casper Friday evening. On Saturday, Wyoming caucuses will begin the process of picking 12 delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
In Wyoming, a Republican-dominated state and home of Vice President Dick Cheney, Obama promised to end the war in Iraq.
Iraq "was an unwise war," he said, waged by Bush "with an assist from Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain," his rivals for the presidency. "I will bring this war to an end in 2009."
Obama made light of recent criticisms that he is untested and unready for the "3 a.m. call" informing the president of a national crisis.
"Watch out for this politics of fear," he said. "What do people think I'm going to do? I'm going to answer the phone," adding that he would not be browbeaten into an unnecessary war.
His answers did not please everyone. He told one fan of the space program that he plans to cut some parts of the NASA budget, partly to finance education programs.
"I grew up on Star Trek," he said, and believes in the future of the space program, but "NASA has lost focus and is no longer a source of inspiration."
Obama also drew cheers and a standing ovation on a surprise subject: school tests.
He said he believes art and music are vital aspects of a public school education. "I don't want them to just learn to a test."
Many of the people at the recreation center said they are still undecided in the presidential race, but they agreed that it's great to see presidential candidates in Wyoming.
"It's pretty historic for someone to finally come to Wyoming. I had to come watch him," said Tom Jones, a Casper resident who also plans to hear Clinton speak later. "JFK was here in Casper. That's the last one," he said.
Jones said has not decided how he will vote in November but would like to hear all three candidates in person.