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By Thomas Beaumont, Des Moines Register
Muscatine, Ia. — Illinois Sen. Barack Obama on Sunday told a small group of Iowa Democrats that U.S. policy in the Middle East can be compassionate as well as tough — while he also provided these influential voices in the leadoff caucus state with an up-close view of him as a presidential candidate.
Obama told the Muscatine-area party activists that he supports relaxing restrictions on aid to the Palestinian people. He said they have suffered the most as a result of stalled peace efforts with Israel. "Nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people," Obama said while on the final leg of his weekend trip to eastern Iowa. "If we could get some movement among Palestinian leadership, what I'd like to see is a loosening up of some of the restrictions on providing aid directly to the Palestinian people," he added. Obama was responding to a question by Sue Dravis, one of about 40 party leaders who met with him privately before a forum at West Middle School. The session in the school library — while more than 1,000 waited for Obama in the gymnasium down the hall — gave a glimpse of the candidate few Americans have seen, despite the intense media exposure he has attracted. Since launching his campaign a month ago, Obama has headlined events around the nation and in key states such as Iowa. He has drawn large crowds of political activists and people hoping for a closer look at the candidate. His third trip to Iowa was no different, with capacity crowds meeting him in Dubuque, Clinton and Davenport on Saturday. The turnout at Obama's campaign events has prompted questions about how the political celebrity will campaign for support in Iowa, where caucus backing often is earned through direct contact. "After some of the initial novelty of the campaign fades off, as we enter the summer months, we're going to have the opportunity to campaign in that fashion," Obama said in a Des Moines Register interview. Obama has tried to incorporate more intimate sessions with key party leaders in Iowa, as he did at each of his stops Saturday, as well as before his event later Sunday in Burlington. In the Muscatine school library, Obama shook hands and posed for pictures for about half of the 30 minutes he spent with the group. He took questions for the remaining 15 minutes. Clara Oleson, a longtime Democratic caucus activist from Springdale, said the idea of pulling him aside before the larger public event was a creative way to attempt to work in some retail politics. "This is a very interesting approach. He's attracting crowds, so they have to find a way to get him some time with the party leaders," said Oleson, a retired workplace rights advocate. Obama's short round of questions with the group touched on health care, immigration and Dravis' question on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Dravis, a member of the Muscatine County Democratic Central Committee, said that Obama "did a very nice job" answering her question, but that his position represents "a good first step" in solving the complex problems in the Middle East. Israel's survival as a powerful democratic ally in the Middle East must remain a top priority, Obama said. "There is also no doubt that we have a huge strategic stake in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict," he said. But the United States cannot broker that resolution until the Palestinian government recognizes the nation of Israel. The Palestinian Authority is controlled by Hamas, a political party that does not recognize Israel's sovereignty and is listed by several countries — including the United States — as a terrorist organization. The United States and other nations imposed restrictions on aid when Hamas gained power last year. In the meantime, the suffering of the Palestinians could be eased if their government renounces terrorism, Obama said. "I think you can get a sympathetic perspective" from the United States and its allies.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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