“I am going to bring this war to an end,” Obama said at a town hall meeting in Georgia. “So don’t be confused: I will bring the Iraq war to a close when I’m president of the United States of America.”

“Let me talk about the broader issue, this whole notion that I am shifting to the center or that I'm flip-flopping or this or that or the other,” Obama said in response to a question from the audience. “You know, the people who say this apparently haven’t been listening to me.”

The senator added that some of those arguing that he is shifting positions are those on the left and in the media.

“I am somebody who is no doubt progressive,” he stated. “I believe in a whole lot of things that make me progressive and squarely in the Democratic camp.”

Obama defended his positions on faith-based programs and a recent Supreme Court decision reversing the Washington, D.C. gun ban, which his critics have said were attempts to move to the political center for the general election.

“Everybody has become so cynical about politics that the assumption is, ‘You must be doing everything for political reasons,’ ” he said. “And the message I want to send to everybody is: You’re not going to agree with me on 100 percent of what I think, but don’t assume that, if I don’t agree with you on something, that it must be because I’m doing that politically. I may just disagree with you.”

Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) said Obama has “changed numerous positions” since having secured enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

“Barack Obama is wrong: everyone’s been listening and still nobody knows what Barack Obama truly believes,” Bounds said.