Election Central Morning Roundup
McCain: Iraq Withdrawal Could Take 16 Months -- Or Even One Month!
John McCain is continuing to hedge on how long it might take to withdraw from Iraq, at once ruling out a timetable and hinting he might do it faster than Barack Obama. "Now whether that fits into 16 months or not, or one month, or whatever, the point is it's got to be conditions-based," McCain told Larry King last night.
Obama Meeting Big Names In Washington Today
Barack Obama is spending the day in Washington, DC, where he'll be meeting behind closed doors with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousef Gilani. Later on, he'll also be holding a meeting with House Democrats, presumably to collaborate on an overall strategy and unified platform for the election.
McCain In Nevada Today
John McCain will be holding a town hall meeting in the swing state of Nevada today, set to begin at 12:45 p.m. ET. This state has been very closely contested in the last few elections, and is being aggressively targeted by the Obama campaign to turn from red to blue.
Dems To Unveil Major Push For Latino Voters
The Washington Post reports that the Obama campaign and the DNC will be announcing a $20 million effort to target and turn out Latino voters this fall, targeting Florida, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Despite the early conventional wisdom that Barack Obama would have problems with Latinos, all current polling shows him with a huge lead among this demographic, and the Dems consider it very much key to winning the White House.
GOP Launches Facebook Parody Of Obama
The RNC is finally getting creative with their online efforts, launching a new satirical site called BarackBook, an imaginary Facebook profile for Barack Obama that includes such "friends" as Tony Rezko and William Ayers.
Report: Obama Vacationing In Hawaii In August
Some more details are emerging on Barack Obama's upcoming August vacation, which a hot microphone caught him discussing with British Conservative Party leader David Cameron over the weekend. Obama will spend a week in Hawaii during the middle of August, spending most of the time with his grandmother and other family members but also making time for at least one fundraiser.
Independent Candidate Tossed Off Ballot In Maine Senate Race
Democrats in Maine got some good news yesterday, with the state Supreme Court ruling that liberal independent Senate candidate Herbert Hoffman will not appear on the November ballot after a challenge by the state Dems. Democratic nominee Tom Allen currently trails incumbent Republican Susan Collins in the polls, and Hoffman's presence had threatened to make his job that much harder. (Via Turn Maine Blue.)
More news, McCain flip-flops on taxes when it comes to social security, and now is starting to feel heat on it...from the right:
http://strategy08.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/john-mccain-flip-flops-on-taxes-feels-heat-from-the-right/
July 29, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't remember, did we ever get a story about McCain's huge fundraising boost from oil companies after flip-flopping on offshore drilling? I think that should be big news everywhere:
http://www.thepersonalispolitical.com/2008/07/mccain-plays-puppet-for-big-oil-gets.html
And Barackbook, seriously? That's mature. Let's see...who has friends who have killed more people...on one hand we have Ayers who isn't actually friends with Obama, is is just a university professor who was never charged of terrorism, and then you have McCain's buddies Bush and Cheney, who have the blood of over 4,000 Americans on their hands (to say nothing of the suicides, or the wounded), plus hundreds of thousands, if not well over a million dead Iraqis. Now who's really friends with murderers?
July 29, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
It' reason # 8,756,987,843,211,785 as to why we aren't Republicans.
July 29, 2008 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why doesn't McStain just say they'll be out when they're out and be done with it.
July 29, 2008 9:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Now that's some trite stuff, right there.
July 29, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
GOP Launches Facebook Parody Of Obama
Are they run by 15 year olds??
July 29, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
I was going to post almost the same thing: I guess the GOP never progressed beyond high school.
July 29, 2008 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's clearly aimed at the media, who are at the same level.
It would clearly fly over the head of the average McCain voter, not to mention McCain himself, who's still learning how to get on the internet by himself and "do a google."
July 29, 2008 10:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know you don't like it, cuz it's against your guy, but it is pretty funny.
July 29, 2008 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
High School?
You're assumming they weren't held back a grade or two.
July 29, 2008 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Please be careful with use of the phrase Town Hall Meeting regarding McCain campaign events. I seriously doubt all these events are open to the public with no audience screening.
July 29, 2008 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
The conditions based withdrawal is the moving target policy we have had for the 5 years since the misbegotten invasion. The conditions have never looked better, but the McCain & Bush are still holding it out as some far off possibility.
July 29, 2008 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bush and McCain have always said "condition based" which could mean a couple of months to a couple of years. Obama is starting to use the same "condition based" phrasiology that will get the FISAnistas going crazy when he has to admit in a debate that there could be 35,000 to 50,000 troops still there after his 16 month deadline for withdrawl.
July 29, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
why is it that mccain flip flops and hijacks obamas 16 months timetable for withdrawal and I didn't hear about except for on MSNBC.
McCain’s SuperMarket Trip: Insiders Edition
July 29, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Because it's not true...Obama said "16 months everyone out, reguardless of the sittuation on the ground." McCain says if conditions remain stable 16 months may be a good timeline, but conditions set the timeline not the calendar.
July 29, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
You have that in quotes, but Obama has never said it. You Republicans cannot help but lie. You don't even know what the facts are.
There is a fundamental difference between the two candidates with regard to Iraq:
Barack Obama's strategy is to redeploy US combat forces out of Iraq as soon as possible, which best estimates put at 16 months. Iraqis will stand up when the US stands down. Obama will set the policy and the military will salute and execute the policy.
Bush/McCain's strategy (if you can call it that) is to stay in Iraq indefinitely. "Maybe troops could come out next month, maybe they will stay 100 years. We don't know and it doesn't really matter how long they stay." The policy is endless and aimless.
July 29, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Bush/McCain slogan is "The US will stand down if and when the Iraqis stand up, and we, not the Iraqis, will decide when they have stood up."
July 29, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months."
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/
His words...his page...
July 29, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't bother putting in the full quote or anything. You might give people the wrong idea
Barack Obama believes we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began.
That is not the same thing as saying 16 months, no matter what.
July 29, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damned >blockquotes<!
July 29, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I received my invitation from the Hawaii Obama campaign to the Obama fundraiser set for August 12th. Individual tickets for the 2hour reception are priced at $2,300 per person. Individuals selling four tickets or personally contributing a minimum of $10,000 may attend a special reception with Senator Obama. This will be Senator Obama’s first trip home to Hawaii since he announced his candidacy for President.
July 29, 2008 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
No one is allowed to contribute more than $2300 to the general election campaign, so I doubt that Obama is selling $10,000 donations as you noted. I suspect what he is doing is rewarding those who can get others to contribute that much. That method is legal.
July 29, 2008 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
They've been doing joint Obama campaing/DNC fundraisers; DNC contribution limits are much higher, so they can have levels higher than $2,300 where the additional part of the contribution goes to the DNC.
July 29, 2008 2:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Small print:
The first $2,300 of each contribution from an individual will be allocated to Obama for America and will be considered designated for the primary election. The next $2,300 of each contribution from an individual will be allocated to Obama for America and will be considered designated for the general election. The next $28,500 of each contribution from an individual will be allocated to the Democratic National Committee. Any contributor may designate his or her contribution for a particular participant. (Participants are Obama for America and the DNC). The allocation formula above may change if any contributor makes a contribution that, when allocated, would exceed the amount that the contributor may lawfully give to either participant.
July 29, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
one month?
anything can come out of his mouth, how can anyone take anything he says seriously anymore?
July 29, 2008 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
You can take Obama's 16 month withdrawal...or you can have whatever's inside the MYSTERY BOX!
July 29, 2008 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
A 16 month withdrawal's 16 month withdrawal, but the mystery box could be anything... it could even be a 16 month withdrawal!
Swee-eet.
July 29, 2008 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Alas, I blew that. Please insert an "a" between the first two 16 month withdrawals. See what happens when I don't get at least 15 hours of sleep?
July 29, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nix the BHO vacation idea. He can vacation after 11/5/08. Do these people really want to be president? This election if too important.
Alas. If you do go on holiday, no wind surfing! Play pick up BBall!
July 29, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, he needs a rest for the final push, because he's going to need to be damn near flawless for the Fall.
That said--you're right. He shouldn't be seen doing anything at all "exotic." Bike rides and basketball, yes. Wind surfing, no.
I hate that I even wrote that, but it is what it is.
July 29, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
...at least he won't have to do the "Spray on" tan thing Kerry did before the debates...he looked like one of those OOmpaLoompas.
July 29, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm waiting for McCain campaign to issue a press release saying something to the effect that it's unfair that Obama gets to meet the Pakistan PM first.
Look for a hastily arranged meeting to occur within the next couple of days.
July 29, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since you put that in quotation marks perhaps you'd like to provide a reference to the source of that quote, or one even vaguely similar. The whole smokescreen of timetables, conditions on the ground the unbelievable wonderfulness of the surge and the dupes regurgitating same are just to mask the obvious facts about the Iraq war... America's biggest foreign policy blunder ever. The rest is subterfuge.
July 29, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
WaPo is describing Obama's VP shortlist as containing Biden, Bayh, and Kaine.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/28/AR2008072802041.html?hpid=topnews
July 29, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Any of those three would be wonderful.
July 29, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kaine is getting the most buzz at the moment. It seems to me that being a social conservative and pretty short on experience makes him less of a sure-bet. I won't be surprised if the actual nominee is someone as yet unnamed... Caroline Kennedy for instance (just kidding).
July 29, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not choosing Biden will be a mistake.
July 29, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think McCain is pushing the Latino's to Obama with all the whisper and not-so whisper campaign smears about Obama's patriotism being questioned, about his funny name and about his "exotic" upbringing. Boiled down, McCain and campaign are attacking Obama for being different. Latino's probably empathize with Obama and can imagine what the attacks would be if a Latino was running for President.
I mean really any recent immigrant or visible minority has to feel under attack themselves in a way.
July 29, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Flip-flopper" is so yesterday. Let's rename John McCain "Jumpin' John" McCain. He just jumps from one position to the other so-o-o easily. I think he forgets what he said the day before, and I think this forgetting is because of his age! How awful it would be to have this man as our president!
July 29, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Conditions-based" withdrawal sounds good unless you won't say what the conditions are. I think Obama is saying that the conditions there already support moving toward withdrawal. I have no idea what conditions, if any, might convince McCain to leave, and what factors he's even looking at - political milestones, Iraqi civilian deaths, U.S. military deaths, infrastructure, what? It seems like its mainly U.S. military deaths, which, ironically, would be zero if we weren't there.
July 29, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously, the headline should be that McCain has no idea how long it will take to responsibly withdraw our troops from Iraq.
Obviously, that topic has never come up on any of his factfinding missions. That tells you all you need to know about the likelihood of our leaving Iraq while he's president.
July 29, 2008 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
He also frequently pretends in his responses (like the "one month" one) that 16 months is when the withdrawal would start. When the only position you're actually firm on is one the majority of voters disagree with, I guess you have no choice but to lie and obfuscate.
Kinda sad, though.
July 29, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
and you forgot to mention the best part...McBushSame confirmed that he will balance budget at the end of his 4 years...
He will catch Bin Laden, too...
This is quite something...
I wonder how he would do that?
Any takers?
July 29, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
AND he can pull two rabbits out of his ass... Say "hello" to Senators Graham and Lieberman!
Seriously though, McCain knows how to catch Bin Laden but he's willing to keep him at large until/unless he becomes president? Sounds like he'd rather lose the "War On Terror" than lose the election.
July 29, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink