In tonight's debate, Sarah Palin mischaracterized statements by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, in which he said that an Iraq-like "surge" would not be appropriate for Afghanistan.
Palin asserted that one thing distinguishing John McCain's proposed policy in Afghanistan from President Bush's was that McCain thinks that "the surge principles that have worked in Iraq need to be implemented in Afghanistan, also."
In response Biden pounced, noting that McKiernan had come out against such an approach just today. Palin then hedged, saying that "McClellan" (meaning McKiernan) had not "definitively" ruled out using "surge principles" in Afghanistan:
Obama Meets With Karzai, Calls For More Troops In Afghanistan
Barack Obama met this weekend with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, a leader whom he has criticized for a lack of effectiveness in fighting terrorism, and later reiterated his call for more troops to be sent to the country. "I think the situation is getting urgent enough that we have to start doing something now," Obama told CBS' Face The Nation.
It's Official: Obama To Speak At Berlin's Victory Column
The Obama campaign has officially announced that the candidate will speak in Berlin at the Victory Column, not the Brandenburg Gate. The Obama campaign had originally looked at the Brandenburg gate as a site for the speech, but was discouraged by the German government that frowned upon using the site of Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech for electioneering purposes.
Iraqi Government Walks Back On Maliki's Support Of Obama Plan
The Iraqi government is backing off of Prime MInister Nouri al-Maliki's seeming endorsement of Barack Obama's proposed withdrawal timetable, saying his remarks were "not conveyed accurately" by Der Spiegel. Nevertheless, it's hard to see where there could be room to misunderstand Maliki saying troops should leave "As soon as possible, as far a we're concerned," unless it's outright fabrication -- which the government is not contending.
McCain Campaign Now Using Up Cash Reserves
John McCain's campaign has entered a new phase of their fundraising strategy: From this point out, the campaign will be spending far more than it takes in, running out its reserves before the candidate gets his public funding for the general election and would thus be barred from using private money. "Up to this point we have been accumulating capital; now we will start spending down that capital," said campaign manager Rick Davis.
Lieberman: Obama's Iraq Visit Is Proof Of McCain Being Right
In an appearance this morning on Fox News Sunday, Joe Lieberman advanced the latest argument from the McCain campaign against Barack Obama's overseas trip: "The fact is that if Barack Obama's policy on Iraq had been implemented, Barack Obama couldn't go to Iraq today. It wouldn't be safe."
NYT: Hillary Being Vetted For VP, But Is A Long Shot The New York Timesreports that Hillary Clinton is being vetted by the Obama campaign as a possible running mate. That said, the chance of actually being picked is reportedly not very high, with sources saying her chances have actually gone down in the last month.
Obama Arrives In Afghanistan
Barack Obama has arrived in Afghanistan, meeting with American General Jeffrey Schloesser, commander of NATO forces. "I want to, obviously, talk to the commanders and get a sense both in Afghanistan and in Baghdad of, you know, what the most, their biggest concerns are," Obama told reporters before he first departed for the trip in secret on Thursday, "and I want to thank our troops for the heroic work that they've been doing."
John McCain Raising Money Today
John McCain does not have any public events scheduled for today, but will instead be holding a series of fundraising events.
Maliki Backs Obama's 16-Month Timetable
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has endorsed Barack Obama's call for a timetable to leave Iraq, a development with serious ramifications for the American debate over foreign policy. "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months," Maliki told German news magazine Der Spiegel. "That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."
McCain To Focus On Economy This Week
John McCain is set to use this week to focus on economic issues, while his rival Barack Obama is overseas focusing on foreign policy. McCain will then hold campaign events this week in Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Ohio, where he will try to shore up his image on kitchen-table issues where he's tended to lag behind his Dem rival.
LAT: Romney Getting On McCain's Good Side The Los Angeles Times reports that Mitt Romney has more and more maneuvered his way into John McCain's favor, with active fundraising efforts to help the man who defeated him in the primaries: "Even if McCain goes on to pick someone else as his running mate, Romney's dutiful, well-noted slogging for the party's winner after his own defeat will help bolster his standing within a GOP party that traditionally awards its presidential nominations to the next in line."
New Right-Wing Ad: Obama "Worse Than A Flip-Flopper!"
A new right-wing group called Let Freedom Ring is launching an attack ad against Barack Obama, which it says will run with an ad buy of several hundred thousand dollars. The ad accuses Obama of being worse than a flip-flopper, holding two contrary positions at the same time:
Rudy Starts New Leadership PAC For New York Republicans
In a sign that Rudy Giuliani might not be done just yet with electoral politics, the former mayor has started a new leadership PAC called Solutions America -- which despite its national name, will reportedly aid New York Republican. Take it as a sign that Rudy might be looking at a run for governor in 2010.
