Obama Praises McCain’s Comments on Iraq

[grantcart]

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/07/26/obama-praises-mccains-comments-on-iraq/


Obama Praises McCain’s Comments on Iraq

By framing it this way Obama has boxed McCain in. It will get high level attention and McCain will be forced either to take the compliment (and lose) or to argue with it (and lose).

Much smarter than trying to argue with McCain.

Obama Praises McCain’s Comments on Iraq

Sen. Obama talks with U.K. Conservative Party
Leader David Cameron outside the Houses of
Parliament in London. (AP Photo)


Sen. Obama talks with U.K. Conservative Party Leader David Cameron outside the Houses of Parliament in London. (AP Photo)
Obama has promoted his Iraq strategy during a 10-day tour across the Middle East and Europe. He’s also called for the redeployment of some U.S. soldiers to Afghanistan to combat the Taliban’s and al Qaeda’s growing insurgency there.

“And in terms of his comment about maybe 16 months sounds good, we are pleased to see that there’s been some convergence around a proposal that we have been making for a year and a half,” Obama said Saturday after meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

“The fact that John McCain thinks that we now should put more troops in Afghanistan, I think is a good thing,” Obama added at a press conference at 10 Downing Street, the British premier’s official office and residence.

During an interview Friday on CNN, McCain called the 16-month timeframe “a pretty good timetable” for withdrawing troops from Iraq. The Republican candidate, however, has stressed this was dependent upon the conditions on the ground in Iraq.

Throughout Obama’s overseas trip, the senator has sought to portray the Republicans as following his lead on key foreign policy issues. In addition to Iraq, Obama has praised the Bush administration’s decision to send a high-ranking State Department official to directly engage Iran over its nuclear program this month.

[writes3000]

1. I love it! Obama was there first on both of these issues. No denying it. n/t

[tishaLA]

2. Hey McCain

[grantcart]

11. lol

[Inuca]

3. I have the feeling that the

“a pretty good timetable” came out of McCain on the spur of the moment, without much thought. I may be completely naive to think this, but I saw the interview and in the context, that's how it seemed to me. Blitzer was pressing him, and it came out almost, like "OK, OK, whatever you say... now let's get back to the important stuff". Anybody else had the same feeling? Please feel free to embarrass me :-). In any case, it is out of the bag now, and I am REALLY interested what he will say next. Boxed in is right.

[27inCali]

8. yes exactly

he blurted it out without thinking.

[bkinsd]

4. What does "conditions on the ground" mean.

I hear this from McCain all the time. I don't recall ever hearing him describe what those conditions would look like. If he can't define it, how would he ever know if they showed up?

Has Gen. Petraus ever outlined what that would look like?

[anonymous171]

5. He's being vague just like Nixon was about the Vietnam war.

[Better Believe It]

6. I Think Praising The Bush Administration Is Just Wonderful

It's a brilliant political strategy.

In fact, if Obama praises Bush and McCain on all of their policies they will be totally disarmed!

Better yet, attack McCain from the right!

Screw the center, go to the right.

Now that's really smart!

That should get millions of normally Republican voters to vote Democrat in this election!

Duh .....

[anonymous171]

7. I thought it was more of a backhanded compliment

I would have preferred it if he had called McCain out on this flip-flop, but this OK too.

[Inuca]

9. This is more than OK

it will eventually, probably soon, force McCain to elaborate. At which point he either reiterates something like "OK, but based on conditions" and he can be pestered to spell out what the hell these conditions actually are, or he backtracks and makes a fool of himself (yet again). The way Obama commented is much smarter than a simple frontal attack, much classier too.

[Avalux]

10. This is a brilliant strategy. Especially since McCain is talking smack about Obama's Iraq policy.

It really leaves him nowhere to turn and he will have to address this comment, which clearly indicates he's agreeing with Obama's timeline. Good stuff.