It’s Obama Time

24 July 2008 |permalink | email article

Everyone agrees that Obama has won the week big with his fact-finding blitz across the Middle East and now moving into Germany, France and Britain starting today as a frustrated McCain remains mired on the town hall circuit.

What has not yet been fully understood is that it was McCain’s constant goading about Obama being inexperienced and out of touch in terms of Iraq and Afghanistan which could cost him the election.

It awakened Obama and triggered a decision by his campaign to go on a major fact-finding mission abroad to demonstrate his judgment and commander in chief credentials. So far it’s working.

Having Iraqi Prime Minster al-Maliki express support for his troop withdrawal timetable gave Obama unexpected credibility, and it’s been a gift that keeps on giving. McCain looks increasingly like the odd man out. Aside from scurrilous attacks on Obama he has yet to mount a coherent campaign. 

In his only public European speech in Berlin today Obama will discuss U.S. – European relations at the famous Victory Column, undoubtedly recalling famous speeches made by Presidents Kennedy and Reagan in the German capital.

The city is girding for up to a million spectators to hear Obama speak and young people are reportedly coming in from France, Poland and Macedonia. Several German TV stations are carrying the speech live.

In a hapless move to counter Obama, McCain had hoped today to make the case for off-shore drilling from an oil rig in the Gulf Coast today but a hurricane scuttled the plans.

About the only thing going for McCain now is chatter about his short VP list which appears, baring a major surprise, to be down to Romney, Pawlenty or Jindal – with Ridge a long shot. With the economy the major campaign issued, Romney is the only one with a business portfolio.

Quote of the Day

“The Angry One can try to paint The One as having bad judgment. But who is being advised by Kissinger, the man who helped keep us in Vietnam and get us into Iraq?” – NYT columnist Maureen Dowd has picked up on “The One,” as the McCain campaign derisively refers to Obama, while “The Angry One” is obviously McCain, once a happy warrior.

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