Funny, haven't heard anything from the McCain campaign about this. I'm sure by next week, though, we'll hear all about how McCain was calling for this plan all along. Seriously. "The McCain-McCain Debates". Somebody good with video get started on that.

It's really annoying to watch the MSM say that Obama and McCain are getting closer on Iraq without pointing out that all of the movement has been on the part of McCain. They try to make it look like Obama has moved towards the center and so has McCain when it's not true.

to respond...LOL!

Can anyone find a story on this in the MSM? It's so obvious that the media desperately wants Obama to continue Bush's policies on Iraq...

Let's recap:

The Iraqi Gov now supports BHO's policy

McMetoo has got behind BHO's afgan policy...

I hope to see this in ads in all swing states before the Repub wake in St. Paul.

hammer this EVERY DAY this coming week.

It should be the talking point that Obama is leading and Bush/McBush are following.

I really like.. nay, LOVE Ambinder's take on this:

19 Jul 2008 02:23 pm

This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing. Obviously, our national interests aren't equivalent to Iraq's, but... Malik isn't listening to the generals on the ground...but the "hasn't been to Iraq" line doesn't work here.

So how will the McCain campaign respond?

(Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said, simply, "We're fucked." No response yet from the McCain campaign, although here's what McCain said the last time Maliki mentioned withdrawal: "Since we are succeeding, then I am convinced, as I have said before, we can withdraw and withdraw with honor, not according to a set timetable. And I’m confident that is what Prime Minister Maliki is talking about, since he has told me that for many meetings we’'ve had."

Will Maliki retract his words?

And it immediately proceeds a priceless image, complete with this little bit of bite:

As Maliki endorses Obama's timetable, the United States government is negotiating (basically) with Iran.

Emphasis added.  (Who could resist?)

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/

For all those who have much maligned the Obama press organization, here's to you:

"Obama Camp Calls McCain A Follower On Foreign Policy"

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/arch ives/2008/07/obama_camp_calls_mccain_a_f oll.php#more

Looks to me like the Obama campaign were waiting for the more opportune time of releasing this statement, rather than in response to some lame McCain attack ad, but in response to an actual "official" in regards to Iraq.

Now along with the Maliki story, it becomes more of an offensive instead of defense against McCain.

Maliki essentially gave Obama an alley-yoop(?)pass and the Obama team for going for the dunk.

I don't generally believe in conspiracies (mostly because people at that level are incapable of carrying them off) but I think this is part of a bigger plan.

The Americans are concerned about the war?  End it.

The Americans don't want to war with Iran? Send negotiators.

The Americans think gasoline is too expensive? Lower the price of crude.

What Bush & Friends is doing is moving to take over Sen Obama's positions.  They do not want this race to be over issues because they know that they have lost the country on issues.

So the plan is to make McC's policies look enough like Obama's that the whispering campaign against Barack Obama can work.  People won't care if his skin is different from their own if he offers something that they need, be it an end to the war, or a plan to improve the economy.

However, if both candidates offer what appear to be the same plans, the average low information voter may vote on the misinformation he has on issues like race or religion.

They can't afford to lose the Presidency.  There are too many bodies lying around and way too much money that leads to way too many crimes.  They will do things we can't even imagine to retain power.

This is just another item on the agenda.

Don't see a word on CNN. Completely buried on MSNBC.

A McCain strategist:  "We're Fucked."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/19/ 152810/502/332/553951

If it were an extremist government, then I think we would have other challenges, but I don't see how we could stay when our whole emphasis and policy has been based on turning the Iraqi government over to the Iraqi people.

Re Maliki's 16 month withdrawal comment:

How sweet it is. Time for McCain to pack up and head back to Arizona, put his feet up and recall the golden age when "jokes" about women enjoying rape was just good fun.

Drudge is all over this one. It's the lead story.

McSame never knew what hit him.

Maliki is just a puppet, nothing more.

But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush.

The statement by an aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki calling his remarks in Der Spiegel "misinterpreted and mistranslated" followed a call to the prime minister's office from U.S. government officials in Iraq.

Maliki had expressed support for a withdrawal plan similar to that of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in an interview with Der Speigel. U.S. troops should leave Iraq "As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned," Maliki had said. "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

But after the Spiegel interview was published and began generating headlines Saturday, officials at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad contacted Maliki's office to express concern and seek clarification on the remarks, according to White House spokesman Scott Stanzel.

Dan Eggen - Maliki Aide's Statement Came After U.S. Call Washington Post 20 Jul 08

No surprises there.