Washington
22 July 2008
As Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama continues his highlypublicized overseas tour, his Republican opponent, Senator John McCain,is doing all he can to remain part of the election debate. VOANational correspondent Jim Malone has more on the McCain campaign fromWashington.
Senator McCain's strategy going into the week wasto focus on domestic economic issues, which the polls say are the topconcerns of voters this year.
But with all the attention focusedon Senator Obama's trip to the Middle East and Europe, Senator McCainfinds himself in reaction mode as he comments on what Obama is doing onhis travels.
The war in Iraq continues to be at the center oftheir disagreements. At a town hall meeting in New Hampshire Tuesday,McCain reminded his audience that he was one of the few members ofCongress to speak out in support of President Bush's surge strategy inIraq at a time when the war effort was not going well.
McCain added that Obama has yet to say that the surge has been a success.
"Wewould never have succeeded and we would have had defeat, and myfriends, that would have been a catastrophe for the United States ofAmerica," he said. "He was wrong then, he is wrong now and he stillfails to acknowledge that the surge succeeded. Remarkable. Remarkable."
McCain opposes setting a timeline for thewithdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Senator Obama has vowed to removemost combat troops within 16 months of taking office. Obama got aboost of sorts Monday when an Iraqi government spokesman said he wouldlike to see U.S. troops out of Iraq by the end of 2010, roughly withinObama's proposed timeline.
Senator McCain told supporters in NewHampshire he looks forward to U.S. troops coming home, but only as aresult of success on the ground in Iraq, and not pre-set withdrawaltimetables.
"And we will be coming home, my friends," he said."Our troops will be withdrawing, but they will come home with honor andvictory. They will not come home in defeat. They will come home withhonor and victory!"
Obama has enjoyed a bonanza of news coverageduring his trip so far. He visited Iraq and Afghanistan with twofellow senators, Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island and RepublicanChuck Hagel of Nebraska.
Obama spoke about his plans for Iraq at a news conference in Amman, Jordan.
"Allthree of us, I think, we struck by both the peril and the promise ofthis moment," he said. "If we responsibly end the war in Iraq, we canstrengthen our military, step up our efforts to finish the fightagainst al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan, and succeed in leavingIraq to a sovereign government that can take responsibility for its ownfuture. In short, we can seize this moment to make America moresecure."
Obama says there has been security progress in Iraq, but that the focus now must be on a political solution.
Obamaalso acknowledged that the U.S. commander in Iraq, General DavidPetraeus, opposes the idea of a timetable for the withdrawal ofAmerican troops.
McCain strategists are trying different ways togain attention while Obama is on his overseas trip. The McCaincampaign has launched an Internet video critical of the news media forwhat it believes is overly positive coverage of Obama's run for theWhite House.
"The media's love affair with Barack Obama is all-consuming," states McCain's ad.
Reporterstraveling with Senator McCain have also noted speculation that thepresumptive Republican nominee might announce his vice presidentialrunning mate this week to draw attention away from the Obama trip. Butso far there has been no official indication from the McCain campaignthat they are close to making any announcements on that.