Photos of Obama in Iraq
EmailGreetings from Amman, Jordan, where the Obama press corps has spent the last 15 hours flying to meet Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, on the non-war-zone part of his world tour. And while we’re here, courtesy of Multi-National Force-Iraq, here are some photos of Obama as well as the other two senators on the congressional delegation trip with him — Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Jack Reed, D-RI — in Iraq with General David Petraeus. Though Reed groupies, be forewarned — Reed does not appear in any of the photos MNF-I sent us. In this shot, by Army Staff Sgt. Lorie Jewell, we’re told that Gen. Petraeus is explaining security improvements in Sadr City during an aerial tour of Baghdad. Sens. Hagel and Reed are in the chopper, but not shown. Gen. Petraeus greets Sen. Obama at Baghdad International Airport. (Shot by Sgt. Jewell, Reed and Hagel not shown. Again.) Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin scowls while Sen. Obama and Gen. Petraeus chat. (Yet again, the shot is by Sgt. Jewell and Sens. Hagel and Reed are not shown.) Senator Bad-ass listens to Gen. Petraeus. (Ditto on Jewell, Hagel and Reed.) Hey! There’s Hagel! In this one Gen. Petraeus is even looking at Hagel! Gen. Petraeus and Sen. Obama after Obama’s arrival. Again. As they head to a Blackhawk helicopter for the aerial tour of Baghdad. Yet another shot of the two stars of this shoot. – jpt
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
Note creepy physical contacts between Senator Zero and General Petraeus.
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
Is it any wonder the first thing a dictator does when he takes power is kill all college educated news persons and teachers or sends them out in the fields to farm with their hands.
Posted by: taker | July 21, 2008, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
How come when BUSH did a fly over New Orleans the News Media made Bush out to be the devil who caused Hurricane Katrina.
The News Media is going to be its own demise. A savage dictator is one bad economy away. Then the all the slanted news media better run and hide
Posted by: taker | July 21, 2008, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
Just a note, that buried in Rasmussen today (in the topline results) is this new poll on public perceptions of media coverage:
2* Think for a moment about the three major presidential candidates this year. Which candidate received the best treatment from the media so far—Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, or John McCain?
57% Barack Obama
11% Hillary Clinton
21% John McCain
10% Not sure
Posted by: katmandu | July 21, 2008, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
“Senator Bad-ass listens to Gen. Petraeus.” Who is “Senator Bad-ass” from picture #4?
Posted by: carl29 | July 21, 2008, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
Media is not bias toward Obama just that he sells if McCain wants more attention than they should give it to him remember how bad he was speaking at the famous green backdrop
Posted by: ak | July 21, 2008, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
It’s still a dangerous place, but the absence of body armor is a good sign. Maybe the troops will be withdrawn over the next 16 months. Interestingly, Gallup and Rasmussen polls show a very close presidential race. This is hard to explain given Obama’s huge money lead, media exposure, and the damaged Republican brand name. I just don’t get it.
Posted by: Independent | July 21, 2008, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
So sorry for you Obama-haters that he is garnering so-o-o-o much attention from the news media and your guy is being virtually ignored. But then again, you should be glad he is not getting too much press coverage because whenever he does, he ends up looking like a dolt. First McCain criticizes Obama for not going to Iraq, now he gets criticized for going to Iraq. Obama just can’t win with you people can he? But he is going to win with the rest of the American public, count on it. He IS our next President.
Posted by: geecee | July 21, 2008, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
second | Jul 21, 2008 2:20:53 PM
*********************
are you talking about the same media, that knows exactly what donut mccain likes and brings it to him when they are in a PRESS MEETING.
the same media that NEVER reports mccain’s controversies.
the same media that always goes to mccain’s barbeques and gosh on live TV how delicious the hot dogs were.
Posted by: johnosahon | July 21, 2008, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm
Senator Bad-a$$???
I sure hope McCain doesn’t start complaining about not being named Senator Bad-a$$.
Posted by: catchme | July 21, 2008, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
When Bush FINALLY flew over New Orleans (was it like four days later!!)to see the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, he was made out to be a less than caring President because he is. After all, he did appoint Michael Brown(“Brownie”) to be FEMA Director, a totally unqualified candidate but a political buddy. Yes, Brownie, “you’re doing one helluva job, Brownie.” How many days later did he Brownie resign??
Posted by: geecee | July 21, 2008, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
Thanks for the pics (and mildly funny captions) Jake!
Posted by: Nobodys fool | July 21, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Obama looks GORGEOUS in that 5th pic from the top.
If Obama becomes president he will be the first “HOT” president since JFK.
I must admit that Obama has a killer smile.
Posted by: Michelle | July 21, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
“Senator Bad-ass”?
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm
These pics are golden for Obama. I’m thinking Axelrod already has an ad dreamed up…
Posted by: matt | July 21, 2008, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
WOW WE GOT
SEN BAD ASS VS SEN MAVERICK
I THINK THE BAD ASS IS GOING TO WIN…
and to the person stated no body armour.
Body armour had changed over the past 20 years. They are not as bulky as they use to be. believe me they have body armour on.
Posted by: disable vet | July 21, 2008, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
“If Obama becomes president he will be the first “HOT” president since JFK.”
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
Interesting that some posters are seeing a connection between Iraq and the post-Katrina Gulf Coast. The two sites have something important in common: both are Bush administration disaster zones and serve as vivid reminders of how badly Republicans have flunked the leadership test.
Posted by: LESD | July 21, 2008, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
Katmandu
those numbers were already pulled apart…Obama’s 57% coverage was including all the negatives…he has received more negative attention and criticism than any other candidate from the media…
so blow the partial numbers you try to use where they should go…
God I hate when people try to twist numbers like you just did.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
While Obama’s in Iraq, McCain’s yapping about the nonexistent border between Iraq and Pakistan. This happens a week after he twice refers to protecting a country that hasn’t been a country for fifteen years. Will someone please show this guy a map?
Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | July 21, 2008, 2:44 pm 2:44 pm
Hey, Dukakis-in-a-tank-with-helmet-on, Kerry windsurfing-to-the-left-and -to-the-right, Capt. bad-ass-with-his-Neo- glasses-riding-in-a-blackhawk. (picture 4). After all, he’s the one to save the world, just like he has saved Chicago.
Nice way to get to know how conditions are on the ground….
Posted by: iron my shirt | July 21, 2008, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
the audacity of a swollen headed politician like obama acting as though he were president. ego seems to drive this man. that is frightening. we don’t need another self-loving bush in office. this dem is voting mccain.
Posted by: ron | July 21, 2008, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
I wonder if they are talking about how alqaeda wanted the surge to settle the civil war because they did not want to get blamed…
and the effect our being there is having on terrorist recruitment and the effect on the common tribal fatwas that are the only things that unite the terrorist with the rest of the tribal movements …the ones where the terrorist had put fatwas in on occupation of Muslim lands…
you know the similarity between this and what brought al qaeda to power…when the Russians tried to occupy Afghanistan…and al qaeda came to be because of the huge surge in recruitment.
another issue McCain does not understand… like the difference between shia and sunni and what their goals are…and how they fight between each other unless we are there occupying so they can focus on us.
or maybe they are talking about all the guns and money we gave the insurgents and where that idea came from…maybe the CIA giving insurgents in afghanistan moneys to fight the russians…the same insurging group that became eventually al qaeda?
or maybe they are talking about …
the hundred other diplomatic issues that McCain is getting wrong about the “success” of this surge.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
Dukakis-in-a-tank-with-helmet-on
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
Dukakis-in-a-tank-with-helmet-on
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
You can tell that Petraeus and obama get along …I think that is what you meant to say…because that is obviously what is going on in these photos…
along with the fact that Petraeus has spoken highly of Obama and their ability to work together in his words “if that was to come to pass” and by “if” he means “when”
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Maybe Senator Obama and General Petraeus are surveying damage along the “Iraq/Pakistan border.” Right, Senator McCain?
Posted by: LESD | July 21, 2008, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm
Meanwhile, approval for G.W. Bush and his nation-destroying policies has fallen to 21% in national polling… How low can it go??
Posted by: John Powalski | July 21, 2008, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
-The shades ARE reminiscent, probably intentionally so, of MacArthur . . -
no, no ,no …it’s Neo with a tan. Neo, from The Matrix, unplugged, in this case plugged, to save the world because he is the one..N E O – O N E.
Posted by: iron my shirt | July 21, 2008, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
dl:
This is how Politico reported the Obama news bias poll, which apparently does not comport with your unusual view of the world:
“Half of Americans think the press is trying to help Sen. Barack Obama win the presidential election, according to a new poll by Rasmussen Reports.
In an automated survey of 1000 likely voters, Rasmussen found that 49 percent of respondents believed reporters would favor Obama in their coverage this fall, compared with just 14 percent who expected them to boost Sen. John McCain. The number of Americans who see pro-Obama bias in the press has increased by five percent in the last month.”***It’s not just the general election that’s bringing out voters’ concerns that the media might be supporting Obama. Asked a backward-looking question, about which “major presidential candidate” – Obama, McCain, or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton – had received the most favorable coverage overall, 57 percent said it was Obama. Twenty-one percent of respondents named McCain, with 11 percent choosing Clinton.
Posted by: katmandu | July 21, 2008, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
“no, no ,no …it’s Neo with a tan. Neo, from The Matrix, unplugged, in this case plugged, to save the world because he is the one..N E O – O N E.”
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
It’s all about the Obama, 24×7, isn’t it? Meanwhile, the New York Times is trying to dictate what the opposition writes, rejecting McCain’s op-ed piece, but publishing Obama’s op-ed piece. I’m a Democrat, but I’m ashamed that the press is acting like it is the propaganda arm for a Sandinista-like revolt of the people. The only problem, the people aren’t revolting. Hopefully they won’t.
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | July 21, 2008, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
oh my, look at all the Obama shirts asking for RESPECT for their man, when they gave Hillary none, when they continue to give Hillary none, when they give McCain none…just read these posts and see the disrespect given to the senior senator.
Posted by: iron my shirt | July 21, 2008, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
“It’s all about the Obama, 24×7, isn’t it? Meanwhile, the New York Times is trying to dictate what the opposition writes, rejecting McCain’s op-ed piece, but publishing Obama’s op-ed piece. I’m a Democrat, but I’m ashamed that the press is acting like it is the propaganda arm for a Sandinista-like revolt of the people. The only problem, the people aren’t revolting. Hopefully they won’t.”
This post is totally false. The NYT rejected McCain’s article because IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. McCain still hasn’t explained what “Victory(tm)” is in Iraq. Without that explanation, the submission was nonsensical.
Does anyone actually know what “Victory(tm)” in Iraq is in bizarro McCain-world?
Posted by: John Powalski | July 21, 2008, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
oh my, look at all the Obama shirts asking for RESPECT for their man, when they gave Hillary none, when they continue to give Hillary none, when they give McCain none…just read these posts and see the disrespect given to the senior senator.
Posted by: iron my shirt | July 21, 2008, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
Hey,
Why is the black general scowling? Was he forced to participate in a staged photo-op? From the pictures I’ve seen so far about 80 to 90 per cent of the armed forces are African-American. Has the military been hiding the people of color up to this point?
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | July 21, 2008, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm
Obama would say Gen Petratus is not qualified to be a President.
I think some of the crack Obama did when he was younger affected his judgment
Posted by: dooboi | July 21, 2008, 3:18 pm 3:18 pm
“Reread very carefully Jpt’s Air Obama article…very carefully…”
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
WestCoastMessenger your right about 90 percent of the military being black.
But most combat soldiers are white or Hispanic. That is who they have been showing on the news you have been seeing
Remember when Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton tried to claim it was mostly blacks in combat. I was in the military and they were lying to start trouble
Posted by: blackikink | July 21, 2008, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm
I wonder what Republicans are whining about today. I think I’ll stop by the comments section over at Political Punch and find out.
Two minutes later…
Interesting. Their candidate isn’t getting enough attention from the meanies in the media. They don’t like Obama’s sunglasses. Obama doesn’t remind them enough of Dog the Bounty Hunter.
Nothing new, apparently.
Meanwhile… the Iraqi prime minister thinks Obama has a clearer view of Iraq than Senator McCain does. Senator McCain wants to treat our addiction to oil by allowing more oil drilling in US waters. He thinks Iraq shares a border with Pakistan. He will maintain troop levels in Iraq for decades, send three more combat brigades to Afghanistan, and balance the budget by the end of his first term. Sure.
Posted by: LESD | July 21, 2008, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
Not sure which side Powalski’s on here, may be a poser trying to disrupt his postings. Powalski, I’ll assume you were actually pro-McCain, and we’re being duped by an Obama supporter, until there is enough evidence to show otherwise. If that’s the case, then I apologize to you.
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | July 21, 2008, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
“I think that calling him “Senator Bad-Ass” is quite disrespectful when he’s a presidential nominee.”
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
Debra,
Well said, well said. There are about 8 1/2 million Democratic men supporting Hillary as well. I support your sentiment. I can’t bring myself to vote for McCain, but I may still write-in Hillary.
========================================
Hillary/Your Choice 2012
========================================
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | July 21, 2008, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
I am going to enjoy a person who gets it right and a war hero being a commander in chief
President McCain has a nice sound. Get use to it News Media becuase its going to happen no matter how you spin things
PRESIDENT MCCAIN. Very presidential sounding
Posted by: yougi | July 21, 2008, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
If y’all would look a little closer he is scowling because of the sun for the most part and his face is almost smiling.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
Belle Star
Can only tell you to surface the Air Obama article, can’t write, gets deleted.
Neo-wanna-be wears the shades in the chopper to make himself look like Capt. Bad-Ass, on the ground he becomes Senator Hopey Changey
Posted by: iron my shirt | July 21, 2008, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
Presidential Obama
very Presidential sounding.
Presidential of the future sounding…
America’s beacon -’s getting relit.
You know where we elect the smart guy instead of the cowboy…or old guy…who uses “boo!” as his main argument for electing him.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
WestCoastMessenger….don’t sit it out or do a write in, that just helps an Obama Advisor Driven Presidency and I can’t sleep at night with that.
I will vote McCain all the way…he has to win; the alternative is disaster for Americans.
COUNTRY OVER PARTY.
Obama looks good in his Foster Grants..I’m sure we’ll see alot of these photos in the fall…heck they are probably filming an ad over there as we speak. He doesn’t have to do much….media crawling all over him all the time. They’d cover him when he goes to the bathroom if they could.
McCain 08/Hillary 12
Posted by: Debra | July 21, 2008, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
“Neo-wanna-be wears the shades in the chopper to make himself look like Capt. Bad-Ass, on the ground he becomes Senator Hopey Changey.”
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 21, 2008, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
Russell DePrima
“I doubt this will make him an instant expert on Foreign Policy.”
Yeah I would doubt it too…
seeing as McCain and Bush are moving toward him when it comes to foreign policy.
seems if he’s not an expert he sure is smarter than Bush Cheney and McCain.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
Debra
I agree when you say …
“He doesn’t have to do much….”
but it’s not the “media crawling all over him all the time.”
Between McCain’s speeches, his misunderstanding of the shia and sunni conflict and why al qaeda came to be (because of giving insurgent types money and guns in afghanistan like we just did with Iraq and the successful fatwa eddict to save Muslim lands from occupation making their recruitment numbers go through the roof when Russia tried to occupy Afghanistan)…
and McCain’s really bad and misbegotten speeches (like the wierd one in Maine today)…and McCain’s advisors putting him deeper and deeper by the day…
Obama doesn’t have to do much…
but he will.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
McCain wishes he could not insisted for Obama to go to Iraq. This is the outcome of it, with all good news, nice pics in favour of Obama, It is entirely your fault Sen McCain!!!!
Posted by: Peace | July 21, 2008, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm
On emore time because I really am astounded by the poll but a poll came out today that they just mentioned on CNN of America’s ally nations…
Citizens in our ally countries (you know the countries we need to fight this war on terror and to help us get out of Iraq and the ones whose leaders that will or won’t be ready to jump back on board with us idf things get worse in Iran, or the ones that John McCain is saying we need their leaders to support the Afghanistan situation…)
you know the ones…
the people (who elect those leaders in those countries choose Obama
5 to 1.
That is unbelievable….and worth more than gold in the situation we have.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
I must say that Obama is good-looking.
Posted by: Trixie | July 21, 2008, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
WCM 3:17:01,
I have the same question too.
I’ve been watching tv and all of the Military which greeted him were all mostly black.
What is going on there?
Posted by: catleya | July 21, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Senator Bad-ass?
What does Bad-ass mean?
I’m foreinger. Anybody answer for me?
Posted by: seiko | July 21, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
5-1 for OBAMA worldwide????
McCain, go get another buttermilk. It’s a long way to loserdom in November.
Just give up NOW. Save yourself the embarassment.
POTUS OBAMA – With competition like McCain, landslides are inevitable
Posted by: Nat Turner | July 21, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
I wish those who called Senator Obama Sen Bad A## would have repsect for the man. He is a U.S. Senator not a fool on the street. But what do you expect from those racists out there who are just upset that an African American is on the world stage getting respect from the Middle East to Europe and everyone in the world knows that Senator Obama is the face of America and will bring the respect and trust back to America.So for all the racists and haters of Senator Obama you disrepect America when you disrepect Senator Obama. This November America will finally be respected and trusted around the world once Senator Obama becomes President Obama.
Posted by: Aziz Jackson | July 21, 2008, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
I have to say catleya if it were true that a lot fo the military greeting Obama is black that may have to do with a couple of things…one of those being the historical moment of someone that looks like them for the first time probably going to be President …
but a good deal of it may be the discrepency in larger numbers of African American and Latino military personel…which has to do with a number of other things like the ROTC and JROTC programs being more abundant and more successful at predominantly African American and other high schools who have higher amounts of minorities.
and military personnel coming out of ROTC programs have a higher chance of being officers.
but to be honest I think it is more in your head that it is some big difference in who is greeting him. So far they have shown greetings very similar to ones he has received at home…
which goes to what Webb and Hagel and Powell have said that the support percentage in the military Obama or McCain is pretty much the same as it is outside the military.
but then again maybe you would think that has to do with race as well since more minorities serve in the military protecting our country.
and by the way I am white.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
crisi08
speaking of assistant
Each senator was allowed one attache so to speak on the trip…
Obama brought Joe Biden’s right hand guy on the foreign policy committee.
Interesting.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Is Obama going to do a tour through the actual streets of Baghdad or just a fly over? If he’s not actually seen on the ground, it’s going to look pretty weak.
Posted by: Suzanne | July 21, 2008, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
sorry
it’s obama 5 to 1 without russia
with russia it is 4 to 1 Obama…lol
in russia only twice as many want Obama lol
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm
You spose Obama referred to the guy as “Betrayus”?
Posted by: drjohn | July 21, 2008, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
I know what makes this news is that it is Obama’s 1st real trip to Iraq (he went once before in 06 but that was nothing) but is he really going to listen since he wrote an Oped stating his plans two weeks before he met with the generals.
Where was the Media on ALl the many trips that McCain took over there??
Media Bias anyone!! The NYT refusing an Oped by McCain after it took one by Obama, The FEC has to look into that because they are by law to allow equal time per candidate for the same cost!!
Notice that not many troops are around Obama, I saw a video of him talking to a private, the private shook his hand to be respectful and just turned back to what he was doing in the mess hall.
The soldiers do not like Obama!!
Posted by: spock | July 21, 2008, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm
spock
that’s hogwash they have showed lots of troops very excited about Obama there…duh…turn on your tv
and the problem with NYTimes article (from a few other websites I saw) was they needed substantiated facts behind the spin.
John McCain’s refuting of obama’s editorial had no facts from the sound of it.
thus the reason we see the slow creep of foreign policy toward Obama’s plans.
You do not have to go stand on the ground to figure out, listen, read, etc… what needs to happen in Iraq…
has Mccain been up in the caves of afghanistan? did presidents go into germany or occupied france before battle to decide what needed to be done…no.
that is a stupid argument …
Obama can speak to may people now…they have what is called telephones and computers…and…
cameras…
It may help but obviously he was doing something right…since everyone seems to be heading his way on the foreign policy express.
When Biden said Obama is getting it exactly right… it wasn’t smoke.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
Yes, of course, the media did all the campaigning so that they may be blessed with photo ops of their “Pretty Boy”. He does look cute with the glasses on, but I won’t know how lovely he is deep down until he makes Hillary his VP. Until then, unlike the media, I am not motivated by the superficial stuff.
Posted by: irma | July 21, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
@dl: “thus the reason we see the slow creep of foreign policy toward Obama’s plans.”
Actually (and you know this but are ashamed to admit it), you are seeing the success of the McCain sponsored surge that Obama opposed then nervously scrubbed from his web site. As we can free up brigades, we will move them to the hot zones. Anyone knows this is how that will work. It isn’t Obama’s plan. It is military expediency that his campaign gloms onto then tries to take credit for. It’s sleezy.
Also note that the talks with Iran produced nothing substantive. As expected, they deflected and now we are having to assume an even tougher posture.
Because no one wants a nuclear blow out where we have to obliterate Persia, in the end everyone will negotiate.
All predictable so again, Obama makes the predictions that are safe then tries to get credit. If he had ever been serious about national security or foreign affairs he would have done his job in the Senate instead of running after photo-ops and leaving his committee to founder.
Posted by: len | July 21, 2008, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
This is really good stuff. I mean, after using a tele-prompter Obama’s 2nd best skill is posing for photo-opps. Call me a cynic – or whatever you want – but I half-believe he’d spend more time in his term doing this kind of stuff than getting anything done. “Yeah, I’ve been to Iraq and Afghanistan…etc.” Big deal.
Guess what – true leaders and influential people don’t need a title and mantle to get things done. If you want my vote, show you can actually do something. Stop globe-trotting and sit down with US enemies while you’re there. Show why your opinions would produce results. After all, we have no track record to judge you by.
Posted by: FishMonger | July 21, 2008, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
” Gallup and Rasmussen polls show a very close presidential race. This is hard to explain given Obama’s huge money lead, media exposure, and the damaged Republican brand name. I just don’t get it.”
Don’t you think it might be due to the fact that the candidate has such a pathetic record?
His political career has been entirely devoted to running for higher office.
He is simply a political P.T. Barnum and the mania he seems to generate in so many shows the truth in Barnum’s maxim. There’s a sucker born every minute.
Posted by: Robert | July 21, 2008, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
Looking good, Obama (and Petraeus). Please hurry back to us. The other candidate is embarrassing us, talking about non-existent borders. Don’t ever leave us alone with him again! He may accidentally trip a nuke…. or even worse appear on Jepoardy.
Posted by: Julie | July 21, 2008, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm
Robert gallup has his lead growing…and the bounce that people like Clinton got happened at the convention.
that’s why they mean very little until the conventions.
but as you can see things like the 5 or 4 to 1 (depending on if you include Russia) that our allies pick obama over Mccain
that speaks a lot to how effective they will be on the world stage when we need to ask these countries to work with us.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 7:02 pm 7:02 pm
Len
duh
do you see what the surge is?
it is a page out of how we dealt with afghanistan back in 80′s (mcCain’s prime)
when we gave money and guns to “insurgent types” to fight against our enemy…
guess what happened
we got Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban…an al-Zawaree.
This is bad policy.
and when they grew stronger with the money and guns…al qaeda was created and formed and strengthended because it wqas built on the fatwa they had stated at the time about “occupying nations on Muslim lands”… that is the fatwa that al qaeda made it’s biggest growth out of when muslim from all different tribes and differences backed them fighting the attempted occupation of afghanistan by Russia…sound familiar?
have you read that al qaeda (by several terrorist experts) realized that they could not let the fighting continue with their involvement in Iraq because they were getting blamed. they need the focus of anger to be on the US and it’s “occupation” so they can gather recruits and good will… the fighting between the two tribes was not helping them.
did you also know that Iran says al qaeda is helping the US and al zawarhee says that Iran should be blamed for helping the us.
that McCain stated that Iran was working to have al qaeda do better…when they do not like each other.
that alqaeda has promised a fatwa on destroying the US…Iran has not.
without Iran’s help we could not have dealt with afghanistan.
len read something will you.
McCain is an old screwy cold war guy who doesn’t have the politics and diplomacy of the Muslim tribes figured out… his foreign policy is wrong.
and Bush is stuck between the bull headed stupidity and John McCauins continuous drumbeat of war and figuring out that their policy toward iran doesn’t work.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 7:13 pm 7:13 pm
and Len
McCain has been giving the same speeches he gave before Iraq about Iran now.
so I don’t see too much negotiation coming out of his path.
In fact he still is sabre rattling today.
He has made things worse and Bush should tell Mccain maybe HE should shut-up.
I can’t believe I would want Bush to tell anybody anything but Mccain makes Bush look like a harvard grad to his missile riding beach boy singing cowboy.
Posted by: dl | July 21, 2008, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm
With 300 advisors Obama won’t have to do anything except come out and give a scripted speech based on their decisions.
And pose for pictures of course.
Posted by: riley | July 21, 2008, 7:31 pm 7:31 pm
How can people claim that the MSM is in the tank for OBAMA when they raked him over the coals for Rev. Wright, his “bitter” comment, his “refining” of his foreign policies and his wife’s first time being really proud of her country??
There was no reporting about Clinton’s travelgate or Peter Paul fundraiser and ensuing law suit or her election law contribution violations for which she was fined.
There has been no reporting of McCain’s insistence on withdrawal of the troops from Somalia in 1993 when the enemy they were fighting was Al Quaeda; Cindy McCain’s criminal wrongdoing (imagine Michell Obama had this in her past!); John McCain’s values considering he left his first wife who was disfigured in a car accident for his 18 year younger mistress! (what would they say if Obama had done such a thing!)
The MSM is not more favourable to Barack or else 12% of the people polled would not believe that he is Muslim!!
I would agree that Obama gets MORE coverage but MORE is not necessarily a benefit when that coverage includes endless loops of Rev. Wright sound bites.
Posted by: Just Capri | July 21, 2008, 7:55 pm 7:55 pm
Obama is wearing sunglasses to hide his lyin’ eyes! Or could be – he is afraid of heights and it doesn’t look so scary through dark glasses! Or could be he doesn’t want to see things clearly and so run the risk of changing his mind on Iraq – again! lol! He looks like a kid playing war – a great Dukakis moment!
Posted by: Beckie | July 21, 2008, 8:06 pm 8:06 pm
Thanks Mr. Tapper for the photos.
You ought to send them to the RNC. Apparently, the clock on their website shows they still don’t believe Obama has visited Iraq…
Posted by: Tabitha | July 21, 2008, 11:15 pm 11:15 pm
I suppose that it’s a positive thing for Senator Obama to travel to Afghanistan and Iraq, and he clearly has his act together, but nothing can compensate for his vote for the FISA bill. That was a monumental capitulation and calculation that I cannot forgive him. Naturally, I would not vote for McCain, either.
In any case, the success of this trip and McCain’s lack of intelligent policies on any subject strongly suggest that Obama will be our next president. I’ll vote for his reelection if he reverses all the government’s illegal spying programs.
Posted by: Andy D. | July 22, 2008, 2:00 am 2:00 am
Senator Bad-ass for sure. Obama is going to be such a cool president. It’s time.
Posted by: Sue | July 22, 2008, 8:37 am 8:37 am
@dl: “len read something will you.”
dl, understand what you read. Obama isn’t even the nominee of his party. To take a government sponsored campaign trip and pretend to be President is the height of arrogance. He just managed to undo years of progress.
As for events in Afghanistan, you really should read the assessments by the people who were there instead of the propaganda of the Taliban for Obama Committee. The failure to rebuild after the war was the reason for the rise of the Taliban. The country was left in ruins. It was America’s responsibility to clean-up. Instead we signed a Contract With America and spent the rest of the time trying to chase a sitting President out of office.
Imbeciles can’t make foreign policy no matter how smooth they are or bad-ass in dark glasses.
Posted by: len | July 22, 2008, 8:39 am 8:39 am
Good Lord! First Obama gets raked over the coals for NOT having been in Iraq/Afghanistan, now he’s getting raked over the coals FOR going. As if this is any different than McCain’s (in)famous market visit. It’s any senators/representatives prerogative to visit these countries, esp. given the billions of taxpayer dollars being funneled into each.
As for the sunglasses – again – give me a break – they’re sunglasses. It looks like it was pretty bright out to me…
You people are nuts.
Posted by: AP | July 22, 2008, 11:29 am 11:29 am
Senator Badass just said at a press conference about what the relationship with Israel would be like under his administration that, “Israel is a strong friend of Israel” and will be whether he or McCain is elected. (Via Ace of Spades HQ.)
I guess his Alzheimer’s meds haven’t kicked in yet. Can’t the Dems find someone younger to run?
Posted by: andycanuck | July 22, 2008, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
“nothing can compensate for his vote for the FISA bill”
Posted by: Belle Starr | July 22, 2008, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm
Why does the Messiah need a teleprompter to make sense? His interviews are comical, and when I say comical, I mean “completely incoherent babble”.
We’ve got to be the dumbest people in the world to put up two candidates like we have now. Chicago politician/socialist who is the emptiest suit around and Grandpa, who failed miserably in his attempts at the presidency the past 12 yrs.
Posted by: Andy in Dallas | July 22, 2008, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
geecee; It’s the people behind Obama that are pulling the media strings, that’s the part of power that concerns me. Shouldn’t we know equal info on candidates involved? We are getting info under control by the same type of forces that did it for Bush. By the way, the only contiuous negative coverage Obama ever really receives is on Fox. Even the Rev. Wright issue was driven into the ground by other cable news analyzing it over and over while DEFENDING Obama.
Posted by: irma | July 22, 2008, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm