Shifting Sands

Last week, both the Bush administration and John McCain found themselves shifting in the direction of positions Barack Obama had long espoused in terms of talks with Iran and in terms of the need for more troops in Afghanistan. More recently, Bush seemed to be edging toward embracing a timetable for withdrawal and now Maliki has explicitly embraced the Obama position on the need for a timetable.

This leaves us with two questions -- one is whether McCain will make this the third issue on which he's following Obama's lead, and the other is whether the press will note that his constant flip-flopping undermines the two core themes of his campaign, "straight talk" and alleged national security expertise.

Comments

whether the press will note that his constant flip-flopping undermines the two core themes of his campaign

Ahahahahaha! That's a good one.

Posted by Notorious P.A.T. | July 19, 2008 1:58 PM

The press dare not question John McCain's integritude.

Posted by El Cid | July 19, 2008 2:01 PM

The al-Maliki supports Obama plan story is the top headline on - wait for it - FoxNews.com. ABCNews is also featuring it on their home page, although not as prominently and their focusing more on the fact that the WH mistakely sent the story out to reports. The rest of the traditional media sites? Crickets. I guess that's because Drudge hasn't put it up on his site yet and he rules their world. Interestingly, though, Halperin has it posted on The Page. Has he been attending Druge rehab meetings?

Posted by OGLiberal | July 19, 2008 2:27 PM

The FoxNews story also includes this:

"The apparent endorsement of a cornerstone of Obama’s foreign policy is a big boost for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee ahead of his scheduled meeting with al-Maliki. Obama, who is touring both Afghanistan and Iraq for the first time since becoming a presidential candidate, arrived Saturday in Afghanistan, where he is meeting with U.S. troops."

Have we entered bizarro world?

Posted by OGLiberal | July 19, 2008 2:37 PM

The rest of the traditional media sites?

Maybe they're trying to confirm it first. It will be a good test of the Sunday shows, though.

Posted by SomeCallMeTim | July 19, 2008 2:41 PM

Thoughts that don't occur to Matt: Maliki can read political tea leaves as well as the next guy, and he knows there a decent odds that Obama will be the next President. In his position, it's not at all odd for him to start making Obama's stated plans sound congruent with his.

Having said that, there's still a huge difference between an open ended "when the time comes" plan and "16 months, come hell or high water" plan. Obama doesn't care what anyone in Iraq tells him when he goes; he's made his mind up. As much as I dislike McCain, at least he seems to listen first.

Posted by James Robertson | July 19, 2008 2:42 PM

Have we entered bizarro world?

Rupert Murdoch is known for his ability to "see the writing on the wall" and negotiate peace terms.

Posted by Tyro | July 19, 2008 2:43 PM

Having said that, there's still a huge difference between an open ended "when the time comes" plan and "16 months, come hell or high water" plan. Obama doesn't care what anyone in Iraq tells him when he goes; he's made his mind up. As much as I dislike McCain, at least he seems to listen first.

Oh please. Obama has famously left wiggle room, for which he has been hammered. And McCain can't even admit the war was a mistake.

Posted by SomeCallMeTim | July 19, 2008 2:51 PM

This leaves us with two questions -- one is whether McCain will make this the third issue on which he's following Obama's lead, and the other is whether the press will note that his constant flip-flopping undermines the two core themes of his campaign, "straight talk" and alleged national security expertise.

Yes and no, respectively. This has been another edition of simple answers to simple questions.

Posted by Steve LaBonne | July 19, 2008 2:57 PM

Having said that, there's still a huge difference between an open ended "when the time comes" plan and "16 months, come hell or high water" plan. Obama doesn't care what anyone in Iraq tells him when he goes; he's made his mind up.

Obama's mind is made up insofar as he believes we should go. McCain doesn't want to leave.

What's bizarre to me is how we've suddenly creatd a country where the public dialog has accepted that the most basic part of planning -- creating a timeline -- is some kind of massive sin. You have a timeline for college: it takes four years. If thinks fuck up along the way, it might take longer. You have a timeline for law school, though some people take a year off or do a co-op, extending the process. You have a timeline for software projects, though they famously find bumps along the way.

Somehow, the most basic aspect of planning for anything in our lives -- creating a timeline -- has become a "bad word" among Republicans. I don't think they're stupid. I think they're merely gullible and accepting of the need to follow whatever Bush tells them they should believe. It's a pitiable state to be in, and I don't know how this has happened. They've become completely detached from reality.

Posted by Tyro | July 19, 2008 3:04 PM

one is whether McCain will make this the third issue on which he's following Obama's lead

What other two are you referring to?

Posted by right | July 19, 2008 3:41 PM

O Karma, thee a bitch!

In 1979, the shia's of Iran sank the presidency of Carter when they played him and refused to turn over the hostages, and in essences handed the presidency to Ronald Reagan! In 2008, the shia's of Iraq are going to sink the chances of Mccain becoming the president of the U.S.

O Karma, thee a bitch!

Posted by suggestive | July 19, 2008 4:03 PM

No, no, no--it's Obama who is the flipflopper! His policies used to be opposed to McCain's--now they are the same. [/snark]

Posted by rea | July 19, 2008 4:51 PM

Yes and no, respectively. This has been another edition of simple answers to simple questions.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

Posted by low-tech cyclist | July 19, 2008 7:48 PM