Could it be that I have underestimated Jr. Senator Obama's campaign strategy? Think of it this way; McCain challenged Obama to a series of town hall debates. Obama refused this offer fearing he would be asked questions to which he had no favorable answers. McCain slams Obama for not touring Iraq & Afghanistan. Obama in his wisdom decides to put his cut and run strategy to good use and "cut and run" from the town hall debate challenge by touring Afghanistan and Iraq (although if he'll actually go to Iraq appears to be questionable at this time according to the press). None the less he has given himself a perfect, although temporary, way out of McCain's town hall debate challenge. After all he can't very well debate with McCain in a town hall setting if he is in touring the middle east now can he. Obama has dodge McCain's town hall debate challenge and no makes it impossible for McCain to say he hasn't been to the Mideast in years.

All in all a perfect example of when the going gets tough, Obama gets going anywhere but here. I wonder where he'll put the new White House, oooor, will it even be called the "white" house? Does make one wonder that type of "CHANGE" Obama really has up his sleeve.

Ugh, that old cliche' "cut and run" is sooo 2007. It was a lame insult created by the Bushies to make those who oppose the Iraq War look like cowards, and parroted by people like you.

Do try to keep up on your conservative smear tactics; you're clearly falling behind.

If anyone cared to know, your post is a perfect example of how Republican voters have been trained to reduce a campaign for president into childish taunts and cartoonish images. It's like you're so proud of yourself because you drew a moustache on a picture of Obama. Good for you. Everybody's really impressed.

And what, exactly, did you mean when you wrote "will it even be called the 'white' house?" Let me guess that it's intended as a stupid (and not even original) racist joke and that you'll be too much of a coward to admit it.

Let me explain.

Its cut and run if there is a time table for American combat troops to leave Iraq.

Its a Time Horizon if the American combat troops leave under a time table.

If your a Republican simply listen to Rush Limbaugh, J. Hannity, or B. O'Rielly. They will clearly explain that the Democrats want to wave the white flag and cut and run if they use time tables for removing combat troops.

These water carriers will clearly tell their listeners that if there is a time horizon then that is not cutting and running. That is an excellent military exit from Iraq. Its called fall back and regroup.

OK?

respectfully,

wdp

The cut and run strategy referred to here has nothing to do with Bush. It has everthing to do with Obama cutting and running from McCain because he is too chicken shit to face the seasoned veteran head on.

His photo shoots in Afghan. and Iraq is an insult to thinking Americans, but since there are only about 5% of us who can think, it will appeal to the 95% of the morons making up the electorate. That would be 99% or you dems, 100% of you liberals.

Bad news; it looks like you just dropped into the 95% group, americafirst. We are referring to the lameness of the phrase 'cut and run', not the specific event it is referring to above. Guess that went over your head. And by the way, thinking people tend not to parrot smear-campaign catchphrases they learn from tv talking heads either. So next time you try to sell yourself as someone capable of independent thought, you might want to keep that in mind.

Wow....my friend, this is your worst post. The idea of using the white house crack to try to pursuade people to vote for McCain will never work.....

I have to tell you that I just attended a McCain town hall. Your worst nightmare is Obama on stage with McCain. John got pissed at a veteran who asked him about the web GI bill. McCain lied about passing the bill, when in fact he had not even voted on it.

McCain has a bad temper and doesn't like to be questioned. When asked about his votes against funding increases for the VA he basically called the questioner a liar, when the veteran actually had a record of the votes....that stumped McCain and sent him way off into gibberish.

It would be so easy for Obama to bait McCain. It would be far better for McCain to ask for a debate, where Obama wouldn't have the chance to challenge McCain directly.

It appears that Town Hall meetings seem to work for Senator McCain. Debate schemes seem to work for Obama.

Politics is based on winning. Just because McCain wants to have Obama meet him in a Town Hall meeting and Obama refuses means nothing but a political gambit. When one is ahead they go with their strengths. Nothing more, nothing less.

Town Hall meetings have at most a couple of thousand individuals. Some have less than a thousand. Obama fills football stadiums with tens of thousands of individuals. If you were Obama and could fill a football stadium with individuals why would you downsize your audience to a couple of thousand? It doesn't make political sense.

It appears that "cut and run" is used by the RNC to criticize Obama's time table for pulling combat troops out of Iraq. It can be noted that "cut and run" does not apply when the RNC uses Time Horizens for pulling combat troops out of Iraq.

Go figure.

Respectfully,

wdp

Americafirst seems to be the only person to be able to get the jest of my post. That being, instead of meeting McCain head on Obama has run away to the Mid East. If he could destroy McCain as easily as you think in a town hall debate, then why does he not do it. Talk is cheap and talk is about all Obama seems to want do, anywhere McCain is not.

As for my White House remark it would appear that once again I have failed to get my point across. Obama has already expressed his idea to change the POTUS seal, so if hell does freeze over and he becomes POTUS, will the seal be the only change he will make or will he want a completely new White House to help complete his "CHANGE" and if he does where will it be and what will he call our new nations capitol?

As for McCain's temper at least he has backbone and doesn't run away when confronted. I was not there to hear the vet's question/comment so I don't know if McCain's response was appropriate or not. As for his voting against this bill (which was signed into law by Bush June 30, 2008) if you would check McCain's voting record you will see he did not vote as he was absent from Washington and the day it passed Congress by a 92-6 margin before going to Bush. So "IF" this vet did indeed accuse McCain of voting against the VA benefit bill he was at best misinformed. It is true that McCain did not support the original bill as it gave no incentive for people to stay in the military and actually rewarded an early exit from military service, and when that changed, so did McCain's support for the bill.

Bottom line: Obama is not the saint people want to believe he is and McCain is not the devil in a Senator's suit. They are both just a couple of politicians doing what they think will get our votes. I fear that the American voters have become so caught up with the fact that (a) Obama is not a Republican. (b) He is young and has seemingly new ideas. (c) He is the first African American to have a chance to become POTUS. That they don't care if the change is good or bad as long as it is a change. Kind of like a bunch of scared sheep who when one runs away from a wolf and over a cliff they nearly all do. I too want a change in our government, but not at the expense of electing someone simply because of their race, age and speaking ability. Hell if that is all people want then about any good motivational speaker is qualified to be our next POTUS. George Carlin would have made a great POTUS based on those standards. Obama is going to have to stand toe to toe with McCain and prove to me that he is the best qualified for the job. So far he has failed to do so. Take the energy crisis for example: Both Obama and McCain are right in their respective ideas to solve the problem. In fact putting the two ideas together would be a great solution. IE McCain wants to build nuclear power plants and drill for our own oil to get us independent of foreign oil. Obama wants to give more money to develop renewable, affordable and reliable sources of alternative energy. WHY NOT DO BOTH? I'll tell you why. Because both McCain and Obama are too stubborn to admit that the other's ideas are good and will work. I do believe that if elected POTUS, McCain will adopt Obama's good ideas and can only hope that Obama will be smart enough to do the same.

Ok: On my soap box again Now off of it. While McCain does not impress me in certain areas, Obama does not impress me at all. Middleview, my friend, Regardless of if you want to admit it or not Obama is sliding from the far left to at least the middle on certain key issues which is proof that he is just another politic an. A flashy one but a politician none the less.

Obama is doing what he thinks will help him win. McCain is doing what he thinks will help him win.

The race has more than three months to go. There will be several one on one debates. What we have now is political foreplay. Obama is not running from McCain. That is nonsense.

McCain belittled Obama to go to Iraq, go to Afghanistan. For the last 45 days that has been a sound bite from the McCain insiders. To me it is a good strategy and well though out. However, now that Obama is going to Iraq and Afghanistan how can the McCain criticise Obama for doing what McCain requested.

If Obama doesn't go to Iraq and Afghanistan then McCain criticises Obama for not getting the real info from the troops on the ground. If Obama goes to Iraq and Afghanistan then Obama is "cutting and running" from McCain.

Your case is very weak.

Respectfully,

wdp

Do you actually think that Obama designed that weird "seal" that was on the podium when he spoke. I've been at a number of those events and it is typically the organizers that do that kind of thing. More than likely the first time he saw it was in watching news reviews of his speech.

McCain says that building 45 nuclear power plants would create 700,000 jobs. Does that make sense to you?

McCain said "we passed the GI Bill". McCain did all he could to stop the bill. The bill did not encourage people to leave the military early. It gave them benefits at the end of their first enlistment, that is true. Do you think it valid to say that someone who served for 4 years (which might just include two tours in combat) should not get help to transition to civilian life? The veteran did not say that McCain voted against it. McCain was at a fund raiser the day of the vote. I guess that would show where McCain's priorities are. Did you know that McCain hasn't cast a vote since March?

The other comment about McCain's vote was related to his repeated votes to lower VA funding. In one case (2004) the proposal was to increase VA funding by $1.8 billion. McCain voted against that, but then agreed to a $1.2 billion. There are a number of instances of this kind of thinking. IF you think that the VA has too much money, then I guess you might agree with McCain. I don't think so.

As far as increasing domestic production, I have to wonder why the oil companies aren't drilling on the leases they already have. Could it be that they regard oil in the ground as money in the bank? Did you know that the CEO of Exxon said "why would we invest in new refineries...that would be bad business"?

If we are currently at over 90% utilization at the refineries and the oil companies do not build any new ones, what good would an increase in domestic oil do?

One thing I'd like to see is a real push to make the whole business side of this more transparent. I want to know who all buys a barrel of oil between the well and the pump.

There is something we don't know about this process....

Designed it or not, the seal was there and he knew or should have known before the TV cameras were on it. Are we going to give him the same out if say his Secretary of Defense starts a war with some country without consulting with him first? Will we just sit back and say that wasn't POTUS Obama's fault because he didn't know. NO! He like McCain is in charge of his campaign and therefore responsible for all aspects of it.

As for the VA. Again I was not there and do not know what question/statement was made by that vet to McCain, so I can't judge if his response was appropriate or not. And yes I do not believe that a person who serves only 4 years (even if they do 2 tours in Iraq or Afghanistan) should be eligible for enhanced benefits. If they are injured/disabled then yes special benefits are appropriate. Think of it this way. If your local police department offers full retirement after only 4 years of service, how many law enforcement officers with more than 4 years of experience do you think you would have on the force? Experience is an asset to most any industry and the military is no different. With good benefits after 4 years why stay in and pass on your experience and training to the new recruits? As far as what McCain did or did not do in 2004 it would Be hard to compare him to Obama then since Obama (politically speaking) did not exist then. It would however be easy for Obama to say that had he been a U.S, Senator he would have voted for it, after all that is what the voters want to hear. Do I think the VA has enough money or too much money. HELL NO! I have friends that are vets and see the B.S. they go through just to get their meds and the piss poor medical coverage they have. No our vets deserve far better than they have, especially those who nearly gave their lives in a war. If I had my way they would have access to the finest medical care available and if disabled because of a injury in a war, they would never have to pay state, local or especially federal taxes.

As for the energy problem: Sounds like we are basically on the same page and I don't know what it will take to fix it short of the federal government going into the oil business to force the big oil companies to become completive once again. I to would like to see the "REAL" cost of a gallon of gas/diesel as opposed to what we are being charged.

Personally I believe that at least some, of our politicians, are getting the palms greased by the big oil companies to keep the truth hidden from us.

nyecop, it's like you're a completely different person than whoever wrote that first post. I wish you would have explained yourself better the first time around. I actually agree with much of what you say now (such as combining energy policies, and that ridiculous shield). But sorry, but you're being dishonest about your 'will they still call it the white house' comment. It's perfectly obvious you were echoing that dumb racist button, and if you weren't (and were aware of the button), you should have explained yourself better to avoid the appearance that you were referencing it. And everyone here except americafirst understood that you were using that tired old 'cut and run' phrase to criticize Obama for his perceived (by you) avoidance of the town hall debates. I happen to agree with middleview that any debate would likely be to Obama's advantage, but we'll have to wait and see on that.

I'm also undecided, though leaning towards Obama, and I truly do think either candidate will be far better than Bush about working across party lines to get things done. Of course, they couldn't really be worse.

This should help you figure out how far from "straight talk" the Denver town hall was.

<link>

Your reference to the GI bill vs. full retirement is baffling. We are not talking about retirement. We are talking about financial aid to go to school. The most successful government program ever was the GI Bill at the end of World War II. It created a huge class of upper middle class and middle class taxpayers.

The idea that someone would only get educational benefits if they'd been in for more than one enlistment is pretty unusual. I guess nobody gets killed in their first enlistment, eh?

McCain hasn't cast a vote since early March of this year. Basically he has been too busy to do his job.

While I realize that Democrats hate to be confronted with facts. The fact is Obama is in Afghanistan only because McCain shamed him into doing so and it gives him an excuse not to get into a town hall debate with McCain..

My case presents the facts and the fact is my case is very strong.