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Originally Posted by schrocat

Update: Dude, the poll results are pretty hilarious...

Do you think Gov. Crist's engagement is politically motivated?

Yes (2742 responses) ... 78.6%

No (225 responses) ....... 6.4%

I couldn't care less (522 responses)... 15.0%

3489 total responses. (Results not scientific)

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I don't think there is any chance that Charlie Crist will be picked as McCain's running mate, whether he's engaged or not. However, I have been wrong before, so... You never know.

Mitt Romney is the odds-on favorite right now in spite of the fact that McCain and Romney despise each other. Romney would help McCain in Michigan. McCain will carry Utah and Idaho with or without Romney but Michigan is a swing state. I believe Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota will go for Obama but McCain could make it interesting by choosing Romney as his VP.

Crist is apparently very popular in Florida and he might help McCain in that state; however, Crist won't make it onto the ticket for the same reason David Dreier didn't become Majority Leader in the House even after being hand-picked for the job by Denny Hastert. Charlie Crist is as gay as Elvis, maybe gayer, and too many people know it. Crist, several years back, was almost as open as Mark Foley. They both attended the same parties. It's only in the past decade or so that Charlie has tried to go back into the closet.



Charlie Crist and Mark Foley in gayer happier times.



P.S. -- What are the chances that Mary Cheney and Heather Poe attend the Republican convention together? They attended the 2004 GOP convention together. It would probably infuriate certain members of the GOP. They attended the White House official state dinner for Prince Charles and Camilla as a couple.

I think they should bring little Samuel David Cheney with them to show that the GOP is changing and willing to accept all families.



Oops! I almost forgot. McCain has flip-flopped on the "agents of intolerance" and he's now likes them. I guess little Samuel David Cheney will have to stay home with his grandparents.

Just think of the media frenzy if they can get a video clip of Mary Cheney, Heather Poe and baby Sam at the convention or anywhere else in Minneapolis or St. Paul during the convention. If it happens, it will be because Mary Cheney did it on purpose. That would be hilarious and infuriate Daddy Dobson, et al.

P.S. -- Speaking of the "agents of intolerance," Jesse Helms is finally dead.

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What About the Huckster for Veep?

Maybe McCain will pick Rev. Mike Huckabee as his running mate?



"The inmates at Guantanamo are getting a whole lot better treatment than students at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In fact, I hope they don't see how nice it is down there, because they'll all want to transfer to Guantanamo."

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Alabama Attorney General Supports John McCain

Troy King, Alabama's popular Republican Attorney General who has been named as a leading contender for governor in 2010, is a strong supporter of John McCain. King came out for McCain very early in the campaign. Oops! Did I just say "came out?" Must have been a Freudian slip or something.

Attorney General King and Mrs. King are members of First Baptist Church in Montgomery, where General King teaches Sunday School.

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Originally Posted by schrocat

OMG How Sweet!

Her family is big in the Halloween costume market,...you know, beads, feather boas,...masks...fake beards.

Charlie Crist isn't gay, okay?

All those party dresses and beads in his closet are for his girlfriend's business. He's just storing them for her.


Charlie Crist, who is still not-gay, and aide.

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Speaking of Republicans Who Aren't Gay...

...we can't leave out Troy King, Alabama's anti-gay attorney general, who is also Alabama state chairman of John McCain's campaign. He made news recently for attempting to enforce Alabama's 10-year-old ban on the sale of marital aids (aka sex toys).

We know for sure that King isn't gay because back in his college days at the University of Alabama he wrote several editorials in the school newspaper on the evils of abortion, affirmative action and homosexuality, which he described as the downfall of civilization as we know it.

"If it were true that the gay lifestyle has been accepted in mainstream America then surely there would not be such widespread disgust at their actions," King wrote. "In fact, the only people I see applauding their deplorable actions are other homosexuals." Spoken like a true, future "family values" Republican.

King also expressed opposition to the idea of a gay family structure. "I often hear the argument that homosexuals who live together create a loving, caring family environment, perhaps an environment which is even superior to that which can be provided by a heterosexual couple. In this day of rampant decadence, many homosexuals would mislead society into believing that three men, an armadillo and a house plant create a functional family." He left out box turtles.

As a third-year law student, King also attributed the spread of AIDS cases to the spread of homosexuality in the country in a Sept. 10, 1993, letter to the editor. "Currently, AIDS is the most behavior-oriented disease known to mankind," King wrote. "If this nation's current purveyors of perversion would refrain from committing sodomy they would unquestioningly be spared the ravages of the disease." Spoken like a true, 100% not-gay, young Republican!

In the same editorial, King questioned the "liberals" who sent troops to Bosnia to "halt ethnic cleansing" but who ignored "the terrible 'cleansing' of the wombs that is carried on in the butcher shops we call abortion clinics." Yes, wasn't it awful what that "liberal" Bill Clinton did in Bosnia? That war dragged on and on and on. It lasted a full three months! None of our troops were killed but that's not the point. They could have been. We have no business engaging in nation building in foreign lands.

In a March 3, 1994, letter to the editor, King also expressed his opposition to affirmative action policies that had recently been established at the UA School of Law.

"The law faculty made a decision that incoming black students needed special help to succeed," King wrote. "Pointing out the flaw in their logic -- namely, that by robbing any group of students of the chance and the incentive to compete, we have denigrated everyone's accomplishments -- labeled me, and not those who deemed the black students to be inferior, a racist." All those incoming black students are trouble makers. They just want to get their law degree so that they can become community organizers as a step to elective office. No telling where that could lead. Better nip it off in the bud now.

William Stewart, former chairman of the UA political science department, said King must learn to overcome any of his "ultra-conservative" positions, just as his former boss Pryor did during last year's Ten Commandments monument battle with former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore.

"I would hope he would rise above beliefs he feels would be unworkable in today's society," Stewart said. "He has pledged to act as the No. 1 lawyer of all Alabamians. I would hope he would be fair to all instead of having a personal agenda." Stewart sounds like your typical commie, pinko, liberal, elite college professor type. The people of Alabama did not elect someone like Troy King because they expected him to be "fair to all." They elected him because he's one of them and they need someone like him to preserve their "heritage."

UA constitutional law professor Bryan Fair said putting personal opinions aside is something all officials have to work to accomplish. "It is the job of all public officers to put their own beliefs aside to follow those laws and enforce them," Fair said. That's ridiculous. Everyone knows you're only supposed to the enforce the right laws, not all of them.

I'm sure the people of Alabama are rightly proud of their attorney general, a God-fearing, family-values, Sunday School-teaching Republican who will do his best to uphold the traditions that have made Alabama Republicans famous.

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I thought this thread was about McCain?

Oh, okay. Back to the campaign trail with genuine American hero (also Hero de la France) John McCain.

In his 2002 memoir, "Worth the Fighting For," McCain wrote that he had separated from his first wife, Carol, before he began dating Cindy Hensley. "I spent as much time with Cindy in Washington and Arizona as our jobs would allow," McCain wrote. "I was separated from Carol, but our divorce would not become final until February of 1980."

The L.A. Times reports a problem with that explanation. According to court documents, McCain did not sue his wife for divorce until Feb. 19, 1980, and he wrote in his court petition that he and his wife had "cohabited" until Jan. 7 of that year -- or for the first nine months of his relationship with Hensley.

Although McCain suggested in his autobiography that months passed between his divorce and remarriage, the divorce was granted April 2, 1980, and he wed Hensley in a private ceremony five weeks later. McCain obtained an Arizona marriage license on March 6, 1980, while still legally married to his first wife.

McCain was wrong on several points. His divorce was not final in February as he claimed in his book. It wasn't final until April. And when he obtained an Arizona marriage license to marry Cindy, he was still legally married to Carol. The fact that he was running around on Carol for years after he returned from Vietnam isn't really news; he has admitted as much. It really isn't news that he was dating Cindy while still living with Carol but that's something McCain has always denied, in spite of contradictory reports from his closest friends at the time.

The L.A. Times story goes on to relate how the Reagans were really upset with McCain over his treatment of Carol.

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The Republican Platform Committee Is Asking For It

The GOP Platform Committee would like you to tell them what they should stand for. Feel free to tell them but try to keep it clean.

Or, if you are the artistic type and into home videos, the RNC would love for you to make a 2-minute video telling them why you are a Republican. This opens up a whole universe of possibilities. Invite a few dozen of your friends over and recreate that scene from 'Braveheart' when Mel Gibson's lads lift their kilts in unison to moon the English. Remember, when you wear a kilt, you have to go commando. It's the law. Feel free to express yourself to the Republican National Committee in any way you see fit.

I wonder if any of these clips will make their way onto America's Favorite Home Videos? Probably not. I have a feeling a lot of them are going to be X-rated.

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What Happened to McCain's Alabama State Campaign Chairman?

The blogosphere has been abuzz with unconfirmed rumors that Troy King, Alabama's rabidly homophobic attorney general and state campaign chairman of the McCain 2008 Campaign, had been caught in bed with another man. The rumors have been denied by both the governor's office and the attorney general's office but the denials are carefully worded, if you know what I mean. Sort of like, "We haven't heard of any plans for the attorney general to resign." That sort of thing. As for confirmation of the substance of the rumor itself, the responses were along the lines of, "We don't discuss the attorney general's personal affairs." Or, "I'm not going to comment on such an absurd claim." That sort of thing.

As of early yesterday afternoon, the McCain Campaign's official website still had references to Attorney General King as McCain's state chairman. However, if you searched the McCain website later yesterday, you would find that all references to Troy King have been removed, including the following announcement:

For Immediate Release
January 29, 2008 Contact: Press Office
703-650-5550

John McCain 2008 Announces Alabama Leadership Team

ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign today announced its Alabama Leadership Team. United States Congressman Spencer Bachus will serve as the Southeastern United States Congressional Chair of the McCain campaign. Alabama Attorney General Troy King will serve as Chair of the McCain 2008 Alabama campaign. Representative Bachus and Attorney General King will continue to lead the growing grassroots organization on behalf of John McCain’s candidacy in Alabama.

“Lots of candidates talk about the issues important to conservatives. But, only one candidate has a record to back up his rhetoric, and that’s John McCain,” said Congressman Spencer Bachus. “For twenty-four years, John McCain has taken bold positions on the cornerstone conservative issues of life, marriage, and limited government. It is with pride and gratitude that I am supporting my friend, John McCain for president.”

“John McCain is the best hope for conservatives to succeed in November,” said Attorney General Troy King. “He is a principled conservative with a clear record of supporting a strong national defense, fighting for fiscal responsibility, and defending the sanctity of life. John McCain has served our country his entire life, and I am honored to lead his efforts here in Alabama.”

John McCain thanked the leadership of his Alabama campaign. “As a representative in the United States Congress, Spencer has displayed his commitment to the people of Alabama,” said Senator McCain. “Troy is an outstanding public servant and passionate advocate for the rule of law. Both of these men are dedicated to the principles of limited government and traditional values that we share. I’m proud to have Republican leaders and dedicated public servants like Spencer Bachus and Troy King leading my campaign to victory in Alabama.”

JOHN MCCAIN 2008 ALABAMA LEADERSHIP TEAM

Southeastern United States Congressional Chair
Congressman Spencer Bachus, Birmingham

State Chair
Attorney General Troy King, Montgomery

Honorary Chair
Former Alabama GOP Chairman Winton Blount, Montgomery

I wonder why the McCain Campaign would suddenly remove all mention of Troy King if there is no truth to the rumors? In case you haven't followed any of the links in my previous post about this guy, the rumor is that his wife came home unexpectedly and discovered him in their bed with another man. The other man has been described as both "a young aide" and "Troy University's Homecoming King." I guess it's possible he could be both. What are the odds of that happening? Troy King caught making out with Troy's king?

Wow! I wonder how that happened? I think I'll call up Daddy Dobson and ask him if it's possible to go from anti-gay to gay just like *that* -- maybe it's something he ate. Probably those tomatoes from Mexico.

So that's pretty much where we are right now on this story or non-story, depending on how thngs develop. The most reliable sources right now have it that King's wife has kicked him out of their house and she wants a divorce. Those same sources say that King is refusing to discuss why he is suddenly no longer living at home and plans to go ahead with the divorce without having the incident that caused it ever come to light. Under this scenario, he keeps his job as AG and denies that he's gay or that his wife caught him in bed being gay.

This has all the makings of another typical anti-gay Republican closet case being exposed as a hypocrite. Reminds me a lot of Pastor Ted Haggard. When it comes to gender-orientation bashing by right-wing, "family values" Republicans, the louder and more obnoxious the basher, the greater the likelihood he (or she) is a closet case.

P.S. -- The McCain Campaign removed three different pages that referenced Troy King from their website:

The caches of each of those respective pages care of google.com:
1 ("State Attorneys General Support McCain")
2 ("McCain Campaign Unveils Alabama Campaign Committee")
3 ("John McCain 2008 Announces Alabama Leadership Team")

John McCain brags about the fact that he doesn't even know how to get on "the Internets," much less how to use "the Google." When asked if he's a P.C. or a Mac kinda guy, he replied, "neither." However, I'm surprised that his campaign staff is so dumb that they would remove three different pages from three different dates referencing Troy King after a blogger reported that King was McCain's Alabama state chairman. Don't they realize that this will be seen as confirmation that King has a problem?

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Is McCain Even Dumber Than Dubya?

It's hard to say. McCain finished in the bottom one-half of one percent of his graduating class at the Naval Academy and George W. Bush finished in the bottom 15% of his graduating class at Yale, so maybe McCain is actually dumber than Bush?

We know that Bush delights in deliberately mispronouncing the word "nuclear" so that it comes out as "nukular." He does that on purpose just to prove that he doesn't care what all the smartypants types think. And now we have John McCain repeatedly referring to Czechoslovakia, a country that hasn't existed since January 1, 1993.

During the GOP debate on October 21, 2007, McCain said: "The first thing I would do is make sure that we have a missile defense system in place in Czechoslovakia and Poland."

Then a couple of months ago McCain told Don Imus that he would "work closely with Czechoslovakia and Poland and other countries" to install the European Missile Defense System in Poland.

Now just today McCain said, "I was concerned about a couple of steps that the Russian government took in the last several days. One was reducing the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia."

Isn't it about time his handlers brought him up to date? Czechoslovakia was split into two countries -- the Czech Republic and Slovakia -- more than 15 years ago. And while they're at it, maybe they could explain the difference between Sunni and Shia and the fact that al-Qaida is 100% Sunni, which is why they are incarcerated if caught in Iran, not offered "training."

They might also remind McCain that his official position on the economy is that he doesn't understand economics. When Tim Russert quoted something McCain had previously said verbatim, McCain responded, "I don't know where you got that quote from." It was from McCain himself and Russert quoted it verbatim, completely and in context. McCain can't remember what his position is from one month to the next.

They might also take time to set McCain straight on who's in charge in Iran. Obama has said that he would be willing to negotiate with "the leaders" of Iran. He has not mentioned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by name for a very good reason. Ahmadinejad is not the guy in charge in Iran. He's only the president. He takes his orders from the Supreme Spiritual Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. When this distinction came up in a press session with a reporter, McCain cracked up laughing at the suggestion that Ahmadinejad was not the guy in charge in Iran.

McCain now says that he has never supported amnesty for illegal immigrants, yet he said in 2003 that "amnesty has to be a component" of immigration reform and it was a component in the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill that the Republicans managed to filibuster to death in the Senate. McCain now says that if Harry Reid ever brings that bill up again, he will vote against it. He will vote against his own bill.

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Originally Posted by Ninong

McCain now says that he has never supported amnesty for illegal immigrants, yet he said in 2003 that "amnesty has to be a component" of immigration reform and it was a component in the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill that the Republicans managed to filibuster to death in the Senate. McCain now says that if Harry Reid ever brings that bill up again, he will vote against it. He will vote against his own bill.

Yesterday, or the day before, I forget which, McCain gave a speech before a group of Hispanic leaders. I watched an excerpt of it on one of the teevee talking-head programs. McCain was bragging to his audience that he championed the cause of comprehensive immigration reform at great political peril to himself because it is unpopular with his party. In other words, he was taking credit for the comprehensive immigration reform bill that he and Ted Kennedy tried to pass (with full support of President Bush) that failed to get the requisite 60 votes in the Senate to break a GOP filibuster and that McCain has now backtracked on and repudiated. In fact, when speaking to non-Hispanic audiences, he makes a point of saying that he no longer supports the "path to citizenship," commonly referred to as "amnesty."

The McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill was opposed by 80% of the Republicans in the Senate. It had the support of 80% of the Democrats, plus President Bush, but that wasn't enough to get to the magic number of 60. In a procedural move, Harry Reid voted against it so that he can bring it up again in the future. It's not likely that Reid will bring it up again but McCain has already said that if it came up again for a vote, he would vote against it. He no longer supports his own bill. His new position on comprehensive immigration reform is that it should be put off indefinitely while we secure the border with Mexico by building a very high wall all along the border. McCain's views on immigration reform are now more closely aligned with those of the majority of his party. There are still people like Rev. Mike Huckabee who wants to expell all 12-14 million illegal immigrants within 90 days and Tom Tancredo who wants to throw them all in jail.

Another interesting contradiction came up in the past few days on the topic of equal treatment of women. Carly Fiorina, the CEO who nearly destroyed Hewlett Packard, is an official in the McCain Campaign. She was speaking before a womens' group when she declared that McCain favors requiring health insurance plans, HMO's and Medicare to fund birth control for women because they fund Viagra and similar ED medications for men. Of course, this is not McCain's position at all. In fact, he voted against requiring Medicare and health insurance plans to pay for contraception. The womens' rights groups refer to it as "reproductive health" and the right-wing religious types that oppose funding it call it "contraception."

A reporter asked McCain about this. The reporter quoted what Fiorina had said and then asked McCain if he had changed his position on this issue. McCain's first response was, "I certainly do not want to discuss that issue." McCain was unable to recall that he voted against a 2003 bill that would have required health insurance companies to cover prescription birth control. When the reporter reminded him of his previous vote against requiring insurance companies to cover prescription birth control, McCain said he couldn't remember what his position is on this topic. He knows exactly what his position is on the funding of contraception. I'm shocked that Carly Fiornia is so out of touch with the thinking of the right-wing religious groups on this issue that she would even begin to think that McCain would favor equal treatment for women when it comes to reproductive health.

Fiorina also came out in favor of full funding for No Child Left Behind. She evidently forgets that McCain has repeatedly voted against fully funding No Child Left Behind, resulting in an unfunded mandate that has continued to further tap local communities and states during an economic downturn.

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John McCain Touts His Academic Achievements

Click on the link to watch the latest McCain Campaign ad. That video clip was taken from an address McCain gave to Google employees last year.

The employee who asked McCain if he remembered his GPA probably received a promotion the following week.

P.S. -- Here's another version: McDumb As Bush.


____________________________________________

Since George W. Bush took office in January 2001, John McCain has voted with the Bush administration 91% of the time, including 95% in 2007 and 100% in 2008.

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I Can't Think Of Anything As Childish As This, Or As Fitting

Talk about putting the "W" in sewage! The proposition to name a sewage plant in San Francisco after George W. Bush has qualified for the November ballot. This will give all the national teevee talking heads something to talk about on election night besides the real news.

If it passes, maybe it will start a national trend? Sewage plants from sea to shining sea named after George W. Bush. How appropriate.

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Uncle Fester and Woody Woodpecker

Did anyone stay up late Friday night to watch John McCain on Conan O'Brien's show? I didn't think so. Neither did I. I understand it was so boring McCain almost dosed off. No new rape jokes or anything.

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Iraq PM wants troops out 'as soon as possible'

Prolonging their stay 'would cause problems,' al-Maliki says in interview

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says U.S. troops should leave Iraq "as soon as possible," according to a magazine report in which he also called presidential candidate Barack Obama's suggestion of 16 months "the right timeframe for a withdrawal."

In an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel magazine released Saturday, al-Maliki said he was not seeking to endorse Obama. The Illinois senator and likely Democratic nominee has pledged to withdraw combat troops from Iraq within 16 months if he is elected.

"That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes," al-Maliki was quoted as saying. "Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of U.S. troops in Iraq would cause problems."

Asked when U.S. forces would leave Iraq, he responded, "As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned."

You can read the full article here.

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Der Spiegel Interview With Maliki

When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US 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."



P.S. -- I wonder if John McCain knows any swear words in German?

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Transcript of Maliki Interview With Der Spiegel

SPIEGEL: Would you hazard a prediction as to when most of the US troops will finally leave Iraq?

Maliki: As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned. 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.

SPIEGEL: Is this an endorsement for the US presidential election in November? Does Obama, who has no military background, ultimately have a better understanding of Iraq than war hero John McCain?

Maliki: Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of US troops in Iraq would cause problems. Of course, this is by no means an election endorsement. Who they choose as their president is the Americans' business. But it's the business of Iraqis to say what they want. And that's where the people and the government are in general agreement: The tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited.

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April 22, 2004: McCain Address to Council on Foreign Relations

PETERSON: Let me give you a hypothetical, senator. What would or should we do if, in the post-June 30th period, a so-called sovereign Iraqi government asks us to leave, even if we are unhappy about the security situation there? I understand it's a hypothetical, but it's at least possible.

McCAIN: Well, if that scenario evolves, then I think it's obvious that we would have to leave because— if it was an elected government of Iraq— and we've been asked to leave other places in the world. 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.

PETERSON: A second and final question from me. As you know—

McCAIN: By the way, could I— if we do it right, that's not going to happen, but we will be there militarily for a long, long, long time.

John McCain very clearly stated that "we would have to leave" if asked to do so by "an elected government of Iraq."

Maliki: As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned. 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.

John McCain said "we will be there militarily for a long, long, long time."... "Maybe a hundred years!"

Maliki: Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of US troops in Iraq would cause problems. Of course, this is by no means an election endorsement. Who they choose as their president is the Americans' business. But it's the business of Iraqis to say what they want. And that's where the people and the government are in general agreement: The tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited.

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Bush Administration Pushing Maliki For Retraction 'Clarification'

This is hilarious! First of all, it was someone in the office of the White House Press Secretary who forwarded a link to the Spiegel.com online article to the entire White House press corps. Apparently that was in error. Then, after the U.S. media widely reported that al-Maliki agreed with Obama's plan for withdrawal of troops from Iraq, the White House freaked out and called Maliki's office for 'clarification' Saturday.

Then al-Maliki's spokesman announced that the prime minister's remarks had been "misunderstood" and that they had been "mistranslated." This is where it gets really good. The interpreter for the interview was al-Maliki's guy. Der Spiegel did not provide their own interpreter. However, both Der Spiegel and al-Maliki's office have tapes of the interview.

Der Spiegel has forwarded audio tapes of the interview to The New York Times and they agree that the original translation is accurate in all significant respects. The interview was given in Arabic and interpreted into German simultaneously by al-Maliki's interpreter. Then the German transcript was translated into English when Der Spiegel published its English version online. Originally they published an article on the interview that included excerpts from the interview but then, within hours, they published the full verbatim transcript of the interview. That was probably in response to criticism that they had misstated al-Maliki's remarks.

Remember this, al-Maliki never said he endorsed Barack Obama for the U.S. presidency. The Republicans are trying to set this up as a straw man so that they can have al-Maliki refute it. He specifically said he agreed with the timeframe for withdrawal put forth by Obama and that those who want to leave Iraq quicker have a better assessment of the situation in Iraq.

It was al-Maliki himself who brought up Obama's name, not Der Spiegel's interviewer.

Here is a literal translation of the Arabic directly to English by The New York Times:

MALIKI: "Obama’s remarks that — if he takes office — in 16 months he would withdraw the forces, we think that this period could increase or decrease a little, but that it could be suitable to end the presence of the forces in Iraq."

He continued: "Who wants to exit in a quicker way has a better assessment of the situation in Iraq."

That's the critical part of the interview. Al-Maliki stated clearly that he agrees with Barack Obama's timeframe for withdrawal of troops from Iraq and that those (like Obama) who want to exit in a quicker way have a better assessment of the situation in Iraq (than those like McCain who want to "be there militarily for a long, long, long time").

Al-Maliki went on to say that he was not making a presidential endorsement, just expressing the will of the people and the government of Iraq that "the tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited."

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First Czechoslovakia, Now This

Foreign Policy Expert McCain: "Iraq-Pakistan" Border Extremely Dangerous

John McCain had another senior moment today on ABC's "Good Morning America." Asked about the buildup of al-Qaida and Taliban forces in Waziristan, the northwest tribal region of Pakistan that borders Afghanistan, McCain had this to say:

It's a serious situation, but there's a lot of things we need