Can the media still play up the meme that McCain's strong point is foreign policy? After months of gaffes from not realizing the difference between Sunni and Shia, not knowing that certain countries don't exist, etc, this may be the most damning blow:
Iraq and the Bush administration have reached a preliminary agreement to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraqi cities, where most of the fighting has taken place, by next June. It would link troop reductions to achievement of certain undisclosed security milestones. The deal also would require the endorsement of top Iraqi leaders and the Iraqi parliament, which is far from certain.
McCain repeatedly has said that events on the ground in Iraq should dictate any pullout schedule. He once suggested, however, that troops would come home, victorious, by the end of his first term, in early 2013
CHARLES BABINGTON
AP News
Forget all this stuff about how many houses McCain owns and how out of touch he is with the American people. That will score some points but this should fundamentally change the game. The BUSH Administration has altered their policy once again to match Barack Obama's!!
The first time was their switch regarding talking with Iran (they have had limited talks with Iran now). Now, after months and months of calling Obama naive, they have adopted his policy of a timetable for withdrawal.
Does McCain believe that Bush has opted for "defeat" over "victory"? I can not wait to hear the McCain campaign talk about this. Obama and his campaign should beat this to death. Over and over and over again remind the people that everything from striking Al Queda inside of Pakistan, to negotiating with Iran, to a timetable for troops in Iraq; He has been right and McCain has been wrong.
This is an election changing moment. Let's hope he pounces soon and continuously on this. Goodluck Barack Obama.
Update from Gary Norton:
This is what Obama had to say about the proposal, from TPM
Campaigning Thursday in Virginia, Obama said, "They are working on a plan that looks, lo and behold, like the plan that I've been advocating. I will encourage the administration to move forward with it."
McCain campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said, "We're monitoring closely and will have something to say when an agreement is finalized."