comment #1

K. Bowen says ...

I'm glad he's going, but he needs to go alone and look like a president. Drop the delegation.

comment #2

NotImpressedYet says ...

I'm glad he's going too. Don't think he needs to go alone to look presidential. He should bring Webb with him, either before or after he names him the vice presidental nominee.

What's the point of this post, other than to get in another potshot on the other side. Very hack-like.

Any attacks on Obama for doing this aren't going to be based on xenophobia, but rather out of the mindset that anything the opposing candidate does is wrong, and anything their favored candidate does is right.

Kind of like how certain bloggers operate.

comment #3

Joe Leydon says ...

Actually, haven't the McCain people been attacking him for NOT going to Iraq?

comment #4

gruver1 says ...

Wells to NotImpressedYet: The "stay home/don't go to Europe" xenophobia among voters and commentators is obviously out there, and I'm a hack for saying "bring it on" to the doofuses whom you and I know are going to complain? HE posters have said he needs to stay put because the heartland Bubbas don't like a Presidential candidate who goes off to Paris to drink cafe au lait. Pat Buchanan said more or less the same thing the other day on MSNBC. John Kerry (to whom BHO was notoriously compared yesterday by a Republican operative as "John Kerry with a tan") suffered during the '04 campaign, it was widely said, once it became known he spoke fluent French.

comment #5

NotImpressedYet says ...

Wells, maybe you're right about that. I've been going on an almost entirely cable news-free diet the past few weeks, so easily could have missed possible indications of this kind of thinking. The "hack-like" comment was in poor taste and I apologize.

To be fair though, Kerry made it sickeningly easy for stupid talk like you referenced to stick to him. I don't think Obama's gonna give 'em a free ticket like Kerry did.

Another thing, saying "bring it on" to those doofuses might not be the best idea. Look how well it worked for Bush in Iraq... More importantly, some of those doofuses (of which I'm certain you consider former Hillary supporters to be a part of) are gonna have to vote for Obama in November for him to win. Why don't you try reaching out to them instead of insulting their threadcount and lack of intelligence?

Last, I heartily recommend that you drastically reduce the amount of cable news you consume. If you were to limit yourself to the Washington Post, NY Times (news - not their opinion page), Wall Street Journal (ditto on the opinion stuff) and the Lehrer News Hour for your information, you'd be pretty well informed and would effectively edit out so many idiots from your daily intake of information.

comment #6

D.Z. says ...

I doubt the "freedom fries" contingent is relevant anymore, unless they want to be reminded about Bush begging the Brits to stay in Iraq, and begging the Franco-Germans to help out in Afghanistan. Not to mention McCain walking through Iraq with a bullet-proof vest, while Laura wears a veil.

comment #7

K. Bowen says ...

Oh, I think he can take Webb or ZInni, or Biden or someone like that. But I don't get a larger "congressional delegation," if that is what it is. I would prefer that he meets as close to one-on-one as possible, and I would think the campaign would, as well. Strikes me as kind of an odd decision. I wonder what the political rationale is.