Posted on 07/23/2008 8:59:00 AM PDT by cdchik123
A dozen top foreign policy advisers are either traveling with Obama or doing groundwork ahead of his arrival in each country. This group is supplemented by his usual contingent of almost a dozen traveling aides, including chief campaign strategist David Axelrod and communications director Robert Gibbs, and too many advance staff to count. With layers of Secret Service agents, they zipped through Amman Tuesday in a motorcade of 20 vehicles.
The mix of policy and political advisers reflects the split dimension of the senator’s tour through Europe and the Middle East: Even as his closest aides insist that the trip is a fact-finding and relationship-building mission, Obama’s every step is being intricately managed to maximize political advantage.
From the saturated media coverage to the one-on-one meetings with heads of state, the trip already had a White House feel. The scope of the traveling staff simply adds to an aura of a president-in-waiting. On Tuesday, aides attempted to invoke White House rules and traditions by requiring reporters to withhold the names of senior advisers who brief the press. But they were reminded twice by reporters that they were not in the White House and that Obama was not the president.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
He wants military votes
***With layers of Secret Service agents, they zipped through Amman Tuesday in a motorcade of 20 vehicles.***
Wow
***He wants military votes***
But whose military?
I disagree, I think he is looking to rid himself of the in-expirienced label. I believe he could give two s**ts about the military vote.
My gut feeling is that this whole over the top tour is going to backfire. The guy looks like an idiot, and I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering, “Who on earth paid for that expensive custom paint job on the Obama jet?”
Remember this about Mr. Obama as the campaign progresses:
1) He’s a snob;
2) He has no sense of humor;
3) He has an exceedingly opinion of himself;
4) He is not prepared to learn - he already knows everything;
5) He has no deep affection for the US;
6) He is married to a very angry woman who also shares all of the aforementioned.
God help us.
-Rex
Host of a local radio show received a letter from military member stating Obama snubbed the servicemen. Service personel were lined up, no hand shaking or nothing. Obama spent about an hour in Afganistan. Letter went on to state the military received more gratitude from basketball players and Dallas cheerleaders.
Will try to get a copy and post.
Obama’s campaign is the smartest since Reagan 1984—masters of the moving image. McCain’s camp look like amateurs by comparison. McCain should have dumped Mark McKinnon the second he said he wouldn’t attack Obama last year, and replaced him with a new boy genius. He’s got nobody, and it shows. His appearances are stiff and choppy, with lous graphics and backdrops, disinterested crowds. Just pathetic.
He wants G-R-A-V-I-T-A-S.
You forgot uh that um uh he says um uh alot y’know...
That’s right, Mr. Novak is a real ummer. :)
Someone has referred to her as his 'bitter half'.
At least the Dallas cheerleaders have something better to shake than a slimey politician's hand.
Yeah, Bush was help to win in 2000 because he had Rove. McCain is continously surrounding himself with ineptitude (see Phil Gramm, who people might agree with, but doesn’t look good in a campaign when people are truly feeling a pinch in their pockets) and he is practically silent and cheering Obama on. In the end, the country isn’t going to say, “Well, you lost Mr. McCain, but you ran a fair campaign”. Lots of bloody good that’ll do the United States!
Good thing he has the media to edit out all his ums and ahs.
Based on what I see...Obama likely gets 15 percent of the military vote in November...and no more than that.
I don’t think McCain is that bad. He cannot be distracted by answering every insult or hammering every flaw (there are so many!) when there is the minority aura, making BO a member of a protected class. You can’t fight PC directly, the fight has to be assymetrical.
The new manager has a hard-a$$ reputation and is likely holding fire until after the Tour, when there will be plenty of second-guessing after the fact. It is summer, no one is paying attention, which doesn’t help BO as much as the staff thought it would. Much of Europe is preparing for the August vacation or has already left. A lot of folks are going to get their information a bit removed, from analysis and bloggers and friends/family in the military. I foresee many flaps to come over the next 6 weeks before things get serious. No sense for McCain to waste ammo and be seen as flailing.
Obama has twice been rebuked by two different reporters reminding him/his staff that he is not yet POTUS. That is a bad move.
Remember: HE ISN’T PRESIDENT YET!
““Who on earth paid for that expensive custom paint job on the Obama jet?””
I wish someone would find out. If he is using taxpayer money (something I wouldn’t put past him) it would be a great hammer with which to bang at him.
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