McCain Camp Worries It Will Be Overshadowed Until Democratic Convention

John McCain has been forced to play the pip-squeak all week. The candidate has been trying to get one word in edgewise while Barack Obama has been swarmed by adoring officials and supporters overseas. Even when the McCain camp tried to drum up media criticism around Obama canceling a visit to US troops in Germany, they were silenced and made to look like the ones who had gaffed. They criticized Obama for canceling the trip, only to be told later that it was in fact a long-standing Pentagon policy that had forced the cancellation.

With the Olympics starting August 8, the McCain camp is now nervous it won't be able to get a word in before the Republican National Convention in September. The Washington Post suggests that fear will spur McCain to name a running mate very soon so his decision won't be overshadowed.

The Washington Post should beware of the McCain camp on this issue. Conservative columnist Robert Novak said they may have used him this week to drum up VP speculation. The ultimate reason for using Novak was of course to get some time in the spotlight!

Read below. McCain aides are indicating his decision will come very soon.

Anxious to counter the blanket media coverage that has followed Sen. Barack Obama on his overseas journey, Sen. John McCain is weighing whether to announce his running mate in the coming weeks before the spotlight shifts to China and the opening of the Olympic Games next month.

"He's in a position to make [the decision] on short notice if he wanted to," said Charles R. Black Jr., one of McCain's top political advisers.

Two top aides to the presumptive Republican nominee said the decision is likely to be announced after Obama returns from Europe on Sunday and before the Beijing Olympics begin Aug. 8. They said the campaign fears that unanticipated events coming out of China -- whether in the form of athletic accomplishments or human rights protests -- could deflect attention from the announcement if it were made during the Games.

The Olympics conclude the day before the Democratic nominating convention opens in Denver, and the GOP convention begins in Minneapolis-St. Paul just four days after the Democratic gathering ends.

Comments

[Flagal]

Why does Andrea Mitchell have a job??

[Rumplestiltskin]

Access to her husband? What a darn sexist thing to say. I'm ashamed of myself.

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

Well I am not ashmed of you and I am a woman.

[Ipanema]

She is Alan Greenspan's wife and most likely a Repug!

[lornejl]

She is the Establishment.

[nonconformist2]

Cause she's Chris Matthews puppet.

[ObamAtomic]

She own a beautiful mouth! sho ,sho!
Besides a neocon on disquise!,,over.

[SweetSydney]

Why did Barry choose to workout instead of visiting wounded troops?

Didn't he have enough snapshots for his photo album?

[Flagal]

Wow, thanx for the info, now I will vote for Hil-la-ry

[nonconformist2]

The pentagon disallowed it, because, the European leg of his trip was not part of the "congressional delegation", and thus not controlled or organized by the military (as it was in Iraq and Afghanistan). If you bothered to LISTEN or READ the news instead of trying to find some way to insult O, you would know this. In fact, I think Huffy has a blog about it. Go read it.

Incidentally, the pentagon then "leaked it" to Mc.Cain so that Mc.Cain and your ilk could somehow try to create a gaffe where none existed.

O did visit the wounded troops in Iraq, by the way. He did so without cameras and without mentioning it to reporters. A reporter was able to fish this information out of some soldiers there.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Because he doesn't support the troops, silly. Anything else?

Did you know the WH fed their talking points to Fox? LOL

[Kahni]

Sweety dear, how nice of you to visit. Oh? You can't stay? Oh well, see you next time then.

Please take your racist brain babble with you, sweets. Clogs the drain, y'know.

[firewmn]

It's the SHOE Phone and he is Maxwell Dumb....

[swooge]

Are you a firefighter?

[lincheryl]

The size of that phone--is this another old photo they released to make him look younger? That has to be 15 years old.

[Davwbaird]

Damn, he got more coverage, he is not being ignored. Obama in a different catergory, Of course of historic and never before portions.

[doug108]

I'm sure somewhere in 1200 comments this has been said before, but that's a hilarious photograph. Absolutely perfect.

[CocteausTwin]

In about 800 comments. You should really take the time to read them (not a comment on your comment at all!!) since I was laughing for about two hours straight.

[nonconformist2]

S.enator Mc.Cain has invited us all to his pad to listen to some really groovy eight track tapes!

[gotalife]

Today's Judicial hearing was pure political movie making drama.

Anybody watch it ?

If you did and still trust our government, you have issues with gullibility and probably swoon over bo.

[nonconformist2]

Who's watching the goats? You remember what happened the last time you left the goats alone. Not pretty. You were never able to get the stains out.

[gotalife]

I take it you did not watch it.

Stay out of politics fools.

[BWonka]

getalife, tha-liar. Are you really so stupid that you think these pathetic, whiney posts of yours will change anyone's mind? All you do is show why we need Sen. O and not the rethug old man or the failed Democratic woman.

[Flagal]

Ya know what, I'm sick of your f****n stupid posts.
I would love to run onto you in a dark alley.


I know, I know, your gonna flag me like the little tattle tale you are.

[gotalife]

No you don't .

[CocteausTwin]

I am such the pacifist. I do not go for walks because I do not like stepping on insects. if I ran into any of the trol)s, I doubt that I would have much self restraint. These people sicken me, that is what they want. i look at them as agents of evil.

[Kahni]

No prob pal. I did it for him. B'sides, it's kinda like built into yer handle, y'know.

[biglover]

Wow you are brave hiding behind a keyboard and a monitor.

[ObamAtomic]

lala,well,the KIng is free of charge,not impeachment proceeding,
re-collection of constitutional crimes,still McBobo is dull, to be a commandeer !

[CocteausTwin]

If anyone believed the government in the last decade the really have gullibility issues. And yes that includes your Grand One

[lornejl]

I'm with the old fella on this one, he needs more coverage, way more coverage. The cheese aisle and the little German Sausage House multiplied by 1000.

[eden4barack08]

He needs to be careful what he wishes for. More coverage for McC is sure suicide.

[nonconformist2]

McFumbles just released his schedule:

Monday: Benita's House of Hair
Tuesday: Greyhound Bus Terminal Snack Bar
Wednesday: Aunt Cluddie's Bake Off
Thursday through Sunday: Recover from grueling schedule and buy some more Tums

[Rumplestiltskin]

Gosh, he goes to places where American VOTERS are? Imagine that. I won't vote for him, but it seems he is hanging out with real voters as opposed to a bunch of German Greens that only like O because he denigrates America on occasion.

[CocteausTwin]

LOL, if I had not already laughed so much it would have been lmao.

[talkingclock]

Sorry but this old fella, leaves a lot to be desired as a candidate.

[1happyhefer]

Now I know where I've seen that phone! Breaker 1 9 this is old man smell, I've got a smokey on my colon, over!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

[TLV]

Trouble is, when he does get a word in edgewise, he uses the wrong one. Chech please!

[TLV]

OOPS! Czech please!

[RaraAvis17]

Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?

[nonconformist2]

Eh? What's that? G-d d.-mn hearing aid! CINDY! Where's the batteries to my g-d d-mn hearing aid?!

[macbabe]

shhh... he's talking to Bin Laden LOL

[firewmn]

he doesn't have Verizon - he has Horizon.. McBush..

[findingthetruth]

Do you think McCain's calling Katie Couric to inform her that it's OKAY to report this? ----

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/mccain-a-pretty-good-timetable/

[AxelDC]

Is that his cellphone? It's so 1980s!

[SWEETPB307]

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE FOR THE GOP HISTORY BOOKS...
Businessman Joel Haugen won more than 70 percent of the vote in a contested Republican primary to carry the party's banner in this fall's race to represent Oregon's 1st congressional district.

But Haugen's name may not appear on the fall ballot as a Republican.

That's because many of his fellow partisans are upset with the fact that Haugen is an outspoken supporter of Democrat Barack Obama's campaign for the presidency.

Obama, says Haugen, is right on the issues and far more likely than Republican John McCain to unite the country.

And he's been saying it for some time.

...
Since his nomination, however, the progressive Republican who identifies with Republicans like former President Teddy Roosevelt and old-school Oregon Republican leaders such as former Governor Tom McCall and former Senator Mark Hatfield has been attacked and ostracized by members of his own party.

Neal Lockhart, a veteran GOP activist in the district, recently informed Haugen that, "As a lifelong member of the Republican Party, I am stunned that you would actually think ... anybody that is a true Republican would even think of helping you."

"You are not a real Republican, you are a shill," Lockhart told Haugen. "You are exactly what I have warned everyone about. Please do us a favor, quit the party."

Haugen may do that.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/339250

[realpointz]

Good lord !!where did he get that brick phone from
the charger is the size of a family suitcase
1985 connection
who could he be calling on that thing,can somebody enlighting me

[Amalek]

GET OFF MY LAWN KID

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

"Help I've fallen, and I can't get up."