All Blog Posts from From The Road

From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

(FAIRFAX, Va.) John McCain told a massive crowd of about 23,000 people that while Barack Obama is “wrong on national security,” Sarah Palin “is right on national security, and she’s been right.”

“She understands these issues,” McCain said. I am proud of her.”

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From CBS News' John Bentley:

(SEDONA, ARIZ.) – Timetables for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq was once a main focus of debate among the presidential contenders, until the vice presidential selections became the all-consuming issue of the past few days. To listen to both campaigns, you’d hardly know that a seminal moment has been reached in the Iraq war, as the U.S. is hammering out an agreement for American troops to start coming home.

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by Michelle Levi and Steve Chaggaris

OBAMA is in Amman, Jordan today where he will meet with King Abdullah this evening. Prior to his meeting, he will hold a press conference with Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., with whom he toured Iraq and Afghanistan the past few days.

McCAIN is in Rochester, N.H. today where he’ll meet with the publisher of the Manchester Union Leader in Rochester, N.H. before holding a town hall meeting at noon. Later this evening McCain heads to Baltimore for a fund-raiser.

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By Michelle Levi and Steve Chaggaris

OBAMA is in Iraq today as part of his foreign CODEL trip today where he's expected to meet with U.S. commander Gen. David Petraeus and Iraqi P.M. Nouri al-Maliki. He will also greet civilian staff working in Iraq and constituent service members.

McCAIN has a closed meeting with former President George H. W. Bush today in Kennebunkport, Maine beginning at 11:00am ET. Later today, McCain will attend a picnic in South Portland, Maine.


McCain sat down for interviews with all three network morning shows today.

On CBS's "The Early Show", McCain argued that Obama said the surge did not work and it has been successful and that Obama will find that out. If elected president, McCain noted that he will focus on national defense and the economy.

On ABC’s “Good Morning America”, McCain said Obama had “fundamental misjudgment on the surge” and that the increased media coverage of Obama’s trip “is what it is” noting that voters can decide if the coverage was fair.

On NBC’s “Today Show” McCain said his opponent ““badly misjudged the situation and he was wrong” and reiterated his claim that the U.S. would have left Iraq in March had Obama been president. He added about Maliki's support for a 16-month timetable, "of course they'd like to have us out. That's what happens when you win wars, you leave." He also repeated his criticism of Obama’s not holding meetings on Afghanistan while chairman of a Senate subcommittee.

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From CBS News' John Bentley:

(GRAND HAVEN, MICH.) For months, John McCain has said “we’re succeeding in Iraq.” Today, though, there was a slight change in tone – instead of “succeeding,” the term used was “succeeded.”

“We have succeeded,” McCain said. “And if we continue this strategy, we will win the war. We have succeeded. This strategy of the surge and everything that goes with it has succeeded. And those are the facts on the ground.”

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From CBS News' John Bentley

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) John McCain will go after Barack Obama this morning at a town hall here on his plans to talk about his policy for Iraq and Afghanistan before his scheduled visit to the region.

“He is speaking today about his plans for Iraq and Afghanistan before he has even left, before he has talked to General Petraeus, before he has seen the progress in Iraq, and before he has set foot in Afghanistan for the first time,” McCain will say, according to excerpts released by the campaign.

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From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(WASHINGTON) Barack Obama will travel to Iraq and Afghanistan before the Democratic convention in August, Democratic sources tell CBS News. Earlier today, Obama spoke to Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, and told Talabani he will be visiting the war zone soon.

The Obama campaign issued the following statement after the telephone conversation: “I was pleased to speak with President Talabani during his stay here in the United States. We discussed the security situation in Iraq, and the political accommodation that is necessary for long-term stability. We also discussed the ongoing negotiations with the Bush Administration over a Status of Forces Agreement and the Strategic Framework Agreement, which I believe must be subject to congressional approval, and done in the context of planning for a responsible removal of American troops. It is not in America’s interest or Iraq’s interest for there to be an open-ended commitment to keep U.S. troops in Iraq.”

Obama came under fire by John McCain earlier this month for not visiting Iraq since 2006, and proposed that they visit the country together. Obama declined the offer but expressed interest in visiting the war zone on his own.

Obama met with Talabani during his last trip to Iraq in 2006.

From CBS News' Michelle Levi:

Washington, DC -- In a joint effort, labor union AFSCME and political action committee MoveOn.org have launched a new ad campaign accusing McCain of "counting on" a new generation of Americans to serve in Iraq by suggesting the possibility of an young child's future deployment.

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From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(FLINT, Mich.) Barack Obama told Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on the telephone this morning that he would end the U.S. occupation in Iraq and promised to visit the country before the general election in November.

“I told him that I look forward to seeing him in Baghdad,” Obama said to reporters.

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From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

TAMPA, FLA. -- On the morning of the critical Florida primary, Mitt Romney applauded President Bush’s remarks on Iraq during last night’s State of the Union address.

“I thought it was very impressive,” Romney said to a crowd of about 150 at a rally in Tampa. “This is a person who’s no longer looking for a political career. He’s only thinking about what’s right for the country — what’s right for America.”

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