Obama Back On Home Soil After Foreign Tour

Democratic Candidate Lands In Chicago; Deflected Criticism Of His Trip Earlier In The Day

(CBS/AP)  U.S. Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama landed in Chicago Saturday night, back on U.S. soil after spending more than a week touring war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan and visiting European allies, CBS News reports.

On the last leg of his trip in London, Obama brushed aside Republican criticism of his overseas trip and stood outside the famed 10 Downing St. to say that both President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain were moving his way on the key issues of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hours before flying home Saturday, Obama also suggested his poll numbers might dip in the coming days, adding: "We have been out of the country for a week. People are worried about gas prices and home foreclosures."

At the same time, he said the journey to two war zones, the Mideast and Europe was important because "many of the issues that we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad."

On The Early Show, Republican strategist Kevin Madden said the risk for Obama on his overseas trip was that some American voters might believe the presumptive Democratic nominee was "more interested in Berlin, Germany instead of Berlin, New Hampshire.

"That's the big risk here. Does he look more interested in appealing to Europeans than the Americans facing everything from rising gas prices and unemployment?"

In Arizona on Saturday, McCain took a swipe at the headline-making trip in a radio address on Iraq and energy that his campaign made available to the media: "With all the breathless coverage from abroad, and with Sen. Obama now addressing his speeches to the people of the world, I'm starting to feel a little left out. Maybe you are, too."

But Obama sought to turn that back on his critics. He said McCain had earlier been "telling me I was supposed to take this trip. He suggested it and thought it was a good idea."

"John McCain has visited every one of these countries post-primary that I have," he said. "So it doesn't strike me that we have done anything different than the McCain campaign has done, which is to recognize that part of the job of the next president, commander in chief is to forge effective relationships with our allies."

The trip was designed by the campaign to show Obama on an international stage in a way that aides hoped would reassure voters who have doubts about his ability to become commander in chief or chart a course for American foreign policy. Jews at home were an audience of particular concern, reflected in his two-night stay in Jerusalem.

Mike Crowley, Senior Editor of the "The New Republic," said the images of Obama over the past week will only benefit him. "Barack Obama was a state senator five years ago," he said on The Early Show. "If people think he looks too presidential, he'll take that good news for him.

"He's going to come back, when this trip's over, hammering the kitchen table issues: gas prices, price of food. He's going to let people know he cares about that, [but he] had to get this done, show people 'I can do the world stage and do it well,' and I think he succeeded."

McCain has long opposed Obama's call for a 16-month timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq. On Friday, though, McCain said, "I think it's a pretty good timetable, as we should - or horizons for withdrawal," echoing a phrase Bush used in recent days. "But they have to be based on conditions on the ground."

At his news conference, Obama jumped on that to say there was now some convergence "around a proposal that we have been making for a year and a half."

He also said McCain supports sending additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, "and the Bush administration acknowledges that as well. I have been talking about that since last year," he said.

The senator also said he had canceled a planned trip to visit wounded members of the armed forced in Germany after officials told him a retired two-star general who is an adviser was considered campaign staff and "it would therefore be perceived as political because he had endorsed my candidacy but wasn't on the Senate staff."

He said that as a result, he scrapped the trip to avoid injecting wounded troops into a political controversy.

Obama's final day in Europe included meetings with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the official residence at 10 Downing St. and with Conservative Party Leader David Cameron in the opposition party's offices in Parliament. Brown's government is unpopular, and his party recently lost a local election that underscored its weakness.

Still, Obama said he had no advice for Brown. "You are always more popular before you are actually in charge of things. And then, you know, once you are responsible then you are going to make some people unhappy, and that is just the nature of politics," he said.

He also breakfasted with former Prime Minister Tony Blair, now a Middle East envoy.

[lewis3k]

Obama, no need to worry. McSame did not ACCOMPLISH a thing while you were away and you did us PROUD overseas. Have a safe return and as always, we love you

[shazam112]

Good for obama keep rock''in and run away from AIPC they are not going to vote for you get it...

[kenhussein]

McSame is getting more grumpier and confused.

[jmurrieta1]

John McCain and George Bush have something in common--neither has ever really accomplished anything or worked for what they have.

Bush got it from rich powerful senator/president daddy.

McCain got it from rich powerful admiral daddy and rich powerful wife who finances his runs for office.

Just a couple of silver spoon kids who have no idea what America is.

Barack Obama is a man who rose from humble beginnings, who has promise of greatness.

It just shows the depth of the fear of the rich white man elite that thinks it owns and operates the USA the way they trot out these ridiculous criticisms.

Get used to it Bush and McCain--your rich powerful daddys just don''t run everything anymore.

[formrusmcsgt]

"That''s the big risk here. Does he look more interested in appealing to Europeans than the Americans facing everything from rising gas prices and unemployment?"
---

That''s not the risk here, that''s the spin here.

How assenine to condemn a man as apathetic to domestic issues because he hold a week of meetings with foreign leaders.

Did this same moron accuse Bush of being apathetic about domestic issues when he went to the G-8 meeting?

Of course not.

What a load....

[horse3farm]

This is a letter from my friends husband who is in Afghanistan:

As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to "The War Zone". I wanted to share with you what happened. He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General who is the commander here at Bagram. As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and didn''t say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service. So really he was just here to make a showing for the American''s back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you. I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States....continued

[sandycat2]

Copycat5, Obama went to church for 20 years where the pastor God Damned America (that''s the country he now wants to be President of)and lied about us creating aids and giving it to blacks to kill them and he ranted on about the hateful rich white people. I don''t know what church you go to, but that doesn''t sound very Christian to me. And Obama has told so many lies I can''t keep count of all of them.

[horse3farm]

continued....I just don''t understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country.

If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to know what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in the news is all fake.
CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
Battle Captain
TF Wasatch

[condumbism]

Since McCain is a Bush clone, he has nothing to run on except smear. As a matter of fact, all Republicons run on attacking their opponents because they have nothing to offer the huge majority of Americans. This can as well be seen by the Repibgs that post on these boards, many of whom could be described as Americas white trash.

Obama has done it again; he appeals to 20,000 Germans, but at homehis numbers continue to drop as more and more constituents abandon his hollow, contentless speeches. Hed has nothing to say. He has no background experience, he is really good at gaffs (you government educated people may have to look up the definition of gaff), he changes direction like A/C current and he demonstrates a remakable lack of knowldege of history. With only 143 days in the senate, I fail to see what experience he has that qualifies him to be president. Even Jimmy Carter served in the military,(where he was brain damaged by an overdose of radiation),where he garnered some experience in dealing with people. At least he was not so arrogant that he wouldn''t carry his own bags in to the White House. It is unfortunate that oldtimers disease has attacked his reasoning faculties.
Obama is more like Kerry, arrogant and vacuous.

[obamanation-2009]

How everyone like my picture above?
I just spent a night in jail speaking about my connections with Osama bin Laden and Mohammed Atta?
Its the Wright way to have Damnation by abomination? Sorry I meant Obamanation!

he''''ll O Bomb A Nation!

The Jewish people knew once of a man who wanted to change them!

All of Germany bows to its new friend whos name is Obama Hussein!

Hope without truth is not hope!

Barack wants you to now pay for aborted babies executions, 5000 a day, out of your tax dollars? Will this sit good with the Christians, Jewish etc.

[flreason]

horse3farm:

How do we know that you are actually a reporting info from a person who was there and could make a factual report? Neocons have no problem with using half-truths and lies to further their agenda. Since the press coverage presents another picture, I would like something to corroborate your story.

[obamanation-2009]

I was in the trade tower on 911 when it got hit? The fires were racing towards me and my fiance when my cell phone rang? It was Obama and one of his church members on the other end damning us as Americans? As me and my fiance jumped out of the window holding hands I could still hear the 20 years of hate coming out of this man called Obama Hussein! O yes he will change America! You can bet your vote on it!

[eddynewhope]

Posted by horse3farm at 10:03 PM

Hahahaha - Same guy that attacks Obama in his blogs? Swiftboat 2.0. Good luck with that. Shall we start pasting emails from everyone for and against both candidates? Why don''t you ask CPT Jeffrey S. Porter if he''d like to spend 100 years in Iraq or give up Afghaniston - both positions that McCain supports.

[condumbism]

Serving in the military does not make a person qualified to be president of the USA. As a matter of fact, every ex-military person I have ever worked with contributed well below the rest of the crew. John McCain certainly does not have the qualities to be comnmander in chief. He is the biggest phony and liar to run for president in my lifetime.

[eddynewhope]

"CPT Jeffrey S. Porter is a fake person, or has a lot of time on his warrior hands.

His message, "Hello Everyone" defaming Obama is posted all over Craigslist, not just the one you read here in San Diego.

Not a political person? Right.

Go dig a hole porter."

Posted on Craigslist.

horse3farm - That would make you a fraud, or an accomplice to a fraud.

[obamanation-2009]

Yes I will bring change to you all? I will make us in debt, to begin with 845 billion dollars, to china? Yes we can borrow now and owe latter? I have a lot of experience to help with the economy? But the only thing is I was not a good leader for my own state? Thats OK because I bring change the Americans will allow me a learning curve of about 20 years or more until I know when to get out of the kitchen. I Obama Hussein Barrack declare these things to you!

[cdfoxtrot1]

McBush complained Obama didn''t go to "Eye-Rack" and Europe. Now Obama has, he''s whining about that, too. Quit yer whining, McBush. And don''t be so jealous that Obama gets more coverage than you. *** it, he''s more interesting than watching some geriatric strutting around pretending he could actually be president.

[obamanation-2009]

Ye s vote for me I am Obama Hussein and I will change you! Yes I will change you! I say again I Obama Hussein will change you America. I will do anything admit nothing to get into the chair of president! Funny thing is I will not feel anything for you suckers!

[cdfoxtrot1]

I can''t believe the word d_arn is a "bad" word, to the CBS crazies who censor this site.

[horse3farm]

To: EddyNewHope & flreason:

This is the husband of a friend of mine and I saw his email to her. You think what you want. Are you so entrenched in your support for Obama, that you cannot pause to consider something questionable about him?

[eddynewhope]

Hey horse3farm you fuggin fraud azzface. Read this you Swiftboating treasonous ***:

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/07/Military_blog.Obama_072508w/

You would use a forged email from a real soldier to smear the candidate you don''t like? Scum of the Earth you are. You not only insult and intelligent democracy, but you insult the soldier who''s name you used to smear Obama. May you rot - or even worse - find yourself in that soldiers shoes not only fighting for his life in Afghanistan, but now fighting to repair his reputation which has been sullied by the treasonous likes of you. Worthless piece of sh-t.

[lewis3k]

Glad your home Barack!

[jellyinmich]

Obama has done it again; he appeals to 20,000 Germans, but at homehis numbers continue to drop as more and more constituents abandon his hollow, contentless speeches. Hed has nothing to say. He has no background experience, he is really good at gaffs (you government educated people may have to look up the definition of gaff), he changes direction like A/C current and he demonstrates a remakable lack of knowldege of history. With only 143 days in the senate, I fail to see what experience he has that qualifies him to be president. Even Jimmy Carter served in the military,(where he was brain damaged by an overdose of radiation),where he garnered some experience in dealing with people. At least he was not so arrogant that he wouldn''''t carry his own bags in to the White House. It is unfortunate that oldtimers disease has attacked his reasoning faculties.
Obama is more like Kerry, arrogant and vacuous.
---------------------Posted by socon2

Actually, it was 200,000.

Also, I am glad to hear that he is good with gaffs - so much was made of the fact that he wasn''t a particularly good bowler that it is reassuring to hear that there IS a physical activity that he excels in.

[obamanation-2009]

How everyone like my picture above?
I just spent a night in jail speaking about my connections with Osama bin Laden and Mohammed Atta?
Its the Wright way to have Damnation by abomination? Sorry I meant Obamanation!

he''''''''ll O Bomb A Nation!

The Jewish people knew once of a man who wanted to change them!

All of Germany bows to its new friend whos name is Obama Hussein!

Hope without truth is not hope!

Barack wants you to now pay for aborted babies executions, 5000 a day, out of your tax dollars? Will this sit good with the Christians, Jewish etc.

[eddynewhope]

This is the husband of a friend of mine and I saw his email to her. You think what you want. Are you so entrenched in your support for Obama, that you cannot pause to consider something questionable about him?

Posted by horse3farm at 10:22 PM

You are a bona fide liar. That link is the Army Times. You are a fraud. A low life piece of sh-t who has required this soldier to now spend his time clearing his name after being used and dragged through the mud by you - lowlife.

[miles1967-2009]

And the "surge" only appears to be working because we are giving money and arms to the Sunnis, who until recently were placing IEDS and shooting at U.S. soldiers. Arming your enemies and paying them a salary never works unless you plan on doing those for 100+ years like McCain wants to. Once we stop giving the Sunnis money, they will go right back to being insurgents against us, the Shias and anyone else. Wake up people, the Iraq fair is a colossal blunder that had no military relevancy and has only fanned the flames of the already existing civil war. We should never have been involved.McCain divorced his first wife on her proverbial sickbed (a la the GOP''s Hypocrite in Chief, the despicable Newt Gingrich). What kind of supposed war hero divorces the woman who waited for him to return from the war, and concealed her own life-threatening car crash injuries for his benefit? McCain married his current millionaire heiress beer-distributor wife, 17 years his junior, one month after dumping Carol Shepp McCain, who, as Sen. McCain so gallantly put it, "was on crutches and had gained quite a bit of weight."
http://www.usvetdsp.com/mcaindiv.htm I don''t know how any person could vote for this befuddled fearmongering fool and still look in the mirror every morning.

[lawresn]

Haven''t the policies of the Bush administration gotten enough press the past 8 years? Stop your *** whining and have something new to say and maybe the media and majority of the American people will be interested. Face it Kool-Aid drinkers, Obama will be your next prez.

[obamanation-2009]

News flash?
I Obama Hussein kept my wife and children hostage all these years under the message of hate from my church? Talk about terrorism!

[johnbush2-2009]

Obama''s poll numbes will drop because he has been wrong on everything especially the success of the surge in Iraq. Obama is a novice. He should come back in eight years time.

[obamanation-2009]

News flash?
I Obama Hussein kept my wife and children hostage all these years under the message of hate from my church? Talk about terrorism!
Imagine keeping someone in prison for 20 years? Oh I guess it might of reformed them?

[obamanation-2009]

News flash?
I Obama Hussein kept my wife and children hostage all these years under the message of hate from my church? Talk about terrorism!
Imagine keeping someone in prison for 20 years? Oh I guess it might of reformed them?

McCain would never do that? In fact he proved he would never do that! McCain will win because of Obamas spidery grin!

[samthetvcat]

---"to say that both President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain were moving his way on the key issues of Iraq and Afghanistan"---

HIS way, more like the polls'' way which he takes his cues from . . . what a vainglorious buffoon. Hillarious that he couldn''t help talking about his poll numbers. omg, I don''t know if I can vote for this creep . . .

[dumbocrat]

%u201CFortunately, Senator Obama failed, not our military. We rejected the audacity of hopelessness, and we were right,%u201D McCain

[eddynewhope]

"Hope without truth is not hope!"

Posted by Obamanation at 10:30 PM

Government without truth or hope is Republican. You Rove types may have played that fear and smear card in 04 but it''s not going to work this time. Back them, it scared people, but now this garbage like horse3farms fraud email and your B S references to 9/11 just make people laugh and roll their eyes. Good luck in November. ;)

[obamanation-2009]

Our American soldiers are dying because of the philosophy Obama entertained with his wife and children for 20 years in the hate church, keeping his family in bondage to the hate messages!
The evil word spoken from this church has been in Obamas children in Obamas wife and in Obama himself for 20 years!

[obamanation-2009]

Its the Wright way to have Damnation by abomination? Sorry I meant Obamanation!

he''''ll O Bomb A Nation!

The Jewish people knew once of a man who wanted to change them!

All of Germany bows to its new friend whos name is Obama Hussein! They were wrong once and paid for it!

Hope without truth is not hope!

[eddynewhope]

Idiot neo-con wanna-bes. Blah, blah, blah, "Hussein", blah blah, 9/11, blah, blah, "Islamofascist", blah blah... Is that all you sorry jagoffs have? I guess so with a candidate who gets spooked by apple sauce at the food mart, thinks Iraq and Pakistan share a border, that Iran is supporting Al Qaida, etc. etc. Nighty night. McCain had some warm milk so now it''s nappy time for the geriatric flip-flopping Senator. Shshshshshshshsh....

[eddynewhope]

Our American soldiers are dying because of the philosophy Obama entertained with his wife and children for 20 years in the hate church, keeping his family in bondage to the hate messages!
The evil word spoken from this church has been in Obamas children in Obamas wife and in Obama himself for 20 years!

Posted by Obamanation at 10:42 PM

Our soldiers are dying because of a mistaken war in Iraq and a failed strategy in Afghanistan thanks to Bush and McCain. No worries - that''ll all change come November.

[dumbocrat]

%u201CHe would rather choose to lose in Iraq in hopes of winning in Afghanistan. But had his position been adopted, we would have lost both wars.%u201D

[radiob-2009]

Any one old enough to remember the 60ties the early 70ties, 50ties when American shined, when we respected when we had good jobs in the US products were made here instead of slave labor markets with mandatory abortions, child labour, pollution etc? The decline of America began in 75 with Ford and a democratic congress (yes both partys) and they started there "free trade agreements" with no TEETH in them, along came the 80ties and the trickle down economics of Reagan and a democratic congress only to be followed by Clinton with both partys controlling congress during his tenure, then came Bush Jr. only to hand out more of the same policies that have slowly destroyed our nation over the last 33 years. Now we have 436 lapdogs in power who do not know what is like to be middle class or even care, send them all overseas along with both candidates for the presidency with no return tickets.

[miles1967-2009]

Obamation (or whatever your stupid/unclever name is),

I was in NYC that day, 6 blocks from WTC. Because of your comments about 9/11, you disrespect all of the victims, heroes and families affected on that horrible day. You deserve to rot in h*ell. You are neither funny not relevant. Please go and crawl back under your rock or die...

[lawresn]

Obamanation

ok you posted the same garbage enough with a few word changes here and there. Your not going to convince anyone with this kind of ***. Like EddyNewHope says, that kind of absurd sensationalism wont work anymore.

[radiob-2009]

Keep voting your political religions and nothing will ever change.

[andor3]

"O yes he will change America! You can bet your vote on it! "

Obama is not calling for America to change. America is calling for change and sees Obama as the leader to get us there. Remember Senator Obama was reluctant to run but was carried into the race by overwhelming support and donations and enthusiasm.

[dumbocrat]

%u201CSenator Obama said this week that even knowing what he knows today that he still, still would have opposed the surge. In retrospect, given the opportunity to choose between failure and success, he chose failure. I cannot conceive of a Commander in Chief making that choice,%u201D McCain said.

%u201CFortunately, Senator Obama failed, not our military. We rejected the audacity of hopelessness, and we were right,%u201D McCain continued, %u201CViolence in Iraq fell to such low levels for such a long time that Senator Obama, detecting the success he never believed possible, falsely claimed that he had always predicted it.%u201D

[dumbocrat]

Police Prepare for Thousands of Protesters at Denver Convention

Police deny rumors they will be using any high-tech sonic wave weapons that cause people to lose control of their bowels, or that use %u201Cslime%u201D or %u201Cgoo%u201D to immobilize protesters.

[johnbush2-2009]

Obama canceled a trip to visit wounded soldiers so that he could have time to go to the gym. This is absolutely the most disgusting behavior I have seen yet from this fraud.

[emelder]

Obama had a very positive trip. McCann asked him to go ... Barack obliged, and he showed that he has the confidence and poise to get us out of the mess created by Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield, and Wolfawitz. Keep it up, Barack ... overcome the negativity, the racists, and the small thinkers ... with leadership and ideas for positive change. We''re with you. Go Obama!

[eddynewhope]

http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/print_did_obama_snub_us_troops_in_afghanistan.html

Where''s horse3farm now? Come on buddy. Check out the link? You still claim that your buddy in Afghanistan sent out that email to you you fraud? I bet your soldier friend CPT Porter would probably not want you posting that anymore. LOL