Is the Obama campaign letting his trip be defined by his nonvisit to wounded troops?

[Onlooker]

Why isn't the Obama campaign handling this more aggressively? The right wing has gotten it into the MSM, they are running commercials, they are posting it on blogs. Suddenly, Obama's highly successful trip to Europe, Iraq, and Afghanistan is being overshadowed by at worst a minor mistake (and more than likely not a mistake at all). The Obama campaign cannot let the Republicans control the message this way. They need to respond more forcefully than they had. For instance, I'm sure McCain has visited cities in the U.S. and abroad with military hospitals, and I would bet he has not made it a point to visit wounded soldiers at each stop. Perhaps the Obama campaign should ask why.

[Arkana]

1. That's funny, I was under the impression his trip was by and large

defined by that absurdly-sized crowd you saw in Berlin.

Just because Gramps is getting his panties in a wad over this does not make it the "defining" moment.

[polichick]

2. Maybe they're letting them hang themselves - it's such a desperate ploy.

[TwilightGardener]

3. He was set up. This trip was quietly in the works three weeks ago--

no one even knew about it, really. Suddenly, it blows up, and the Pentagon is implying that Obama couldn't bring CAMERAS or PRESS, as if that's why he canceled. The RNC put out notice to the press as soon (like, within the hour) as Obama's campaign canceled on Thursday--it was...almost like they knew he would cancel it after the Pentagon discouraged him, isn't it? And they made sure to say he went to the gym on Thursday, as if that had some sort of connection to a trip on Friday. There was some hijinks here, and this should be investigated, and everyone Obama has ever known in the military and DoD better start defending him.

[TomInTib]

4. The problem for the GOP is that's all they have left in the tank.

Grasping at straw.

[JackORoses]

5. concerning, ain't it?

[gblady]

6. I think....

it's simply the drama d'jour...blowing in the wind...like all their crap!
It will pass...it always does...
the real essence of the trip is well documented for those who want to understand the truth of it.

[blogslut]

7. Overshadowed?

Do tell.

[Onlooker]

9. For example

Currently the headline on ABCnews.com is

Top Story: Sen. John McCain McCain Rips Obama's Troop Excuse, Notes That He Was Not Deterred

and there's no other mention of Obama's travels.

Also, at this time 1,000 entries in a google news search:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=obama%20wounded%20germany&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn

[blogslut]

10. Golly, what will we ever do?

:eyes:

[BlooInBloo]

8. Your concern is noted.

[melody]

11. Excuse me? I haven't even heard it mentioned on LA media

The crowds of admirers all blot it out. It's easily explained -- only a biased idiot would remember it
beyond a mention.

[Political Heretic]

12. um... no.

[grillo7]

13. This can turn into a huge issue if we don't act

Make no mistake, this kind of story will stick around and resonate with those so called low-info voters. We can't afford to let this go as weakly countered as it has been so far. We need a strong rebuttal mentioning Obama's quiet visits to injured troops in Iraq, McCain's politicizing of the troops (which Obama was trying to avoid), and heavy coverage of the original memo from the pentagon. If we let this one go--and it's getting a lot of airplay right now--it's going to be big, in a bad way.

[Barack_America]

14. No. nt

[Sparkly]

15. I hope they counter this VERY forcefully, and quickly.

No more of the classic, "Oh but it's all BS." YES it's all BS -- so counter it, and not all on the defensive, either. ATTACK BACK!!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

16. The ugly truth about the perception/mis perception - it is real, Dems risk an ugly loss in 08

I hate to say that. but as we get closer to the election I am hearing things I don't like -

My siblings (2 GOP 1 DEM) believe the story put out by the media that Obama didn't see the troops purely because it couldn't be a photo op. (Each has a minimum of one masters degree and yes they have internet access).

Secondly, they complained that it was inappropriate for him to be doing the big Europe tour, said he was being presumptious.

I have a close friend whose family (mother, brother sister, their families) plan to not vote for president at all. (this is in rural NC). They are bitter Clinton supporters. They also said they didn't care if/that Hillary was urging her supporters to vote for Obama.

One sibling from up north confirmed that there is a group in NY organized called Jews for McCain that are former or perhaps current Dems.

These people are basing their vote on their perception that Obama "likes himself too much". quote unquote. He's too inexperienced, etc.

Do I agree with all of this? No. But it is the ugly truth.

[Karen O]

17. This was his first mistake,

He hasn't made many, if any at all.

But, not visiting the troops in Germany, was a mistake.

He needs to acknowledge it, and then he can perhaps move past it.

[Gabi Hayes]

19. Karen.....you're either a very uninformed person, or.....

wonder which? hope you find your bearings

DU search, and time, will tell

I'm thinking......

here's a start:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/afghanistan.asp

you do know what the word sandbagging means, in a political contest, yes?

welcome to DU.

wonder if we'll see you for much longer

[Gabi Hayes]

18. funny you should mention that. I heard the news an hour ago on WGN radio....a real blowtorch in

Chicago, and of two stories, one of them was about that ADVERTISEMENT!!!!!

I called the station to bitch, and was put on hold, then hung up on after waiting fifteen minutes or so.

I started a thread on it and got zero response

you stated it better than I did, but I mentioned that this is the beginning of the Swiftboating, and if Obama doesn't start calling McCain the venal liar he is, he's going to be so far behind, he won't know what hit him, JUST like Kerry

JUST like Dukakis, who lost nineteen points in three weeks, during August of 1988. That was because of the tank shot, but mostly because of the Willie Horton ad.

hope I'm wrong, but this is the way Swiftboat started, except this ad is getting MUCH wider play: it was on SNL tonight, and lord knows where else, and it's ALREADY on the news. will they be discussing it tomorrow and the next day and the next and the next?

time will tell, and it might tell the tale of this election

again, I hope I'm wrong