Obama: Coverage of the overseas trip
Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008 9:14 AM by Domenico Montanaro
OBAMA: Coverage of the overseas trip
The London Times: “The controversial issue of troop withdrawal is expected to feature highly in meetings between Mr Obama and a line of senior Iraqi, US and British officials over the next 24 hours. Mr Obama's itinerary was being kept secret but his first stop was in the southern oil-rich city of Basra, where some 4,000 British troops are still based, involved mostly in training Iraqi forces. After a three-hour stopover, he then flew on to Baghdad, where he was due to meet, among others, General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, and Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister.”
VIDEO: Following a bfief stop in Afghanistan, presidential hopeful Barack Obama travels to Iraq to meet with U.S. commanders and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports from Baghdad.
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London Times reporter recalls meeting Obama in 2006 in Baghdad and just how far he’s come. “There were four visiting Congressmen at the US Embassy in Baghdad, but the one standing closest to me also had a friendly smile. ‘So, which one are you?’ I asked. ‘I’m Barack, pleased to meet you,” said Barack Obama, shaking my hand as I cringed in embarrassment at my obvious ignorance. That was January 7, 2006, when the senator first visited Iraq on a fact-finding mission that attracted minimal publicity and zero fanfare. About five other journalists, all American, also showed up. To my surprise, they were excited about the event, particularly the chance to meet this Mr Obama. ‘He’s going to be the next President of the United States,’ predicted one, while the rest nodded in agreement as we were ushered into a meeting room at the Embassy occupied by a long, wooden table surrounded by large, cushioned chairs.”
Per NBC’s Libby Leist and NBC/NJ’s Athena Jones. Obama's staff, advisers, and 38 members of the press boarded his newly outfitted 757 last night. "Change We Can Believe In" is freshly painted across the side of the plane with BarackObama.com in smaller letters just underneath. If that isn't enough, a giant "O" is emblazoned on the navy-colored tail. The Obama staffers and advisers spotted aboard: Axelrod, Gibbs, Linda Douglass, Reggie Love, Wendy Morigi, Jim Steinberg, and Richard Danzig (although that’s not a complete list).
The AP: Obama got his first look at deteriorating conditions in war-torn Afghanistan yesterday on the first day of a highly anticipated weeklong trip to the Middle East and Europe that drew fresh criticism from his Republican rival, John McCain.
Obama met with Hamid Karzai. "Obama pledged steadfast aid to Afghanistan in talks Sunday with its Western-backed leader and vowed to pursue the war on terror "with vigor" if elected, an Afghan official said."
Obama's "campaign already has by far the largest full-time paid staff in presidential campaign history, and unlike Republican rival John McCain's, continues to grow by the day."
The Wall Street Journal looks at Obama finance chair Penny Pritzker’s ties to a failed bank.
