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McCain camp reacts to Maliki’s call for withdrawal: Voters don’t care what Iraqi leaders say.
Think Progress — ... .” A “prominent Republican strategist” who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said more candidly, “We’re fucked.” Recall, this is what ...

Maliki's Game-Changer
Matthew Yglesias — Marc Ambinder has the best analysis of the devastating impact of Nouri al-Maliki's statements to McCain's arguments about Iraq: This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing. Obviously, our national interests aren't equivalent to ...

Major WH Blunder: Emails al-Maliki Story to Reporters
Daily Kos — ... to domestic political pressures and be hasty in leaving Iraq just as the country improves." It would be a transformative moment in this election. John McCain would talk of nothing else. The cable shows would talk of nothing else. Magazines would run thousands of covers about "Obama's Iraq Problem." Obama would probably lose the race. Indeed. Update: I just had to relay this post on what the al-Maliki statement means for McCain (per Ambinder): Via e-mail, a prominent Republican ...

Sapping Operation
BlondeSense — ... icebergs and roofs about to cave in, is the Bush Administration's policy on Iraq. That policy has, according to some, has actually been edging closer toward Obama's position in recent days, what with the semantically awkward but brilliantly obfuscatory "general time horizon" (couldn't they find a better way to say "timetable?") and the pressing need to send more troops to Afghanistan. Where does this leave Senator McCain's foreign policy stance? According to one GOP strategist, " We're fucked ." Res ipsa loquitur.

McCain's Iraq Bind
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan — By Patrick Appel Marc's take on Maliki endorsing Obama's withdrawal timetable: This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing...Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the ...

Quote Of The Day: On Obama, Al-Maliki And McCain
The Moderate Voice — The Quote of the Day from Marc Ambinder: This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq’s Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there’s no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what’s left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing. Obviously, our national interests aren’t equivalent to Iraq’s, but… Maliki isn’t listening to the generals on the ...

McCain Strategist: "We're Fucked"
Hoffmania! — ... Oh, baby. Ambinder's back in my good guy list for finding this one. This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? To argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing. Obviously, our national interests aren't equivalent to Iraq's, but... Malik isn't listening to the generals on the ground...but the ...

"We're fucked."
INSTAPUTZ — Republican strategists are very uncivil.

Iraqi Prime Minister Backs Obama’s Troop Exit Plan?
The Democratic Daily — ... on the interview and the subsequent statements. Needless to say, “Al-Maliki’s Announcement” was a “A Big Deal” earlier…. That is until the other shoe dropped. Memeorandum has ...

Maliki’s Comments: Exceeding the Spin Limit
The Moderate Voice — ... .) No matter how we slice, dice, spin or puree this, I have to agree with a few other observers that it isn’t just a big deal, it’s ...

Maliki’s game-changer; GOP says, ‘We’re f**ked’
Political Animal — ... Or, as a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign told the Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder, “We’re fucked.” ...

Iraq Leader Praises Obama's Iraq Withdrawal Plan
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire — ... Marc Ambinder: "This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing." ...

Open Thread
NewsBusters.org - Exposing Liberal Media Bias — ... For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: How big a deal is Maliki's statement about American troop withdrawal, and ...

McBush Forces al-Maliki To Back Away From His Endorsement Of The Obama Solution?
DownWithTyranny! — ... The first response from the McCain camp was uncharacteristically realistic: "We're fucked." But then the lobbyist brigade that makes up the McCain brain trust jumped into the fray. One of the worst and ...

An Open Can Of Worms
Newshoggers.com — ... Eastern, a little late for Sunday papers; his staff also seems, Der Spiegel reports, not to have contested Iraqi reporting of the quote, even in the "government-affiliated" Iraqi press. The notion this was a misquote also bumps up against Der Spiegel's standing by its reporting, and providing a long, detailed transcript. And the real reaction of McCain's campaign to Maliki's statements? Marc Ambinder: to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi ...

An Open Can Of Worms
At-Largely — ... Eastern, a little late for Sunday papers; his staff also seems, Der Spiegel reports, not to have contested Iraqi reporting of the quote, even in the "government-affiliated" Iraqi press. The notion this was a misquote also bumps up against Der Spiegel's standing by its reporting, and providing a long, detailed transcript. And the real reaction of McCain's campaign to Maliki's statements? Marc Ambinder: to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi ...

Feel It Closing In
The Latest on Air America — ... then what Maliki did, even in the backtrack statement that the spokes--the government spokesperson over there said, he threw in the word "timetable." He's used not just "time is right," but he threw in the word "timetable," which is--the Obama campaign said, you know, that, that--"Thank you for that release." It's not entirely the case that John McCain's presidential candidacy is dead, but it's in Terry Schiavo territory. Everyone's had fun with the anonymous GOP consultant who told Marc Ambinder, "We're fucked." But that's an understatement. They're really, really fucked. ...

Slow Down There, Marc Ambinder
RedState: Conservative News and Community — ... by a statement from the Prime Minister's office making clear that the German magazine Der Spiegel got it all wrong. In their rapture at the thought that their golden boy had conquered Sen. John McCain on the one issue on which he holds a distinct advantage over Sen. Obama, national security; many media outlets, bloggers, commentators, and pundits of the left declared the remarks to be the death of the Republican presidential campaign. The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder said: ...

Moving the ball forward on Maliki’s support for Obama, withdrawal
Political Animal — ... , “Maliki has now handed Obama the trump card of all trump cards with which to parry all of McCain’s attacks.” Or, as a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign told the Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder, “We’re fucked.” ...

German press, Iraqis: Bushies can kiss our ass
WTF Is It Now?!? — ... Bonus: "a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said candidly, 'We’re fucked.'” ...

Republican Operative on Maliki’s statement: “We’re f*&ked”
Crooks and Liars —   I wrote this yesterday, but deleted it by accident. I still love this: (Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said, simply, “We’re f*&ked.”  I figured BushCo would go after Maliki after he basically signed on to Obama’s Iraq position. In an interview with Der Spiegel released on Saturday, Maliki said he wanted U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible. “U.S. presidential ...

Ten Post Round-Up: July 21, 2008
The Democratic Daily — ... , “Maliki has now handed Obama the trump card of all trump cards with which to parry all of McCain’s attacks.” Or, as a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign told the Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder, “We’re fucked.” ...

“Republicans are panicked about [Obama’s] trip”
Crooks and Liars — ... unrealistic, and we hope our American friends will not bow to domestic political pressures and be hasty in leaving Iraq just as the country improves.” It would be a transformative moment in this election. John McCain would talk of nothing else. The cable shows would talk of nothing else. Magazines would run thousands of covers about “Obama’s Iraq Problem.” Obama would probably lose the race. Exactly. And this is what Marc Amibinder has to report: Via e-mail, a prominent Republican ...

"We're fucked"; or, what Maliki's endorsement of Obama's Iraq plan means for McCain
The Reaction — ... Agreeing with Maliki (but not Obama), while arguing that U.S. military success in Iraq means that withdrawal is now desirable, or at least should be discussed seriously; and/or, of course, -- Criticizing McCain (and his campaign); and -- Attacking Obama. Predictable responses, all of them. But what do Republicans really think? Maybe this (from Ambinder): Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally ...

The Old Grunt Packs up the Hose
Whiskey Fire — ... Well, sure. Of course Obama is not merely "getting the headlines" -- if The Iraqis want a withdrawal, and that's the popular sentiment in America also, which it is, then the only rationale for McCain's entire campaign is gone, and he's fucked. So what the hell else is he going to do? ...

“We’re F***ed” — or, What Maliki’s Endorsement of Obama’s Iraq Plan Means for McCain
The Moderate Voice — ... seemingly at the urging of the White House); – Attacking Maliki directly; – Agreeing with Maliki (but not Obama), while arguing that U.S. military success in Iraq means that withdrawal is now desirable, or at least should be discussed seriously; and/or, of course, – Criticizing McCain (and his campaign); and – Attacking Obama. Predictable responses, all of them. But what do Republicans really think? Maybe this (from Ambinder): Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally ...

Cheers and Jeers: Wednesday
Daily Kos — ... 10: Who exercised sound judgment in October, 2002 with this remark: "I don't oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics." a) Trent Lott b) Barack Obama c) Joe Lieberman d) John McCain - Answers: 1. b  2. a  3. c  4. d  5. c  6. a  7. b  8. ...

Paris Peace Talks, 2008
Daily Kos — ... Humphrey was to Lyndon Johnson's. Bush, like Johnson, is more interested in securing his place in history than in helping his heir apparent win the election. McCain has locked himself into a war policy that's quickly becoming untenable as Bush himself abandons it. Similar patterns are emerging with regard to other foreign flash-points, Iran and North Korea, as Bush is drawn toward Barack Obama's positions. It's finally dawning on some of McCain's advisers that they are in deep trouble on Iraq. ...

Obama and McCain Tied?
Open Left - Front Page — ... about elite organizing.  McCain has an effective set of surrogates and his outside groups are functional and accepted into the national conversation, whereas Obama has marginalized his erstwhile allies in the media space.  As a result, very little that comes from outside sticks onto McCain.  As a simple example, McCain had such a horrible week while Obama was abroad and the Iraqi government endorsed Obama's withdrawal strategy that one top Republican strategist said 'We're fucked'.  And yet, McCain is gaining in the polls, and the media narrative just ...