Blog Buzz: Barack Obama's Campaign Responds to Iraq Accusations, John McCain Invented the BlackBerry, Wall Street Crisis Gets Political

Our daily look at stories and topics that are lighting up the Internets:

Conservatives Get Serious About Obama Accusations

Barack Obama's campaign responded to the New York Post column accusing Obama, when he visited Baghdad in July, of trying to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement for a drawdown of American forces. Spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said that Obama told Iraqis they should not rush through a "Strategic Framework Agreement" governing the future of U.S. forces until after President Bush leaves office. Conservative bloggers say the statement is really a confirmation of the allegation, not a denial. They take it as further proof of Obama's lack of national security expertise and say that if the column is true, the implications would be serious and an investigation could be necessary. Liberal bloggers say it's a big "if."

McCain Invented the Black Berry: Who Knew?

Al Gore may have invented the Internet, but John McCain has gotten credit for the BlackBerry. Campaign adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin held up one of the devices this morning and told reporters that as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, McCain helped create the "miracle" that is U.S. telecommunications. Liberal bloggers are quick to point out that the maker of the BlackBerry is a Canadian company, that McCain actually accomplished very little as Commerce chairman, that it's another example of his willingness to lie, and that it makes him look ridiculous. One DailyKos blogger says he's also laying claim to cellphones and WiFi. A McCain aide responded to Holtz-Eakin's comment by calling it a "boneheaded joke."

Financial Crisis Gets Political

The current Wall Street crisis continues to spark debate over the merits of the presidential candidates. Bloggers are criticizing Barack Obama for not having a clear message or solution to the problem and instead choosing to stay focused on John McCain's "fundamentals" comment. A conservative says McCain should use the situation to portray himself as a grown-up leader who can handle a crisis and Obama as a hothead who panics in a crisis. This morning McCain called for a commission to get to the bottom of the financial meltdown. Chris Cillizza has 10 other ideas for how Obama and McCain should handle the crisis.

—Gretchen Hannes