In a move that is garnering heavy media coverage in the latest news cycle, Sen. John McCain's campaign announced yesterday that campaign chief Rick Davis was being supplanted in his role as the day-to-day manager of the campaign by Steve Schmidt, a veteran of President Bush's campaign whose is also close to McCain. The Politico quotes McCain adviser Charlie Black saying of Schmidt, "He'll be the maestro who conducts the symphony," while "a McCain insider said the change gives Schmidt 'near total control of the campaign.'" CNN's The Situation Room reports Davis "will stay in his post, but will now work on long-term planning."
ABC World News called the shake-up "a response to GOP concerns about how well the campaign was being managed," while NBC Nightly News adds "there are indications of more changes...perhaps on the way." The New York Times reports on its front page, "The shift was approved by Mr. McCain after several of his aides, including Mr. Schmidt, went to him about 10 days ago and warned him that he was in danger of losing the presidential election to" Sen. Barrack Obama "unless he revamped his campaign operation, two officials close to the campaign said."
The Washington Post reports in a front-page story that "in a telephone interview, Schmidt said that McCain faces a difficult challenge, given the overall mood of the country, but that he is encouraged by the race remaining relatively tight." Said Schmidt, "There are 125 days left until the American people will decide the next president. ... Senator McCain is the underdog in the race. We suspect he is behind nationally five to eight points but well within striking distance." Schmidt, adds the Post, "managed California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's reelection effort and was a top aide to Vice President Cheney."
The Colorado Springs Gazette reports this morning that speaking to an "invitation-only crowd of 400 supporters" at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs yesterday, Sen. Barrack Obama "announced plans to dramatically expand government-run volunteer programs, such as AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, creating an Energy Corps to work on renewable-energy projects and enlisting military veterans to find jobs for soldiers returning from overseas." Obama also called for an expansion of the Army and the Marine Corps. The AP says the "call for service" is "part of a flag-draped week focused on God, country, veterans and freedom. They are larger-than-life themes, all prominent in the successful campaigns of President Bush and aimed at introducing Obama to Americans who know little about the presumed Democratic nominee -- or who may be skeptical based on what they've heard." Similarly, Fox News' Special Report reported, "Patriotism Monday, faith Tuesday, national service today, three big speeches from Barack Obama all designed to build walls against attacks on his character and bridges to undecided voters."
The Washington Post reports that while in Colorado Springs, Obama also toured Peterson Air Force Base and visited "the ultra-secretive" North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Northern Command headquarters and the Air Force Academy. The Post says that "such stateside military visits have been a rarity for Obama. Since entering the Senate in 2005, he has visited only the National War College and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, along with two bases in Illinois, his home state."
The New York Times reports this morning that in "the wake of" his decision to opt out of public financing, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign "is embarking on a spree of pricey fund-raising events across the country." While "much of the attention has been on" Obama's "army of small contributors over the Internet," his "stepped-up schedule of big-money fund-raisers - the campaign has more than a dozen events planned over the next two weeks - showcases a formidable high-dollar donor network that is gaining more heft with an influx of former supporters of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton."
Meanwhile, in the Wall Street Journal today, Karl Rove says that Obama's fundraising prowess may not be as significant as it appears, because based on cash-on-hand, John McCain and the RNC "have $38 million more than Mr. Obama and the DNC." If Obama "maintains his prodigious fund-raising pace, he could overtake Mr. McCain and the RNC. But that's not guaranteed. In May, Mr. Obama raised $23.3 million and the DNC $4.8 million; but Mr. McCain raised $21.5 million and the RNC $24.4 million. Mr. Obama's Internet-driven fund raising may require a renewed sense of urgency, crisis and energy that may be hard to gin up until the race heats up with the conventions in late August."
The AP reports this morning that the Republican National Committee has set up an independent group inside its organization to run a $3 million ad campaign contrasting Obama and McCain's energy positions, while Jonathan Martin reports on The Politico that RNC officials say the move was spurred by Obama's decision to opt out of the public financing system. Roll Call says the ad buy "demonstrates some of the RNC's financial muscle, relative to its counterpart. Through May 31, the RNC had $53.5 million on hand, compared to almost $4 million for the Democratic National Committee."
The Washington Post reports this morning that the National Education Association's annual meeting in DC, "which will attract 10,000 delegates and a few thousand other union members and guests, comes amid a shaky economy that could threaten teachers' salaries and benefits." While he is expected to receive their endorsement, enthusiasm for Sen. Barack Obama is "tempered by his nomination fight against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). Several members said yesterday that Clinton had been more in line with the union's views on education."
The Gallup daily presidential tracking poll shows Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain 46%-44%. Obama's lead was as wide as 47%-42% over the last week, but McCain has closed in recent days. Gallup surveyed 2,665 registered voters from June 29-July 1.
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President Bush reiterated the US official position on the Iranian nuclear program that the US preferred diplomacy but would not rule out the use of force as tensions appear to rise between that country and Israel. However, US media were unsure of whether Bush's statement gave emphasis to force or diplomacy. CNN's The Situation Room, for example, reported, "Asked about a flurry of reports suggesting the US or Israel may attack Iran by the end of the year, the president did little to discourage the talk." In his "Washington Sketch" column for the Washington Post, meanwhile, Dana Milbank writes the Administration "seems eager to convince Iran that...Bush is crazy enough to sanction an attack."
NBC Nightly News, on the other hand, noted Bush "has long denied that he's planning to attack Iran. Now he's trying to convince people he doesn't want Israel to launch an attack either." The CBS Evening News reported, "Today US and Iranian leaders seemed to agree on one thing: A US or Israeli attack on Iran could make a bad situation in the Middle East even worse."
Along those lines, the Washington Times headlines its story "Bush Moves To Downplay Rumors Of War," and says the President "and the nation's top military commander moved Wednesday to dampen speculation about a military strike on Iran, stressing their preference for a military solution and noting the problems that a 'third front' would pose for an overstretched military."
The New York Times reports Bush said yesterday "that the United States still strongly preferred diplomacy as it confronts rising tensions and uncertainty over Iran, but that, as always, 'all options are on the table.'" Bush's comments "essentially restated administration policy, but they came as the region has seen a confusing succession of warnings, threats and, just this week, signs of a suddenly more-conciliatory tone emanating from some Iranian officials."
The Financial Times, meanwhile, reports that "less than a year ago, diplomats in the Middle East were taking bets on the likelihood of a US military attack on Iran, with some assessing it at higher than 50 per cent." However, "now the betting is back on," as "speculation" mounts that "Israel is preparing to do the job itself, possibly even before the US presidential elections in November."
The AP also reports Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, "commander of the 5th Fleet, spoke to reporters after talks with naval commanders of Gulf countries in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi." The "senior US military commander said Wednesday that Washington would not allow" the closing of the Hormuz Strait "to happen," an option cited by Iranian officials if Israel launches an attack.
Mullen Warns Against Israeli Strike The Los Angeles Times reports on its front page that Joint Chiefs Chairman Michael Mullen "warned Wednesday that an Israeli airstrike against Iran would make the Middle East more unstable and could add to the stress on overworked American forces in the region."
Iran: US, Israel Won't Risk "Craziness" The AP reports, "Iran's top diplomat predicted Wednesday that the United States and Israel would not risk the 'craziness' of attacking his country and possibly provoking a wider Middle East war or driving oil prices into uncharted heights." AFP notes Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki "earlier told US media that 'a new process' was underway after six world powers presented Iran with a package of measures to end the deadlock last month, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency."
On Fox Special Report last night, Brit Hume reported observers "might have thought it was big news Tuesday when the administration reported to Congress that Iraq has made satisfactory progress on 15 of 18 political benchmarks set by the US. Just last year, there was said to be progress on only eight of those benchmarks and war critics have repeatedly cited the lack of political progress in their arguments against the troop surge." But the Media Research Centers "says there was not a word about the report on the CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, or ABC's World News Tonight. The New York Times also ignored the story, and the Washington Post relegated its coverage to page eight." And the AP "began its story on the report, 'No matter who is elected president in November, his foreign policy team will have to deal with the slow pace with which the government in Baghdad operates.'"
Iraqis Say Security Deal With US Close AFP reports, "Iraq said on Wednesday it was on the verge of agreeing a controversial pact with the United States to govern US troop levels and ground rules in the nation beyond 2008 when a UN mandate expires." The "tough negotiations between Washington and Baghdad on the security deal has made recent progress and an initial framework arrangement is 'almost finalised,' Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told a press briefing."
McClatchy notes Zebari said yesterday that "Iraq had insisted that any agreement be subject to annual review. 'We are not talking about an agreement that binds Iraq for 25 years or 20 years or 10 years,' he added."
A similarly optimistic assessment of the state of the talks appears in the Washington Post, which titles its report "Progress Cited On US-Iraq Pacts" and notes "Zebari, who recently returned from meetings with US officials in Washington, said the United States had shown 'a great deal of flexibility on many thorny issues.'"
The New York Times, however, say Zebari "raised the possibility on Wednesday that a full security agreement with the United States might not be reached this year, and that if one was, it would be a short-term pact."
Documents: US Backed Iraq Oil Deal The New York Times reports on its front page that a Congressional panel concluded yesterday that Bush Administration officials "knew that a Texas oil company with close ties to President Bush was planning to sign an oil deal with the regional Kurdistan government that runs counter to American policy and undercut Iraq's central government." The panel's conclusions, the Times adds, "were based on e-mail messages and other documents." The State Department "said Wednesday that it had discouraged the deal" with Hunt Oil, but company officials "declined to comment." The Washington Post also reports the story.
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The New York Times reports President Bush yesterday "acknowledged that it had been a 'tough month' in Afghanistan as more American and coalition troops had died there in June than in any month since the American-led forces invaded in 2001, making it the second straight month when combat deaths exceeded those in Iraq." USA Today notes Bush also "said the US is constantly reviewing troop needs 'and reassessing and seeing whether or not we can change tactics in order to achieve our objective.'"
Along those lines, the AP reports that "grappling with a record death toll in an overshadowed war," Bush "promised...to send more US troops into Afghanistan by year's end." AFP says "June accounted for more than 40 percent of the 122 deaths of foreign soldiers in Afghanistan during 2008, according to the independent website Icasualties.org."
The Christian Science Monitor reports, "Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, the top US commander in the country's eastern sector, says the violence is up 40 percent over last year in the US-led eastern sector of the country still touted as a model of counterinsurgency work."
Some of President Bush's allies tell the Political Bulletin they are embarrassed and angry that the White House seems to be wasting Bush's time on frivolous events when much of the country is suffering through economic hard times. "Look at the schedule for Monday," says an outside Bush adviser. "A highlight of his day was witnessing a tee ball game. ... He is being reduced to child's play." The adviser says Bush also signed a supplemental appropriations bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on Monday, but he adds that it didn't get much coverage and that the tee ball game set the wrong tone. There is growing concern among Bush allies that the Democrats will effectively portray the President and GOP candidate John McCain as out of touch. Some GOP insiders now predict that the Republicans will lose at least five seats in the Senate and 15 to 20 in the House, and it could get worse if gasoline prices continue to soar and the public remains in a disgruntled mood.
The raid that led to the release yesterday of fifteen hostages, held by Colombia's FARC rebels, is receiving heavy media coverage. ABC World News reported, "Colombia has been beset by guerrilla kidnappings -- police swept off the streets, Americans disappearing, even a Colombian presidential candidate was taken. But in an amazing story today, their kidnappers were duped and a long hostage crisis came to an end."
NBC Nightly News reported the hostages were "freed by the Colombian military with help from the US in an operation that had been in the works for months." The CBS Evening News also reported on the role played by US intelligence, adding that the three Americans rescued "are said to be in reasonably good condition" and are being taken to a US Army hospital in Texas."
The Washington Post reports Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said President Bush spoke with Colombian President Álvaro Uribe yesterday "and congratulated him on the release of the hostages." McClatchy reports Johndroe "said the US was aware of the operation in advance and supported it."
The New York Times also reports that the White House said the US "was involved in the planning of the operation and provided 'specific support,'" but "officials there would not describe the nature of that support." The Wall Street Journal reports on its front page that the rescue "arrived at a critical moment" for Uribe, "who has been hounded in recent weeks by a growing political bribery scandal." The Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, AFP, Washington Times, AP, and Christian Science Monitor run similar stories.
McCain Was Briefed Before Raid Sen. McCain's pro-free trade message in Colombia was largely overshadowed by the raid and some reporting suggests that is not a bad thing for the GOP candidate. Under the headline "Hostage Rescue Is Happy Coincidence For McCain In Colombia," the New York Times reports "the timing of the rescue, which occurred while Mr. McCain was in Colombia, was in many ways a fortuitous turn of events." ABC World News reported, "Just as the hostage rescue was being announced, John McCain was leaving Colombia, where he had been talking about free trade and the war on drugs. He was briefed on the rescue while he was there," and "found out it had been successful while on his plane bound for Mexico."
USA Today reports McCain "said he was 'pleased with the success of this very high-risk operation,' which followed his two-day trip to highlight Colombia's role as an ally in the US war on drugs." The CBS Evening News also reported McCain "says Colombia's president told him last night that a rescue was imminent but he said he didn't learn that the operation had been carried out until this afternoon as he was boarding his plane for Mexico. And he was quick to add that it had nothing to do with his visit."
The Washington Post notes McCain "revealed his knowledge of the Colombian military's mission only after the hostages...were freed Wednesday." The Hill reports "the Arizona senator's rival for the presidency, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) also applauded the successful mission."
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