When Adam posted this the other day, we were wondering whether any mainstream outlets would recognize the fact that John McCain is conducting his own foreign policy by frequently advising Saakashvili and sending his own delegation to Georgia. Not only that, but his policy is frequently at odds with that of the actual president's administration. Enter the Post: "McCain's Focus on Georgia Raises Question of Propriety: After Chiding Obama, He Dwells on Crisis as a President Might."
Asked about his tough rhetoric on the ongoing conflict in Georgia, McCain began: "If I may be so bold, there was another president . . ."
...The extent of McCain's involvement in the military conflict in Georgia appears remarkable among presidential candidates, who traditionally have kept some distance from unfolding crises out of deference to whoever is occupying the White House. The episode also follows months of sustained GOP criticism of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who was accused of acting too presidential for, among other things, briefly adopting a campaign seal and taking a trip abroad that included a huge rally in Berlin.
The article doesn't get really recognize how far out McCain's rhetoric was, even from the Bush administration. Now we wait for criticism from those who attacked Nancy Pelosi's congressional junket to Syria, where she reiterated U.S. policy. But I won't be holding my breath.
--Tim Fernholz
