Hillarious Summary of the Senate Questioning Petraeus by Dana Milbank [View All]

[illinoisprogressive]

Presidential politics are never far from the congressional debate on Iraq. As Gen. David Petraeus testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, the two merged into a seamless whole.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), a presidential contender, took his seat on the dais in the Hart Senate Office Building, popped a piece of Nicorette gum into his mouth, opened a green folder and began reading a memo, partially visible to reporters behind him. It said:

As you get ready for press around your speech on Iraq, we wanted to make sure you have on one piece of paper the principle differences between your speech on Iraq and the most comprehensive on Iraq given by Senator Clinton.

It further reminded Obama that "you argue that by withdrawing 1-2 combat brigades a month you can get all those units out by the end of next year (2008)."

Obama, as it happens, is to deliver a major campaign speech about Iraq in Iowa today -- so it isn't entirely surprising that he would be preparing some political barbs for the Democratic front-runner, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.). Still, Obama's juxtaposition -- contemplating the nakedly political as he prepared to question the top U.S. general in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq -- was stark.

for the rest:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091102154.html