With Obama away, McCain talks war

Honolulu In recent days, Senator Barack Obama has seemed to fade from the scene while on his secluded vacation here. Senator John McCain has seized nearly every opportunity to display his foreign policy credentials on the conflict between Russia and Georgia.

Only once, early in the week, did Obama publicly discuss the conflict, when he emerged from his beachfront rental home to condemn Russia's actions, in a way that seemed timed for the evening television news. He took no questions that might demonstrate command of the issue.

McCain and his surrogates, however, have discussed the situation nearly every day, often taking a hard line against Russia to the point of declaring the other day: "We are all Georgians."

It is as though the candidates' images had been reversed. When Obama was overseas in July, McCain's foreign policy bona fides seemed diminished, if only because he could not attract the media attention received by Obama. Now, Obama's voice seems muted at a time when much of the world has been worriedly watching the conflict.

A spokesman said Obama has interrupted his vacation several times to get updates on the situation and that he has been in "constant contact" with his national security advisers. He has spoken to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, former Senator Sam Nunn, Senator Richard G. Lugar and former Defence Secretary William J. Perry.

McCain has fielded questions daily, batting back criticism that his tough stance was reminiscent of the language of the Cold War. But the fluency with which he discusses Georgia, citing the history of the region and the number of times he has visited, lends an aura of commander-in-chief. And as though he already had a Cabinet, McCain said he was dispatching his allies Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman and Lindsey Graham to the region.

McCain, pressed by reporters, has resisted opportunities to criticise how Obama has addressed the situation in Georgia.

Obama's week has been low-key, a sharp contrast to his high-voltage campaign events. On Thursday, he toured a nature preserve and went body surfing. Beyond that, he has played golf, taken walks on the beach with his daughters, dined at Honolulu restaurants with his wife and friends, and visited his grandmother almost daily.

He has held only two campaign events, a fundraiser and a welcoming rally that was quickly added to his schedule.

A caucus conundrum

Such a tease, that Democratic National Convention Committee.

On Thursday, the committee sent out an e-mail message to reporters about the programme for the third night of the convention. "The headline prime-time speaker on Wednesday will be Barack Obama's vice-presidential nominee," it said.

Then, after mentioning former President Bill Clinton's slot, which had already been reported, the release went on to say: "Gov. Bill Richardson and Sens. Evan Bayh, Joe Biden and Jay Rockefeller will echo Obama's call for a new direction in national security and outline his policies and plans to secure America's future."

Wait, what? Three of those people are often mentioned (and two of them very often) as possible running mates. So does that mean one of them will be on the ticket because they are speaking sometime on August 27? Or does that mean they definitely have not been selected because they are speaking on August 27, but not in the running mate's slot?

Jenny Baukus, a spokeswoman for Obama, would not say how to read the tea leaves. "We reserve the right to change the schedule when we want and you shouldn't make any assumptions," Baukus said. "Any person speaking on any given night could speak again as vice president."