Obama, McCain Trade Potshots Over Iraq War

Each delivers 'news' to the other about al-Qaeda presence
By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 27, 2008 6:17 PM CST
Obama, McCain Trade Potshots Over Iraq War
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., addresses a rally Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, in Columbus, Ohio. Obama and Republican presidential hopeful John McCain traded sharp barbs Wednesday over al-Qaeda's presence in Iraq, both suggesting the other held naive views. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)   (Associated Press)

John McCain and Barack Obama traded sharp words today, as the two presidential frontrunners bludgeoned each other over the Iraq war. McCain dug into Obama for saying, in the debate last night, that he wouldn't hesitate to act if al-Qaeda established bases in Iraq for targeting the US, Reuters reports. "I have some news," McCain told a Texas crowd. "Al-Qaeda is in Iraq. It's called Al-Qaeda in Iraq."

"I have some news for John McCain," Obama responded. "And that is that there was no such thing as Al-Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade." Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, facing make-or-break Tuesday votes in Texas and Ohio, said she remains optimistic: "What keeps me going is that I know I would be the best president." (More Barack Obama stories.)

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