From the article:

Traditionally silent during presidential campaigns filled with divisive foreign policy debates, the department on Friday delivered a rebuke to would-be nominees of both parties whose recent comments have complicated U.S. efforts to overcome deep suspicion about the war on terrorism in the Muslim world.

“Those who wish to hold office can speak for themselves and whoever is elected in 2008 and comes into office in 2009 will then be in a position to talk about what they intend or plan to do,” said deputy spokesman Tom Casey, a career foreign service officer.

First it was Barack Obama’s talk of dialogue with dictators and invading Pakistan to kill Islamist militants, then it was Hillary Rodham Clinton refusing to rule out the use of nuclear weapons to that end. Now, the Democratic frontrunners have been joined by Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo who threatened to bomb Muslim holy sites to stop terror attacks.

Though part of me really does cringe as well whenever I hear these candidates discuss foreign policy in such a flippant manner, I do have to say it is probably a good thing to know Obama will bomb Pakistan, Clinton won’t rule out nuclear weapons and Tancredo will bomb holy cities in Mecca before we elect them to the presidency. Considering the weight with which we in the U.S. take and get insulted by everything said by every leader and potential leader around the world it does worry me to think what impact it will have on already strained U.S. relations with… well.. every nation in the world.

I won’t steal the image so visit Hugh Hewitt’s blog to check out the mailer Mitt Romney is sending to remind voters to attend the Iowa Straw Poll and vote for him on August 11th.

It looks like with the time, money and dedication Romney has put in, not to mention the lack of time, money, dedication and Interest of Giuliani & McCain, will give the former governor a good shot of walking away with the early nod.

It is also an interesting contrast from the Democrats who seem obsessed this season to work online and as far away from mailers as possible. Though mailers too will make their way out of the Democrat camps regardless of focus on electronic fundraising.

Jeff Zelany writes about the brewing Senator Clinton / Senator Obama feud spilling over into their Senate lives. He reports their formerly friendly relationship cooled around the time Obama started musing about running:

Many Senate observers, even those close to Mrs. Clinton, say they believe she set the less-than-collegial tone. But Mr. Obama offered a glimpse into his own competitiveness two years ago when a Chicago television reporter who had come to Washington to interview Mr. Obama informed him that he had snagged a hallway interview with Mrs. Clinton.

“I outpoll her in Illinois,” Mr. Obama said. After realizing his remark had been overheard, he said: “That was a joke!”

I have to be honest here, I don’t entirely buy the Obama/Clinton feud. I believe its a lot of hype built up in the media to sell headlines and fill up cable slots. I also think both candidates are calculating enough to have planned this out months ago. I don’t doubt they both have their “game faces on” and that they are ready to take the other out to win, but the rest of it I think is just filler made up in the minds of observers.

To believe this story you also have to believe that in the middle of all this “not talking” Obama & Clinton both magically appeared as the last voters on an Iraq spending bill in order to take a position they could sell to the left while guaranteeing the bill passed. That just happened to transpire where they both walked out in a pretty coordinated manner to vote?

From the Washington Post:

Mitt Romney was about a minute into an answer about his commitment to fighting the global spread of AIDS and health care diplomacy on Wednesday when a waitress behind the counter yelled out a question.

“What about our nation? How ’bout the USA? C’mon!” yelled Michele Griffin, a 12-year veteran behind the counter at one of Manchester’s most famous eating establishments.

She turned to walk away, but the former Masschusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate called her back, sparking an emotional and confrontational 10-minute exchange about health care and the needs of the working class.

This week Senator Barack Obama gave a speechto the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Hours before his campaign leaked specific sections which noted the Senators willingness as president to attack al Qaeda in Pakistan regardess of that nations willingness to cooperate. It was an obvious answer to the attacks on his foreign policy and military prowess which came after the debates, it was also pretty tuff talk bordering on a “get your act together or we will do it for you” ultimatum to Pakistan.

Thomas B. Edsall wrote that this was the latest of many breaks from Obama from the liberal establishment, he notes about one a month throughout the campaign. Previous breaks have included:
- Changing Affirmative Action from being race based to economically based
- Raising the retirement age & payroll taxes to make social security solvent
- Acknowledging a problem with black males & parenting the blame of which he put solely on black men
- Endorsing merit pay for teachers, a big non-starter for teachers unions