President Bush’s comments this week about Nazi appeasement have allowed Barack Obama to polish his attacks on the administration and John McCain. Obama seized on the criticism as a two-for-one opportunity, saying there’s “no separation” between Bush and McCain on Mideast policy. The Dem’s tough response could signal his bid to use the war to undermine McCain’s credibility, writes Carrie Budoff Brown in Politico.
But the presumptive GOP nominee is hammering his own message, saying Obama’s willingness to talk directly with Iran reveals his “naiveté and inexperience,” adding he “should know better.” An Obama aide predicted the GOP’s formula of discrediting Democratic candidates on national security won’t work this election year because Republicans are using “old tactics in a new environment.” (More Barack Obama stories.)