Barack Obama ... C'mon Down!

Yes, we ended up taking the weekend off, primarily due to the oppressive heat and humidity (which, also means extra duty on the homefront; As I write now, it is starting to break).

And what an explosive time to be sittin' out.

If politics were like "The Price Is Right" (well, err, the television gameshow, that is), Barack Obama would be running down the aisle, squealing in delight.

He got called down ...

Big Time!

'AS SOON AS POSSIBLE' - Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

SAY WHAT?!

Man, how cool is that, and I mean, motherfucking duende cool, in the heat of a presidential campaign, to have the Prime Minister of the country your Court-Appointed President is occupying, gives you a shout out, that you are "The Man with a Plan"?

Before the Neocronies could finish patting themselves on the back, for the Friday accomplishment of the Bush Grindhouse's Orwellian agreement of a "Time Horizon" (Iraqi translation - "Get Out ASAP"), defined by the accompanying qualifier, "aspirational goals" (Iraqi translation - "You sling it any way you want, but you're getting out of here ASAP"), al-Maliki sends them this big, fat, wet, juicy kiss-off.

Yeah, yeah, they be pulling a 24/7 on getting al-Maliki to walk it back, likely to the point that al-Maliki's legs will look like pretzels, but ...

I can dig it, Swope, my mousetrap is yours ...

The cat is out of the bag, the pearl is in the river, the genie is out of the bottle and the GOP is fucked.

Stumblin' Bumblin John McCain might as well just stick to riding around the country in the Dead Campaign Express, beating up librarians, sharing donuts with what remains of his adoring media lackies, with someone sticking a Post-It Note on his forehead, reminding him to vote on November 4th.

This story will be running hot for the next few days, no doubt, the spinning has only just begun, so we'll have more to work with in the days ahead

Meantime, for al-Maliki, and Obama (with apologies for not finding a video version of the Quincy Jone rendition), a shout out of our own;

Aretha Franklin - Oh Happy Day





Bonus Obama Bonus Riffs

Spencer Ackerman: Feel It Closing In

Swopa: A Different Kind of Iraqi Resistance

Steve Benen: What if Maliki changed everything, but the media didn’t notice?