Tuesday July 22, 2008, 12:09 pm


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Is John McCain frustrated, or maybe a little of jealous, of Obama's headline grabbing trip? Looks like all signs point to yes as Iraq's Prime Minister gives new confidence to Obama's withdrawal plan, Bloomberg News says "Middle Eastern and European leaders are lining up to hear what Barack Obama has to say," and General Petraeus gave photographers fresh photo-ops with the Democratic leader.

ABC Anchor George Stephanopoulos told Good Morning America Tuesday, "They are frustrated in the McCain camp." McCain and former President Bush tried to laugh-off being jealous during a news conference yesterday at the Bush compound in Maine.

Sen. John McCain and former President George H.W. Bush laughed off questions about the size and scale of Sen. Barack Obama's anticipated events in Europe, after the Democratic contender concludes a tour of the Middle East including Iraq and Afghanistan, but the truth wasn't far from the surface.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., laughed off concerns that he is "jealous" of the attention Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is getting on his world tour but the McCain camp is considering a "surprise" that may steal the spotlight from his rival.

"We're jealous is all," the former president told reporters on Monday outside the Bush family home in Maine.

CNN's Dana Bash details John McCain's plan to take take some of the spotlight off Obama while the nation's press corps follow him around half way across the world.

McCain is expected to slam Obama's position on Iraq ahead of a town hall in Rochester, New Hampshire, on Tuesday...

... Shrugging off the attention surrounding Obama's trip, the McCain campaign is doing what it can to keep their rival from using the trip to burnish his foreign policy credentials.

There are numerous reports that McCain might try to steal Obama's fire by announcing his VP pick this week.


McCain campaign sources confirm to CNN that there have been discussions high in the campaign about naming a running mate this week. They also say that, whether or not the announcement is made, the choices have been "narrowed" to the point where McCain could make a decision that soon.