Obama Blasts Both Rivals Over Iraq Positions

Barack Obama laid into both presidential rivals on the Iraq war today, chiding John McCain for misspeaking about terror groups there and criticizing Hillary Clinton for voting to authorize the conflict. "We heard Sen. McCain confuse Sunni and Shi'ite, Iran and al-Qaeda," Obama said, pouncing on McCain for errantly accusing Iran of training Sunni Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iran is known to train Shi'ite extremists.

"Maybe that is why he voted to go to war with a country that had no al-Qaeda ties," Obama said. McCain's camp acknowledged the mistake but shot back that Obama's plan to phase in a troop withdrawal is of greater concern. Clinton's camp, meanwhile, said Obama did little himself to try to end the war until he began his presidential campaign. (More Barack Obama stories.)