EHP : This crisis does not bode well for McCain, either domestically or internationally. He's stuck his finger, figuratively, but repeatedly in the Russians' eyes at the behest of his senior foreign policy advisor, Randy Scheunemann (a former lobbyist for Georgia) who is, unfortunately, very inexperienced in the devising and implementing policies and real world strategies for achieving success in foreign policy and military strategy. Thus, no one in McCain's immediate foreign policy advisor circle has the necessary credibility to adequately address the Georgian situation. Scheunemann has no military experience nor any relevant experience in senior policy making positions except as an aide to former Senators. Scheuenemann has done nothing more besides lobbying inside the Beltway than work on Congressional staffs where he, in representing his boss' agenda, picked apart policies and strategies devised and implemented others without having to devise or implement any of his own. He has no leadership and management experience as a national security policy maker nor as a political strategist; for goodness sakes he worked in the Dole campaign in the same position he now holds for McCain. What he encouraged McCain to do vis-a-vis pushing Russia out of the G-8 and expanding NATO beyond the limits even the Europeans were comfortable with are not good examples of a realist approach to foreign policy issues. Scheunemann has shown a distinct lack of strategic vision on foreign policy and credibility in planning political operations, or adapting them as the environment changes, over the past several months as opposed to that shown by Obama's team. The position he fills on the McCain campaign is too important to be left to an intellectual lightweight and ideologue like him. Over the past few days as shown by his constant availability to the media, Scheunemann is trying to keep his own visibility high in hopes that it will payoff if McCain wins and he goes back to lobbying. Scheunemann and McCain know that he can't be confirmed for any position requiring Senate advise and consent. And Scheunemann doesn't have the experience to credibly work in the NSC or DOD, except on legislative affairs issues. McCain needs better people in place advising him on foreign policy to balance his shoot from the lip nature, and after watching Scheunemann's performance over the past few months, McCain must realize he needs to be replaced. In tolerating Scheunemann's antics through this point in the campaign gives an indication that McCain doesn't know as much about foreign policy, national security, military strategy, and how to win wars (or political campaigns) as he claims to know. It also indicates that McCain is very comfortable with US foreign policy and national security affairs being run by lobbyists, as long as they are lobbyists who loyally supported him. These issues are too critical to be left to people who continue to be advocates of past (or future) clients, and don't perceive a problem with being overly agressive and unilaterally provocative with potential adversaries, as long as their clients' needs are being met.

lois adams : Frustrating and even frightening to an everyday citizen when I read the caliber of people advising a candidate for the presidency and the realization that McCain is actually so poorly informed and so inadequately prepared. Its' too bad the press is so timid.

Obama's Foreign Policy Stance : >..]These three factions thus broke down into Democratic politicians such as RFK and George McGovern (who won the presidential nomination in 1972), radicals in the street who were not really Democrats, and revisionist scholars who for the most part were on the party’s left wing.>..]