Two Hundred Forty Nine Days & Counting

No, President Bush wasn't attacking Barack Obama in his hugely inappropriate smack down before the Israeli Knesset yesterday in which he criticized a certain politician who would appease America's enemies by speaking to "terrorists and radicals," White House officials said on the record today while telling reporters off the record that Obama is of course who was being targeted.

Two hundred forty nine days and counting.

Obama fired back in a speech in South Dakota today:

"After eight years, I did not think I could be surprised by anything George Bush says, but I was wrong. That's exactly the kind of appalling attack that has divided our country and has alienated us from the world. That's why we need change in Washington."

Two hundred forty nine days and counting.

Meanwhile, John McCain picked up on the theme of the man with the 27 percent job approval rating and tag teamed his presumptive rival in the fall campaign by asserting that Obama would appease Hamas, although in the past he himself has suggested that the U.S. should talk to the terrorist group.

Two hundred forty nine days and counting.

Obama also laid into McCain, pointing out that he had given a speech yesterday calling for civility and bipartisanship but then embraced Bush's attacks.

"So much for civility," Obama said.

Two hundred forty nine days and counting.