The McCain camp released the following statement today from one Dr. Danny Jazarevic:
"Last week, Senator Obama skipped a visit with wounded U.S. troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany because the Pentagon would not allow campaign staff or media to accompany him into the hospital. I served as director of trauma surgery at that hospital for nearly four years and saw the effect that a visit from a celebrity like Senator Obama could have on morale. During that time, I do not recall a single member of Congress canceling a visit with the troops despite being just a few hours away, but Senator Obama seems to have been more concerned with how the visit would affect him than how it would affect the soldiers recovering from wounds received in the service of their country."
So, the real sin here is that Obama disappointed the troops who were excited to see him? I presume that excludes future arguments that Obama lacks the respect of the armed forces and that his election would depress their "morale"....
And as Ben Smith notes this statement seems to revive a claim that McCain's blogger conceded yesterday is false.
--Michael Crowley