Do you ever get the feeling that all things political in this country are choreographed? Kinda like a game of chess… but planned out. If someone had asked me yesterday who’s making the next move and what would that move be? I might have said McCain but not got the benchmarks part right…or possibly the other way around… and maybe even both right!
Perhaps more like the game of Clue: “Colonel Mustard in the billiard room with a candlestick”… or, “Senator McCain lying on a benchmark with a finger up his butt.” One needn’t be politically savvy to play.

McCain says he’ll propose benchmarks for Iraq

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. John McCain, a leading advocate of sending more U.S. troops to Iraq, said Thursday he’ll try to blunt the impact of proposed Senate resolutions opposing a buildup with a new resolution of his own.

McCain, an Arizona Republican, said he will propose benchmarks for Iraq’s government to meet as part of the new push, and he also will seek to increase congressional oversight of the war.

He offered no details of his “embryonic” proposal, but he said those steps “might be a way of calming the concerns that many of our colleagues have.”

McCain, a likely presidential contender in 2008, said his plan might ease colleagues’ frustration over the “rosy scenarios” put forth by the Bush administration about progress in Iraq.

“There is a legitimate concern about the lack of congressional oversight, about sending Gen. [David] Petraeus there saying we don’t approve of his mission,” he said. Bush has nominated Petraeus to be the new commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.

“One of the areas we really want to work on is setting some benchmarks, so the American people and Congress will know if we’re making progress or not,” McCain said.

Source: CNN.com