Obama Chides McCain for Market Remarks

In this image released by the U.S. Army on Sunday, April 8, 2007, U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, talks with Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, Monday, April 2, 2007, in Ramadi, 115 kilometers (70 miles) west of Baghdad. McCain led a congressional delegation to Iraq that also included Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., and Reps. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., and Mike Pence, R-Ind. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, Sgt. Curt Cashour, HO) (Curt Cashour - AP)

NEW YORK -- Democratic presidential candidates took part in a "virtual" forum on the Iraq war Tuesday, with Barack Obama chiding GOP rival John McCain for using a heavily guarded visit to a Baghdad market as evidence that security is improving.

"The idea that the situation in Iraq is improving because it takes a security detail of 100 soldiers, three Black Hawk helicopters and a couple of Apache gunships to walk through a market in the middle of Baghdad is simply not credible and not reflective of the facts on the ground," Obama said in a taped interview broadcast as part of the forum sponsored by MoveOn.org.

While not mentioning McCain by name, Obama criticized comments made by the Arizona senator last week after touring Baghdad's Bab al-Shariq market. He and other members of a congressional delegation traveled in armored military vehicles and wore body armor during the hourlong excursion.

McCain's campaign declined to comment on the Illinois senator's statement. But on Monday, McCain said he was told by many Iraqis in the market that they felt as though things were getting better.

Seven Democrats participated in the online forum, fielding questions about the Iraq war submitted by MoveOn members. Afterward, members could vote on which candidates' positions they favor, with the results to be announced Thursday.

The candidates agreed that the problems facing Iraq require a political engagement rather than military force, and each called for a specific timetable for American troops to be removed from the country. All said they believed Iraq's neighbors, including Syria and Iran, must be engaged to help stabilize the region.

Front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, a target of criticism in the online world for her refusal to recant her 2002 vote authorizing military action in Iraq, thanked MoveOn for being "such lively participants" in the political debate.

"Some of your members may be a little surprised to hear me say this, I am grateful for your work," she said.

The New York senator touted her online petition calling on President Bush not to veto legislation tying funding for the war to a timeline for troop withdrawal. But she and Obama both sidestepped questions on whether they would vote for a funding bill that stripped out a timetable for redeployment.

"I don't think we should tell President Bush what we will do if he vetoes this legislation. We need to keep the pressure on him not to veto it," Clinton said.

For his part, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards insisted Congress must use its funding authority to de-escalate the conflict. Edwards voted in 2002 to authorize the war but has since apologized.

"If Bush vetoes funding for the troops, he's the only one standing in the way of the resources they need. Nobody else," Edwards said. "Congress must stand firm. They must not write George Bush another blank check without a timeline for withdrawal _ period."