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ON THE TRAIL

July 27, 2008

John McCain's campaign slammed Democratic rival Barack Obama for canceling a visit to wounded troops in Germany, contending Obama chose foreign leaders and cheering Europeans over "injured American heroes." Obama's campaign called the accusation "wildly inappropriate, saying he canceled the planned visit after officials told him a retired two-star general who is an adviser was considered campaign staff and "it would therefore be perceived as political." The Pentagon said the senator was never told not to visit. McCain, in an interview for ABC's "This Week," said "if I had been told by the Pentagon that I couldn't visit those troops, and I was there and wanted to be there, I guarantee you, there would have been a seismic event."

Given the mismatch between the Obama and McCain campaigns over the past week, a key question for Obama is why the race for president remains as relatively close as it does. Obama said he believes it is because voters still have enough questions to keep them from committing. A new NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll this week showed him leading McCain 47 percent to 41 percent. "The point is, with change comes some risk, and I combine two things," he said. One is a shift in policies, the other a biography he said will take people time to process. "They're going to keep their powder dry and get as much information as they can the next three months," he added.

Federal Election Commission reports show Obama has raised at least $1 million from donors who identify themselves as Americans living in Great Britain, Germany and France, while McCain has taken in at least $150,000.