McCain to counterprogram Obama in Germany with visit to Gulf Coast oil rig

[Ron Burgundy]

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[UPDATED --*CANCELLED*DUE TO WEATHER]*

While Barack Obama is speaking about international affairs in Germany before thousands of fans*tomorrow, John McCain will be talking about a pressing domestic issue with an equally striking if very different backdrop.

Weather permitting, McCain will helicopter from Louisiana to an oil rig in the Gulf Coast to make the case for expanded off-shore drilling, says a McCain aide.

The GOP nominee will be*joined by*a small press pool of reporters and photographers on a trek sure to offer memorable images.** Because of space constraints, Louisiana Gov. and*veep prospect*Bobby Jindal will not make the trip.

Since first disclosed Monday, McCain's visit to the state has been shrouded in mystery.** Campaign aides have been watching weather patterns, including the path of Hurricane Dolly, closely and are hopeful they can pull off the visit.

UPDATE: Just over an hour after finalizing plans to visit an oil rig tomorrow, the McCain campaign has cancelled the visit.

“The meeting with Governor Jindal has been postponed and we are cancelling the trip to the rig due to weather," said spokesman MIchael Goldfarb.

McCain will now fly from Pennsylvania to Ohio.** He had originally planned to fly tonight from Pennsylvania to New Orleans to be staged there for morning departure to the rig.

The campaign declined to comment any further about the quick decision to spike the trip other than to cite the weather.*

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080723/pl_politico/18129 [link]