GRAND HAVEN, MI — While his campaign opened up a new front on Sen. Barack Obama today in calling his planned trip abroad an international “campaign rally,” it seemed initially today that Sen. McCain was contradicting his own message.

During an interview with Fox News Channel today, McCain Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker attacked Obama’s upcoming trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and a number of European nations.

“Let’s drop the pretense that this is a fact-finding trip and call it what it is–the first of its kind campaign rally overseas,” she said in a clip the campaign put up on You Tube and sent out to reporters (above). During a later appearance on MSNBC she also called the trip “one giant photo opportunity…not designed to inform his world view.”

But when he was asked about the comments aboard his bus this afternoon, McCain appeared to disagree with Hazelbaker’s statement.

“I’m glad that he is (traveling overseas) and pleased that he is going to Iraq for only the second time and going to Afghanistan for the first time,” McCain said. “I can only give you my opinion, and I will talk to (Hazelbaker). But the fact is, I’m glad that he’s going to Iraq and I think it’s - I’m glad that he’s going to Afghanistan. It’s long, long overdue, if you want to lead this nation and secure our national security.”

The dissonant message led the campaign to organize an impromptu outdoor press conference this afternoon so McCain could clear it up once in for all. His message: the Iraqi and Afghanistan legs of Obama’s trip seem legitimate while the European portion appears to be a photo opportunity.

“As we all know Senator Obama is about to go on a trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and I understand other countries. The focus of our conversation today on the bus was about Iraq and Afghanistan and what Senator Obama does in the other countries, whether political rallies or not, obviously would then give them a political flavor to say the least,” McCain told reporters after a quick campaign stop at Pronto Pup, a local corn dog joint in Western Michigan.

“If he has political rallies in other places, then obviously it’s a political trip….apparently it’s gonna be (a photo opportunity) if he is going to have rally in Germany at the Brandenburg Gate, which is what is being publicly stated. Of course if you have political rallies then its a political event,” he added.