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Pittsburgh, PA — Sen. Hillary Clinton slammed President Bush’s Iraq policy speech today and pledged to begin withdrawing troops at the start of her term regardless of the military situation on the ground in January 2009.

While the President and Sen. McCain both said they will follow the advice of General David Petraeus who called for a moratorium on troop withdrawals from Iraq during Congressional testimony this week, Clinton insisted that her Iraq policy will be directed from the Oval Office.

“Let me describe for you the way our system works. Policy is set by the civilian leadership, the President of the United States sets the policy. Our military, and thankfully so, carries out the policy that is set. You ask the military for their best advice about how to implement the policy that you have set,” she said during a media availability at Pittsburgh International Airport, where she reiterated that she will begin withdrawing troops within her first 60 days in office.

“We have a long history of President’s changing policy. I have been clear throughout this campaign that my assessment is there is not military solution and the testimony delivered this week in the Congress by General Petraeus and Ambassador (Ryan) Crocker reinforced the assessment that I had made,” she said. “The surge was given a stated rationale that has not been fulfilled. We have given the Iraqis years of our blood and treasure for them to take responsibility for their own country.”

She added that, “an orderly responsible withdrawal that is clearly communicated to the Iraqis…will concentrate their attention far better than a blank check with indefinite timetables from this administration.”

Annapolis, MD — Acknowledging that he has “a lot of work to do” to attract and energize the conservative base, Sen. John McCain said Monday he continues to increase his share of the conservative vote and is on pace to seal up the GOP nomination in the coming weeks.

“We are doing fine. We have 700 some close to 800 delegates. And the last time I checked Governor (Mike) Huckabee has very few…..we continue our movement in the right direction,” McCain said at a Monday press conference, when asked about weekend losses to Huckabee in Kansas and Louisana. McCain is well positioned to grab more than 100 delegates in the Virginia, DC and Maryland primaries scheduled for Tuesday, noting he believes “it’s important that we do well tomorrow”

“I have said we have a lot of work to do to unite the party…we are doing very well with conservative voters. We continue to increase our share of the vote with conservative voters and we will continue to work with them,” he added, when asked about President Bush’s weekend comments that the Arizona senator has some work ahead to unite critical conservatives around his candidacy.

The campaign is touting the endorsement of former Family Research Council president Gary Bauer. In a written statement released this morning, Bauer said he “admire(s) his consistent 24-year pro-life record and demonstrated commitment to the values that keep our families and communities strong. John McCain alone has the experience, character and credibility to lead as commander in chief on day one and defeat the transcendent threat of our time — radical Islamic extremism. I am proud to support John McCain for president.”

The Arizona Senator also denied that his campaign had any role in Governor Rick Perry’s phone call to Huckabee over the weekend in which the Texas Governor allegedly asked McCain’s rival to drop out.

Additionally, McCain said Huckabee is entitled to call for a recount into the Washington State Primary results, but added that he believes the state party had “sufficient evidence,” to declare him the victor. “I think it is pretty clear that we won,” he said.

John McCain got some support today from the nation’s pundit-in-chief on Fox News Sunday.

President George W. Bush told Chris Wallace this morning that McCain is a “true conservative,” but added that the Arizona Senator “has got some convincing to do to convince people that he is a solid conservative.” However, 43 was reticent to endorse McCain before the GOP race is officially over.

The President is still considered an all-star among the party’s activist base and his words are helpful as McCain seeks to shore up his right flank going into the general election.

Relevant transcript below:

“FOX NEWS SUNDAY” HOST CHRIS WALLACE: Mr. President, I know you’re not ready to endorse yet in the presidential race, so I am going to ask you a non-endorsement question. This last week you talked to the CPAC conference and you said soon you will have a nominee who will carry a conservative banner.

Question: Is John McCain a true conservative?

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Absolutely. I know him well. I know his convictions. I know the principles that drive him and no doubt in my mind he is a true conservative. Now I do want to make sure that you don’t rope me into getting into this primary before it ends because we have another conservative candidate in Mike Huckabee still running.

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