Obama acknowledges success of US troop surge in Iraq

A protestor was taken into custody yesterday at the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn., near the site of the Republican National Convention. Later, police blocked a march to the convention. (ERIC THAYER/Getty Images)

In a much-anticipated interview with conservative nemesis Bill O'Reilly, Senator Barack Obama said yesterday the troop surge in Iraq had "succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated" and "beyond our wildest dreams."

But despite expressing his most positive assessment of a military buildup he opposed, the Democratic presidential candidate made no concession on what he said is the more critical issue of Iraq's political stability.

"The Iraqis still haven't taken responsibility," Obama said during the seven-minute segment on Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor," an interview the talk-show host had sought for months. "And we still don't have that kind of political reconciliation."

Obama emphasized that he recognized the threat of Islamic terrorists - a view his opponents have questioned - and would not hesitate to use military force when needed.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Police block protesters' peace march to convention
ST. PAUL - Police arrested protesters last night after mounted police blocked a bridge as hundreds of antiwar protesters tried to march from the state Capitol to the Xcel Energy Center where John McCain was accepting the GOP nomination for president.

The arrests came after protesters staged their march near the state Capitol even though their permit had expired.

Earlier yesterday, without any physical provocation, dozens of police officers on bicycles, and horseback, and in riot gear descended on several hundred people holding a peaceful antiwar rally on the steps of the State Capitol and arrested two men sitting unaware on the grass listening to a rock band.

The incident, witnessed by a Globe reporter, sparked a tense standoff between law enforcement and some of the demonstrators, with police brandishing pepper spray bottles at a crowd shouting "police state" before the situation calmed down.

In the crowd were a number of participants who said they had been arrested on Monday when nearly 300 protesters were jailed after a largely peaceful march to the convention site. Small groups of protesters smashed windows, slashed tires, blocked traffic, and harassed convention delegates.

GLOBE STAFF

AND ASSOCIATED PRESS

Seniors helping McCain close fund-raising gap
John McCain, who turned 72 last week, would be the oldest person elected to a first term as president. And fellow seniors are opening up their wallets, helping him close the fund-raising gap with rival Barack Obama.

During June and July, when McCain's fund-raising picked up markedly, nearly two-thirds of the $12.6 million was donated by retirees, who were a bigger source of campaign cash those two months than any industry, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics reported yesterday.

"After a long period of lackluster fund-raising, the McCain campaign seems to have taken advantage of the less cluttered Republican field in recent months and gone to some of the traditional wells of campaign finance," the center's executive director, Sheila Krumholz, said in a statement.

FOON RHEE

McCain called Romney before introducing Palin
ST. PAUL - Senator John McCain told Mitt Romney he would not be his running mate Friday morning, shortly before he appeared with his vice presidential pick, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, in Ohio.

Romney said yesterday that McCain was "very gracious" in the phone call and "handled it very well." The former Massachusetts governor said he did not expect to receive much advance notification in the event he was not chosen. Waiting until the last minute to inform him was appropriate, Romney said. "Otherwise, these things get out."

BRIAN C. MOONEY

Mass. chairwoman called roll for McCain
ST. PAUL - Mitt Romney wasn't the only Massachusetts Republican to appear on stage at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night.

As secretary of the convention, Jean Inman of Avon received some face time on national television as she called the roll of the states and territories as the convention formally nominated John McCain.

Inman, who served two stints as chairwoman of the Massachusetts Republican Party, was the choice of the McCain campaign to serve in the post.

BRIAN C. MOONEY