OBAMA DEFIANT IN PRESS CONFERENCE OVER ��APPEASEMENT��

In extended South Dakota session with reporters, follows up on earlier speech taking after Bush and McCain. Keeps up drumbeat of criticism of Bush and McCain on Iraq, Iran, Bin Laden, Afghanistan. "The speech yesterday wasn't about an actual policy argument. It was about politics. It was about scaring the American people." Click above to watch, and read transcript here. Defends his stance toward speaking with rival leaders, citing Kennedy-Khrushchev, Nixon-Mao meetings as precedent. ROAD-BLOCKED COVERAGE ON CABLE.