McCain Admits Mistake With Petraeus Picture
(CBS)
From CBS News' John Bentley:
After being criticized by everyone from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the governor of Wisconsin, John McCain admitted today that it was wrong to use an image of Gen. David Petraeus in uniform for a fundraising letter. "It won't happen again," McCain said today at a press conference in Milwaukee. His campaign had argued previously that using the picture was appropriate, and that showing Petraeus shaking hands with McCain did not imply he was supportive of McCain's candidacy. Petraeus has not endorsed any candidate for president.
McCain also weighed in on the flap over the Rev. Michael Pfleger, a former member of Barack Obama's Catholic Advisory Council, who ridiculed Hillary Clinton from the pulpit of Obama's Trinity Church in Chicago last Sunday. "I have known Sen. Clinton for a long time," McCain said. "I respect her, and I think that kind of language and that kind of treatment of Sen. Clinton is unwarranted, uncalled for, and disgraceful."
Pfleger said Clinton felt "entitled" to the presidency because she was "Bill's wife" and white. "And then, out of nowhere, came, 'Hey, I'm Barack Obama." And she said, 'Oh damn, where did you come from?'" Pfleger said. "'There's a black man stealing my show.'"
When asked if it was time for Obama to leave the Trinity United Church of Christ, where his former reverend Jeremiah Wright is a senior pastor, McCain said "that's a decision Sen. Obama would have to make."
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"I can look you in the eye and say we''ve made progress in Iraq. We''ve drawn down troops to pre-sugre levels."
McCain 5-30-08
When in fact we remain 22,000 above pre-surge levels.
McCain isn''t Able!
SYDNEY, Australia %u2014 Australia, a staunch U.S. ally and one of the first countries to commit troops to the Iraq war five years ago, ended combat operations there Sunday, a Defense Department official said.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was swept into office in November largely on the promise that he would bring home the country''s 550 combat troops by the middle of 2008.
Rudd has said the Iraq deployment has made Australia more of a target for terrorism.
The combat troops are expected to return home over the next few weeks. Local media reports said the first of the soldiers had already landed in Australia on Sunday afternoon.
"Our soldiers have worked tirelessly to ensure that local people in southern Iraq have the best possible chance to move on from their suffering under Saddam''s regime and, as a government we are extremely proud of their service," Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said.
Several hundred other troops will remain in Iraq to act as security and headquarters liaisons and to guard diplomats. Australia will also leave behind two maritime surveillance aircraft and a warship to help patrol oil platforms in the Gulf.
Rove: But this doesn''t sound like Scott.
Don''t be surprised when you hear the White House attack dogs advancing similar (talking points) in an orchestrated, "This is not the Scott McClellan I know" line of defense:
White House press secretary Dana Perino: %u201CThis is not the Scott we knew.%u201D
Former White House counsel Dan Bartlett: "It''s almost like we''re witnessing an out-of-body experience," Bartlett said of McClellan. "We''re hearing from a completely different person.%u201D
Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer: %u201CSomething changed. And there are parts of this book that just don''t sound like Scott.%u201D
Orchestrated or corrupt minds thinking alike?
Straight from the Karl Rove playbook %u2013 Slander the messenger not the message.
''I want to know the truth,'' president tells reporters
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Tuesday he welcomes a Justice Department investigation into who revealed the classified identity of a CIA operative.
"If there''s a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is," Bush told reporters at an impromptu news conference during a fund-raising stop in Chicago, Illinois. "If the person has violated law, that person will be taken care of.
"I welcome the investigation. I am absolutely confident the Justice Department will do a good job.
"I want to know the truth," the president continued. "Leaks of classified information are bad things."
He added that he did not know of "anybody in my administration who leaked classified information."
Bush said he has told his administration to cooperate fully with the investigation and asked anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward.
Perhaps the biggest revelation from Scott McClellan''s bombshell book about his time at the White House is that President Bush directly authorized the leak of Valerie Plame''s identity:
During the interview, Scottie revealed the two things that really pissed him off with the Bush Administration. First, being set up to lie by Karl Rove and Scooter Libby. And second, learning that Bush had--himself--authorized the selective leaking of the NIE.
%u2028Scottie McC: But the other defining moment was in early April 2006, when I learned that the President had secretly declassified the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq for the Vice President and Scooter Libby to anonymously disclose to reporters. And we had been out there talking about how seriously the President took the selective leaking of classified information. And here we were, learning that the President had authorized the very same thing we had criticized.
(CONT)
Viera: Did you talk to the President and say why are you doing this?
Scottie McC: Actually, I did. I talked about the conversation we had. I walked onto Air Force One, it was right after an event we had, it was down in the south, I believe it was North Carolina. And I walk onto Air Force One and a reporter had yelled a question to the President trying to ask him a question about this revelation that had come out during the legal proceedings. The revelation was that it was the President who had authorized, or, enable Scooter Libby to go out there and talk about this information. And I told the President that that''s what the reporter was asking. He was saying that you, yourself, was the one that authorized the leaking of this information. And he said "yeah, I did." And I was kinda taken aback.
IF I SAY IT OR WRITE IT I REALLY BELIEVE IT.
CarlyLaine