McCain Tries to Clarify Surge Comments

By: John Bentley
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

(BETHLEHEM, PA.) – After being criticized for comments he made about the Anbar awakening in Iraq, McCain tried to clarify the issue today, saying the strategy behind the surge was already in place when the uprising occurred.

"This counter-insurgency was initiated to some degree by Col. McFarland in Anbar province, relatively on his own. And I visited with him in December of 2006. He had already initiated that strategy in Ramadi by going in and clearing and holding in certain places," McCain said. "Later on, there were additional troops, and General Petraeus said that the surge would not have worked, and the Anbar awakening would not have taken place, successfully, if they hadn't had an increase in the number of troops."

During an exclusive interview yesterday with CBS News, Katie Couric asked McCain to respond to Barack Obama's assertion that the Sunni awakening would have improved security even without the surge.

"I don't know how you respond to something that is such a false depiction of what actually happened," McCain responded. "Col. McFarland was contacted by one of the major Sunni sheiks. Because of the surge we were able to go out and protect that sheik and others. And it began the Anbar awakening. I mean, that's just a matter of history."

Critics have said that since the surge troops weren't announced until early 2007, crediting the surge for the uprising in the summer and fall of 2006 shows a misunderstanding of the Iraq war's history. McCain argues that even if the troops hadn't arrived, the tactics had been implemented. "Because of my visits to Iraq, I was briefed by Col. McFarland in December of 2006 where he outlined what was succeeding there as counter-insurgency strategy, which we all know of now as the surge," McCain said today.

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by mattcat25 July 24, 2008 1:00 PM EDT: John the war monger McSame (as Bush) is flip-flopping again on his own statesments???

My friendz, that%u2019s not change we can believe in.; Reply to this comment


by richmsk July 24, 2008 8:23 AM EDT: Thank you for editing Katie Couric''s interview with John McCain on the evening news to reflect what he probably meant in answer to Katie''s question rather than what he actually said. His actual answer, as Katie should have known, made no sense, and I''m sure, if she was thinking, would have asked him to clarify his answer. CBS''s editing made the interview much easier for me to follow, and reminded me why I support McCain for president. I''m sure CBS news had to edit many interviews during the Reagan years like this. My only question is, how does CBS decide what McCain really meant to say when his answers are so off the wall? Do you make up things or do you just ''cut and paste'' from other interviews and assume no one will notice?; Reply to this comment


by meragain July 24, 2008 6:15 AM EDT: CBS News, News being a key part of the show''s title, should report the news of its own decision to edit an interview with a presidential candidate to hide his misstatements of facts and replace them with a quote answering a different question. Your version looked better, but is not the interview that took place. This reflects a lack of preparedness on Ms. Couric''s part and an unethical decision that revised the truth. Why was it done, who did it and when is someone going to show the traditions of the once great CBS NEWS and set the record straight and show the interview and the belabored shopping aisle defense at full length. Until the, One can only suppose that CBC has a dog in the hunt named McCain. Where are the ethical standards of professional journalism. Missing? Sadly, yes. Missing; Reply to this comment


by richmsk July 24, 2008 5:17 AM EDT: Thank you for editing Katie Couric''s interview with John McCain on the evening news to reflect what he probably meant in answer to Katie''s question rather than what he actually said. His actual answer, as Katie should have known, made no sense, and I''m sure, if she was thinking, would have asked him to clarify his answer. CBS''s editing made the interview much easier for me to follow, and reminded me why I support McCain for president. I''m sure CBS news had to edit many interviews during the Reagan years like this. My only question is, how does CBS decide what McCain really meant to say when his answers are so off the wall? Do you make up things or do you just ''cut and paste'' from other interviews and assume no one will notice?; Reply to this comment


by meragain July 24, 2008 4:55 AM EDT: CBS News, News being a key part of the show''s title, should report the news of its own decision to edit an interview with a presidential candidate to hide his misstatements of facts and replace them with a quote answering a different question. Your version looked better, but is not the interview that took place. This reflects a lack of preparedness on Ms. Couric''s part and an unethical decision that revised the truth. Why was it done, who did it and when is someone going to show the traditions of the once great CBS NEWS and set the record straight and show the interview and the belabored shopping aisle defense at full length. Until the, One can only suppose that CBC has a dog in the hunt named McCain. Where are the ethical standards of professional journalism. Missing? Sadly, yes. Missing; Reply to this comment


by richmsk July 24, 2008 4:09 AM EDT: Thank you for editing Katie Couric''s interview with John McCain on the evening news to reflect what he probably meant in answer to Katie''s question rather than what he actually said. His actual answer, as Katie should have known, made no sense, and I''m sure, if she was thinking, would have asked him to clarify his answer. CBS''s editing made the interview much easier for me to follow, and reminded me why I support McCain for president. I''m sure CBS news had to edit many interviews during the Reagan years like this. My only question is, how does CBS decide what McCain really meant to say when his answers are so off the wall? Do you make up things or do you just ''cut and paste'' from other interviews and assume no one will notice?; Reply to this comment


by richmsk July 24, 2008 3:52 AM EDT: Thank you for editing Katie Couric''s interview with John McCain on the evening news to reflect what he probably meant in answer to Katie''s question rather than what he actually said. His actual answer, as Katie should have known, made no sense, and I''m sure, if she was thinking, would have asked him to clarify his answer. CBS''s editing made the interview much easier for me to follow, and reminded me why I support McCain for president. I''m sure CBS news had to edit many interviews during the Reagan years like this. My only question is, how does CBS decide what McCain really meant to say when his answers are so off the wall? Do you make up things or do you just ''cut and paste'' from other interviews and assume no one will notice?; Reply to this comment


by richmsk July 24, 2008 3:49 AM EDT: Thank you for editing Katie Couric''s interview with John McCain on the evening news to reflect what he probably meant in answer to Katie''s question rather than what he actually said. His actual answer, as Katie should have known, made no sense, and I''m sure, if she was thinking, would have asked him to clarify his answer. CBS''s editing made the interview much easier for me to follow, and reminded me why I support McCain for president. I''m sure CBS news had to edit many interviews during the Reagan years like this. My only question is, how does CBS decide what McCain really meant to say when his answers are so off the wall? Do you make up things or do you just ''cut and paste'' from other interviews and assume no one will notice?; Reply to this comment


by richmsk July 24, 2008 3:48 AM EDT: Thank you for editing Katie Couric''s interview with John McCain on the evening news to reflect what he probably meant in answer to Katie''s question rather than what he actually said. His actual answer, as Katie should have known, made no sense, and I''m sure, if she was thinking, would have asked him to clarify his answer. CBS''s editing made the interview much easier for me to follow, and reminded me why I support McCain for president. I''m sure CBS news had to edit many interviews during the Reagan years like this. My only question is, how does CBS decide what McCain really meant to say when his answers are so off the wall? Do you make up things or do you just ''cut and paste?''; Reply to this comment


by richmsk July 24, 2008 3:46 AM EDT: Thank you for editing Katie Couric''s interview with John McCain on the evening news to reflect what he probably meant in answer to Katie''s question rather than what he actually said. His actual answer, as Katie should have known, made no sense, and I''m sure, if she was thinking, would have asked him to clarify his answer. CBS''s editing made the interview much easier for me to follow, and reminded me why I support McCain for president. I''m sure CBS news had to edit many interviews during the Reagan years like this. My only question is, how does CBS decide what McCain really meant to say when his answers are so off the wall? Do you make up things or do you just ''cut and paste?''; Reply to this comment