As Focus Shifts From Iraq To Georgia, McCain Does Too

By: Ryan Corsaro
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:

(WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICH.) - John McCain continued to narrow his campaign's message this week on the ongoing conflict between the countries of Russia and Georgia as increasing media attention focuses on the events in the region.

Speaking at a fundraiser in Michigan today, McCain made reference, as he has in the past several days, to his contact with Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili and his visits to Georgia in past years.

"I've been on the phone with the president of Georgia, President Saakashvili. President Saakashvili has undergone and his nation a great trauma and we all know that the Russians have really used as an excuse some minor conflict that was on the border between Georgia and South Ossetia," said McCain.

At the same time, the McCain campaign has called for humanitarian and economic assistance for the United States and suggested international and domestic responses, which the Bush Administration has later mirrored, giving McCain the appearance that he is involved in dictating and mitigating United States policy with the countries involved.

"The president has announced that we will be dispatching humanitarian aid. I think that's very important. It canceled exercises that were planned with Russia. He has articulated what I have advocated, at least referred to what I have advocated and that is that Russia should not be a member of the G8 if they are going to continue this kind of behavior."

Meanwhile, with Barack Obama vacationing in Hawaii but still making statements intermittently on the matter, McCain's campaign has managed to glide along with the media focus away from matters in Iraq and is using this conflict to promote an image of McCain as experienced in foreign policy matters and aggressive on national defense.

"I think the events of the last few days show that there are many places in the world where we don't necessarily anticipate this kind of conflicts breaking out and it does require a steady hand on the tiller and an experienced one," said McCain as he prepared to visit a plant that produces commercial and military aircraft parts.

"I've been to Georgia several times, and the lesson here is one which is large than a tiny country. The lesson here is that we are seeing and we've seen a number of other indications of it, a reemergence of Russia as a major player particularly in the region. I don't think it means we're gonna reignite the Cold War, and I don't think that we're gonna have kind of situation but I do believe that we need to stand as courageously as we can on behalf of this little country."

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by katharine9 August 15, 2008 7:14 PM EDT: Georgian president Saakashvili has said that he is in fact talking with John McCain ''several times a day''. Perhaps this is why McCain thinks he is already President. McCain says he is for ''country first'', but the question is, which country?; Reply to this comment


by lordmi August 14, 2008 1:14 PM EDT: McWar.
Americans should understand it before to vote.
McWar. That is his name,
his message
and his sense.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 August 13, 2008 6:07 PM EDT: Bush/Cheney have barrowed almost $1Trillion Dollars from the Peoples Republic of China and have squandered it all on an unnecessary war (if, you can call fighting rag-tag insurgence rebels a war).

$85 Billion has gone to Halliburton and their subsidiaries with the blessing of Vice President Richard Cheney.

There were no Weapons of Mass Destruction, the entire notion was created by the Bush Whitehouse, there wasn%u2019t enough troops on the ground to secure the country%u2019s population after the invasion, our troops weren%u2019t supplied with the proper protection equipment and essential post injury care.

When it comes to WAR Republicans talk tough but, in realty they have proved that they do not know, or have the aspirations to conduct a successful military campaign.; Reply to this comment