McCain: I Could Beat Obama

Washington Post: Republican Senator Says He Would Win Generational-Focused General Election Campaign Against Democrat

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Dan Balz and Chris Cillizza.

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Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) asserted that he could win a generational-focused November election campaign against Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on the strength of his record combating special interests and his support for President Bush's troop surge strategy in Iraq.

"I've made the most significant change that you could make -- or certainly played a key role in it -- and that is the new strategy in Iraq," he said. "We went from failure with the old strategy and we have the new strategy and we're saving American lives. I can't think of better change, frankly, or more important than saving American lives."

During an interview for the "PostTalk" program on washingtonpost.com, McCain said he would not retreat from a campaign in which change was at the center of the debate, arguing that he has repeatedly challenged the Washington establishment during his two-decade long Senate career.

"Ask [convicted lobbyist Jack] Abramoff if I am satisfied with the status quo," he said. Ask [former defense secretary] Donald Rumsfeld. Ask the members of the Appropriations Committee who call me 'the sheriff'. I have been involved in significant change for a long time."

McCain said he has no regrets about the tone of his attacks on former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in Saturday's Republican presidential debate. During the session, Romney repeatedly accused McCain of taking personal shots at him, and some commentators said McCain let his personal dislike for Romney show through.

"We've had a flood of emails and calls saying 'Way to go' because there has been an inaccurate portrayal of my positions on issues in mass mailing and others, and, I mean, you've got to respond and I responded," McCain said.

McCain and Romney have traded a string of personal and policy accusations as they battle in what now shapes up as a crucial primary contest here on Tuesday. With McCain rising, Romney faces the threat of back-to-back losses that could cripple his campaign.

"I thought the majority of the debate was very civil, very informative and I kind of like the format of the debate," he said. "But sometimes you have to respond. There comes a time when you have to really say 'Look, that is not appropriate to continue to say that I have a position that I don't and spend millions of dollars on it.'"

McCain was far milder in critiquing the man who won the Iowa caucuses, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, although he did distance himself from Huckabee's charge that the Bush administration's foreign policy has been characterized by an "arrogant bunker mentality."

McCain made clear his criticism of Bush's policies is far less sweeping, but said of Huckabee: "He's very new to some of these issues. I'm not making an excuse for him. I think he tried to say last night that what he was talking about -- that there was an air of arrogance. He ought to be given a chance to clarify his position or his comments."

But McCain also alluded to what could become a point of contrast with Huckabee in later states, if the Arizona senator wins here on Tuesday and the two go on to battle it out for the nomination. "I don't think he has a lot [of foreign policy experience], to say the least," McCain said.

With two days left in the New Hampshire campaign, McCain reflected on the long journey he has taken over the past six months. Counted out by many in his party and the media after his campaign imploded over the summer, McCain has bounced back to become the frontrunner in the Granite State and a serious threat to win the nomination.

Asked how he saw the landscape during the darkest days of his candidacy, he said, "I knew we had to perform in a way that [told] people the truth. I also knew that I needed to stand up for what was right in Iraq."

"I knew that I had to go to New Hampshire and South Carolina and to a lesser degree to Iowa, have the town hall meetings, re-connect with the people. I couldn't do that until after Labor Day because people really don't pay much attention until after that."

McCain said he felt his comeback began in early September with a good performance in a debate held on the campus of the University of New Hampshire. "It wasn't well publicized or covered, but a lot of people in New Hampshire watched that debate that night and we made slow but steady progress."

McCain's numbers never dipped as badly in New Hampshire as they did elsewhere as Granite State voters retained a lasting affinity for the Arizona senator.

McCain also avoided any direct criticism of Obama, who is riding a wave of momentum following his win in the Iowa caucuses last Thursday. McCain has questioned Obama's foreign policy credentials, but the two worked together on ethics legislation in the Senate and, on that basis, McCain said he had considerable respect for Obama's commitment to reduce the power of special interests in Washington.

"I've seen him in the Senate and worked with him on a couple issues in the Senate and that's been a productive exercise," he said. "I think he is a very good senator but I just think that he is a liberal Democrat and I am a conservative Republican and we will ventilate those differences as to our vision for the future of the country and I think it will be done respectfully."

[taddles-2009]

"McCain: I Could Beat Obama"

And the sky rains candy and trees grow money and life is beautiful in that strange world you live in.

At least ONE person thinks he can beat Obama. LOL

[nirak2-2009]

God help you all if McCain would make it.
You be at war forever with this old geezer.

[realpatriot1]

McCain''s greatest hits-

"I want to stay in Iraq 1,000,000 years!"

"Bomb Iran."

"I have the experience we need in a dangerous world."

[l8c6]

Oprah gave air time to Bill O''Reilly to talk about child abuse. Of all people to talk about abuse, Bill O''Reilly. This country is damned to tougher times. A foolish people who lost their values. Soup lines made wise most who endured them some 70 years ago.

[l8c6]

Check the record. The winner will be one of two things (possibly both): The tallest and/or the one who has the best election day dirty tricks teams in place.

Posted by barbaraf4


Uh, that''ll be the republican. Always has been, always will be. Republicans are reptilian. Seen it all my life. It is the party of cheaters, liars, lovers of the riches of this world, lizards, snakes, hypocrites and wolves dressed in 3-piece suits.

[l8c6]

Yes, but could this anoxic guy beat Hillary? The corrupt right wingers attacked Hillary viciously for the past several years for a reason.

Oprah is a racist and a republican.

[barbaraf4]

Check the record. The winner will be one of two things (possibly both): The tallest and/or the one who has the best election day dirty tricks teams in place.

[trinitron01]

Hello People! You have a real chance to get the best man in office with a perfect record in congress-- none of them come close to Dr. Ron Paul. I have compared them. I didn''''t know who was who and didnt trust the media machine. Look up ronpaul2008.com and his issues and record, and you will see for yourself. Don''''t be fooled by the imitators, there is only one guy that can really make a difference for the people. Also Dr. Ron Paul is on TONIGHT WITH JAY LENO - Tonight!!!

Dear Sen. McCain: Your support of the troop surge is a genuine turn-off for most people. Whether it helped or not, it is not money well spent and certainly not worth the lives lost mainly because the minute those troops leave, the Iraqi''s are going to duke it out again. We should not be in Iraq and no dressing it up will make it look good! We created a haven for Al Qaeda which was not there before the stupid incursion and I blame Bush, Cheney and anybody else including you who got us into this boondoggle.

[tibu987]

It just goes to show how distant the Republicans and some Democrats are from the electorate.
Let me give them a clue.

Any available medical insurance is too expensive for the average American.
The immigration problem, while important, should NOT take center stage above all the other problems the average American has.
What we want is "change", yes, change from the old pols responsible for the mess this country is in. A new, fresh outlook that takes into consideration all Americans and not just the wealthy.
We want an end to the war(s) in the Middle East, and our troops to come home.
We want a stronger economy and more jobs.
We want our infrastructure to be safe and well maintained.
We want to have the best schools and teachers for our children.
We want to be safe on our streets.
We want the wishy-washy politicians, purveyors of pork, out of office.
We want to be rid of the staus quo politicians who line their pockets and feed from the public trough.
We demand honesty from our government officials.
I believe those are some of the major issues and needs of the majority of the average voting public, and they get scant attention from the candidates.
Most of the presidential candidates are multi-millionaires that long ago lost touch with the average American and have no inkling about what our needs and sufferings are about.
And that is why Obama is in the lead, he is the only one who has shown some concern for the average American.
''Nuff said.

[truthspeake2]

After or possibly before November, McCain will go the way of Bob and Elizabeth Dole and Newt Gingrich. And besides, his wife inherited a liquor distribution business from her father years ago here in Arizona so that should keep them both in plenty of booze and money for a very long time because Republicans will have absolutely nothing to do for the next 8 years but drink themselves back to reality!

[kansas1946]

I don''''t know what the answer is but we have to do something. Element51
******************

Element51, you are not wrong, and in fact, you hit the nail on the head. The problem right now is that a huge percentage of Americans are sick and to death of this Mexican immigration issue and are voting that issue in many localities. The illegals finally got too vocal and were demanding too much and everyone just got tired of it. They should have kept their heads down. Not started protesting in the streets. Anyway, the politicians are responding because they have to. And you are right, the businesses are who you target. If they aren''t hiring, no one will come.

[notbuynit]

Nobody will elect this member of the walking dead, or any of the other GOP dipshitz.

[random_radar]

McCain: I Could Beat Obama

Yeah, well, that''s why they give secret service protection to presidential candidates.

[smirk5]

The only thing better for the Democrats in Nov. 2008 than having McCain as an opponent is Huckabee. If you think McCain would be a tough Republican nominee, I''ve got an unarmored Humvee for you that Petraeus uses to drive around Baghdad in.

[candide777]

Can I just add that omg McCain''s wife is so beautiful! lol I know that''s not relevant to anything but gosh how I would love to look that good when I''m her age :)
Posted by SamTheTVCat at 02:05 PM : Jan 07, 2008

Sweetie, time for a new prescription . . . or maybe not, with vision like yours, you won''t need to look good when you look in the mirror.

[element51]

Brittanicus....I may be able to answer your question. I''m not sure and this is only a theory but here goes. I live in an area where there are tons and tons of chicken processing plants. Most of their workforce is Mexicans and most are illegals. One of the biggest is Tyson. If these workers were deported it would force these companies to hire Americans and to pay higher wages. So their lobbiest put pressure on the politicians and nothing gets done. Every so often there will be a "raid" and they will take away some of the workers but they will be back to work the next day. As long as American companies are allowed to get away with this there will be no real reform. We need to go after the people who are doing the hiring. If we need to we could have some sort of guest worker program that might work. I don''t know what the answer is but we have to do something.

[kansas1946]

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) asserted that he could win a generational-focused November election campaign against Sen. Barack Obama
**********************************
LOL..LOL..LOL..not a snowball''s chance in h e l l. All of the independents that supported McCain in 2000 (including myself) have moved to Obama. Democrats won''t vote for McCain, independents don''t like him anymore, the evangelical Republicans don''t like him, so who exactly is going to vote for him?

[brittanicus-2009]

Last March Sen.John McCain, Obama joined the Democrats and some Republicans to allow a path to citizenship for upwards of 20 million illegal foreign born aliens. The term AMNESTY was not used, but a meager fine, learning some English and not having a criminal record as such, promoted more or less instant recognision as a permanent residence, while hundreds of thousands of honest, sincere foreigners waited patiently to be legalised correctly. Personally, I saw something wrong with this Comprehensive Immigration bill, when people who broke the "Rule of Law" in the first place. How should these illegal aliens get priority over individuals, who paid their dues of filling in the paperwork, having a medical check-up and be investigated by the FBI. This is very disturbing to me that the majority of the American people said a resounding "NO". Why are our politicians so committed to force on innocent taxpayers, even more unfair taxes to pay for pariah employers who hire illegal slave labor?

[obama1289]

Obama supporters and everyone:

Check out this very moving video that changed my mind about Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPev5sEdTjg