McCain Calls For Cooperation With Allies

GOP Candidate Outlines Foreign Policy Approach, Seeks To Draw Contrasts With Bush

(AP)  Republican John McCain on Wednesday called for the United States to work more collegially with democratic allies and live up to its duties as a world leader, drawing a sharp contrast to the past eight years under President Bush.

"Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want, nor should we assume we have all the wisdom and knowledge necessary to succeed," the likely presidential nominee said in a speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. "We need to listen to the views and respect the collective will of our democratic allies," McCain added.

Coming days after his trip to the Middle East and Europe, McCain's speech was intended to signal to leaders abroad - and voters at home - that he would end an era of what critics have called Mr. Bush's cowboy diplomacy. McCain never mentioned Mr. Bush's name, though he evoked former Democratic Presidents Truman and Kennedy.

It was, in effect, a fresh acknowledgment from the Arizona senator that the United States' standing on the world stage has been tarnished and that the country has an image problem under Mr. Bush. Critics at home and abroad have accused Mr. Bush of employing a go-it-alone foreign policy in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when the administration spurned international calls for caution and led the invasion into Iraq.

"The United States cannot lead by virtue of its power alone," McCain said, noting that the United States did not single-handedly win the Cold War or other conflicts in its history. Instead, he said, the country must lead by attracting others to its cause, demonstrating the virtues of freedom and democracy, defending the rules of an international civilized society and creating new international institutions.

He renewed his call for creating a new global compact of more than 100 democratic countries to advance shared values and defend shared interests, and said the United States must set an example for other democracies.

"If we lead by shouldering our international responsibilities and pointing the way to a better and safer future for humanity ... it will strengthen us to confront the transcendent challenge of our time: the threat of radical Islamic terrorism," said the four-term senator and member of the Armed Services Committee.

"Any president who does not regard this threat as transcending all others does not deserve to sit in the White House, for he or she does not take seriously enough the first and most basic duty a president has - to protect the lives of the American people," McCain added, suggesting that neither of his Democratic rivals, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama, understand the stakes at hand.

Democrats, in turn, chastised McCain as offering the same policies as Mr. Bush - even though McCain's foreign policy pitch stood in contrast to Mr. Bush's sometimes unilateral approach.

"John McCain is determined to carry out four more years of George Bush's failed policies," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

McCain also staked out anew his position on Iraq, staunchly defending his support for a continued U.S. military mission as the war enters its sixth year and the U.S. death toll tops 4,000. He derided calls for withdrawal from Clinton and Obama.

Recalling his father's four-year absence after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, his grandfather's death a day after returning from war, and his own imprisonment in Vietnam, McCain said: "I hold my position because I hate war, and I know very well and very personally how grievous its wages are. But I know, too, that we must sometimes pay those wages to avoid paying even higher ones later."

Without naming them, McCain said both Democratic candidates "are arguing for a course that would eventually draw us into a wider and more difficult war that would entail far greater dangers and sacrifices than we have suffered to date."

Overall, the speech offered little new. Rather, McCain repackaged long-standing positions in an attempt to stand on his own and set himself apart from Mr. Bush, whose support is at a low point as the public craves change.

Answering questions afterward, McCain floated a fresh proposal the United States entering into a free trade agreement with the European Union. "It would be a massive undertaking," he told reporters, but said he'd like to start a conversation about it.

[b-easy63]

ONCE AGAIN....Obama may find himself in hot water--not for something he did, but for who he knows. Those Rezko indictments are sure to heat up and spill over and cause damage!!

Unfortunately for Hillary--she can''''t catch a break, soon to potentially break in the news is the story before the California appeals court which show not only that a campaign fraud done by her mgr concerning Paul and Lee was ugly, but that Hillary (HERSELF ONCE AGAIN)was involved. At issue is a 250K donation made to her senatorial campaign. Her staff said she had no knowledge of it, so she was not roped into the scandal when her campaign mgr faced charges of hiding that money from the IRS.

Unfortunately VIDEO may again place Hill in deep doo, doo. It seems there is a video tape recording her discussing the fund raiser with the donors (on it, she talks about who would be there and what they will do) this means she performed what is known as a direct campaign request. donations from donors for that kind of request are limited to 25K. Since the donation was for 250K, that would be considered campaign fraud.

Woe is Hillary and Damnnnn those videos and tape recordings that make being a great liar so hard to keep up these days!!! ROTFLMAO.

Maybe Hill should quit, before she finds herself in court this time, with no way to hide her hand in shady dealings. Here''''s the Link: http://www.usjf.net/modules.php?op=modlo
ad&name=News&file=article&sid=344

[hungry1968]

Translation of Hillarygrl34''s post from 11:45 AM:




Hillary can''t stand on the merits of her own candidacy, or on her own positions on the actual issues and we all know it!!

The ONLY thing we have left is racism, and we MUST cling to it like a spider on a web!!

[hungry1968]

Stoop what level, the truth! Even Obama admits it!
So what level are you talking about? Explain yourself.
You think this is a Lie. I know its hard to swallow.

Posted by Hillarygrl34 at 11:42 AM : Mar 27, 2008





You''re now will to stoop so low as to try and tie Obama to Hamas? How sad it must be to base your life on the failing candidacy of Bill Clinton and his sidekick wife Hillary, and the lies they''re using to get back into the white house.

Obama admits that "the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr., long-time pastor of Barak Obama, published an op-ed piece signed by a Hamas leader"? Please post this alleged admission of his.

[hungry1968]

Posted by Hillarygrl34 at 11:24 AM : Mar 27, 2008





Good lord!!

I knew that the Clinton campaign was failing, and that they were getting increasingly desperate, but to stoop to this level is VERY low - even for a Clinton.

How pathetic.

[taddles-2009]

"Just as I would not support any color racist to be President. I was privately hoping Obama would win but not much of a voter. I am currently registering and will be voting for Clinton since there is so much undeserved rallied response to Obama bin Laden.

Posted by Tiffany337 at 07:21 AM : Mar 27, 2008"


LOL, saying "we are NOT all racist!" after calling Barak "Obama bin Laden"....funny, sad and pathetic but funny. Racist or not you''re still stupid.

[leftyintexas]

WOW! Why didn''t Doofus think of that?

[b-easy63]

ALL YOU NAYSAYERS: IT TURNS OUT HILLARY WAS UNDER SNIPER FIRE IN BOSNIA AFTER ALL:

Jesterbelle, you HAVE to see this video. It''''''''''''''''s the shocking video of Bosnia that proves Hillary told the truth!!! YOu will LYAO!!

http://wonkette.com/372675/shocking-bosnia-video-proves-hillary-told-the-truth

Posted by b-easy63 at 09:19 AM : Mar 27, 2008

[homespunlady]

Have the NEO-CONs become the NERO-CONS???

[cattlekate]

the first and most basic duty a president has - to protect the lives of the American people," McCain added,

We will be frequently hearing McSame using this Big Daddy Will Protect Us speech, since it worked for Bush.

Quite frankly, I want a president who will uphold and protect our Constitution.

[wdrussell1]

Yes that is a sharp contrast to Bush.