KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine, July 21, 2008
McCain: Obama "Completely Wrong" On Iraq
Ariz. Senator Ridicules Democrat At First President Bush's Summer Home
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Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former President George H.W. Bush, right, arrive by golf cart for a news conference at the Bush family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, Monday, July 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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As Obama toured the war zones, McCain ridiculed him from afar during a visit with the first President Bush at his summer home on the Atlantic.
"My respect for him knows no bounds," the elder Bush said of McCain. Still, Mr. Bush said he wished Obama well on his overseas trip, and said he hoped the Democrat would get an especially warm welcome in Berlin.
One senior Republican strategist said that if Obama's trip is successful, it could mark a new chapter for the McCain campaign, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod, because if Obama does narrow the foreign policy credibility gap, McCain will have to start confronting his rival much more directly.
McCain told reporters he didn't care if Obama's trip was stealing attention and "doesn't in the slightest undercut" his own message. "It is what it is," he said.
Any withdrawal of troops from Iraq "must be based on conditions on the ground," McCain said.
But McCain said that most troops would leave the country within two years, as long as the gains the U.S. has made hold up, reports CBS News' John Bentley.
“I am confident as long as we maintain the progress we have made, and it's fragile, but it's there, but it has to be based on conditions on the ground,” McCain said. “Whenever you win wars, and we are winning, then we will be able to come home."
(Click here to read Bentley's full post in the "From The Road" blog).
McCain disparaged Obama as "someone who has no military experience whatsoever."
"When you win wars, troops come home," McCain said. "He's been completely wrong on the issue. ... I have been steadfast in my position."
On Afghanistan, McCain said, "I've always said it's long and tough and hard."
As to Iraq, "We've succeeded. We're not succeeding, we've succeeded," McCain said later at a fundraiser.
Mr. Bush declined to comment on his views on the two wars, saying he would defer to McCain.
"No advice," he said. "I think he's doing great."
Mr. Bush said he would not criticize either McCain for advocating drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf nor his son for rescinding his own 1992 presidential order banning such offshore drilling, saying increasing domestic production was important.
Chatting alone with reporters, Mr. Bush later said he's looking forward to a final parachute jump from a plane next June 12 when he turns 85.
He said his wife Barbara told him, "One way or the other, this is your final jump."
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See all 465 CommentsThis is Obama''''s plan, legacy, and shows his charisma as well. First, all he is is a black teacher at law school. That''''s what he is using. Traditionally, when I think of a black professor, I think of someone who knows the laws dealing with "minorities" over everything else. I mean that''''s what they are best at, what they like dealing with, and what is expected of them by their students. So, here comes along Obama with that label. Minorities such as radical extreme Islamist groups can use this fatherly protection against the United States to come in and learn how to fly planes for example. Obama is keeping his fingers crossed when he talks to the heads of countries such as Palestine, Iraq, and Jordan. It might work in the short term for the terrorists. Maybe they want to see what they can get. Thus, unintentionally or intentionally Obama is telling countries such as these that maybe he wants to send American troops to Afghanistan to kill them like over 10,000 Russians were killed there. That''''s Barack Obama''''s plan, legacy, and secret. That''''s why I''''m begging you to vote for John McCain. John has the experience to get things done. God Bless Senator John McCain, our troops, and the United States of America
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Posted by Vgirl11 at 09:17 PM : Jul 22, 2008
Whatta load of krap! Obama has had to turn around and eat his stupid words every time he opens his damned mouth!
And he has made plans and promises to you that can never be kept to win your stupid vote!
Obama is an Islamofast hugging bastward that will appease these idiots that murdered 3,000 Americans! Do you want them coming back and getting 10,000 next time?
The idiot has b***ched and moaned about Iraq and our exhausted troops and treasy and again gotten your stupid vote when he knew from the beginning that we will have to have a presence in Iraq for years to come to keep the Islamofast bastwards from controlling the Middle East and getting nuclear weapons. And now he wants to cowboy up and go fight terrorists!!! With WHAT? According to him our troops are exhausted and need to come home! Our treasury is BUSTED! And instead of fighting the terrorists in the open desert, he wants to go fight them in the mountaisns of Afghanistan where they can be picked off like turkeys in a shoot! And yes, Obama would intentionally lose a war to get himself elected!
How gullible and stupid can you get!!!
Americans support John McCain.
Posted by johnbush2 at 12:12 PM : Jul 22, 2008
Sorry, you are wrong! Americans support OBAMA. That''''s why he will be your next President. Only 182 days left! Enjoy!
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Posted by leftyintexas at 02:41 PM : Jul 22, 2008
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LOL and Amen! Don''t you love these "Husseiners." You would think they would give it up. No one is paying any attention..
Hope that helps!
Moreover, how dare John McCain suggest that Sen Obama would intentionally lose a war for America for political reasons. This is not just below the belt it is beyond the pale. How could anyone who is running for President of the United States stoop so low? This is an egregious error on the part of McCain. He owes Sen Obama and the people of the United States an immediate apology. Mere campaign rhetoric that was not!
"Couric: Senator McCain, Sen. Obama says, while the increased number of U.S. troops contributed to increased security in Iraq, he also credits the Sunni awakening and the Shiite government going after militias. And says that there might have been improved security even without the surge. What''s your response to that?
McCain: I don''t know how you respond to something that is such a false depiction of what actually happened. Colonel McFarlane (phonetic) 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."
Unfortunately, McBush is either having another memory lapse or he''s just telling a lie. The colonel and the sheik moment was described by Gen. McFarland, then a colonel on 9/29/06, months before the surge. Maybe he was on the Iraq/Pakistan border in Czechoslovakia at the time.
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Posted by leftyintexas at 02:41 PM : Jul 22, 2008
REally ? 182 days left and with all that hype and obama is ahead by a statistical dead-heat of 3 % points , I would not be so sure about his chances in Nov. ....Plus , 75% of Americans think Mc Cain would be a good commander in chief while 43% think the same way about Obama in one of the latest poll...As Iraq shows more sign of improvement in the coming months , the American people will see for themselve who DID make the right decision in TOUGH TIMES ... This is what the POTUS is all about , NOt photo-ops and nice speeches and flowery rhetorics , It is the most difficult job on the planet , and if one can not make the right decision in tough situation or if one does not have the courage to stick to a difficult decision to the glorious end , he is definitely not suited to be President! Harvard degree ? Nice speeches ? popular rhetorics ? they are all useless in that tough times of deciding to face the Soviet Union in a nuclear crisis or of deciding to put in another 30000 troops into an unpopular war to stabilize it and come home in Victory ...As far as one can see , Obama does not have it ...!
Americans support John McCain.
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Posted by johnbush2 at 12:12 PM : Jul 22, 2008
I am not too sure about the Arab stuffs , but he surely is supporting the same thing as Louis FArrakhan and rev. Wright , otherwise , why associating with that church and that pastor for 20 years . If it was not because Obama wants to be president so bad that he will do anything , Obama would have never cut tie with that church . So , there you have it , Obama lies in the most blatant way and is willing to throw anyone under the bus to get his way . He is all talk and no substance , at least not the Right substance . And plus, in this day and age , Black theology is just the same as White supermacy ...all racial hatred stemming from a distance past that give satisfaction a group of people who refuse to let go of a painful past , to them , it is better to have a revolution and step on the other guys than to live in peace . Too bad , they will not have a place in modern America !
I agree with Obama, that the strategic push against terrorism has moved to Afghanistan (where it always was), and yet feel strangely ''''''''joined-at-the-hip'''''''' with Iraq: that pulling out too soon could destroy whatever hope there is of a halfway decent solution for those people. I''''''''ve been soooo blinded by my anger at Bush and the neocons for EVER entering Iraq in the first place, but also feel a civil war there now would be catastrophic for them. Tough times!
Posted by ubrew12 at 11:39 PM : Jul 21, 2008
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Disagreeing with Bush aside , I give you credit for being honest ...Anyone who have ever served in Vietnam knows how it feel to get stabbed in the back and betrayed by his own coutry and comrade ( Kerry ) . Everyone sees that if it was not for Bush''''s courage , it will be 10 times worse than Vietnam right now with the terrorists in charge in Iraq. Everyone sees that for Obama to walk around in Iraq today , it took someone to make the hard decision a year ago with the SURGE ...Everyone does , except Obama , who not only did not have the gut to go with the Surge but worse , still does not have the courage to admit his own short-comings and wrong judgement . Wait and SEE , he will HAVE TO DO IT in the end in a most painful way , just like the deal with Rev. Wright .
get real America!
Americans support John McCain.
Posted by johnbush2 at 12:12 PM : Jul 22, 2008
Sorry, you are wrong! Americans support OBAMA. That''s why he will be your next President. Only 182 days left! Enjoy!
Posted by Ariel13
I agree, so why are you still supporting him?
Keep in mind that the U.S. is not at war with Iraq and Iraq should never have been invaded. Sadam Hussein was no threat to the U.S.
Osama bin Laden and Al Queda are in Afghanistan and always have been.
This great mistake by the evil Bush cabal has cost the U.S. many lives and a trillion dollars.
What makes Obama qaulified is his intelligence, patience, his views of what is wrong in the U.S. and the world. A president, a good president, surrounds himself with the best minds in the country, unlike Bush and his evil cabal.
Posted by Ariel13
And our present draft dodging prez is? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Ariel133 at 12:56 PM : Jul 22, 2008
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Ariel:
Well said!
Racism is alive and well with our brothers and sisters in our Republican party. If I might be so bold as to offer you an invitation to join our little group of Aryan elite in the "Aryan Nation". Of course you''ll be labeled the racist pig that you are but when it comes right down to it aren''t we all?
The A.N. and our brothers in the Republican party salute you!
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