Hagel: McCain Treading On Very Thin Ground

GOP Senator Says McCain Ad Impugning Obama's Patriotism Is Inappropriate

(CBS/AP)  Sen. Chuck Hagel, who accompanied Sen. Barack Obama on his trip to South Asia and Iraq last week, criticized the McCain campaign for its latest television ad attacking the Democratic candidate.

The ad blasts Obama for not visiting wounded troops during his visit to Germany. Obama has said he chose to cancel a visit to a military hospital there after consultations with the Pentagon, due to concerns that such a visit might be seen as using wounded troops for political purposes.

The McCain ad, which contains footage of Obama bouncing a basketball before U.S. military personnel in Kuwait, implied that Obama was being disrespectful to troops by making "time to go to the gym" during his overseas trip while at the same time cancelling a visit with wounded troops.

"Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras," the ad insinuates.

The commercial began airing after a week of news coverage of Obama appearing with foreign leaders and speaking to cheering European crowds. The McCain campaign has suggested that Obama preferred that audience to wounded American soldiers.

"John McCain is always there for our troops," the ad said.

Obama's campaign called the new accusation "wildly inappropriate."

The Republican senator from Nebraska agreed, saying on Face The Nation that the GOP's presumptive nominee is "treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives, and when we start to get into 'You're less patriotic than me, I'm more patriotic.'

"They're better off to focus on policy differences," he said.

"It's just not responsible to be saying things like that, again, if for no other reason than for the good of this country and the world.

"One of these two men, on January 20th of next year, is going to have to bring this country together, and the world, to deal with huge problems. I think the next president is going to inherit an inventory of challenges as big as Franklin Roosevelt inherited on March 4, 1933."

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., who also accompanied Obama to Afghanistan and Iraq this week, called the ad "completely distorted."

"Senator Hagel, Senator Obama and I visited the combat support hospital in Baghdad to thank those nurses, those doctors, to see patients that were there, to bring a bit of greetings from home and profound thanks," he said. "That should be in the ad that Senator McCain is running.

"I think Senator Obama made a very wise choice [about Germany]. Any suggestion that a visit to a military hospital would be political, he made the wise choice not to go.

"But when we were in Baghdad, we made a point, at the end of a very exhausting day, to go in and see these magnificent young Americans and those doctors and nurses that give such tremendous care - without a lot of fanfare, just to say 'Thanks.'

"We went to Jalalabad to see the soldiers of the 173rd. We stopped in Basra to see our soldiers down there. We went into Anbar province to see soldiers there.

"That is a completely distorted and, I think, inappropriate advertisement."

On Sunday, McCain appeared to backtrack only a little on his attacks when he told ABC's George Stephanopolous that he was not questioning Obama's patriotism when he declared earlier this week that the Illinois senator would rather lose a war than lose an election.

He said he was merely indicating that his Democratic opponent "doesn't understand what's at stake" in Iraq.

---

Read the full "Face the Nation" transcript here.

By CBSNews.com producer David Morgan.

[creeper00]

Chuck must be angling for that VP slot Obama is trying to fill.

[samthetvcat]

---"It''s just not responsible to be saying things like that, again, if for no other reason than for the good of this country and the world."---

My esteem for Sen. Hagel diminishes every time a legitimate red flag is raised which he tries to discount as insulting and irrelevant.

It looks to me that the criticism Barack''s getting, he''s earned.

jmo though . . .

[aldon61]

Hagel is way too conservative to be on the ticket. About the only thing these guys agree on is the war in Iraq; outside of that, they''re polar opposites.

[samthetvcat]

---"Chuck must be angling for that VP slot Obama is trying to fill"---
Posted by creeper00

I don''t much like those who buck the party line from the right any more than I do those on the left (eg Lieberdork). It''s one thing to take a stand based on the issues, it''s another to go out and campaign for the other party''s candidate . . .

[condumbism]

McCain and his base of white trash have nothing to offer america, so it is time for them to go negative.

[cbs4me3]

Chuck: You have lost whatever respect that I had for you. Personally, I find no commonality between you and Obama. You participated in a spectacle with cameras and reporters in tow. You know as we know that Obama was voting "present" only 4 years ago in the Illinois state legislature. For you to particpate in this Obamapalooza is plain foolish on your part.

[kissamaarse]

McCain has voted with Bush over the last several years, repeatedly AGAINST veterans'' benefits, with around an 85% vote rate against helping veterans, and wounded veterans. This is another smoke-screen McCain is trying to hide behind because he himself is a veteran. And as a veteran he should know better. For shame!

[platteman]

Chuck who??? Guess he is now a democrat who used to be a republican. Oh well,the pope will cure all evils.

Obama can''t stand up to his pastor, how will he ever stand up to Iran and NK. Fear not, he will ask Chuck who to do it for him.

[rayuk-2009]

McCain has no chance in November and he knows it. His team will stoop to any low that they think will make a difference. I feel sorry for such a crummy, low life bunch. The GOP should have died with Nixon.

[joereed007]

A lot of Republicans can''t take the fact that Hagel knows reality and knows how to use his brain. Republicans who support McCain, it seems, are just losing their remaining few marbles and running into walls in a desperate fashion, it has become increasingly amusing to watch and read yet very sad in a way because it exposes how narrow and feeble minded they really are. Amazing.

[samthetvcat]

The red flag for me with regards to this issue is like:

- camp Barack wanting to the press to accompany him on his trip - do others do this? It''d be one thing if it was the press pushing to gain access for themselves, but a visit to the troops should be about the troops imo

- camp Barack''s explanation for not going was that to visit would not be good for his image. What about the troops'' morale - they didn''t factor that into the mix? Hello!

- Barack not spending every minute of the time he was supposed to go visit making phone calls or writing thank you cards to them, or personalized video greetings, or something else

- Barack spending time with Germans but not the troops - if there was one event he should have made sure he did it was that first. No troops, no speech.

I think his actions DO tell us something about his respect for others'' and their contributions. He''s image-concious to the point of dysfunctionality, and when you see who he''s willing to let pay the price, it ought to make one pause and ask who else he''s willing to throw under the bus . . .

[samthetvcat]

PS That being said, the drawback of going the ''character'' route is that all the comments end up sounding the same on both sides of the aisle - he sucks, no he sucks more, blah blah blah . . .

[go4dan0]

BARACK WANTS TO UNITE PEOPLE HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD. YOU ATTACK DOGS NEED TO STICK TO THE ISSUES. MCCAIN IS A VIET NAM RERUN!
DANIEL

[mgeg1]

I thought McCain had more class than that. I guess he just figures, at this point, it is easier to win by playing dirty than by advertising his policies.

[oneamerican_]

Chuck Hagel needs to go sell shoes for a living - just like he suggested anyone not up to the task of dealing with the Iraq War needed to do.

Damned phony Rinos have their heads screwed on backwards.

And for the record, I''m not convinced that McCain isn''t the same kind of animal - but Barack Obama is the worst choice possible.

[vincan-2009]

McCain is simply four more years of BUSH LIES,it seems SOME from the right may be seeing this. Sen. Hagel is a hero and finer american than 99.9% of you armchair warriors on the right- BLOWHARDS!!!!

[eddynewhope]

- Barack spending time with Germans but not the troops - if there was one event he should have made sure he did it was that first. No troops, no speech.

I think his actions DO tell us something about his respect for others'' and their contributions. He''s image-concious to the point of dysfunctionality, and when you see who he''s willing to let pay the price, it ought to make one pause and ask who else he''''s willing to throw under the bus . . .

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 02:55 PM

Is that what your spin machine tells you? You phony "he''s not patriotic enough for me" make me sick. To have the gaul to judge who''s patriotic in your view and who''s not is about as far from patriotic as one can be. Who are you to determine who is "american enough" and who isn''t? Sounds patently unamerican to me. Hypocrites. McCain/Bush followers have nothing - no substantive reasons why people should vote for McCain/Bush so they use this McCarthy era cr-p, draping themselves in an American flag and pointing an accusatory finger. You sully the American flag you phony.

[samthetvcat]

---"And for the record, I''m not convinced that McCain isn''t the same kind of animal - but Barack Obama is the worst choice possible."---
Posted by OneAmerican_

That''s it in a nutshell - I mean it''d be one thing if people were saying like woah Barack''s just really not a good choice but wow time for the GOP to get tossed to the curb. But for people to say that oh he''s so great makes me think people really REALLY need to look a little closer to see what exactly they''re getting in return.

[samthetvcat]

---"Is that what your spin machine tells you? You phony "he''''s not patriotic enough for me" make me sick. To have the gaul to judge who''''s patriotic in your view and who''''s not is about as far from patriotic as one can be. Who are you to determine who is "american enough" and who isn''''t? Sounds patently unamerican to me. Hypocrites. McCain/Bush followers have nothing - no substantive reasons why people should vote for McCain/Bush so they use this McCarthy era cr-p, draping themselves in an American flag and pointing an accusatory finger. You sully the American flag you phony."---
Posted by EddyNewHope

See my post below to get a sense of what I think of you . . .

[samthetvcat]

EddyNewHope, by the way I''m probably still voting for Barack because I am basically a Dem at heart . . .

[idnnsg]

McCain''s ad definitely is inappropriate. In fact, it''s disgusting slime!

How can ANYBODY support McCain? He got is "maverick" reputation by supporting campaign finance reform, which he now opposes, and by rejecting torture, which he now supports. He got his "war hero" reputation by SURRENDERING to the enemy. His prior claim to fame was being one of the 5 corrupt slimeballs of the Keating Five.

Today, it is obvious to EVERYONE with eyes and ears that McCain has totally lost his mind. He can''t tell the difference between Shia and Sunni, between the Pittsberg Steelers and the Green Bay Packers, or between Somalia and the Sudan, and he can''t even find Pakistan on a map. He has entirely forgotten about Afghanistan (believing Iraq to be the "first major combat operations after 9/11"), he thought Putin was the president of Germany, he doesn''t know that Czechoslovakia broke up in 1993, etc. etc.

Is he senile, or just cr@zy? Does it really matter? Either way, he simply is NOT FIT to be president of anything!

[drive1945]

Obama did the right thing by not visiting the wounded soldiers because he did not want it to be seen poltical. McCain is the one that should be ashamed of himself for using the wounded soldiers for his own political gain.

USAF Retired

[jeffstersf]

McCain has become a disgusting, twisted, vile man.

[jeffstersf]

McCain has become a disgusting, twisted, vile man.

[bluestardad]

YOU CAN SEE THE RIGHT WING KOOL AID DRINKING NEOCONS DISLIKE OBAMA!

EVERYONE OF THE AIPAC MEMBERS AND THE SEND OTHER PEOPLES CHILDREN TO DEFEND ISRAEL AN THE OIL COMPANIES FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEAR CROWD ARE USING EVERYTHING IN THEIR ARSENAL TO DISCREDIT OBAMA.

THEY CANT BUY HIM!

THEY CANT BLACKMAIL HIM!

THEY WANTED TO TAKE HIM OUT ON THIS TRIP!

THEY KNOW HE IS GETTING AMERICA OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE AMERICA HAS BEEN BOGGED DOWN FOR THE PAST 65 YEARS!

IF THAT ANGERS THE RIGHT WING CHRISTIAN NUT JOBS AND THEIR BRAIN WASHED NEOCONS OR THE DUEL PASSPORT HOLDING AMERICAN ISRAELIS LIKE JOE LIEBERMAN THEN SO BE IT!

IT IS TIME AMERICA DID WHAT WAS IN ITS OWN BEST INTEREST!

THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT AMERICA NEEDS!

THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT IS A THREAT TO AMERICA!

THE ONLY REASON MIDDLE EAST ARTICLES ARE KEPT IN THE AMERICAN MEDIA IS BECAUSE AIPAC MEMBERS RUN THE AMERICAN MEDIA AND FILM INDUSTRY!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

TAKE BACK YOUR COUNTRY!

[ixnax]

Second paragraph, second sentence.."The ad blasts Obama for not visiting wounded troops during his visit to Germany. Obama has said he chose not to cancel a visit to a military hospital there after consultations with the Pentagon, due to concerns that such a visit might be seen as using wounded troops for political purposes." States he chose not to cancel. Key word ''not''. Even the stupid press people Obama hires can not get it right

[sandy19731]

bluestardad,
Your caps lock is on and we won''t read posts that are all caps. It''s rude. And, we here are always polite.
Carry on.

[timdgrim]

McBush is also jealous about the coverage Obama got. He WISHES he could get 200,000 people to come and listen him whine.
Posted by jcnbma
**************
Give McCain credit, he did appear before more slices of cheese in that cheese aisle at the supermarket than Obama will ever do!
By the way....really like the McMUNSTER term..

[hermitdave]

SO VERY SAD that the illegal Iraq crusade is treated like a real war. That is what managed news does best. Parrot the government lie. Obama should be calling for the Bush crime family to be charged with war crimes. Of course he is a politician so TRUTH is a unknown to him.

[dakotaclark]

It looks and sounds like Senator McCain really is a cantankerous old phart, with health issues. In addition to looking like a cadaver waiting to happen, I cannot help but notice how Senator McCain is appearing and sounding petty and spiteful.

Senator McCain is saying and doing things that are like an ill-tempered, mean-spirited, grouchy old sourpuss; the kind of complaining person you would not want as your neighbor.

Instead of focusing on real issues, Senator McCain%u2019s %u201Cguidance committee%u201D is focusing on misleading statements, if not outright lies. The television ads demeaning Senator Obama are particularly offensive. (There were other U.S. Senators on that %u201CCongressional Fact Finding Trip,%u201D and most of them have publicly stated that it would have been very inappropriate to publicize visits to a hospital setting.)

I have been a Republican since 1964, though I did not vote for G.W. Bush, because he is all hat and no cattle. It is very unfortunate, almost embarrassing, to see that Senator McCain is the best we can come up with for 2008; and, none of the other GOP hopefuls are much good either. It amounts to having Senator McCain rammed down our throats.

Before it is too late, the GOP had better wake up and realize that there surely must be a better qualified candidate.

[xantiphi]

Has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?
Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted "present" nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself.

[godd3]

I`m a 49 year old american living overseas. I don''t need a person who already has one foot in the grave to be leading this nation. Obama showed that europe wants change, they''re tired of the Bush thoughtlessness and like Kennedy, Obama can and will change the image of America for the better.

[samthetvcat]

---"he did not want it to be seen poltical"---
Posted by Drive1945

- Barack sits black people down in pews and tells them they need to be more responsible parents because he doesn''t want to be seen as being too sympathetic to blacks

- Barack votes for FISA because he doesn''t want to be seen as too Democratic

- Barack advocates narrowing of abortion rights because he doesn''t want to be seen as too Democratic

- Barack endorses the repeal of gun control because he doesn''t want to be seen as too Democratic

- Barack denounces expansion of the death penalty to non-murder cases because he doesn''t want to be seen as too Democratic

- Barack advocates escalating nation-building in Afghanistan because he doesn''t want to be seen as too dove-like

- Barack chose not to visit the troops because he didnt'' want to be seen as political

* *

All I''m saying is that Barack is giving up a lot of stuff WE care about, what are we all therefore getting in return? I mean it''s one thing to say he''s still stayed to the left of GOP, but to say that he was justified on not going to see the troops? Because of his image? Is everybody saying it''s okay because they want to win the election - because people were also saying that about escalation of the war in Afghanistan.

Just what all are you willing to compromise? Just be sure you''re not getting taken advantage of, because we DO have the power take a stand . . . he''s already starting to back off the Afghanistan escalation . . .

[hbevis]

THEY KNOW HE IS GETTING AMERICA OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE AMERICA HAS BEEN BOGGED DOWN FOR THE PAST 65 YEARS! Posted by bluestardad at 03:16 PM : Jul 27, 2008
***********************
THE CHANCE OF GETTING OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST IS SLIM TO NONE. JUST WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME. AS LONG AS THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTS ISRAEL WE ARE GOING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IF WOULD PULL OUR SUPPORT FROM UNDER ISRAEL, THE MUSLIM NATIONS WOULD EAT THEM ALIVE.

[nextgenman]

Has there ever been a presidential candidate with as litle morals and strength of character as John McCain?

He''s flip-flopped from being an independent maverick to being yet another Bush Parrot.

He''s immoral enough to yet again, like the immoral, psychotic neocons he now worships, questioned patriotism. That same, tired old schtick that another famous Republican used a long time ago.

Joe McCarthy.

McCain is sleaze. Pure, pandering sleaze.

Maybe we should start calling him John McCarthy.

[saxxon_domel]

Senator Hagel is correct, our nation is in crisis. We have serious issues that need to be addressed by the two candidates. We do not have time for smear campaigns and petty name calling. Obama has taken the high road to this point, now McCain needs to do the same.

[wetodditmcan]

McCain has some nerve slamming Obama for not visiting troops. Obama recognized that it would seem too political. However, on the other hand, McCain has used military personnel for campaign fundraising in e-mail showing McCain shaking hands with General Petraeus who has been commanding U.S forces in Iraq.

It was not the first time McCain had used the picture of himself with Petraeus; it appeared on the McCain''s website for several days in April before being taken down. So please Mr, "I will run a clean campaign and talk about the issues", stick to your guns. McCain do these rules just pertain to Obama or do you just forget what you have done or said?

[wellhell3]

Maybe we should start calling him John McCarthy.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by nextGenMan

And you''re willing to elect one even sleazier! Well I''ll swun!

[robertjearle]

Both sides run simplistic, shallow campaign ads because the media only highlights sound bites and controversy instead of communicating thoroughly and objectively on strategic and domestic problems in depth and because the average American''s (and European''s) attention span is about 30 seconds. So don''t blame the candidates on either side.

[hbevis]

One problem in this campaign is the hysterical
unwillingness of right-wing Republicans is to own
up to their massive and scandalous failures of the
last eight years. Posted by tsunami-girl at 03:33 PM : Jul 27, 2008

**********************************

How about you telling everyone what all of these massive and scandalous failures are?????? That is if you can do so.

[nextgenman]

I am not questioning his patriotism, I''m questioning his judgment.
--Spiro T. Agnew, 1970
----------------
This is Republicanism. Same, tired, old, bullDroppings they''ve used for almost 40 years.

Yesterday''s Ideas. Yesterday''s News.

They all still love Nixon and his attempt to turn America in Fascism Lite.

[jjhaflac28]

I feel somewhat sorry for Sen. McCain. His campaign is in serious trouble. I am a past republican turned Democrat. It is obvious that Sen.McCain will say anything to get elected. In the beginning of the primary, Sen. McCain made a remark that the only way he would be elected was to sell the Iraq war to the American people. Well this is exactly what he is trying to do. Don''t be that gullible. Sen. Obama is of the old saying, "damned if you do, damned if you don''t". It was suggested several times by Sen. McCain that Sen. Obama should make a trip to Iraq. Then when he does, he is ridiculed. Please people wake up and see that this country "NEEDS" a new face like Sen. Obama. Americans cannot be so blind and ignorant not to see this. Even if you have been a lifetime Republican, lets vote for the person and not the party. Let''s get out of this "American Hell". Does anyone remember the JFK years? Some American where so against voting for a Catholic. Look what he did for the American people. Give this man a chance regardless of race, or religion . I would rather pay higher taxes than to continue down the path we as Americans are going. Oh, for the people who do not already know, Sen. Obama is a Christian and not a Muslim.

OBAMA 08!!!

[wellhell3]

Senator Hagel is correct, our nation is in crisis. We have serious issues that need to be addressed by the two candidates. We do not have time for smear campaigns and petty name calling. Obama has taken the high road to this point, now McCain needs to do the same.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by saxxon_domel

Obscamma''s road is so damned low the high road wouldn''t have to be higher than a snake''s belly!

[nextgenman]

Posted by WellHell3 at 03:40 PM : Jul 27, 2008
---------

If anybody would be washing with hogs, it''d be ....well....you know where that was going.

[element51]

WellHell3....To imply that the image of America in the eyes of the rest of the world is unimportant shows a very distorted and uninformed point of view. It is more important than ever for America to re-establish good relations with the rest of the world. Given that it now is a world economy and that our leadership is vital it makes sense to do all we can to improve our standing. To try to turn Obama''s trip into something evil does not serve our country well.

[aj4321-2009]

How about you telling everyone what all of these massive and scandalous failures are?????? That is if you can do so.

Posted by hbevis at 03:39 PM : Jul 27, 2008

------------------
So typical of McBush supporters - amnesia.

So, here is the most egragious ones:

1. Iraq
2. Bin Laden still alive and well
3. Katrina
4. Torture
5. The economy
6. Rolling black-outs in california
7. Enron
8. Sub-prime mortgage
9. Valery Plame episode - where a U.S.-operative was exposed for political gain for the first time

I can go on and on ....

[nextgenman]

How about you telling everyone what all of these massive and scandalous failures are?????? That is if you can do so.

Posted by hbevis at 03:39 PM : Jul 27, 2008
----------

Failure in Iraq.
Failure in Afghanistan.
Failure in the War on Terrorism.
Failed Economy.
Failed Foreign Policy.
Failed Domestic Policy.

[robertjearle]

PS, what''s thin ground? It''s about 4000 miles thick everywhere I''ve ever been.

[wetodditmcan]

By the way, if McCain has always been there for the troops, then why was he against the GI bill: Why are so many Vietnam Vets against him? Why has he passed legislation to block release of of information about POW/MIA still not accounted for making thousands of documents from the Vietnam MIA/POW forever classified? Is he hiding something?
In 1991, he authored what has always been called the "McCain Bill." Simply put, it created a tight bureaucratic maze from which few P.O.W. documents can possibly emerge. And in 1996, McCain succeeded in amending%u2014and gutting%u2014the Missing Service Personnel Act, removing all its enforcement teeth. The original act contained criminal penalties for anyone, such as a government official, civilian or military, who destroys or covers up or withholds from P.O.W. families any information about a missing soldier. McCain just erased this part of the law. He said the penalties would have a chilling effect on the Pentagon''s ability to recruit personnel for its P.O.W.-M.I.A. office.

[jjhaflac28]

I feel somewhat sorry for Sen. McCain. His campaign is in serious trouble. I am a past republican turned Democrat. It is obvious that Sen.McCain will say anything to get elected. In the beginning of the primary, Sen. McCain made a remark that the only way he would be elected was to sell the Iraq war to the American people. Well this is exactly what he is trying to do. Don''t be that gullible. Sen. Obama is of the old saying, "damned if you do, damned if you don''t". It was suggested several times by Sen. McCain that Sen. Obama should make a trip to Iraq. Then when he does, he is ridiculed. Please people wake up and see that this country "NEEDS" a new face like Sen. Obama. Americans cannot be so blind and ignorant not to see this. Even if you have been a lifetime Republican, lets vote for the person and not the party. Let''s get out of this "American Hell". Does anyone remember the JFK years? Some American where so against voting for a Catholic. Look what he did for the American people. Give this man a chance regardless of race, or religion . I would rather pay higher taxes than to continue down the path we as Americans are going. Oh, for the people who do not already know, Sen. Obama is a Christian and not a Muslim.

OBAMA 08!!!