McCain: Obama Is "Honorable Opponent"

(AP)  Republican presidential candidate John McCain called rival Barack Obama his "very honorable opponent" on Monday as he began a busy week of low-key events while Democrats prepared to nominate Obama.

"This is a tough presidential campaign we're in," McCain said. "I have a very honorable opponent. There are stark differences between us."

In recent speeches, McCain has criticized Obama as not ready to be president and as a candidate who is willing to lose the war in Iraq to win the campaign. When Obama charged that McCain was questioning his patriotism, McCain responded that he was only questioning Obama's judgment.

Seeking at least a slice of media attention amid the Democratic National Convention, McCain visited the Phoenix high school where his wife, Cindy, graduated.

"I know you have students who come from all over the world. I know there are people here who come from countries, some from Iraq where they have seen the look of war and sacrifice," he said.

McCain, who turns 72 on Friday, got a generational boost from Daddy Yankee, a Puerto Rican star of reggaeton, a mix of reggae, rap and Latin music styles. Students squealed with delight as Yankee appeared and endorsed McCain.

"I believe in his ideals and his proposals," Yankee said. "He's been a fighter for the Hispanic community. He's been a fighter for the immigration issue."

Later at a fundraiser in Sacramento, Calif., McCain told backers - including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger - that he's seeing good news in the polls.

"We had a very good poll today," said McCain, pointing to a Gallup tracking poll showing the race a virtual dead heat .

McCain vowed to put the nation's most populous state in play, though Obama is thought be ahead there.

"We will not take your money and leave," said McCain. "We will compete in California."

He repeated his vow to expand offshore drilling, while noting that Schwarzenegger opposes that drilling.

"I've got to give you straight talk," said McCain. His only reference to Obama came when he charted their differences on Iraq.

McCain was heading to Burbank, Calif. for an appearance on NBC's "Tonight" show.

[kansas1946]

Republican John McCain''s latest TV spot is playing off Hillary Rodham Clinton''s best-known ad against Barack Obama to heighten any concerns that Obama isn''t ready to take a 3 a.m. phone call that could signal a crisis demanding judgment and experience.
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This is a riot. That ad that Hillary put out just about got her laughed out of town, and McCain uses it for himself. Talk about poor judgement. And on top of that, Obama chose exactly 3:00am to send out 2 million text messages and who knows how many emails to announce his pick for VP. Sounds like Obama is wide awake and taking care of business at 3:00am to me.
John McCain is a loose cannon and is scary. It doesn''t take much judgment to get into a war, but it take a lot to stay out of one, and I don''t think McCain has it.

[deacon20081]

The "I was a poor War Hero and POW " crapola is old stuff John. We Vets know who the Hero''s were in Nam.
They died saving lives, were shot up helping their comrads in arms and fought on a battle field or in a jungle. How many rice paddies did you crawl through John? How many men did you carry out of a fire fight.. Absolutely NONE.

[dnsallday]

Thank Goodness, the administration has finally endorsed and begun putting into practice Obama''s foreign policy ideas and plans.

[dnsallday]

makeitso928 ..............McCain never bothers to mention the men he was a POW with. One of them has written a very interesting article about why he won''t be voting for John MCain.
His name is Phillip Butler (and it is real, not some fabrication that the Republicans are always pulling out of their A**es.

[deacon20081]

Has everyone noticed how nice McCain has been for about 2-3 weeks.He knows he has won the election.
Posted by mr2258
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You are dillusional. Take your meds and perhaps the "voices" will stop yellling in your head.

[dnsallday]

McCaims camp may not have to use some of the stuff they have on Obama.It''''s there if needed.

Posted by mr2258
******************************************************* Yes, we know they have plenty, they fabricated it all in 2004 to use against Kerry. I haven''t heard an original idea come out of the right wingers in 8 years.

How does it feel to support a party that has so little respect for you and other Americans and so little personal honor that they will stand there and tell you bald face lies every day of the week?

[mr2258]

McCaims camp may not have to use some of the stuff they have on Obama.It''s there if needed.

[mr2258]

Has everyone noticed how nice McCain has been for about 2-3 weeks.He knows he has won the election.

[misha128-2009]

Dr McJeckle; Mr McHyde and the SURGE

The surge was announced by President Bush.

The surge was funded by Congress with the inclusion of 18 benchmarks (negotiated with the Administration) or objectives for the mission.

The mission had military and diplomatic components.
The military was to provide time and lessen violence so the diplomats could get the Iraqis to implement the benchmarks.

The surge ended last month per President Bush with the withdrawal of the troops.

In the final analysis the military achieved their objectives and provided the diplomats the desired environment. The diplomats failed miserably to achieve a simple majority of the benchmarks and worse failed to make any progress on many of the benchmarks.

Clearly the surge overall failed -- the benchmarks negotiated by and signed into law by President Bush were not achieved.

[misha128-2009]

Dr McJeckle; Mr McHyde and the SURGE (cont)

Yet Senator McCain claims we were succeeding in Iraq, leading up to a statement that we had succeeded in Iraq. How by any credible analysis with the benchmarks signed into law largely unachieved?

Furthermore Senator McCain claims Senator Obama refuses to recognize success when one of the few potential successes the Provincial Election benchmark has slipped backward twice near the end and after the surge first delaying the October elections then canceling them for this year. Another questionable benchmark was Reconciliation, the Iraqis actually passed a law the excluded more Sunnis from jobs and the government that it reintegrated back into Iraqi jobs and government and the reintegration not exclusion was the intended purpose of the benchmark.

Other than an excellent military operation supporting either a poorly planned or a poorly executed diplomatic effort how much success can one claim the surge has had?