-
I laughed...
Speaking to reporters about the situation in Georgia, Sen. John McCain denounced the aggressive posture of Russia by claiming that:"in the 21st century nations don't invade other nations."
It was the type of foreign policy rhetorical blunder that has regularly plagued the McCain campaign and could have diplomatic ripples as well. Certainly the comment was meant in innocence. But for those predisposed to the notion that the U.S. is an increasingly arrogant international actor, the suggestion by a presidential candidate that, in this day and age, countries don't invade one another -- when the U.S. is occupying two foreign nations -- does little to alleviate that negative perception.
There is another, less controversial undertone to McCain's remark. Since the Georgia-Russia hostilities have commenced, parallels have been drawn to U.S. intervention in Iraq. The two scenarios are highly different in all intents and purposes, both due to regional significance and the longstanding territorial disputes. But some still would dispute the idea, as McCain seemed to imply, that America's involvement in Iraq is any less an invasion than Russia's involvement in Georgia.
Later in his press conference, McCain was asked to address how the Georgian crisis -- which has ceded to a tenuous ceasefire -- was amplified on the campaign trail. The presumptive Republican nominee demurred from attempts to get him to engage with Barack Obama.
"This isn't a time for partisanship and sniping between campaigns," he said. "This is about hundreds of thousand of individuals whose lives are being taken... Maybe later on in the campaign let's have a back and forth about whose comments and statements... but now lets devote all our efforts to resolving a situation that is fraught with tragedy."
A subsequent questioner asked McCain whether this non-partisan window applied to Sen. Joseph Lieberman as well, who, at a townhall on Tuesday, suggested that Barack Obama had not always "put his country first." McCain's answer was classically evasive.
"Let me respond by just saying that I think that whatever we think at the moment that we can all reserve that for a future time. And I think that judgments will be made about how we handled this situation and approached the situation in Iraq and how much experience knowledge and background means in selecting who should be the next commander in chief, all I can say is there will be plenty of time for that and we can move forward. "
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/13/mccain-in-the-21st-centur_n_118759.html
-
If you're going to quote Huffington Post, why don't you just quote Al Jazeera and Michael Moore while you're at it?
Huffington Post is nothing but a screeching anti-gun, anti-American hard leftist blog that has pretenses of being an actual media source.
-
I cringed. I hope it doesn't end up in an ad.
-
If you're going to quote Huffington Post, why don't you just quote Al Jazeera and Michael Moore while you're at it?
Huffington Post is nothing but a screeching anti-gun, anti-American hard leftist blog that has pretenses of being an actual media source.
Just curious. Do you dispute he said it?
I agree, hufpo is super biased, and I'd ignore any analysis coming from there. But that doesn't mean the quote is fake. And if he said that..... well, non-teleprompter Obama's not the only one in danger of oral Tinea Pedis.
-
It is mind-rendingly stupid to compare our ousting Saddam to Russia invading Georgia. I think it's pretty clear what McCain's meaning was.
And let me reassure you, there is no way in hell I will vote for McCain. But come on.
-
It is mind-rendingly stupid to compare our ousting Saddam to Russia invading Georgia. I think it's pretty clear what McCain's meaning was.
And let me reassure you, there is no way in hell I will vote for McCain. But come on.
Stupidity doesn't enter into it. The vast majority of the populace doesn't care what he meant, he'll appear to be a hypocrite or doddering (worse).
Kerry's 'I voted "X" before I voted "Contra X" wasn't the 'flip flop' that was portrayed. It's the way the Senate works, but they managed to find video of him saying it in such a manner that he appeared to contradict himself in the same thought.
BTW, who will you be voting for?
-
What amazes me is how quickly the Georgia-Russia conflict actually became an issue for the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaign.
As if we need any more distractions from our problems.
Maybe McCain should be campaigning in South Odessia; the conflict is probably an issue for the people there.
-
Stupidity doesn't enter into it. The vast majority of the populace doesn't care what he meant, he'll appear to be a hypocrite or doddering (worse).
Point taken.
BTW, who will you be voting for?
I'm not even sure that I'm going to. I might just take up smoking.
-
If you're going to quote Huffington Post, why don't you just quote Al Jazeera and Michael Moore while you're at it?
Huffington Post is nothing but a screeching anti-gun, anti-American hard leftist blog that has pretenses of being an actual media source.
Yes Maned....
Regardless of what both you and I think of Huff, there is a video of those words coming out of McCain's mouth. Now, we did invade two countries in the 21st century...I just thought it was funny....I don't care what political orientation Huffington is, I just don't, the truth is in the video....
-
I cringed. I hope it doesn't end up in an ad.
Count on it.....McCain just gave Obama a big stick to beat him about the head and shoulders with....
-
I'll bet Mr Putin and Mr Medevedev had a good laugh over this one too.
I almost can not believe that people that call themselves conservatives and republicans - and perhaps even some democrats - are going to actually cast votes for this guy for the highest executive office of the United States. And with a straight face say that he is "the right man".
-
I'll bet Mr Putin and Mr Medevedev had a good laugh over this one too.
I almost can not believe that people that call themselves conservatives and republicans - and perhaps even some democrats - are going to actually cast votes for this guy for the highest executive office of the United States. And with a straight face say that he is "the right man".
I can't say that with a straight face, but I'm voting for him, and would do it twice if I could.