John McCain Spells Out the Differences
by Mark Noonan on June 4th, 2008 at 09:31am
In this case, on the war:
You will hear from my opponent’s campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release that I’m running for President Bush’s third term. You will hear every policy of the President described as the Bush-McCain policy. Why does Senator Obama believe it’s so important to repeat that idea over and over again? Because he knows it’s very difficult to get Americans to believe something they know is false. So he tries to drum it into your minds by constantly repeating it rather than debate honestly the very different directions he and I would take the country. But the American people didn’t get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama. They know I have a long record of bipartisan problem solving. They’ve seen me put our country before any President — before any party — before any special interest — before my own interest. They might think me an imperfect servant of our country, which I surely am. But I am her servant first, last and always.
I have worked with the President to keep our nation safe. But he and I have not seen eye to eye on many issues. We’ve disagreed over the conduct of the war in Iraq and the treatment of detainees; over out of control government spending and budget gimmicks; over energy policy and climate change; over defense spending that favored defense contractors over the public good.
I disagreed strongly with the Bush administration’s mismanagement of the war in Iraq. I called for the change in strategy that is now, at last, succeeding where the previous strategy had failed miserably. I was criticized for doing so by Republicans. I was criticized by Democrats. I was criticized by the press. But I don’t answer to them. I answer to you. And I would be ashamed to admit I knew what had to be done in Iraq to spare us from a defeat that would endanger us for years, but I kept quiet because it was too politically hard for me to do. No ambition is more important to me than the security of the country I have defended all my adult life.
Senator Obama opposed the new strategy, and, after promising not to, voted to deny funds to the soldiers who have done a brilliant and brave job of carrying it out. Yet in the last year we have seen the success of that plan as violence has fallen to a four year low; Sunni insurgents have joined us in the fight against al Qaeda; the Iraqi Army has taken the lead in places once lost to Sunni and Shia extremists; and the Iraqi Government has begun to make progress toward political reconciliation.
None of this progress would have happened had we not changed course over a year ago. And all of this progress would be lost if Senator Obama had his way and began to withdraw our forces from Iraq without concern for conditions on the ground and the advice of commanders in the field. Americans ought to be concerned about the judgment of a presidential candidate who says he’s ready to talk, in person and without conditions, with tyrants from Havana to Pyongyang, but hasn’t traveled to Iraq to meet with General Petraeus, and see for himself the progress he threatens to reverse.
I know Americans are tired of this war. I don’t oppose a reckless withdrawal from Iraq because I’m indifferent to the suffering war inflicts on too many American families. I hate war. And I know very personally how terrible its costs are. But I know, too, that the course Senator Obama advocates could draw us into a wider war with even greater sacrifices; put peace further out of reach, and Americans back in harm’s way.
The argument made here by Senator McCain is unanswerable - so, expect the Democrats to not answer it and seek, instead, to change the subject as swiftly as possible. But McCain - and we who support him - must not let the subject be changed. This is the vital issue of our times, and it is also the prime reason to oppose Obama: he’s not fit to be President because he has no understanding of war, military policy, foreign policy or America’s place in the world. Obama’s views seem straight out of sophomore’s notebook from a government class…the sort of pie-in-the-sky talk we get from ivory-tower academics who don’t allow reality to interfere with grand theory.
The world is a hard place, at times, and Obama is a babe in the woods - it might be that he’d be a quick study and swiftly learn to discard what he thinks he knows, but we can’t gamble America - and the lives of Americans - on a hope that Obama will change fast enough from fool to sage. McCain, on the other hand, knows from hard experience (some of it excruciatingly personal) just how rough the world can be, and how cruel our enemies are - especially when they think they have us down. In the choice this November, nothing is more stark than this difference between Obama and McCain.
As McCain points out, Obama and his Democrats will use the Big Lie to try and win - not by out arguing McCain, but by making people feel worse about McCain than they do about Obama and his Democrats. This is the tried and true Democratic tactic - they’ve used it with success in the past, and they hope to do so in 2008. Winning is the only thing Democrats care about - and Obama is a blindingly ambitious man who has proven himself capable of getting right down into the political swamp in order to win. Counter-acting this Big Lie campaign will be difficult - especially as the MSM will largely serve as Obama’s megaphone for the next 6 months, but counter it we must. America is too valuable to the whole world - not just to Americans - for it to be placed at risk to gratify the ambition and greed of leftwingers slavering at the prospect of having the levers of power in their hands.
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June 4th, 2008 at 9:54 am
McCain….I disagreed strongly with the Bush administration’s mismanagement of the war in Iraq.
———————–
So how will McCain win the support of those folks who still think that the Bush administration received their orders directly from the Almighty when they conducted the ’shock & awe’ assault on the people of Iraq?
June 4th, 2008 at 10:00 am
CO….
Those people only exist in the deranged minds of liberals. Just FYI.
And those minds actually harbor a lot more deranged illusions, which are often posted here daily.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:07 am
“Those people only exist in the deranged minds of liberals. Just FYI.”
Oh , they exist neocon.
Can’t wait for the debates between McCain and Obama. The debates might well be the deciding factor on who I vote for.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:09 am
a presidential candidate who says he’s ready to talk, in person and without conditions, with tyrants from Havana to Pyongyang
Including the tyrant in Tehran. For those who think that America’s problems with Iran, or troubling aspects of Iran’s behavior (such as their pursuit of nukes and support for Hezbollah), are the result of our alleged refusal to negotiate with them, read this.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:29 am
“You will hear from my opponent’s campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release that I’m running for President Bush’s third term. You will hear every policy of the President described as the Bush-McCain policy. Why does Senator Obama believe it’s so important to repeat that idea over and over again? Because he knows it’s very difficult to get Americans to believe something they know is false”
OK - let’s make a list of the major policy differences between the Cheney-Bush Regime and McCain:
1) War in Iraq - both endorse and support
2) Bush tax cuts/permanent deficits - both endorse and support
3) Universal health care - both oppose
4) Social Security - Bush supported ending it; McCain did as well
Etc., etc.
Furthermore, it is hilarious that a blog formerly known as “Blogs for Bush” must now go to bat for a candidate who is sprinting away from Bush’s many failures.
June 4th, 2008 at 11:11 am
McCain started his speech yesterday declaring that he was in New Orleans, LA. He was actually in Kenner, LA about 50 miles east. Senile, another gaffe, misinformed, liar?
June 4th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I have always been a fan of George Bush. The economy, terrorist attacks, ect… shaped the policies, tax cuts that he made.
Today’s economy is different and different measures will need to be taken to steer the economy. John McCain taking a different stance on certian issues from Bush is good. It is the right thing to do, to constantly look to make improvements.
I think the Bubba vote is the most important group of voters out there. The GOP needs to stay in touch with that inner “Bubba.” If the GOP neglects the Bubba’s and trys to sell them on working more hours for less pay, outsourcing jobs is good, Tax breaks for the rich and high priced gas is cool, or things they’ll see thru. The Bubba’s may drift off to Obama. I’d bet there is more bubba voters in one state than, CEO type millionares in the whole country. McCain can put out stuff that everyone can deal with. With all that experiance, I think he will do a better job than Reagan, or Bush.
June 4th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
editor-
can you delete #7
it isn’t well written,
June 4th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
djp sums up george’s third bid for the white house’s platform very well. All we hear from george in his bid for a third term is, war, Tax cuts for the rich, allowing the poor to go with-out health care in order to pay for the war,
and the republics say that they are for change. If the republics were for change, the republics would do as the citizens demand and get our troops out of Iraq by next week and enact a universal health care so that all can have health care.
June 4th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
[...] McCain Spells Out the Differences unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNone of this progress would have [...]
June 4th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
“…get from ivory-tower academics who don’t allow reality to interfere with grand theory”
Mind you, this is coming from a person who believes we invaded Iraq, among other things, to bring democracy to the middle east. And this person, claims to have thought this would work. Talk about someone who is unwilling to allow reality to interfere with their rhetoric.
That is why the usual republican talking points won’t work this year. You can’t claim to be a realist, if you have spent the last 6 plus years spouting theoretical, pie-in-the-sky talking points like the pro-bush GOP
June 4th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
“spent the last 6 plus years spouting theoretical, pie-in-the-sky talking points like the pro-bush GOP”
Yea, theoretical talking points like stay the course in Iraq vs. cut and run? Theoretical pie in the sky pro-bush talking points? umh.
Great tinfoil hat there djp.
June 4th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
“I have worked with the President to keep our nation safe. But he and I have not seen eye to eye on many issues. We’ve disagreed over the conduct of the war in Iraq and the treatment of detainees; over out of control government spending and budget gimmicks; over energy policy and climate change; over defense spending that favored defense contractors over the public good. ”
John McCain may disagree with Bush on some issues. Some of the die hard Bush Loyalists, may be upset with McCain…
But visualize Obama implementing a “cut and run” military strategy. And appointing people like Bill Airs to Department of Homeland security.
June 4th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
“But visualize Obama implementing a “cut and run” military strategy. And appointing people like Bill Airs to Department of Homeland security.”
Have you seen the track record of the peple appointed by Bush? Abysmal….
June 4th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Yo, morons.
In his speech last night, McCain made a concerted effort to say he opposed Bush’s “Stay the Course” policy. He’s trying to distance himself from the policy you’re still advocating.
Try to keep up, willya? It ain’t that difficult.
Maybe it is that difficult, especially if the depth of your thinking is limited to bumper sticker criticisms like “cut and run”.
June 4th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Harkeys Bar-
The thing is that it is not Bush your voting for.
When 80% of the country say we are on the wrong track. The democrat congress has a majority, do they not get some blame for some of the things that people are unhappy with? they have say in alot of these issues.
June 4th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
MS;
>>>sums up george’s third bid for the white house’s platform very well. All we hear from george in his bid for a third term >>>>
earbama - hussein, will be…..JIMMAH CARTER’s ….second term!
and
We ALL know how good THAT was!
June 4th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
[...] John McCain’s speech last night. Stealing some of the excerpts from Blogs For Victory You will hear from my opponent’s campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release [...]
June 4th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
“…every press release that I’m running for President Bush’s third term.”
McCain, for crying out loud, for once in your life be honest with yourself. According to the Congressional Quarterly, for the Senate votes you did show up for in 2008 you voted with Bush 100% of the time. In 2007 when you were wooing the Christian Right and the Limbaugh/Hannity conservative wingnuts of the Repug party you voted with Bush 95% of the time. The record is there and your support for Bush’s tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy are well documented. Do you think over the next three months you will be able to say this voting record or these positions do not exist?
You were tortured for years in a POW camp yet you climbed on board with Bush’s abandoning your own principals to support Bush’s pro torture policies. You served with honor in the military yet you are a willing puppet ready to support Bush in his plans to scuttle the new GI bill.
If you are one of the 28% that think Bush is doing a great job by all means vote for McCain.
Truth is Bush is a Republican, McCain is a Republican; enough said.
June 4th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Yeah, like the rapture-ready nutcase Hagee. Go and find out what Christians United for Israel really believe in.
June 4th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNone of this progress would have happened had we not changed course over a year ago. And all of this progress would be lost if Senator Obama had his way and began to withdraw our forces from Iraq without concern for conditions on the … [...]
June 4th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Nice delusion….
Look, I know I shouldn’t be so sanctimonious about the inherent weakness of the human condition when it applies to victims of borderline personality disorder and the conservative right, which is the same thing. Lord knows they have a vast plethora of silly or otherwise stupid raison d’être to ingest whatever is handed to them, no matter how ludicrous and irrational, even those of them too dim to come up with a justification that rings factual next to their fallacious twaddle. Some of them even mull over their respective condition as a illness, like hairy knuckle syndrome or elephantiasis, which, like the religious right, is caused by parasitic worms. Scientists and all other rational people say that we should circumvent these people/worms, and prescribe for those unfortunate enough to surrender to this brain debilitating condition increased roughage, avoidance of moldy political rhetoric, and to not eat or otherwise pay attention to any pinhead who goes on about other disorders as patriotism or other molasses-based (textured) feeds. It must be said, however, that once the victim succumbs to this “compost”, absolute avoidance of GOP Polio is unattainable at this time. After doing everything “right,” imbibers, child molesters, and people with just casual acquaintance with GOPeer “thinking” will still have increasing diminished realistic thought capacity
June 4th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
see all the liberal imps running about pointing fingers and making all those false accusations…the same imps that believe that obama “not voting” has a chance in he!! to get elected to the white house….
June 4th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Apparently, Carl is running around the blogosphere dropping the same comments around. He left the same one on one of my posts: http://www.thepiratescove.us/2008/06/04/why-we-went-to-iraq/#comment-117637
I’d love to know where these talking points come from, cause I have seen liberals doing this same thing a lot lately.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
What I’m sensing here is a growing realization from the Obamaniacs that he might not win…
June 4th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
William,
True - and the problem with Carl’s comment is that it is unreadable…a mish mash of catchwords designed to make the writer appear knowledgable.
June 4th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Carl,
Post 22 is quite the copy and paste job. I have also seen it posted elsewhere and it smacks of a sophomoric, ill-informed, failed-philosophy class, liberals attempt at defining conservatism.
It’s astonishing how someone can be so ignorant of the people that live next door to them.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:00 am
Meanwhile, details of the secret plan to keep Iraq under US control are revealed.
Can’t have the will of the Iraqi people getting in the way of our permanent bases now can we?
June 5th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Ooooohhhhhh, a secret plan revealed. It is highly amusing when even the lefty MSM starts engaging in idiotic conspiracy theories.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Teach,
I have been trying to confirm that article. and can’t find anything from any other sources. Of course the Independent is certainly suspect.
Hard to believe the level of conspiracy minded delusion that resides amongst many liberal circles.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Well, I am sure bongoman got his original tip from here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102×3339394
Posted at 2:26 am, bongoman at 3am.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
McCain has been wrong on so many things regarding Iraq. He also changed his tune regarding Iraq when it was politically expediant(pandering).
Look it up. he has changed his mind so many times I don’t know where he stands. He may say something today but a month ago it was something completly different.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
The world is a hard place, at times, and Obama is a babe in the woods
Much the same was leveled at John Kennedy in the run-up to the ‘60 elections. And yet he stared down the Soviets and literally — not figuratively or theoretically, but literally — avoided a nuclear war in ‘62.
I have no doubts about Obama’s capacity to lead, decades in Washington or not.
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I too have no doubts about Obama’s capacity to lead, but I’m not looking to go to hell.
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