McCain Condems Russia… Barack Obama On Vacation
August 11th, 2008 at 06:21pm Matt Margolis
Obama may have thought that taking a scripted trip to the Middle East was enough to boost his nonexistent foreign policy experience, but when a an actual international crisis occurs, Obama does little more than issue a vague, watery response, so he can get back to swimming and soaking up sun on the beach, while John McCain demonstrated which of the two contenders for the White House is truly ready to lead.
John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, on Monday upstaged George W. Bush’s administration over the Georgia crisis with his strongest statement so far calling on the US and its allies to come together in “universal condemnation of Russian aggression”.
Mr McCain, who gave his first response early last Friday several hours before any official word from the Bush administration, said the US should take steps to assist Georgia and other democracies in the region that he said were threatened by Russia’s actions.
“Russia’s aggression against Georgia is both a matter of urgent moral and strategic importance to the United States,” said Mr McCain. “The implications go beyond their threat to . . . a democratic Georgia. Russia is using violence against Georgia, in part, to intimidate other neighbours such as Ukraine, for choosing to associate with the west.”
Mr McCain’s statement – his third since the crisis began – stood in clear contrast on Monday to the relatively low-key response of the Bush administration and the Obama campaign. Barack Obama himself issued a statement on Saturday but remains on vacation in Hawaii. President Bush, at the Beijing Olympics on Saturday, expressed “grave concern” about Moscow’s “disproportionate response” in South Ossetia, but did not follow Mr McCain in portraying the crisis as a watershed moment for democracy in the region.
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Democrats, Foreign Affairs, Republicans
43 Comments
1. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Yes, McCain is very credible on this issue.
Ahem:
Source: That Pinko Rag - The Wall Street Journal
So McCain’s top foreign affairs advisor is a sleaze bag neoconservative lobbyist who had the prescience to campaign for the invasion of Iraq and now makes his money representing countries like Georgia, the nation which started this conflict by bombing Ossetians in their homes last week and also firing on refugees as they tried to flee to Russia. Yup, McCain really is a foreign policy expert. Way to back the wrong horse Johnny boy.
How come maverick ’straight talk’ John McCain’s advisors are all sleazy lobbyists?
2. Dennis | August 11th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
When a crisis actually occurs, where is Sen. McCain? On August 28, 2005, with the massive hurricane Katrina one day out and headed straight at New Orleans, McCain was on Face the Nation and said nothing about it. Nada.
The next day while residents of New Orleans were contending with the third strongest hurricane ever to hit the United States Sen. McCain was celebrating his 69th birthday with Mr. Bush in Arizona, who apparently had nothing better to do either. What the heck, they figured all the rich people had made it out already.
Three days later, with the levees already breached and New Orleans filling with water, Sen. McCain’s office released a three-sentence statement urging Americans to support the victims of the hurricane.
Excellent leadership. John McCain, proven, tested and ready to roll.
3. Casper | August 11th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIKyDCRfs2yd6×3RUxDDUJfqiMiAD92GBF3G0
Sounds like Obama is on it too.
4. Canp | August 11th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Where’s Condi?
When she should be traveling abroad to work with allies to deal with the ongoing fallout from Russia’s invasion of Georgia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has instead been “noticeably absent.” AFP reports she is busy with other plans:US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has also been noticeably absent on the diplomatic scene, having failed to interrupt her holidays to fly to Tbilisi in support of the Georgian government.
Instead senior State Department official, Matthew Bryza, who oversees the Caucasus region was sent, two days later than planned, to join a joint EU-US mediation effort to win a ceasefire.
5. cam | August 11th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
It looks like the right wing smear machine is on it too. No rest for the wicked. So much smearing, so little time. How can you get any rest.
Regarding McCain, what has he done that will make a difference. If I need finger wagging I will watch Colbert and he’s much funnier than old man Popeye. Am I the only one who sees it. Every time he wants to make a point he pumps his arms like some cartoon character.
Oh, and the one guy that holds the position as the most powerful man in the world, who has the most power to do something about it, was vacationing in China, one of the most tyranical, authoritarian, violators of human rights this world has to offer who have unrest in their western territory as well as Tibet.
And boy, did anyone see that interview with Bush and Bob Costas? Wow, what a contrast. Costas is well thought out and intelligent and Bush, well, he’s just Bush. I guess it was so bad that Yahoo was asked to take down the video.
6. uffy | August 11th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Interesting times we live in. I had almost forgotten that the USSR aka Russia was alive and well. Germany can’t do anything for fear it will lose almost half its natural gas which is supplied by Russia. France is worthless. The UK is too busy selling the island to Muslims. And the US has what to offer except harsh words? Maybe it is time to fast track several of the Balkan countries into NATO starting with the Ukraine.
I have no doubt that Putin wants the old USSR back, the old glory days of dominace–no infrastructure or medicines–but dominance. Whatever your stance on the candidates, you have to give McCain credit when said he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw a K a B and a G. I wonder how far Putin will go gobbling up countries until it comes to an end? Georgia is but the first step.
7. BARRASSO | August 11th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Yah and the actual President is in China legitimizing a brutal regime and doing jack shit about the situation. But then again someone dumb enough to still support Bush can’t figure out that it looks stupid to berate the non president for vacationing while the most vacationing president ever is on vacation screwing around in support of a human rights abusing regime.
8. neocon | August 11th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
BARRASSO,
You’re such a fool but I do get a kick out of your very high level of BDS.
Bush just condemned the government of China for their abysmal human rights record ON CHINA SOIL. The democrats don’t even do that from the comfy confines of their own offices.
You, and those of your mindset, are the reason why McCain will be our next President. Thanks.
9. Stretchrun | August 11th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, on Monday upstaged George W. Bush’s administration over the Georgia crisis August 11th, 2008 at 06:21pm Matt Margolis
How presumptuous of McCain to start the Bush third term in August!
10. neocon | August 11th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I don’t know why liberals stay with the Bush third term meme. It’s not getting any traction as evidenced by the polls and ignores the fact that Bush beat Kerry by more than 3.5 million popular votes, and Obama is even more liberal than Kerry.
I would counter though by saying Obama will be an extension of a Pelosi administration. Now that’s scary.
11. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
You’re scared neocon? Awwww…..
12. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Maybe this will cheer you up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWX5u69hmzY
13. yekepyt | August 11th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Do the Bush/McCain supporters on this form really want to open the vacation can of worms?
Anyone with access to an internet search engine can see for themselves how laughable it is to compare Obama’s vacation schedule (or any working American’s, for that matter) to that of George W. Bush.
Not to mention the fact that Obama is has also addressed this issue, even though he is on vacation (don’t let the facts get in the way of a good false smear!)
14. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Yebepyt,
How dare you point out awkward truths on this blog? I can only hope that Mark will soon delete your post for being off-topic or obscene or one of the other great excuses he usually manages to spirit up.
Look, the fact is that YES our great president DID spend the ENTIRE MONTH OF AUGUST in 2005 tending to Barney’s needs in Crawford. He needs a break too doesn’t he? So what if our troops were sweltering in their body armor in the Iraqi dessert (those who were lucky enough to have any). It wasn’t his fault they were there, was it?
The whole war thing had just gotten to be “really hard work” and boring for the president by that time. Rummy didn’t even seem to give a rats ass about it, why wouldn’t the press just leave him along to spend a quick month hammering fences and collecting dead brush?
15. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
The president also does a LOT of incredibly useful stuff during his month long vacations.
Check out the following footage filmed at Crawford from that very summer of 2005:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkqrI3IibYI
16. neocon | August 11th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I gotta tell you yek and ho hum, Bush has bested you, and your ilk each and everytime for the last eight years.
He has gotten into your heads and destroyed you, and he’ll ride off into retirement no worse for the wear while you pathetic minions continue to stew in your hatred and delsuion. It’s transparent to us, too bad you can’t enjoy the view.
LMAO
have a nice night
neocon
17. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Yup, he’s done a heckuva job neocon. I genuinely do appreciate the Democrat congress, senate and presidency that his screw ups have bequeathed to the nation.
And I really wasn’t giving him a hard time about the months spent in Crawford, he deserves his 30 day long summer vacation just like every other rich kid.
More footage of him doing good work on the ranch here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxpEqln5EdQ
PS - Neocon, I think it’s fair to say that you sound like the bitter one on these boards. With a sense of humor like yours you could make a killing on the German comedy club circuit.
18. neocon | August 11th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Don’t you find it highly amusing that the man you excoriate for being incompetent and uneducated has outwitted and out performed you and your brethren and every opportunity?
I think it’s hysterical.
Even moreso than your panty waist, drama queen posts.
But hey, I am just a typical white person
peace
neocon
19. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
No buddy, you’re just a typical neoconservative dinosaur. I hope you’re looking forward to spending the next 8 - 16 years yelling back at the television in the company of your little friends O’Reilly, Hannity et al on Fox News. And thanks again for the gift of the congress, the senate and the presidency. Yes siree, Bush surely did outwit us.
snigger….
20. neocon | August 11th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I sense a little hostility. But an angry liberal is nothing to be concerned about.
Had you ever thought of the fact that support, such as yours, for Obama, is the reason McCain will win.
And what the hell is this: snigger…????????
I am surprised you didn’t put a smiley face with it.
have a nice night
neocon
21. ho-hum | August 11th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Brilliant rebuttal.
And hey, thanks one more time for your genius leader’s great achievement of leaving office the most unpopular president in history. The next couple of decades of Democratic rule should give you and Mark plenty of ammo for your keyboard warfare. Must be fun to be a dinosaur “neocon”.
PS - Don’t forget to check the pollster.com electoral tallies before you fall asleep:
http://pollster.com/
22. Kahn | August 11th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I only see hohum posting on the Russia/Georgia War.
hohum, what is you name and rank please?
23. Nate | August 12th, 2008 at 12:55 am
and w is on holiday too… oh well… the person who could actually decide on and direct us policy related to this situation is bein’ a celeb at the olympics…
24. Mark Noonan | August 12th, 2008 at 2:13 am
ho-hum,
Don’t you feel in the least bit, well, slimey? I mean, you’re essentially buying Putin’s proaganda about Georgia…
25. ho-hum | August 12th, 2008 at 2:26 am
That’s it, Mr. Noonan? That’s the best you’ve got? I’m not buying anyones propoganda about anything. Personally I abhor Vladimir Putin. My whole point on this board has been - why should we get involved in a stupid regional dispute that the Georgians themselves started?
You on the other hand were very quick to suggest that we place a brigade of US troops in the capital of Georgia immediately, move nuclear submarines to the region and basically put ourselves on the brink of global nuclear war!
Why are you so quick to endanger US troops and the ordinary populace of this planet for a two-bit dispute in the lower Caucus region? Talk about a chicken hawk.
I quote:
- Mark Noonan, keyboard warrior extraordinaire
26. ho-hum | August 12th, 2008 at 3:09 am
Also Mr. Noonan, you ridicule Barack Obama for “gasp!” having taken a week’s vacation the very week this event occured. What a clown!
Well, ya know what? Barack Obama is not yet in charge of this country. So while I will in time be interested to hear his take on these developments, his opinions don’t actually matter in any real way.
In a time like this I look for a diplomatic initiative from the Secretary of State, our most important foreign policy expert. Where the hootin’ heck isCondeleeza Rice?
Well guess what, oh the irony - she’s on vacation and she won’t come back to Washington to deal with this!
Oh, that’s okay Condi - no big thing, we’ll just leave it to the “decider”. Oh wait, drat, he’s hanging in Beijing. Aw, screw it, let’s just issue a macho-sounding press release and go home.
Think I’m kidding that Condeleeza Rice being on vacation and refusing to come back to work? Read it and weep:
Source: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/US_left_with_little_influence_in_0811.html
27. congressive | August 12th, 2008 at 3:53 am
The Nixon Center Condemns Bush:
“”Let me say at this point that there are no good solutions. Either we have to try to remove them (the Russians) by force or accept a humiliating defeat,” said Dimitri Simes, founding president of the Nixon Center in Washington.
“It is not a happy situation, and we did not have to have this situation, and I think the (Bush) administration has considerable responsibility for that.”
Another totally bungled neocon failure.
BTW, where is Condi? After all, she is our resident expert on Russia. Shoe shopping, perhaps?
28. Vladamir Dimiti | August 12th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Regardless of what happens next, it is worth asking what the Bush people were thinking when they egged on Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s young, Western-educated president, to apply for NATO membership, send 2,000 of his troops to Iraq as a full-fledged U.S. ally, and receive tactical training and weapons from our military. Did they really think Putin would sit by and see another border state (and former province of the Russian empire) slip away to the West? If they thought that Putin might not, what did they plan to do about it, and how firmly did they warn Saakashvili not to get too brash or provoke an outburst?
It’s heartbreaking, but even more infuriating, to read so many Georgians quoted in the New York Times—officials, soldiers, and citizens—wondering when the United States is coming to their rescue. It’s infuriating because it’s clear that Bush did everything to encourage them to believe that he would. When Bush (properly) pushed for Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, Putin warned that he would do the same for pro-Russian secessionists elsewhere, by which he could only have meant Georgia’s separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Putin had taken drastic steps in earlier disputes over those regions—for instance, embargoing all trade with Georgia—with an implicit threat that he could inflict far greater punishment. Yet Bush continued to entice Saakashvili with weapons, training, and talk of entry into NATO. Of course the Georgians believed that if they got into a firefight with Russia, the Americans would bail them out.
29. Nate | August 12th, 2008 at 8:06 am
condi may not want to get involved with anything that would impact her (and w’s) hoped for middle east legacy.
30. neocon | August 12th, 2008 at 9:20 am
ho hum,
You seem to have your panties in a bunch, por que?
If you advocate doing nothing, then that is exactly what Condi and Bush are doing at the moment, so why the vitriol?
In fact, it appears our mindless lefties are upset that Bush isn’t being more forceful, calling off his Chona visit and coming back to contemplate war. Is that what you want?
Why are lefties such warmongers?
I guess they just prefer rogue dictatorial states as opposed to rogue democratic states. Is that it?
Seriously, is there anything you guys don’t whine about? I have never witnessed a more drama queen panty boy then our resident ho.
congrats sweetie
neocon
31. ho-hum | August 12th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Neocon,
I don’t advocate doing nothing, if you read the posts I’ve left on these boards I advocated robust backroom diplomacy. At the very, very least Rice should be in Washington monitoring the situation. Anyone other than a partisan fool would agree to that.
Rice shopped for shoes while New Orleans drowned and now she’s sunbathing while the Georgians suffer in a war she and Bush helped encourage them to start.
Great stuff.
32. FmrMarine | August 12th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
kahn
>>>hohum, what is you name and rank please?>>?
name = HO
occupation = HUMMER
33. 42 | August 12th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
33. FmrMarine | August 12th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
So dishonorably discharged…what Was your name and rank please?
anyway,
good thing the Georgian army wasn’t tied up in Iraq when when all this was going down…oh wait
good thing US spy satellites weren’t tied up over Iraq when all this happened…oh wait
good thing our President was working hard in the Oval Office when all this went down…oh wait
good thing the Sec. of State…oh wait, no satellites…she’s better off shopping anyway
Bang up job W and the rest of the cons…anything else in the works to prop up the USSR?
34. Nate | August 12th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
“warmongers”
well, looks like mccain is the warmonger — w and condi can’t figure out what to do and don’t seem to care very much. mccain is playing tought guy. to call out obama’s vacation while w is celebing with costas interviews at the olympics and condi can’t be bothered is, well, a bit disappointing.
35. Nate | August 12th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
and typing about mccain….
can you believe that he volunteered his wife, Cyndi
http://www.youtube.com/v/DjtQGAtbe04
for this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVQHJd_3J7g
what was he thinking? where are his morals? how utterly disgusting. how could anyone vote for this man for president of the usa?
36. cam | August 12th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Nate,
Good point.
I figure there are two possible explanations for JM’s actions on this one.
1) He innocently walked into a pile of it.
2) He knew what he was getting into and he was expressing exactly how he feels about his wife, you know the one he calls cu$$ in public.
If it is the first one, it shows his lack of good judgement and that he will do anything to get some attention. He’ll do anything to be “cool” again.
If it is the second one, it shows his lack of morals and lack of respect for women. Way to capture the moral high ground John.
37. FmrMarine | August 12th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
42
>>>So honorably discharged…what Was your name and rank please?>>>
JOHN WAYNE,
CAPN.
38. neocon | August 12th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I am having a hard time believing our resident panty waste liberals are soooo concerned about a small ruckus in Russia. In fact they’ve already started to ease tensions on the border and considering not a word was uttered when Livenko was poisoned by Putin, which was just another example of the Stalinist approach adopted by Putin, I don’t put much weight into their comments now.
What do they think Bush could do anyway other than denouncing the incursion as he has already done. I loved ho hums “robust diplomacy” comment. Why do liberals always think that somehow the magic words haven’t been spoken?
39. neocon | August 12th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
nate and cam,
You are two of the most drama queen, little panty waist liberals I have come across in long time.
Your comments about McCain are hysterically dishonest, immaterial, pointless, reek of utter desperation and are the very reason why Obama is losing ground.
In fact, support from mindless minions like you is the reason why the majority of the electorate are having second thoughts about voting for Obama.
Keep it up the good work
neocon
40. cam | August 12th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Looks like we must be hitting the target dead center, neocon is spitting and sputtering insults like the tasmanian devil of spin that he is.
neocon,
When you got nothing just resort to what you know best.
41. Henry J. | August 14th, 2008 at 4:37 am
I was unaware that presidential candidates weren’t allowed to vacation. Or, is that just applicable for those “dirty dems?”
Oh, as far as the cartoon goes, your president’s own various ‘flubs’ have helped coin the term ‘Bushisms.’ I mean, really? Stick foot firmly in mouth.
Of course, in lieu of actual context, you’ll be doing that anyway.
42. Danish Artist | August 14th, 2008 at 6:25 am
“I was unaware that presidential candidates weren’t allowed to vacation. Or, is that just applicable for those “dirty dems?””
Just holding Obama to the standards set by liberal leftists. “This {problem} is happening and {non liberal} is on vacation and does not care.”
A note about Obama - he is running on the promise of change? right? Tell me, what has he changed in his short-lived political life? Not politics as usual, he claims. What did he “change” in the corrupt Chicago regime? What did he change in Illinois? In the Senate? What has a reform candidate actually “reformed”???
I’ll give you an example - earmarks. When Obama had the chance did he vote for the bridge to nowhere OR did he vote to divert money for that earmark to help the people in New Orleans to repair their highway bridges. He voted for the bridge to nowhere.
S. Amdt 1003 to H.R. 2361: Coburn Amdt. No. 1003: To require a conference report inclusion of limitations, directives and earmarks - Opposed Reform
260 2005-10-20 S. Amdt. 2093 to H.R. 3058: Motion To Table Coburn Amdt. No. 2093 To prohibit any funds under the Act from being used for a parking facility as part of the Joslyn Art Museum - Opposed Reform
262 2005-10-25 S. Amdt 2165 to H.R. 3058: Redirects funds from two dubious Alaska bridge projects to reconstruction of New Orleans bridge damaged by Katrina - Opposed Reform
106 2007-03-27 Thomas Amendment No. 515; To prevent the adding of extraneous earmarks to an emergency war supplemental. -Opposed Reform
134 2007-04-18 S. AMDT 891 to S. 378: On the motion to table Coburn Amdt. No. 891 (re: offsetting costs of government programs) -Opposed Reform
140 2007-04-24 S. AMDT 917 to S. 761: Motion to table Coburn amdt. No 917 (re: offset costs of government programs) - Opposed Reform
142 2007-04-25 DeMint Amdt. No. 930; To prohibit congressional earmarks of funds appropriated pursuant to authorizations in the bill. - Opposed Reform
164 2007-05-15 Coburn amendment to require Katrina victims in LA to have housing before building a new Army Corps visitors center -Opposed Reform
- CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!!!
http://porkbusters.org/earmark_state.php?state=Illinois
We await your talking points!
43. ho-hum | August 14th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
A really pathetic attempt to deflect the terms of this discussion (which you have lost) to another topic on your part Danish Artist. To stay with the original point: Mark Noonan attempted to ridicule Obama for happening to be on a week long-vacation when Russia and Georgia got in to this tussle. Noonan thereby conveniently ignored the fact that our Secretary of State (the nation’s most important diplomat and the one who would normally lead the response to a situation such as this) was also on vacation. AND REFUSED TO COME BACK TO DO HER JOB!!
He also ignores the fact dubya has been in the habit of taking MONTH-LONG vacations every year, even during the years when our troops were following a losing strategy in Iraq and getting blown to bits by IEDs.
That simple enough for you to understand Danish Artist, or do we need to draw you pictures?