McCain's Mistake
McCain tried to hurt Barack Obama tonight on his remarks-- looking towards a time-- if Al Queda went back into Iraq after our withdrawal of most troops in 2010 and 2011. But what he essentially did was to crown Obama as the Democratic presumptive victor and say the General is starting today. And then Obama fired back, with the perfect kind of rhetoric that shows that McCain will not own the National Security Card in a 2008 General.
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Comments (12)
Obama's response is right on target and I'm glad to see it getting media coverage.
Anna Marie Cox had a great point, too - it's astonishing that the first shots in a GE debate aren't low blows, but actually a POLICY debate. That bodes well for the country, the public really needs to learn about these issues instead of merely hearing the 6 o'clock news talking point summary.
February 27, 2008 11:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
True, but what's depressing is that it's only February and the General candidates are starting to engage in a battle of words. Both nominating contests were long and brutal, and it would be refreshing if McCain and Obama could play nice for a few months. Only problem is that it's in their best short-term interests to attack. McCain, to rally his straying base. And Obama, to prove he can go toe-to-toe with the best the GOP has to offer. The danger is that both will drive up their negatives with independents while securing their bases... a recipe for polarization and the kind of election we weren't supposed to get with Hillary and Romney out of the picture. The danger is particularly pronounced for McCain, because he comes across as a bit petulant and churlish on the attack, and what does it profit a Republican if he gain his whole base but loses the center?
February 28, 2008 1:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hello Mr. Taplin,
Barack's response was outstanding. Very Frank Zappa-esque, from his visit on Crossfire with Darth Novak. Here, Obama is calm, collected, comfortable, confident and vaguely incredulous. I'm impressed.
February 28, 2008 2:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
the repuglitards who failed to capture osama bin laden really shouldn't highlight that fact
as long as mccain keeps bring up bush's failures, Obama ain't gonna lose any independents by slamming mccain
mccain had a "Moment Of Clarity" the other day. He realized that if America's opinion on Iraq doesn't improve, he's a DEAD repughlitard
check the historical records mccain. There ain't a single instance to indicate that America is gonna re-embrace george bush's foolish war
February 28, 2008 6:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, in this case I disagree -- I think McCain is winning this round. Barack came off as a bit triangulating -- he shouldn't have used the phrase "if Al-Qaeda begins establishing a base in Iraq" -- he walked into that one, and he had to admit, in his rejoinder, that of course Al-Qaeda is in Iraq, that he knows that.
He could have, and should have, hit back with an offensive, e.g. that Joseph Stiglitz is estimating the cost of the war at > $3 trillion; that the war is going to bankrupt the US and that McCain sees no problem with the war going on for 100 years.
That it's ridiculous on the face of it to say that a Barack Obama victory would lead to Al-Qaeda's "taking over the country" of Iraq, because Bush's own propaganda machine has been highlighting the fact that the Iraqi people hate Al-Qaeda, and that McCain is trying to use the same old scare tactics that have been used against the American electorate for the past 6.5 years.
February 28, 2008 8:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
And how many delegates have you won to date?
February 28, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
None, of course. And you?
Does the fact that Barack Obama's won the most delegates mean he is incapable of making mistakes? No. Am I glad that, in my opinion, this was a minor one? Yes. Do I hope that this won't come back to bite him? Yes.
I am basing my opinion on the reactions of all the people I talked with about this exchange today, which were almost universal cringes.
February 28, 2008 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I voted for Barack because I consider him the best candidate, but if he follows his own stated Iraq policy, we will be in Iraq for a hundred years.
I pray that, if elected, he will have the guts to really get out of Iraq and follow a common sense foreign policy that supports our national interests rather than the interests of billionaire Washington insiders and their friends.
February 28, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
"I always reserve the right for the president -- as commander in chief, I will always reserve the right to make sure that we are looking out for American interests."--Barack Obama
No matter who is elected it is obvious that we will have a new Decider who reserves the right to take any action that he/she perceives to be in the "American interest." Those liberals who decried Bush as the Decider are now applauding Obama for promising to be one, the better to "own the National Security Card."
George Bush made this new doctrine crystal clear: "While I appreciate receiving that [congressional] support, my request for it did not, and my signing this resolution does not, constitute any change in the long-standing positions of the executive branch on either the President's constitutional authority to use force to deter, prevent, or respond to aggression or other threats to U.S. interests or on the constitutionality of the War Powers Resolution."
Do we need a constitutional amendment to formalize this new Decider Doctrine, or shall we just continue to overlook the Constitution? is the question.
February 28, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
-- Those liberals who decried Bush as the Decider are now applauding Obama for promising to be one, the better to "own the National Security Card." --
I think we're electing a president here, aren't we? Congress could end the Iraq war immediately, if that's what they wanted. But, of course, they're a deliberative legislative body, and too evenly divided to make any real decisions.
As you know, there's nothing at all unconstitutional in Barack Obama's statement. So I suspect that a 'Decider Amendment' would be overkill (just like comparing Obama to Bush).
February 28, 2008 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Al-Qaeda in Iraq" equals Sunni insurgents. They've borrowed the name from Osama to keep Bush and McCain in Iraq for 100 years.
And it's working!
February 28, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don Bacon,
You need to separate your brain from BushCo and normal candidates, like Barack and Hillary. To suggest that Barack Obama will call the Constitution a 'piece of paper' etc. etc. is as sensible as saying that Barack Obama will offer a vigorous defense of lynching as a "states' rights" issue.
Take a breath and count to 10.
Cheers.
February 29, 2008 1:56 AM | Reply | Permalink