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Sweeping the leg on "McCain's" Surge
Here is what I think Obama should say, possibly in the debate, when McCain begins to brag about the Surge:
McCain likes to point out that he supported Bush's Surge, but McCain's support for Bush's war is already well-documented. He has rigorously promoting and defending Bush's war. For years McCain has been telling us why it was prudent to divert the focus from Bin Laden and the Taliban in Afghanistan, why this terrible decision was the right one and how Bush should be honored for making it. He defended going into Iraq without the consent of our allies and the United Nations. He has defended the most poorly planned and managed occupational force in modern American history with such enthusiasm that none of us needs to be reminded that he agreed with, defended, and promoted the Iraq war.
So, of course, when Bush proposed a four-year-too-late Surge, McCain supported that too. This came as a surprise to no one.
And while scholars can and should argue over why or whether the Surge has worked, I disagree with McCain's assertion that following, supporting and promoting an endless procession of Bush policies demonstrates sufficient judgment or qualifies one for the highest leadership office in the land. In fact, it seems to me--and judging by the President's poll numbers, the American people agree--that running on the strategies of George W. Bush should be a disqualifying platform.
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