New McCain Gaffes on Iraq

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Posted on Jul 23, 2008

Sen. John McCain didn’t just get his cause-and-effect order wrong on the so-called surge strategy in Iraq, he also claimed in his CBS interview that the increased troop deployment and associated change in tactics protected a key Sunni sheik who helped lead the “Anbar Awakening.” Problem? Said sheik was actually assassinated during the surge. Meanwhile, CBS is under fire for editing out these gaffes in its on-air presentation of the interview.

TPM Election Central:

Here’s what a CBS spokesperson is sending reporters who ask for an explanation:

As all news organizations do with extended interviews, last night’s Obama and McCain interviews were edited to fit the available time and to give viewers a fair expression of the candidates’ major differences. The full transcript and video were and still are available at cbsnews.com.
Quite clearly, this doesn’t even begin to address the criticism. It doesn’t explain why the portion revealing McCain to have badly botched the surge timeline was edited from the piece—even though McCain on the surge is basically the cornerstone of his argument that he has better foreign policy judgment and seasoning than Obama does.

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TAGS: anbar anbar awakening cbs iraq mccain media bias sheik surge war

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By cann4ing, July 23, 2008 at 9:31 pm Link to this comment

Check out Keith Olbermann on Countdown.  McCain followed up this Gaffe with a claim that the word “surge” really means “counterinsurgency” so that all the strategies, including the Sunni awakening, were one and the same.  Better still, he said because of the so-called “surge” (Orwellian newspeak for “escalation”) the Sheik who started the Sunni awakening was protected by our troops when the guy was in fact assassinated shortly after returning from Amman Jordan to Anbar province last year. 

Fadel, you are absolutely right about McCain’s sorry record at Annapolis but you left off a couple of important points.  First, the only reason McCain was accepted was that he was the privileged son and grandson of powerful navy admirals.  He barely made it thru, finishing 894th in a class of 899.  That fact should have disqualified him for flight school, but like George W., connections have their privileges.

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By P. T., July 23, 2008 at 8:02 pm Link to this comment

The bottom line is that Iran won the Iraq War. Iran’s enemy Saddam Hussein is out, and it’s friend Maliki is in.

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By Fadel Abdallah, July 23, 2008 at 7:08 pm Link to this comment

Leaving aside the presidential campaign’s gaffes which all candidates are likely to fall into, let’s consider some of the most serious and substantial issues that should be used to evaluate McCain. Here are some that I gathered from my latest readings on the McCain’s lives:

1. In his first year at the Naval Academy, as a young cadet, McCain spent his time womanizing, and was failing to the point that he was slated for being kicked out from the Academy. I am sure he only got a second chance because of his father and grandfather’s connections as Admirals.

2. In his early years as a Senator, he was involved in a big money scandal, later to be known as the “Lincoln Saving Scandal.” He was investigated by a group of his peers in Congress, who naturally went soft on him, and their verdict was that “McCain exhibited poor judgment” in this matter.

3. It’s known now that his current wife Cindy established a charitable organization, I am sure for the purpose of tax-deduction. Then later when she became drug addicted, she stole money from that very same charity to support her habit, before she was forced to declare her addiction and starting receiving treatment.

In light of these three known facts now about the McCain’s: “Failure of duty,“womanizing,” “poor judgment,” and “theft,” I am wondering if there is anyone, beyond partisan politics, who really want this couple as the Commander-in-Chief and the First Lady!

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By paul, July 23, 2008 at 3:41 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I love the the article posted. I am so frustrated with the GOP.  McCains campaign is falling apart and its only obvious he doesnt have what it takes to operate in the capacity of the president. I do believe the author is right., McCain may be slipping a bit in his old age.  Have you seen the video of him falling asleep on the conan Obrien show? The media isnt even really covering it.  This should be a big deal.  I will leave the link for anyone who wants to see the video. http://www.mccanes.com

I cant believe that Romney is even being considered for McCains VP choice.?  Is McCains memory really slipping. I just watched 4 videos of Romney attack videos aimed at McCain from the Primary season.  They even had a video of Romney telling a reporter that he thought McCain was dishonest? Here is the link http://www.hotpres.com  I dont even think Ill vote this year.

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