McCain ad slaps Obama on Iraq
John McCain continues his assault on Democratic rival Barack Obama's stand on Iraq in a new TV ad unveiled today that is to air on national cable and nearly a dozen battleground states.
The spot, McCain's first explicitly negative ad of the general election campaign, points out that Obama has not visited Iraq since January 2006, accuses him of voting against funding for the troops, and argues that he opposed the war to win the nomination.
"Now Obama is changing to help himself become president," the announcer says.
On the other hand, McCain "has always supported our troops and the surge that's working,"
the announcer says, before concluding: "McCain: Country first."
UPDATE: Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton responded to the ad: “While Barack Obama wants to change American foreign policy to wind down the war in Iraq and address the grave threat posed by a resurgent al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan, John McCain offers this patently misleading negative ad. Given his calls for a civil campaign, it's disappointing that Senator McCain has slipped so easily into the same, tired campaign tactics that have become so familiar to the American people."
Obama is about to visit Iraq, has acknowledged that the surge has reduced violence, and this week forcefully stood by his plan to withdraw most US troops within 16 months after taking office.
Republicans also pointed to the response General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq and architect of the so-called surge, gave today when asked whether 16 months for withdrawing troops was reasonable.
"It depends on the conditions, depends on the missions set, depends on the enemy," Petraeus, who is to meet Obama when he visits Iraq soon, told NBC News today. "The enemy does get a vote and is sometimes an independent variable. Lots of different factors I think that would be tied up in that. The dialogue on that and the amount of risk, because it eventually comes down to how much risk various options entail. That’s the kind of discussion I think that is very important as we look to the future."
McCain said in a statement issued by his campaign in response to President Bush's announcement of a "general time horizon" for a US drawdown: "Progress between the United States and Iraq on a time horizon for American troop presence is further evidence that the surge has succeeded. Most of the U.S. forces used in the surge have already been withdrawn. When a further conditions-based withdrawal of U.S. forces is possible, it will be because we and our Iraqi partners built on the successes of the surge strategy, which Senator Obama opposed, predicted would fail, voted against and campaigned against in the primary. When we withdraw, we will withdraw with honor and victory. An honorable and victorious withdrawal would not be possible if Senator Obama's views had prevailed. An artificial timetable based on political expediency would have led to disaster and could still turn success into defeat. If we had followed Senator Obama's policy, Iraq would have descended into chaos, American casualties would be far higher, and the region would be destabilized."
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton also responded to Bush's announcement. “Barack Obama has consistently urged the Bush Administration to negotiate the redeployment of our troops in the context of talks about a Status of Forces Agreement. Today’s announcement represents a step in the right direction, as the Administration has shifted from its opposition to any talks with Iraq about the removal of our combat troops, and specified a change in mission for American forces. Now, instead of vague allusions to a ‘general time horizon,’ it’s time to pressure Iraq’s leaders to reach the political accommodation necessary for long-term stability, and to refocus on strengthening our military and finishing the fight in Afghanistan.”
Sorry John McCain.... despite the war being your "Strength" it will not win you the election.
Obama 08!
Obama is the left's messiah but his radical positions are too much for most Americans. If the Iraq war is a war we should have never entered, Obama should stand by his word and withdraw immediately! I support the war however if America wants out and they vote in someone on that basis, that candidate owes it to America to do what they were voted in to do. Congress was voted in on that basis and I am pretty sure that Obama will "reassess and fine tune" his withdrawl plan and we'll end up staying there for many more years.
McCain: Country first, except when it comes to lying us into a war for Exxon Mobile.
Who cares what the AD says? What does that have to do with anything?
I used to create this stuff.
The bad thing about it is the CANDIDATES ultimately start believing what the copywriters write.
They begin to think it's true.
It isn't. Necessarily.
IT'S ADVERTISING.
McCain's doing the smart thing. It's what Bush did in 2004. Democrats are stupid and Obama is so blindly ambitious that, in addition to denigrating the man who blessed his home, his marriage, and his children, Obama will turn on the "small people" who carried him to the Democratic nomination. By October, Obama will be talking more and more openly and blatently about keeping our troops in Iraq until the can be "removed safely" (or some other horse droppings).
Wait a minute.
Phil Gramm says we're a nation of "winers," people are losing their jobs and homes everywhere you look, gas prices are still high no matter what the Dow Jones average says and it's too expensive to eat.
Who cares about Iraq? We're dying over here.
Seems like if the Republicans--including McCain--had ANY clue how to end this mess in Iraq, they would have done it by now. And is a 36-hour visit by any politician going to provide him or her with sufficient knowledge to know what to do next? No. Obama will have to figure it out if he is elected, using everything available to the President. It's silly to suggest that anyone knows what to do at this point. McCain is tarred with the Bush administration brush, and I'm not interested. REGIME CHANGE.
It seems like McCain and Bush came to the point where Obama was a year ago (on both Iraq and Afghanistan issues). That clearly shows us who's the leader and who's the follower. Experience is not the sum of the years at the snetae, it is much more than that.
The McCain ad uses pictures of Obama which are actually flattering of him (Obama). They should have chosen pictures that give a more negative impression.
Also a phrase like, "Yet another flip-flop..." would have been good. This demonstrates that this movement by Obama on this subject is merely one of a long list.
Obama says 16 months becaue that's what they didn't give South Vietnam.
They pulled out immediately and left them to fight the Viet Cong with no support.
Thousands more died because they were abandoned.
Iraq has had years to train their own and now rely on the US to lay their lives on the line for a country that doesn't give a shit.
If Kennedy had listened to the "experience" of his military advisers (who also got us into Vietnam), he would have attacked during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His judgment prevailed, he used diplomacy, and WW III was avoided.
Give me Obama's judgment over McCain's experience (and judgment) any day. You have led a checkered life, Mr. McCain, and I supported you in 2000, but I'm not voting to bring you, Cindy, and your lifelong baggage into our White House.
Go Barack.
You poor Obama supporters. I feel sorry for you that you are so caught up in the hype. Just drink your Kool-Aid and follow Obama into the abyss of socialism.
To Rob:
Two major errors in your comment:
1-McCain is one person who has NOT voted in the same way Bush has on many issues. Ignorance amongst the public is what lumps them together asone.
2- Experience IS the sum of years at the snetae. it does not necessarily give you wisdom, but it DOES give you experience!
Most of the attacks occuring in Iraq are on facilities or groups of people related to and promoting the US presence there. We don't belong in there. McCain has had his day but he's too blind to the modern time when negotiations have been neglected in favor of more quick-fix violence and power mongering. Withdrawing troops will mean only good things for the people of Iraq ... or is it our oil interests that are at stake here? I think we are occupiers and we need to get the heck out of there pronto. Obama is keen on the fact that we need to refocus efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Iraq is not a sound place for our troops anymore: what would be the point? To win? To win WHAT?????
How would you like to live somewhere that is referred to as a "battleground State", what's there motto?: " Yes we love and support any war". Here's a clue for you warmongerers, being against a war and not supporting it does not mean you don't stand behind your troops, it just means that you want them home to fight another war, another day.
I don't like either of these two people. Why don't we put someone else in office this time. Im voting for the INDEPENDENT PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Forget the Dems or Reps they're all the same!!!!
In regard to comment #5, the statement that "Democrats are stupid" is an asinine statement. Republicans have displayed less than intelligent decision making across the board. Not to say that Democrats have not done the same in some cases.
We are seeing/hearing the same old baloney from McCain we heard from the Bushies. Keep fighting in Iraq until when?? We simply can't let this war go on indefinitely as McCain would have it. I'm fearful where this country would be if he were to become President. The guy is a militarist and that's about all. What does he know about our country's problems at home, including the economy, health care, fair taxation? That he could be become President scares me to death.
Rob,
you got the talking points email from the DNC too!!! WOW nice try Obama does not lead he sticks his finger up in the air listens to what is POPULAR at the moment. The only reason Afghanistan is in the news again is b/c there is not death and destruction in Iraq. let's face it death and destruction sells ads, sad but true. John Kerry tried the Afghanistan / Iraq distraction theory in 2004. Same trick but this time around the press took it hook line and sinker b/c it is "Obama"
Rob,
1 more thing... McCain pushed the surge which equaled success in Iraq. Obama is on the record many times saying he was never for it never was. It wont' work it cant' work, more troops will not help... looks like it did
This ad really shows how out of touch McCain is... Citing the New York Post, paper of record? Come on man...
Anybody under 30 who's not a total hick will look at this and find at least something to laugh about. The whole aesthetic is incredibly cheesy.
Regardless of what you think about McCain or the Iraq war, style counts in advertising and looking at this, it appears he has none. More and more, it seems that media determines elections, and if he wants to lose, he should keep putting out this sort of garbage.
I think that Obama thinks he can pull off a troop withdrawl in a relatively short span--16 months or so. Realistically, will he be able to do it?? We'll see. Much depends on the diplomatic variables, and also the leanings of his party. Democrats are good at talking about getting out of the war, but I would remind you of the last democrat who promised a troop withdrawl by a specific date was off a bit. Remember the "home by christmas" message from Bill Clinton when we went into Kosovo? Well, we're still there. Seems that the Dem's rhetoric is ample, but the follow-through is lacking.
Here's another question for the assembled masses: What about Afghanistan? Even after we're done in Iraq, we've got a lot to do on the other (more relevant) front. Not only that, but what most Americans fail to realize is that we're taking greater losses in the Afghanistan than Iraq. What do you suppose that Obama will do with this mess?
The only workable solution I see is to leave Iraq. Do it soon. Take the troops and put them in Afghanistan so we can get down to the true issue at hand (incidently, the one that started this war) which is the Taliban, Al Queda, and Radical Islam.
Because of our troops being deployed in Iraq, the terrorists are having to stay at home to defend their country. The question I have is once our troops have been withdrawn from the area how long will it be before the terrorists return to the USA and we have 9-11 all over again?? I am afraid if they do return they will target our schools and our young people.
Obama is moving to the political center which is new territory for him because he is from the far left(he is the most liberal member of the U..S. Senate). He is pretending to be a moderate or pseudo-conservative by belatedly embracing some conservative values(e.g., he is now for gun control and against abortion) which he denounced during his bruising nominating campaign against Hillary. He now obliquely admits that the conditions in Iraq have improved(he campaigned against the troop surge; he voted against troop funding). He will be visiting Iraq in a couple of weeks hoping the media extravaganza traveling with him(the TV anchors of NBC, ABC & CBS will be aboard his plane ) will boost his claim to be the next Commander-In-Chief. The American people will not be fooled by this naked media campaign for Obama. Do we really know who BHO is?#
I am afraid of what Obama as commander in chief would mean.
I trust McCain. I know he is a moderate, pragmatic man. I know he is not the same as Bush.
I believe a heavily Democratic congress will do a better job with a centrist Republican as president, than with a left leaning Dem as pres.
The problem with you left-wingers is you don't give a horse-dropping about the future of the people of Iraq or our position in that region, you only care about repeating how this was an 'illegal war' and Bush's 'failed policies'. No matter your opinion on how the war began, fact is the Iraqi people are closer to freedom and hope than they have been in decades, and the majority of Iraqis now have respect and gratitude toward the American soldiers and marines for their strength and compassion. Read Michael Yon's book.
Obam lies and dissembles about everything -his upbringing , his education , his job experience and his religion.. But liberals take the position that it is unfair to even question anything about him. Questioning any of Oobam's bona fides results not in a factual response but an attack - the best defense is a good offense I guess. For example.:Was Obama , who holds himself out as a " devout Christian)baptised in the Christian sacrement of Baptism, receiving the usual Baptism Certificate evidencing the receiving of such sacrement? If not why doesn't he say so? His web site- a least a while back says that Wright baptised his children. It doen't mention any baptism of him.
His book merely described some" burning bush" experience.. he has never repudiated the Muslim religion into which he was born and enrolled.
I don't know why people rant about changing the "regime", meaning "get Bush out". I am not pro-Bush, and personally feel he's done a terrible job in a lame-duck status, but the "regime" is the Democrat-controlled congress, which has done nothing in two years except SPEND SPEND SPEND. I'd love to know where they pull the money from - I heard yesterday they authorized $50B for world AIDS support. Not that I'm against giving money to AIDS victims, but it seems to me giving $50B (yes BILLION) for a few percent of the population could have been better spend helping 100% of Americans with, say, research into alternative and renewable energy. If you want to fix anything in this election, vote out EVERY incumbent and let's start over. McCain is not Bush, just as Obama is not the mesiah. We all need to get our heads out of you-know-where and really make a difference, and not rely on one person's oratory on "change", which is complete bull (talk about a snow-job).
And #6, stop whining.
The media is so skewed towards Obama, that I look forward toElection Night when we all laugh at the egg on their faces. WHO, YOU ASK. Why, the WHO are the stupid moronic DNC, the media paid for by corporations, and the moths to Obama's flame drones who bow to his action words that have no weight in reality. Now had Hillary led the ticket, we would be looking at a landslide because she has EARNED the responsibility she sought and was robbed of. Just you wait, DNC et al, just you wait. Ho, hum. Fortunately for me, a Hillary supporter who has turned to McCain out of apathy towards my former party, McCain has the "right stuff" to run the country and I believe he will not take orders from the robber barons now running the country.
ahillaryvoterformccain commentator
John McCain has metamorphosed into an oily snake that twists this way and that. The timing between his policy shifts has shortened exponentially; perhaps changing faster than his advisers. Am I the only one who remembers the fiercely independent thinker this man once was and not so long ago before he became just another weeble-wobble pawn of the Cheney Administration? If Cheney's people (oh excuse me McCain's people) are pointing a finger at Obama and in-effect his people, its clearly an effort to misdirect the public from the exact questions brought on by their own machinations.
More importantly, the questions of stability in Iraq should not be coming from one high-ranking and inescapably politically influenced source, but gathered independently from many; namely the ones who are bleeding for that exact stability, the soldiers on the ground doing patrols and dealing with it up close and personal. Not the ones who gather their intel sugar-coated and then funneled through a Cheney membrane before being made public. To put your trust in the words of anyone who has not had their boots repeatedly put in the bloody dirt is an exercise in futility. If you want to know what's really going down in Iraq and Afghanistan, then you should be interviewing the heroes who have just finished another 15 month combat deployment and have been honorably discharged. They are the ones you should be talking to, because they can speak the honest truth without being anonymous because the hammer can't come down on them.
I wonder if McCain even knows how to turn on the TV to be able to even watch his ad. Well I suppose he can the TV is significantly dumbed down and actually has a button labeled "Power" unlike a computer using the international power symbol.
Well if he needs instructions I can send him an email.. Oh wait! McCain can't do email and my 90 year old grandma can!
Well I guess the old saying is correct.. "Can't teach an old dog new tricks"... And since he obviously has no clue about the current world.. and can't learn I guess that disqualifies him from being my leader and I hope yours too.
How did Saddam Hussein know that after the war ended, you know when our president declared rightfully so that the war was over, that "there would be chaos of the likes we never seen". This guy did business with all the terrorist, he new that if we were in Iraq that they would come...wake up people , if it didn't get done by us, no other country would do it....these cockroaches [ terrorists for you who are offended ] are everywhere and need to be weeded out of society...we must spread the good word throughout the land and show the youth of the middle east that there is a better....A QUESTION ; How many years would it take to get this thing right if we played it the other way, how many lives, the face of the middle east is changing and thanks to our troops and a president that had the guts and foresight to make these tough decisions....In 1996 when the Kobar Towers in Saudia Rabia were attacked and 19 soldiers were killed and almost 300 injured ,our president at the time did nothing, it was later found that Iran's heads of state were responsible [thanks to Bush Sr. and a persistent FBI director]...so for god's sack , vote for someone who is going to pay attention to this and not have to defend himself while stuff like this is going on...
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