McCain rakes Obama on Iraq

ROCHESTER, N.H. -- John McCain continued his assault today on Barack Obama's Iraq policy, saying that his Democratic rival wrongly opposed the surge of US troops and that the withdrawal Obama backs would endanger the gains in Iraq.

"He was wrong then, he's wrong now," McCain said at a town hall meeting in Rochester, N.H.

The presumptive Republican nominee said that he wants to bring US troops home as well -- but only when conditions on the ground allow.

"They will come home in honor and victory," McCain said, as the crowd stood and applauded.

Reminding voters that he was one of the biggest supporters of sending 30,000 additional US troops to Iraq last year, he said he would much rather lose a political race than lose a war -- and that it seems Obama "would rather lose a war in order to win a campaign."

"I would hope he would have the courage to reverse his position," McCain said.

UPDATE: Senator John F. Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, came to Obama's defense.

"That is just ridiculous and insulting," Kerry said on MSNBC about McCain's remark. "....Of course Barack Obama wants America to be successful."

Kerry said McCain is "flailing around on Iraq" now that Iraqi officials have generally agreed to Obama's timetable.

Asked a pointed question about the "illegal war" in Iraq and popular support in both Iraq and the United States for ending the "occupation," McCain did not back down from his support of the surge.

When others tried to shout down the woman who asked the question, McCain quieted them down so the woman could finish.

"You obviously represent the views of many Americans, and I respect that position," he replied.

McCain also said that New Hampshire will be a battleground state in November, and vowed to do everything he can to win it. A University of New Hampshire poll released yesterday found McCain and Obama in a virtual tie among likely voters.

"I'm not going to let you down," McCain said.

Before the town hall meeting, McCain huddled with one of his biggest allies in the state -- editors at the New Hampshire Union Leader.

The newspaper, an important conservative voice, endorsed McCain and ripped rival Mitt Romney before the crucial January primary. And in an editorial published today, it praised McCain again, specifically his willingness to take on all comers at the town halls, and bashed Democrat Barack Obama.

"That's one of the reasons McCain won the New Hampshire primary -- twice," the editorial said. "He isn't afraid to face the voters directly and answer them honestly.

"We wish we could say the same for his opponent in this important presidential election. But while McCain is answering voters' questions, Sen. Barack Obama will be somewhere on the other side of the world, playing to his real constituency -- those sophisticated non-Americans who speak multiple languages and eat organic arugula."