McCain gets Bush blessing, blasts Obama
By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine -- John McCain brought his campaign to Maine today, picking up the blessing of former President George H.W. Bush, blasting Democratic rival Barack Obama on the war in Iraq, and pressing his case on energy policy.
At the family compound in Kennebunkport this morning, the first president Bush said of McCain, "My respect for him knows no bounds."
McCain, meanwhile, who strongly backed a surge of US troops in Iraq, said Obama opposed the surge but is now trying to take advantage of what McCain called the surge's success. Speaking as Obama toured Iraq -- and after Iraqi officials said US troops could be withdrawn in 2010, generally fitting in with Obama's 16-month timetable -- McCain chastised Obama for refusing to acknowledging that the surge has worked.
"When you win wars, troops come home," McCain said. "He's been completely wrong on the issue. ... I have been steadfast in my position."
The Arizona Republican, appearing alongside former President George H.W. Bush and at a campaign rally in Portland, spent much of the day urging voters to remember that it was his support of the surge policy that may make possible the withdrawal of US troops. But McCain refused to be drawn into a discussion of a timetable, saying he would make sure US troops do not leave until the war is won.
Campaigning in Portland this afternoon with Senators Susan Collins Olympia Snowe, McCain pledged to end US dependence on foreign oil, saying it is a national security issue because some of the billions spent on oil ends up in the hands of terrorists.
He criticized Obama for not voting for a resolution condemning the antiwar group MoveOn.org for a newspaper ad calling the top US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, "General Betray Us."
And McCain continued assaulting Obama's record of not supporting the surge of additional troops to Iraq, a strategy that McCain championed and that observers say has helped drive down violence.
"I'm proud that I was right," McCain said. "....That's what judgment is all about. That's why I'm qualified to lead."
mc cain, so what this means is unless we are at war, you;ll always be wrong, you yourself admit the economy is not your bag, domesticaly you voted against american workers on everything, take your little puppett self your war mongering fear tactics and shove them, we are in iraq for oil, always were always will be, dont hand me your nonsence about any other reason. and if the surge worked and our troops are going to start comeing home, do we have to repeatidly surge to keep violence down? you are a fool ,bush detoured and your still are on the wrong road, go back to arizona and make the desert your home, you anti american worker elitest
The ironic thing is Sen. Obama is respected more by the rank and file military men and women serving this country than Bush or McCain despite their attempts to paint themselves as pro-military. They are in fact pro military industrial complex making money off wars and the people on the frontlines who risk it all know it.
Isn't this wonderful? Two old has beensdriving in a golf cart together. Will they try toraise Trickey dick Nixon and Ronnie Reaganor perhaps Spiro the Zero to support the graet list of Republican Presidents and vice Presidents who have served our country so well. Paul of the desert
Lets face it. The McCain POW "story" has many holes in it.
- He was not injured by his guards, but rather when he ejected from his plane.
- He tells various versions of his treatment, depending on the audience.
- He was last in his class at the Naval Academy.
-He was such a poor pilot, he crashed 5-planes.
- He abandoned his first wife and married Cindy 6-months after he met her. That is why his children, from this first marriage refuse to campaign with him.
Lets be honest. McCain is still fighting the Viet Nam war.
Get over it John!
Being a POW does not make you qualified to be president.
What a ridiculous comment! How would any of us know who the military respects. It is pure conjecture. What a loser to post something like that that has absolutely zero evidence.
The ironic thing is Sen. Obama is respected more by the rank and file military men and women serving this country than Bush or McCain despite their attempts to paint themselves as pro-military. They are in fact pro military industrial complex making money off wars and the people on the frontlines who risk it all know it.
Chris, you could not be more wrong. You have absolutely no facts to back up that statement.
I can't believe these two candidates are this dumb. All a candidate has to do is say "the war was won when we removed Saddam and his government from power......the current administration took the honor away from the troops by failing to declare victory and by continuing to expose them to many more years of policing a nation which is not their responsibility. I will honor them and I am prepared to bring the troops home immediately as victors. My administration will fight to provide the best care our country can provide so that the service of our veterans is never fogotten."
George Soros isn't getting his money's worth if the best he can come up with is you guys.
"...we are in iraq for oil"..If that's the case we'd all be driving Hummers. Well, at least I would be.
"...Sen. Obama is respected more by the rank and file military men and women..." That's a very rich fantasy life on display.
Does spell check not function in the desert?
"Blessing". The Globe would have used the word "endorsement" if it had been a democrat.
why does McCain get such a bad rap in all the press from tv to radio to the newspapers. Obama has the illegal immigrant vote sewn up for sure... but I think it's time the so called NEWS REPORTERS stopped drooling over OBAMA and his kids MAMA... justy report the news folks and stop being biased in your reports... print all the news... not just a liberal slanted self serving self righteous point of view...PLEASE!!!J
McCain's just like the son he already has...
JOHN MCCAIN IS OUT OF TOUCH..
OBAMA IS SO AHEAD OF HIM ON HIS POLICIES ITS A SHAME..
MALIKI AGREED WITH OBAMA WHICH MEANS THAT BUSH AND MCSHAME NEEDS TO CATCH UP!!
BUSH'S,"HORIzON FOR WITHDRAWAL"IS A PATHETIC ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE THE LOW INFORMATION VOTERS(TRANSLATION=STUPID PEOPLE),OBAMA IS SOMEHOW WRONG AND BUSH/MCSHAME IS SOMEHOW RIGHT..WHAT THE HECK IS HORIzON FOR WITHDRAWAL ANYWAY??
McCain is emotionally and tempermentally unfit for the position he seeks. Ask Republican Senator Cochran. Whether it is because of or in spite of his time spent as a pow is beside the point. He should not be put in a position where he may have to make a decision that in its nature could be irrevocable in the absolute sense of that concept.That he has superficial and purile, knee=jerk, prescriptions for every foreign issue does not help matters We do not need an encore of transcendental foreign policy by a hot head.Rating him on domestic issues is as ridiculous as worshiping a can of sardines .
McCain is emotionally and tempermentally unfit for the position he seeks. Ask Republican Senator Cochran. Whether it is because of or in spite of his time spent as a pow is beside the point. He should not be put in a position where he may have to make a decision that in its nature could be irrevocable in the absolute sense of that concept.That he has superficial and purile, knee=jerk, prescriptions for every foreign issue does not help matters We do not need an encore of transcendental foreign policy by a hot head.Rating him on domestic issues is as ridiculous as worshiping a can of sardines .
Mr McCain is right. Obama doesn´t know anything and he is not an Americaqn patriot. Mr. Obama is should not be mentioned at all. Was he really born in the US or abroad?
Your title presents this as some kind of July surprise victory for McCain. As if Obama and McCain were competing for Pa Bush's pat on the head. This would have been story if Pa Bush was asked how a McCain presidency would differ from Bush II. Now that would be a story.
Give us some real news that makes a difference.
I think someone must have missed the article about the poll a reporter took in Iraq..they asked 60 soldiers whom they would vote for,and 56 of them said McCain..(True Story-google it)..So now really..you think Obama is more respected? Think again!
MommaKK
None of the reporters were alllowed to talk with the soldiers for just that reason. All pictures, film footage, interviews, etc. were done by army personnel. Every correspondent who was there confirmed this fact. Everything you see is not true just because you read/saw it on the internet.
Poster Chris: "The ironic thing is Sen. Obama is respected more by the rank and file military men and women serving this country"... let me take your lead and make a grandious statement without any substantive data to back it up. The ironic thing is that Senator Obama has a legion of supporters as full of rhetoric and believers in that rhetoric as he.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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