McCain uses Biden speech to question Obama's readiness

John McCain tweaked his stump speech this afternoon to capitalize on remarks made by Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden that delved into his running mate's readiness to be commander-in-chief.

At a fund-raiser Sunday night in Seattle, Biden said, "Mark my words. Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy," according to press accounts.

Kennedy authorized the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba three months after his inauguration in 1961, then faced the Cuban missile crisis the following year.

“The world is looking," Biden continued. "We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. And he’s gonna have to make some really tough - I don’t know what the decision’s gonna be, but I promise you it will occur. As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it’s gonna happen. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate. And he’s gonna need help."

In similar remarks at another fund-raising event Sunday night, Biden quickly added that those who test Obama will quickly find out he has "a spine of steel."

McCain, who has been trying to parlay his greater experience in foreign policy, said in Belton, Mo., "The next president won't have time to get used to the office. We face many challenges here at home, and many enemies abroad in this dangerous world....If Senator Obama is elected, Senator Biden said we will have an international crisis to test America's new President. We don't want a President who invites testing from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting in two wars.

"What is more troubling is that Senator Biden told their campaign donors that when that crisis hits, they would have to stand with them because it wouldn't be apparent that Senator Obama would have the right response. That's not surprising.

"Forget apparent. Senator Obama won't have the right response, and we know that because we've seen the wrong response from him over and over during this campaign. He opposed the surge strategy that's bringing us victory in Iraq and will bring us victory in Afghanistan. He said he would sit down unconditionally with the world's worst dictators. When Russia invaded Georgia, Senator Obama said the invaded country should show restraint."

The Obama campaign has already responded to McCain: “With our nation facing two wars and 21st century threats abroad, Senator Biden referenced the simple fact that history shows Presidents face challenges from day one. After eight years of a failed foreign policy, we need Barack Obama’s good judgment and steady leadership, not the erratic and ideological Bush-McCain approach that has set back our security and standing in the world,” said Obama spokesman David Wade.