McCain Mocks Obama for Comment on Al Qaeda in Iraq at Debate
John McCain tried to capitalize Wednesday on what he sees as a weakness for his potential Democratic opponent, Barack Obama — his positions on Iraq.
McCain ridiculed the Illinois senator for a comment he made in a debate with Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night. Obama was asked if he would send soldiers back to Iraq to quell an insurrection or civil war if Al Qaeda in Iraq re-surges there. He responded that as president, he would take action “if Al Qaeda is forming a base in Iraq.”
McCain, who has staked much of his political fortunes to political and military successes in Iraq and his own national security credentials, suggested his anti-war colleague’s response was either naive or uninformed.
“When you examine that statement, it’s pretty remarkable,” McCain told a crowd in Tyler, Texas.
“I have some news. Al Qaeda is in Iraq. It’s called ‘Al Qaeda in Iraq,”‘ McCain said, drawing laughter at Obama’s expense.
The dig triggered a back-and-forth that continued long-distance through much of the day.
Obama quickly answered back, telling a crowd at Ohio State University in Columbus, “I do know that Al Qaeda is in Iraq.”
“McCain thought that he could make a clever point by saying ‘Well let me give you some news Barack, Al Qaeda is in Iraq,’ like I wasn’t reading the papers,” he said. “But I have some news for John McCain, and that is that there was no such thing as Al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq.”
While an Illinois state senator in 2002, Obama gave an anti-war speech that the Iraq conflict would strengthen Al Qaeda’s ability to recruit.
Noting that McCain likes to tell audiences that he’d follow Usama bin Laden to the “gates of Hell” to catch him, Obama said Wednesday: “All he (McCain) has done is to follow George Bush into a misguided war in Iraq.”
McCain said he had not watched the Democratic presidential debate on Tuesday night but was told of Obama’s response to the Iraq question.
Obama did not say whether he’d send troops in the event of an insurrection but responded: “As commander in chief, I will always reserve the right to make sure that we are looking out for American interests. And if Al Qaeda is forming a base in Iraq, then we will have to act in a way that secures the American homeland and our interests abroad.”
The exchange previewed the likely flash-points for the candidates if they do in fact face off during the general election.
The latest head-to-head Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, taken Feb. 21-25, showed McCain besting both Democratic candidates in a hypothetical general election — but a race with Obama looks more competitive.
The poll showed McCain with a 46-to-40 percent advantage over Hillary Clinton, but with a slim 44-to-42 percent lead over Obama. Most recent head-to-head polls show Obama beating McCain by a hair and McCain edging out Clinton in a general election. The poll’s margin of error was 3 points.
In an effort to highlight his own security credentials, McCain has throughout the primary season repeatedly attacked both Obama and Clinton for saying they would withdraw troops from Iraq.
“And my friends, if we left, they (Al Qaeda) wouldn’t be establishing a base,” McCain said Wednesday. “They’d be taking a country, and I’m not going to allow that to happen, my friends. I will not surrender. I will not surrender to Al Qaeda.”
He said that withdrawing troops would be “waving the white flag.”
In the debate, Clinton did not answer the question about re-invasion of Iraq on grounds it contained “lots of different hypothetical assessments.”
For years, McCain has urged sending more troops into Iraq, even before President Bush adopted such a strategy about a year ago.
“I knew enough from talking to the men and women who are serving that this new strategy was what we needed, and I’m telling you, it is succeeding,” McCain said. “So what needs to happen, we need to continue this strategy. It should be General Petraeus’ recommendation, not that of a politician running for higher office, as to when and how we withdraw.”
He was referring to Gen. David Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq.
As he began a swing through Bush’s home state of Texas, which holds a presidential primary election on Tuesday, McCain made sure to play up a line he always uses.
“I also think it might be nice for President Bush to get a little credit that there’s not been another attack on the United States of America,” he said to applause.
FOX News Molly Henneberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pete-
Tell me again why we care about you think about our politics? The only politician worth having is out (Tony Blaire).
We don’t want your socialist ways, we don’t want your socialist advice, we don’t want your socialist government.
Thanks.
This is the inherent problem with brodcasting a position of retreat and peace at all cost to radical
Islamic fascists. There is the unavoidable result that you again strengthen their resolve and inevitably increase there involvement in Iraq. The very core of the complaint and argument that this was ‘the flawed strategy of attacking Iraq and overthrowing Hussain’ in the first place.
If it is ’so obvious that the Bush war was a strategic error that strenghthened the terrorists’ after the fact. Why should we believe there would not be an exponential strengthening of those same anti-American Islamists after we cut and run?
Good to know there are some people posting comments here that have some sense. Keep it up my brothers and sisters!
….and I’m NOT referring to the Hitlery or Osama backers, you morons!
Here come the ignorant, and uneducated comments again from idiots. Get educated people, or find something worthwhile to post other then untrue baseless crap.
how wrong omama was saying that Alqaeda was not in Iraq until President Bush attack Iraq…How can he say that ?? They were there, and if USA did not know anything about, they were there all uncover doing their little evil plans…
He looks like a person who would over look things like that…Sad..Sad indeed…
the only way folks like the clintons and obama can live the american dream is because of the sacrifice of americans like mccain…..that goes for rush limbaugh too.
“Stay out of our business, we don’t need your third party, half-baked and ill-informed opinions.”
why dont you get yourself some REAL news channels first, dummy.
McCain, speaks softly
Huckabee, speaks directly
Hillary, speaks mean
Obama, speaks eloquently
The delivery doesn’t matter. THE ISSUES DO MATTER.
Who SUPPORTS our soldiers ?
Who is willing to FIGHT to perserve our FREEDOMS, if we are attacked again ?
Who EMBRACES and enables ILLEGALS to thrive in America ?
Who is willing to DOLE OUT BILLIONS from the treasury, for NO SERVICE?
Who is willing to further TAX the RICH, so they will further KEEP their money out of reach and out of circulation ?
Who is willing to pass legislation to BALANCE imports & exports ?
Who is willing to support KEEPING AMERICA AmericAN ?
Who is willing to support …… America SUPPORTING itself….. with
American mfg, American products, American resources,
American workers, etc. ?
Who is willing to support…… “AMERICAN PRIDE”……”FOR AMERICANS”
and “BY AMERICANS”…… and STOP the division of AMERICANS ?
I love America and want a government who HEARS that the MAJORITY of AMERICANS want :
their country back
their jobs back
their culture back
their language back
their schools back to local authority
their neighbor-hoods back
their right to be prideful in their God back
their right to a peaceful nights sleep, free from allnight traffic & noise.
People say they want CHANGE……
People say it’s all about moving forward…..
I rather liked the things we use to have….
you know….. like
People who WENT WITHOUT WENT THEY COUNLDN’T afford something.
People who helped people in NEED, without the government.
People who were QUIET IN PUBLIC
People who went to school to take advantage of the OPPORTUNITY.
People who wore clothes in public that covered their body.
People who controlled their children.
Children with manners.
TV programs that didn’t spew vomit and sex.
People who actually tried to figure out a solution to their own problems.
People who didn’t BEG the government to be their wallet & aka Master.
People who worked for their money.
People who respected their parents.
Parents who were respectable.
THE LIST COULD GO ON AND ON……
THE PAST WAS PRETTY GOOD…..
TO BAD there is a generation who will not get to experience all the
good things about American…. since we are pandering to a group of
foreigners who want to turn America into their pocketbook, with a foreign allgience.
Obama said he would go back in Iraq if he was commander in chief and found out Al Queda was forming a base there. That is a lie, he has been hollering loud and clear to bring the troops home and would not send them back if the whole country went up in a fire ball. He didn’t vote to send troops in because he voted 131 times as present instead of taking a stand and voting yes or no.
I’ve got news for you Sen. Obama, this notion that Al Qaeda was not in Iraq before the US, is just that, a notion. To believe they were everywhere else EXCEPT Iraq is just wrong. Stop believeing this wide spread misconception. Saddam supported them with a place to train and his peoples oil money. Sometimes I think while we’re in the area we should finish cleaning the place up. Iran. Saudi Arabia etel. If we really wanted to, we could take the OIL. Instead, we pay for it like the rest of the free world. Freedom and oil are not free. Al Qaeda will always be around unless and until they are ran out, we get their minds out of the 6th century or killed. It’s just the way it is. Mind you, we cannot change the way of life of this part of the world just take the harshness out.