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.
It amazes me how ignorant some people are- Minnesota Representative Keith Ellison is the one that was sworn in with the Koran, not Barack Obama!
Some of you say give Pres. Bush credit for keeping america safe for the past seven years…So who was protecting us during the tradgedies…??? vote for change!!!
Of all the comments I’ve read, someone with any pull should have Steve Myers as the Vice-President. The Dude knows what he’s talking about. I just hope we never see the ill wind of either B. Hussane or Billary.
rick patterson, when will you get a clue? if you think bush has done anything worth while for this country, well, you have been sleep for the past 7+yrs. i was in the first wave of soldiers into afghanistan, yeah, i believed in the reason for us going into afghanistan, but can you explain to me what the reason for going into iraq was? i didnt see him talk about invading iran, they straight up said they had nuclear weapons, iraq denied it and it has been found that both bush and cheney are nothing but liars, one would question, how can you send soldiers to war, when you hid when it was your time to go, the only thing that the iraq invasion has done, is lost american lives, put the country in such a deep deficit that we will probably have several languages as the official language, be realistic for once, i served on both ends of the GWOT in iraq and afghanistan. we need someone that will take care of the problems inside of the us before running around in other countries
It never ceases to amaze me how foolish some folks can be.
As it is, Republicans are pretty much “skating on thin ice with the general public” because, under the Bush Administration and Republican Congress, they doubled the size of government and ran the national debt up to $9 Trillion, despite claiming that they supported “smaller government and fiscal responsibility.” Add to that 2 very unpopular wars, started as a result of “questionable” intelligence sources, as well as the current state of the economy, despite those “tax cuts” that supposedly were going to lead to “growth and prosperity (except, of course, that the “prosperity” didn’t seem to materialize in the S&P 500 over the past 7 years).
Now add to this the public perception that the Republican Party is already overrun by racists (given their antagonistic positions regarding immigrants), and now you have this emphasis on Obama’s middle name, cementing the perception that “a vote for Republicans–up and down the ticket–is a vote for racist idiots.” Right or wrong, true or not, as long as right-wing radio entertainers and rank and file Republicans continue to advance these silly types of “attacks” on Obama, then Independents and Moderates, like myself, won’t care one bit what Republican candidates claim their “issues” are. We want nothing–absolutely nothing–to do with bigoted fools, or candidates of a bigoted party…and will NEVER support them, financially or with our votes…regardless of whatever positions they take on the issues.
So go ahead. Keep telling yourselves that “it’s just a name” or whatever. You do INDEED have every “right” to say whatever you want to. But if you insist on portraying yourselves as racial or religious bigots, don’t be surprised that the Independents and Moderates of this country, who will likely decide the coming election, will run the other way from you as fast as they possibly can.
If you don’t recognize that, you (and the Republican Party) don’t deserve any role in running this country…in the White House or the Congress.
Just ask an Independent voter and you’ll see what I mean.
Look at your Bible people, Is there anything about anti-Christ there?
listen to Obama and read your Bible again
Borat Obama will be exposed for the fraud that he is duriing the genral election process. Send him back to Chicago. Vote GOP
To all OBAMA supporters….
Please describe at least one of his accomplishment, so we can all move on not to question his
credentials.
McCain 2008
Hey Deb, you are a true liberal. The only thing that ran smooth when slick was in was the FIRST 9-11. Also brought to our shores courtesy of the man who William Jefferson Clinton said was no threat here in America. Why does everyone forget the first world trade center bombing?No media mention, no canidate mention, no memory. When I ask a liberal what Bill Clinton did
for America, they have no cognitive answer. Just saying what a great president he was. For what reason? I WILL TELL YOU THE ONLY SMART THING OR GOOD THING HE ACCOMPLISHED. He left most of the Reagan tax cuts in place for a short time, allowing him to ride on the coattails of the greatest economic recovery in my memory. I still don’t thing he should have been let off the hook for lying under oath to a grand jury. Many Americans are in jail for the same CRIMINAL ACT !
I have one question regarding Obama? I know he talks alot, and says good sugar coated speaches, but what has he done so far? Anyone….anyone…..know anything this clown has done except say “Change we can belive in” and saying that he disagreed with the war from the start every time he gets infront of an audiance. I personally dont think his middle name as Hussian is a big deal, even if he is Muslim or was Muslim, but i think its quite clear that he has had practiced the Muslim faith for some time, even though he has converted and why deny that you did…what is he trying to hide…I dont want a snake in the office, and it has nothing to do with his religion or skin color.