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.
For those of you who are supporting McCain, something is seriously wrong!! McCain is dumber than Bush!!hahaha
Obama was incorrect when he said, ” al-Qaida had no presence in Iraq prior to the war.” The mastermind that planned the hijacking of a cruise ship lived for years in Bagdad, and was capture by our forces there. The terrorist onboard the ship murdered an elderly Jewish man and threw him and his wheelchair into the sea. If my memory serves me correctly Fox News also reported that our forces advanced so quickly that we over ran two deserted terrorist trainning camps, and according to the news report some of the material left behind pointed to the possibility of al-Qaida presence there, to my knowledge Fox News was the only network to report the findings.
For those of us who call for the ending the war in Iraq by recalling our troops should understand that it only takes one party to start a conflict, but it takes more then one party to end it. These folks have been attacking us for the last THIRTY YEARS, and basically we did nothing about it until Bush 43. Ben Laden has stated his goal, destroy the Western Culture! If we pull back our ability to manuver is gone and the advantage swings to the enemy.
I would love a Muslim in office rather than a radical Christian who bases his vote on his on racial prejudice and anger toward other races (like you victor). But as far the church he attends, there’s no sign on the door saying NO WHITES OR JEWS OR HISPANICS OR CHRISTIANS ALLOWED. So were do you go off saying that there racist? I actually applaud him for going to that church were a lot of people have different circumstances then you in live and tries to help them instead of rejecting them. To bad he isn’t a muslim, I would love that! New day in America get used to it. Maybe if he went to a all white church with Rush Limbaugh you’d love the guy!
Hey Dumbo! Yeah you Barack Hussein Obama! The liberal with the Dumbo EARS!! AL Queada has been in the Middle East since the end of the Russian/ Afgan war (Peanut Farmer’s watch) when we nor anyone else wanted the freedom fighters we supported, financed and trained and gave away all our military and CIA operating procedures, back. Neither did Saudi Arabia. Where do you think your brother OSAMA got all his intel and resources? You are an idiot and so are your followers, to believe Al-Queada wasn’t in Iraq before we took over. Hell one of the spoils of the Iran/Iraq war was that Hussein wanted Kuwait back and Carter agreed. Only that promise wasn’t kept and Hussein got the short end of the stick. (Americas Secret War). Don’t make it up, look it up!!
Maybe so Mr. Obama, there may not have been an “Al Quaeda in Iraq” if we hadn’t gone there…There would be an “Al Quaeda in America”.
with Hillary Gone. King Obama is the choice and WILL WIN in November!! The Obama team, with the msnbc and Queen Oprah’s backing destroyed The Clinton Campaign. So Obama will be the next President. How Ironic. Obama saying he’s not or never has been a muslim/Islam makes about as much sense as asking Adolph Hitler(before his death), if he is or ever was affliliated with the nazi party. What Kind of change are we in for?? This is scary. First president Obama wants to meet with our enemies!
Obama victory will prolong US racial divide, says British equality chief
OMG…I can’t believe I just heard someone actually talk about the global poverty act by obama, that would in fact give 845 BILLION dollars of our money to foreign aid, that is ABSURD and rediculous. I agree, I hope people actually look that up and then look up the U.N. Global tax and wonder why it is that NO ONE is even bringing it up. The people of America have a right to know about that and what they are actually voting for.
P Vanderbok I’m a democrat and I can’t help but agree with you, although I will vote for Clinton, if she does not get the nomination I will vote for McCain, I don’t believe we can just leave Iraq, we destroyed an entire country its not right to just leave them alone. I am a firm believer in universal health care, after watching 2 of my closest family members die of cancer, I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if their insurance were better what the outcome would of been. I say Clinton first Then McCain, he has an impecable record.
Why do people say we went to war in Iraq because of 911. If you will read the facts you will see the reason set forth was due to Saddam’s repeated refusal to abide by the rules set by the UN. Also more importantly there was a cease fire agreement during the first gulf war. Suddam broke that cease fire agreement which means the cease fire agreement is null and void and the war starts up again.
The average American believes the war in Iraq was totally because of 911. However, the liberal politicians know better but would not dare say because they would be never be relected.
Well, I should say the politicians should know since they voted in the bill for the US to use military force. Of course, they could all be like Hillary who didn’t bother to read the NIE and actually admits she didn’t know what she was voting for. Not the kinda “oops” I would want my president to make.
Of course 911 was evidence to what could happen when the terrorist come to our homeland. It showed that we cannot let terrorists like Saddam continue to not abide by the rules and since there is no mistake that he wanted to kill Americans I am glad we hit him before he could hit us like OBL did.
All the BS about Bush lying is plain stupidity. He only repeated what the intelligence from all over the world was saying about Saddam. Do you actually believe world wide intelligence lied to help Bush make a case on going to war?
Buy some books and read the facts from both the liberal and conservative point and view before making yourself sound stupid