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.
This is what amazes me especially about the people in New York. How could they of all people forget what happened in their neighborhood? What is wrong with them? It is unbelievable to me that most New Yorkers will say they hate President Bush. How could they forget so soon? Are they brain-damaged? They are on this Yuppie train and will talk bad about their president and their country. They don’t even realize that President Bush has kept us safe. They never give him credit. How outragiously stupid they are for not remembering the attack of September 11. Good luck to all of us if a democrat becomes president. They will wave the white flag immediately and run with their tails behind their legs like cowards. That is when I will be ashamed of my country. We will look like a country of cowards. They will probably go back after New York because of your stupidity. I can see them laughing now at your expense and you still don’t get it!!!
Al Qaeda may or may not have been in Iraq before the war, but does that matter? They’re there now and need to be killed wherever they are, and no amount of “change” will get rid of them.
I am a democrat but will be voting for McCain in November. He have the courage and the will to bring back America !! I don’t really know about the die-hard conservatives, but McCain’s position on immigration and economy is what majority of dems and independents alike are looking for.
I admit to being a political blog junkie, but I generally read without posting any comment. But I just have to say, I have never seen such a tirade of posts displaying such gross ignorance in one concentrated location. I see everything from idiotic comments regarding Senator Obama’s middle name and sophomoric (that means immature, Mario) attempts to tie him to terrorists (Chris, ‘infadel’ is correctly spelled infidel) to comparison with Hitler (Liwai, are you kidding me???). If this is blog is a true representative cross section of anti Obama sentiment and those that spew it, you all do yourselves a collective disservice to other more intelligent and thoughtful individuals who may be able to pose serious substantive (and constructive) arguments against Senator Obama. My advice is to return to your comic books and please stay away from voting polls. You are poison for our democratic process.
Rich- do u have any idea what u are talking about when u say Al Queda has been in Iraq since day 1?? day 1 of what? even the generals are estimating that Al Queda makes up for only 10% of who they are fighting.. do u know that? Even Fox has reported that.. and they were NOT there when we invaded.. they were and still are in Afghanistan.. they are actually bigger than ever as reported by Patreaus…
rich your classic!!! keep it up plsss- its fun to read a 4th graders perspective
I am so amazed at the people of the USA being so taken by B. Obama. This is a man who took his oath of office on the Koran. Only a Muslim would do that and therefore, he must be Muslim! In case anyone doesn’t know, Muslims have an allegiance to Mecca to which he turns to in prayer five times a day. If that isn’t enough, the Quran does not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam can not co-exist.
Hey Folks,
The last time I did a fact check, Al Qaida didn’t exist in Iraq before we invaded the country. I wonder why Mr McCain didn’t mention that in his response to Barrack?
Ok D, what proof have you that Al Queda was not in Iraq before we invaded? You just can’t say something without stating what your proof is. You really need to stop following MoveOn.Org. They lie constantly…oh maybe they distort the truth. That’s it. And who cares if Al Queda was there before or after, at least we’re fighting them in the mid-east and not in Central Park. Does anybody think about the fact that there have been no terrorist attacks on US soil since 9/11…thanks to Bush and friends…and thanks to the service men and women who are on foreign soil protecting us. Obama, Shrillary and friends will take the US down. Shrillary out of socialist stupidity and Hussein Obama out of Muslimism. Go ahead and vote for one of those. You’ll get what you deserve.
Oh and yes, I question everything. I just don’t go to left wing liberal news or websites to get my information whose information is based on their political bias. I research reputably.
McCain owed NO apology to Obama because his full legal name was used during a Political Rally. Wake Up, America…..if you’re so fooled by Barack Hussein Obama, that’s his legal name, and he will be known as President Barack Hussein Obama of the United States…………and called by this name and known in the History Books of the World by this name, FOREVER. Just because someone uses his FULL NAME, because it is a Muslim name reference, does NOT require an apology. If AMERICAN VOTERS are so FOOLED by Barack Hussein Obama’s empty, ridiculous rhetoric in speeches that they want to Vote for him as President, then AMERICANS had better accept the Full Name Right Now, and his name is legally, BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, and HE WILL BE KNOWN TO THE WORLD AS SUCH.
Republican scaremongering…
Al queda has little support in Iraq, and the little they have is rapidly decreasing.
Al queda is more than just an islamic terrorist organisation, its a wahabi muslim sect..and while it may work well with sunni muslims, they will never accept the shia muslims and vice versa..the shias constitute the majority of Iraq and Iranian muslims.
Im am an European, and my opinion on your invasion of Iraq and you staying there is different than yours i quess.
the invasion was wrong, it created the chaos there is now and let al queda and other groupings to organise there, but while i do wish Obama for president, i dont like the idea of USA leaving Iraq.
Iraw is a broken nation…you broke it, so you have a responsibility to repair it into a condition as good as it was before the invasion, this might mean that your troops need to stay there for years but the fault of that belongs to Bush and everyone else who pushed for the war to occur.
Obama is, ironically, innocent in that regard..but as a president he will have to take over Iraqs problems and he will have to find a way to solve it in a morally correct way, even if it means more dead american soldiers.
Iraq simply cant be left as long as people die by the hundreds on a weekly basis thanks to terror attacks.
You guys/girls have a very, very intresting election ahead…none of the candidates would be a wrong choise, but i hope that you choose democratic this time.
good luck