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McCain Hits Obama for Lack of Military Experience
July 22, 2008 1:03 AM
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Monday hit Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, not for only being, in his view, wrong on the surge of troops in Iraq, but also for not having served in the military.
Arguing that he, unlike Obama, doesn't "need any on-the-job training," McCain said, per ABC News' Jen Duck, that "I also agree with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who said it would be very dangerous...to do what Senator Obama has advocated."
Added the former Navy flier and Vietnam P.O.W.: "I hope we'll pay attention to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Particularly someone that has no military experience whatsoever."
McCain was referring to comments made Sunday by Admiral Mike Mullen on Fox News Sunday. "I think the consequences could be very dangerous in that regard," Mullen said when asked about a hypothetical withdrawal plan like the one Obama is advocating. "I'm convinced at this point in time that making reductions based on conditions on the ground are very important." Mullen made similar comments earlier this year.
In May, after Obama criticized McCain's position on a G.I. bill, McCain said in a statement that that he "will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did."
McCain's staff was quick to argue at the time that he wasn't assailing Obama for not having served, but for having questioned McCain's commitment to troops when McCain had served and Obama hadn't.
McCain's new argument -- that "someone that has no military experience whatsoever" needs to listed to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs -- goes even further.
- jpt
July 22, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (47)
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I hate to do this but what is McCain famous for? Being captured by the enemy.Right and this makes him qualified to run our country.This makes a whole lot of sense.
Posted by: TV | Jul 22, 2008 12:34:10 PM
rhbate - Interesting, have you ever ran for office, you will mistakes names of groups and countries.
Notice you do not bring up Obama, not even remembering what he says, since he says different thins every day, the fact that Obama says the political situation in Iraq allowed the surge to succeed, when it was the surge that allowed Political process. or that Obama does not even know he was born 4 years before Selma,
Obama with a different opinion for different people!!
Now McCain is absolutely correct, Obama has no experience whats over, 2 day in the senate does not count!!
Posted by: spock | Jul 22, 2008 12:24:43 PM
Politico writes: “Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said ‘Iraq’ when he apparently meant ‘Afghanistan’ on Monday, adding to a string of mixed-up word choices that is giving ammunition to the opposition. Just in the past three weeks, McCain has also mistaken ‘Somalia’ for ‘Sudan,’ and even football’s Green Bay Packers for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ironically, the errors have been concentrated in what should be his area of expertise -- foreign affairs.”
Posted by: rhbate | Jul 22, 2008 11:14:56 AM
Rhbate, and yet yesterday's Rasmussen three-day poll has Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain tied 46-46. Go figure!
Posted by: James Danley | Jul 22, 2008 11:09:18 AM
In justifying his position in Iraq, McCain said on the Today show yesterday that there is a very dangerous situation on the Iraq-Pakistan border. Someone should have told him the Iraq border is 750 miles from the Pakistan border. Brain #### I guess. Or maybe just old age.
Posted by: rhbate | Jul 22, 2008 11:04:57 AM
"I don't know much about finance..."
-John McCain
Posted by: Bette | Jul 22, 2008 10:50:19 AM
Independent, you wrote: "...you have to wonder how he (Sen. McCain) stays so close in the polls." That is interesting, isn't it?
Sen. Messiah vs. Sen. Old, old man!
Sen. Articulate vs. Sen. Bumbler!
Sen. Charming and charismatic vs Sen. Boring!
Sen. Leave Iraq within 16 months vs. Sen. Stay in Iraq until we achieve victory
Sen. Tax the wealthy and add new entitlements vs. Sen. Make the 2001 & 2003 tax cuts permanent and end earmarks!
Sen. No increase in supply of domestic oil vs. Sen. Drill here, drill now!
Sen. For nuclear energy IF safe & clean vs. Sen. Build 45 nuclear reactors by 2030!
Sen. For late term abortions vs Sen. Pro-Life
Sen. 3 1/2 years in Congress vs Sen. 25 1/2 years in Congress!
Posted by: James Danley | Jul 22, 2008 10:38:24 AM
McCain has no plan. He seems to think playing it by ear is a plan. McCain offers no solutions with a plan for the war or for our economy. Like a typical politician McCain makes promises without substance and his promises change on a daily basis. McCain's entire campaign is based on trashing Sen. Obama and he gets more and more desperate everyday. McCain is now moving into the kitchen sink strategy. That strategy worked the last two Presidential elections....but not this time, not this year.
Obama '08
Posted by: Liz in Texas | Jul 22, 2008 8:24:31 AM
Al from NJ and Rick from Pa, one and the same person.Do you really want to
know who wants to stand up for Obama and his supporters? I'll tell you: America and the rest of the world.
I know that you just cannot stomach the fact that the man looks like a Commander-in-Chief, acts like Commander-in-Chief and WILL BE Commander-in-Chief, but GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Who in their right minds want to stand up for old man John McCain? Who can't even tie his sho laces far less pick up a phone at 3.00 a.m.
GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!
Obama is just right for America and the rest of the world
Posted by: exatlantic | Jul 22, 2008 8:11:21 AM
All that McCain has against Obama is tht he did not serve in the military. WOW that is too funny...I didn't see McCain "in the trenches" in the projects, trying to get health care and fair housing for this poor people of this country. I see Cindy Mccain doing charity work OUTSIDE this country. What about the poor and desperate people right here in the US.
Posted by: truthtell | Jul 22, 2008 8:05:40 AM
Someone please tell McCain that having military experience and serving in the military IS NOT a requirement to being President of the United States. If it were, Bill Clinton would have never been elected or reelected.
When I think about McCain's service: Graduated near the bottom of his class; poor performance; crashed his plane more than once, captured in Vietnam and made any statement asked to make by his captives - McCain's military experience doesn't amount to very much. If those were my credentials, I'd be ashamed of them!
McCain is a decrepit old fool.
Mentally Unstable, Senility has set in.
Doesn't know Iraq from Afghanistan.
Says Iraq & Pakistan share a border.
Pathetic, Shameful McCain.
Posted by: Debbie, Columbia, SC | Jul 22, 2008 8:04:23 AM
It's extremely funny how McCain and the Repubs have painted themselfes into a corner: "the Surge was correct and worked", they yell. Everybody with more insight in what has been going on knows that the surge only worked to lower the level of violence through bribing the shia militias and the sunni tribal men to the tune of $300 a month per person. Every expert also knows that the source for violence in Iraq has not been erradicated. Both sides are now heavily armed, paid for by american dollars. Iraq has become an even more dangerous powder keg, ready to explode any minute.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | Jul 22, 2008 7:20:29 AM
Sounds like a desperate man.....
Posted by: Kojo | Jul 22, 2008 5:15:28 AM
Obama is embarrassing:
Who wants to stand up for him and his supporters:
Farrakhan-Anti Semitic radical racist
Reverend Wright-anti American, racist
Tony Rezko: Criminal Syrian Politician
William Ayers: Domestic Terrorist
Father Plaeger: Anti American
Obama is a disgrace to the Democratic party, the US and to the World.
He's embarrassing.
Posted by: Al from NJ | Jul 22, 2008 5:08:31 AM
What gives this man the right to stand up like he's a President already?
Obama doesn't know what the heck is going on over there.
He's an embarrassment.
He can't act like a commander in chief.
Pretty cocky of him.
Posted by: Rick from Pa | Jul 22, 2008 5:03:43 AM
I think McCain is right. There will be mass genocide if we leave, all the shias' will run back & forth to Iran to try and cut off the oil supply in the persian gulf. We will have a much larger war on our hands then. We are doing our job with our allies & Gods grace in Afghanistan. We just sent more marines over there in case you Obamaheads weren't Listening. We will get the job done, and if we listen to Obama, we're in for a much bigger war.Also, for those of you that remember Vietnam? Stark images are still in my head,and that's what will happen if we leave too soon.
Posted by: Beth Lunsford | Jul 22, 2008 3:58:56 AM
Obama was right in Iraq. We should not have gone.
Now the Iraqi government is siding with Obama for the troops to get out of Iraq just as Obama said.
Will we go or will we stay by force?
Only Obama has the mental and strategic capacity to make a decision like this.
If we want to be respected, we need to respect. Republicans want to decide the destiny of Iraq but Iraq has the right to decide its own destiny.
How much would we like someone telling us how to govern our country?
We need an educated president not another ignorant.
We need Obama.
Posted by: Andy | Jul 22, 2008 3:34:25 AM
But, but, but the Obama wore some sunglasses in a helicopter and flew with a general (who the Obama has treated disrespectfully in the past).
Truthfully, though, the Obama has about as much military experience as the "W" did.
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Jul 22, 2008 2:06:59 AM
McCain is now tealing Hillary's words about on-the-job training. McCain, didn't you see wher it got her? Right now McCain is trying his best to show up himself as a good Commander-in-Chief, but he just doesn't have what it takes. John McCain is too much blustering, too much same old, same old wave of the hand, brushing off that will not advance his cause.
I have my own conspiracy theory about what is going on right now regarding the apparent shift in the Bush Administration towards Obama's international policy recommendations, but for now, I'd like to say, it is working and that's OK! Is President Bush trying to increase his approval rating on Obama's coat tail before leaving office? Is the Scretary of State using her powerful position? You go girl! John mcCain should realise that the current White Hose Staff from Top to Bottom does not want him to replace Pres. Bush, because it would be another four years of pure chaos for the country.
The world, and apparently, even the White House - can see that Obama is the right President for America at this time in its unfolding history. Perhaps there is a measure of myopia in some pockets of the country - GET OVER IT!
John McCain is already history He is an old man, a warrior, a war monger who talks tough, shakes his gun and drops off to sleep. Yet he wants to commit America to 100 years in Iraq. Who is listening and believing and liking what he touts like an old LP record stuck in a groove.
Posted by: exatlantic | Jul 22, 2008 1:46:45 AM
Many people who didn't serve will be needlessly offended. He has less money than Obama, no base support, less media coverage, and he's 71 years old. Add to that the damaged Republican brand and thoughtless comments like this and you have to wonder how he stays so close in the polls.
Posted by: Independent | Jul 22, 2008 1:34:29 AM
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