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Thanks for Nothin', Joe!
July 17, 2008 2:13 PM
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his allies have been hitting Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, for not holding any hearings to examine the role of NATO in Afghanistan in his perch as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs.
"He's never had a hearing," McCain said Tuesday, "so I am not surprised that all he has done is said, 'Well, we need more troops.'"
In a letter to Obama earlier this week, McCain-backing Sen. Jim DeMint R- SC, wrote, “With oversight of NATO relations and its role in Afghanistan, I believe it is time for us to focus closely on these issues,” DeMint wrote, suggesting a meeting of the subcommittee upon Obama’s return from a much anticipated trip abroad.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden, D-Del., had previously told Meet the Press that "the reason Obama didn't hold a hearing on NATO, I chair the committee. Every one of those committee hearings are held at full committee."
But today Biden decided to take his defense of Obama one step further, writing to DeMint that there have been plenty of hearings on European Affairs, they've just been held at the "full committee level."
"On the particular issue of NATO’s mission in Afghanistan," Biden wrote, "We have held three Full Committee hearings in the last 22 months: one under Senator Lugar’s chairmanship (September 21, 2006: “From Coalition to ISAF Command in Afghanistan: The Purpose and Impact of the Transition”), and two undermine (March 8, 2007: “Afghanistan: Time for a New Strategy?” and January 21, 2008: “Afghanistan: A Plan to Turn the Tide?”). At all three of these hearings, we were fortunate enough to have the expert testimony—in addition to other witnesses, both in and out of government— of former NATO commander and Supreme Allied Commander-Europe, Gen. James R. Jones (USMC, ret.)."
But Biden's letter brought attention to the fact that Obama did not attend two of those three hearings -- and for the third, on March 8, 2007, Obama only asked one question, one unrelated to Afghanistan.
How do I know the latter fact? From an August 2007 press release from Biden himself, when he was running for president.
"BIDEN CAMPAIGN CONGRATULATES SEN. OBAMA FOR JOHNNY-COME-LATELY POSITION," it read. Noting that at the March 2007 hearing, "Sen. Obama asked one question that was unrelated to Taliban or Afghanistan."
Thanks, Joe!
Also interesting: eagle-eyed ABC News Senate reporter Z. Byron Wolf notes that Sen. DeMint -- the gentleman complaining on behalf of the McCain campaign that there haven't been enough hearings on NATO and Afghanistan -- missed both relevant Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings -- in March 2007 and January 2008 -- during which he was a membert of the committee.
And Biden himself missed that first hearing of the three he mentions, in September 2006.
- jpt
July 17, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (51)
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Talk about having no experience.... what experience will McCain give to you??? He has been there for 30 years and look at were we are... the statement that Obama has no experience makes me mad... I will give Obama, who has no experience according to most McCain people, then to vote McCain in and have the same crap I want out of.
Posted by: becky | Jul 17, 2008 3:39:04 PM
Why doesn't some one hold a hearing to decide charges against McCain's financial advisor ex Sen Graham?
He's now a VP with USB bank - these guys lied to the US govt about helping the wealthy steal tax money from the US.
This guy is WORSE the the Keating 5!
Posted by: DAVID NH | Jul 17, 2008 3:32:20 PM
No you are wrong Nat,
Obama will be in the Whitehouse forever. Once he is in, we will make it so. We have found our next step to a more enlightened world, the bridge to cross the divide, and it is him. Only he can enlighten us and bring us up from despair. This country and world will never be the same. Thanks be to him.
Obama 2008 - forever!
Posted by: Larry | Jul 17, 2008 3:29:10 PM
Mccain maybe you can bother to show up to the senate sometime this year?
maybe even cast a vote for... i dont know a new GI bill... oh wait that was done..
oh maybe a fisa... wait nope done
farm... done
god is anything important to show up for senator?
oh the running for president thing... right, i see that takes a lot of time...
oh but you think obama should be holding these committee meetings?
well at least hes still showing up to vote in the senate
Posted by: bhrandon | Jul 17, 2008 3:28:20 PM
I guess B O's followers relish the idea of a leader whose chant is "change" and whose methodology is
avoiding all responsibility by absenting himself from any involvement.
I don't quite agree with this psuedo-philosophy...... so I'll just have to vote for:
HILLARY OR MCCAIN
but always taking into consideration:
*****COUNTRY OVER PARTY******
Posted by: between the ears | Jul 17, 2008 3:25:01 PM
Obama lived in another country as a child and I will vote for him because of that. All you haters out there just don't understand him, he is like a spirit gift from another world. Embrace him. he is beyond us, he will change us with the light from his eyes.
Obama 2008 - forever!!!
Posted by: Larry | Jul 17, 2008 3:23:51 PM
dean,
boy (nephew)home fron 2nd tour in Iraq says he & most of platoon are for Obama, has smarter agenda on war on terror
Posted by: watching | Jul 17, 2008 3:18:06 PM
"They know McCan't doesn't have a snowball's chance in a dry sauna of becoming POTUS."
That's why they're not really going to NOMINATE McCain. Try to grow a brain.
Posted by: Belle Starr | Jul 17, 2008 3:10:04 PM
maryintampa | Jul 17, 2008 2:54:30 PM
keep on living in FANTASY LAND, just like hillary did not know what hit her (she was busy hoping on big states instead of ALL-50-STATES and looking at VOTES as opposed to POINTS) you and mccain are looking for general polls when what matters in STATE-BY-STATES polls, have you checked that lately Obama is 312-293 (270 to WIN) electoral points while mccain is no where to be found.
Posted by: johnosahon | Jul 17, 2008 3:09:19 PM
hopesprings52 wrote:
"...YOU OLD MAN!"
Is this really necessary? Does it make you feel better? Do you realize one day you will be older? Karma has a funny way of coming around least when you expect it.
The stereotyping and prejudicial attitudes in this campaign season are deeply troubling.
Posted by: Lee12 | Jul 17, 2008 3:07:17 PM
"he has done is said, 'Well, we need more troops.'" , isn't that what McCain is saying also. Does this mean McCain is criticizing his own talking points or is he confused again?
Posted by: JR | Jul 17, 2008 3:02:25 PM
Nat Turner
Did you miss the article that even with his 52 million he is still behind McCain and the RNC? Just wondered.
Posted by: maryintampa | Jul 17, 2008 3:02:03 PM
I, as a Dem, will vote for McCain before I'd ever vote for the "I'll say anything or do anything" to win this election Obama.
Posted by: Yo | Jul 17, 2008 3:01:56 PM
I, as a Dem will vote for McCain before I'd ever vote for the inexperienced "I'll say or do anything" flip flopper that Obama is.
Posted by: Yo | Jul 17, 2008 3:01:03 PM
When was the last time that John McCain voted on a Senate bill? What percentage of Senate votes has McCain missed since beginning his campaign for the presidency (around 70%+ last I was aware)? Since he's changed his policy toward Afghanistan this past Tuesday, has he determined where the additional troops that he would deploy to that country would come from (since he apparently has no plans to reduce the troop depolyments in Iraq beyond those added for the "surge")? Just wondering.
Posted by: mary | Jul 17, 2008 3:00:40 PM
and mccain has not been seen in the senate since he started running for the presidency, where is the report on that?
Posted by: johnosahon | Jul 17, 2008 2:59:32 PM
Thanks Jake for letting us know the truth!
Posted by: 30yrdem-not any more | Jul 17, 2008 2:57:57 PM
Obama admitted in the debates - after claiming to have foreign policy experience because he serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee with Hillary - that indeed it was a sub-committee and that, even though he chaired that committee, he hadn't been able to call a meeting because after being appointed to it he immediately began his presidential campaign.
So who are we supposed to believe?
I almost feel sorry for these Democrats that have to cover Obama's tracks, often making themselves look inept rather than him.
Posted by: HoosierSue | Jul 17, 2008 2:57:47 PM
Obama missed 2 out of 3 meetings, How many votes and Key votes did mcSame missed or did not vote on? Such as the farm Bill, The New GI BILL, FISA and a host of others. Scutinize both Candidates thouroughly, in particular their policies and goals. I am happy that ABC is beginning to report on the gaffs and mispeaks of McSame and colleagues with although not quite 50-50.
I loved the ABC video from Jan 08, where
Mitt Romney stated what the result in November will be. I think I'll make another donation.
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness!
Obama 08
Posted by: James | Jul 17, 2008 2:55:59 PM
yea macs doing real bad,according to rassmussen they are dead tied even.yea in a year when we should be up by 15 or twenty points.
Posted by: don tufts | Jul 17, 2008 2:54:56 PM
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