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McCain Adviser Regrets Seeing 'Advantage' in Terror Attack
June 23, 2008 4:20 PM
ABC News' Bret Hovell, Teddy Davis, and James Gerber Report: McCain adviser Charlie Black expressed regret Monday for telling Fortune Magazine that a terrorist attack on U.S. soil would be "a big advantage" for the presumptive Republican nominee.
"Certainly it would be a big advantage to him," Black told Fortune Magazine.
The Obama campaign chided Black, calling his remarks "a complete disgracce."
"The fact that John McCain's top advisor says that a terrorist attack on American soil would be a ‘big advantage’ for their political
campaign is a complete disgrace, and is exactly the kind of politics that needs
to change," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.
The terrorism statement from Black came in an interview in which the veteran GOP strategist conceded that the U.S. public often holds the party of the incumbent president responsible for economic distress.
Black said a terrorist attack could rebound to McCain's general-election advantage after saying that the Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war was helped prior to the New Hampshire primary by the December 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December was an "unfortunate event," Black told Fortune Magazine. "But (McCain's) knowledge and ability to talk about it reemphasized that this is the guy who's ready to be Commander-in-Chief. And it helped us."
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., sought to distance himself from Black's comments by talking about the ways in which he has worked to prevent terrorist attacks.
"I cannot imagine why he would say it," said McCain. "It’s not true. I’ve worked tirelessly since 9/11 to prevent another attack on the United States of America."
"My record is very clear," he continued. "The Armed Services Committee, and pieces of legislation. Sponsoring with Joe Lieberman the 9/11 Commission so we could find out the causes and how to fix the challenges that we face to fix the security of our nation. I cannot imagine it. And, uh. So, I would...If he said that, and I do not know the context, I strenuously disagree."
McCain made his comments during a Monday afternoon media availability in Fresno, Calif.
After McCain sought to distance himself from his adviser's comments, Black expressed regret.
Reading from hand-written notes, Black said, “I deeply regret the comments -- they were inappropriate. I recognize that John McCain has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his country.”
Black made his comments outside of a McCain fundraiser in Fresno.
June 23, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (338)
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this is outrageous!!!
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 23, 2008 4:31:31 PM
Thanks for using our safety to win an election you creep
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 23, 2008 4:31:58 PM
Why would that be an advantage? Two terrorist attacks under bush would prove that the Republicans can't make us safer and only serve thier own intrest. But then agian they can't get elected with out fear mongering some dumb people.
Posted by: Joe | Jun 23, 2008 4:32:57 PM
I hope the repubs will keep this coming.. Add more gas to the you set 9/11 up consperacy. The more I hear stuff like this the more it makes me really really dislike these people.
Posted by: Joe | Jun 23, 2008 4:36:18 PM
Are you sure this came from one of McCain's people? Sounds like something from the Obama camp.
Posted by: Mary | Jun 23, 2008 4:37:10 PM
oops i meant to say running for president
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 23, 2008 4:42:48 PM
Why do these terrorist attacks occur? Does the current republican platform generate hatred? If a terrorist attack occurs do we vote to incite more hatred?
Posted by: Ben Straub | Jun 23, 2008 4:43:53 PM
hey mccain is there any economist that is remotely respected that backs your BS drilling pander?
If its so important to start drilling now, then LET THEM DRILL on the coastlines that are already OPEN to drilling... why do we have to open up ALL the coasts for drilling?
ill tell you
BIG OIL!
it isnt enough they are getting contracts now from iraq (dont worry the war wasnt about oil as mccain claims LOL) and wouldnt it be awesome if they were able to make even bigger record profits by having the iraq oil fields, and americas coastlines to drill
and then in the meantime, we can still have the people BETTING on where the price is going to go there by increasing the gas!
LOL
want to know the two biggest reasons we have such high gas prices
CHINA
and Market Manipulation through the enron loophole
weeeeeeee
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 23, 2008 4:47:00 PM
Well bhrandon its funny you mention that. It's because Mccain has even said himself that the media are his "base" and I think he was correct. They can drag up this ayers thing but you hear nothing of Keating Five which is proven.
Also some of the voters were babies when this Keating thing happened not to mention some of us weren't born when Mccains was in his prime so I think the media should start enlighting young folks and remind the other older ones.
Posted by: Joe | Jun 23, 2008 4:47:10 PM
agreed joe
mccain needs to get smacked down... i can hardly wait for an obama response to this bs that is going on today
one great thing about obama is that he smacks all the BS lies down the moment that these people invent them, and then attacks when they go all terrorist fear mongering on him.
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 23, 2008 4:49:58 PM
I'm really disapointed in this. But You know Obama is the "new" story. It's all about ratings not the truth with these morons.
Posted by: Joe | Jun 23, 2008 4:50:35 PM
As Obama would say ....its true now get over it sweety. He did not call for a terror attack, all he said is that McCain would handle an attack far better than Obama, and its true, now get over it sweety.
Posted by: Dennis | Jun 23, 2008 5:06:53 PM
McCain wants nothing more than to declare a war on another country... whether it be "Bomb,.... Iran" etc. This guy is a major disgrace to America and I think those that would vote for him are equally as dispicable. McCain is a war-mongering idiot that we should all avoid at every cost.
Posted by: Mrs. Tiggywinkle | Jun 23, 2008 5:19:10 PM
If an Obama advisor had said this, it would have been front-page story for a week. But i guess there is only one candidate in this race: Barack Obama. He gets all the criticism and praise. He's the only newsworthy candidate still running. At the end it's either he wins or loses, and McCain is just an alternative. A fall-back candidate. A little peasant boy with an empty plate in his hands begging for more food with the big boy, Obama, feasts on steaks and freshly slaughtered lamb. Oliver Twist. That's what McCain is.
Posted by: Kevin | Jun 23, 2008 5:19:19 PM
McCain is not newsworthy. His campaign is not worth the ink or the effort. His campaign is the most boring Presidential campaign in history. A flacid, limp d*ck is what McCain's campaign is. McCain needs to commit a crime to make news.
Posted by: Kevin | Jun 23, 2008 5:21:18 PM
Be afraid, be very afraid, of the McSame Crooked-Talk Express. We, the proud citizens of the US, need Senator Obama to lead us out of the quagmire of the Bush regime and into a 21st century safer and more prosperous for our children and grandchildren. I am a fervent senior citizen Asian American feminist supporter of the Obama campaign. McSame's symptoms of dementia and senility are recognizable to anyone who's had experience with relatives over 70. Catch Flip-Flop McSame's many many "f***" you eruptions on You-Tube. He wants to pass certain "beers... that is, bills", just like he wants now to drill, drill, drill and bomb, bomb. bomb. Whether Democrat or Republican, we need to put our country's security first, and that means saving the US from a President close to senility.
Posted by: lin | Jun 23, 2008 5:21:41 PM
Obama flat out lied (I know it is a shock that Obama Hussein Lied again)about his public financing promise, and you Obaminites attack McCain for it? Geez......it is not everyone else fault that obama is a sleeze...not his granny, not McCain, not Hilliary, or anyone else he as tossed under the bus to hide his ineptness and immorality.
Posted by: stockkitty101 | Jun 23, 2008 5:22:24 PM
Anybody who doesn't know by now that all terrorism is orchestrated is terribly naieve. Here's a primer. Google "Operation Northwoods", or "Operation Gladio." Using orchestrated events to get people scared to sacrifice their liberty for security... has been done for centuries, and far more recently than you may think. In Spain, (7-7 bombings) Britan (Gladio)and even in the US.
Posted by: pity | Jun 23, 2008 5:23:01 PM
The Republicans for the last three campaign cycles have had a campaign theme of "Oh thank heaven for Nine Eleven." also known as the main thing we have to sell is fear which leads to hate which keeps in the Republicans. Mr. Black's statement and subsequent regret is much like the old Nixon tactic of saying that I'm not going to talk about my opponents and then fill in the attack point of the week as far as what they weren't going to talk about. And of course now the GOP doesn't have to do the talking, they can just have the 527s and their crazy pilots make a media crash that obscures the truth.
Posted by: bhciapol | Jun 23, 2008 5:24:59 PM
and to think that I was very stern with FAMILY members who suggested that 9/11 was an inside job......I was very critical of folks who suggested some conspriracy related to this.
BUT AFTER THIS GUY COMES WITH THIS, NOW WHAT SHOULD WE BELIEVE!!!!!?????
Maybe Rosie O'Donnell was right!!!!
Posted by: shalom | Jun 23, 2008 5:25:07 PM
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