- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
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)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Oh no a "boring" president. Who wants a "boring" president when you can have Obama entertain you by raising to your taxes to make the biggest nanny state ever and keep trying to guess what his latest lie is about? Yeah, who would want just a nice "boring" president----just anyone with any common sense that refuses to drink the Obama kool-aid.
Posted by: stockkitty101 | Jun 23, 2008 5:26:39 PM
Bwaahahahah....no one is that gullible to think Rosie o'donnell was right? Comeon, no one if really this goofy are they?
Posted by: stockkitty101 | Jun 23, 2008 5:28:15 PM
Dennis im glad you can use these comments against obama by the comments of him saying sweetie to a reporter...
oh by the by, that reporter, he apologized to her, and he kept his promise to her and gave her an exclusive interview...
im glad you dont find these comments offensive dennis
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 23, 2008 5:28:47 PM
stock kitty
i guess you should read up on mccain abuse of the public finance system
here you go stockkitty please explain this to us
McCain has been playing games with public finance. During the primaries, he would only take private funds. When he started running out of money, he then applied for public funds as colateral to get a loan. As soon as he got the loan and started winning, he then tried to opt out of the public program again, and his whole strategy is now being investigated by the Federal Election Commission. Of course, since Bush won't nominate acceptable candidates to the FEC, no quorum exists, so they can't rule on McCain's application to opt back out. Confused yet?
I am, too. To make it even more confusing., McCain who has an active application to opt out and go with completely private fundraising, suddenly reversed himself yesterday said he was applying for public funds (again) after Obama's announcement opting out. Of course, he called Obama a hypocrite, while being hypocritical. Holy moly.
Posted by: bhrandon | Jun 23, 2008 5:31:24 PM
It was not only Charlie Black who makes this kind of nasty, diabolical and cynical mention of the political 'advantages' of something as horrible as a deadly bomb attack on innocent people.
Only recently, a former right-wing Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, told the world that the 9/11 were "good for Israel".
Many non-US media organizations, including Israeli's- carried the story.
Below is a link to the story on the website of Haaretz, an Israeli newpaper;
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/975574.html
And you can google the keywords –Netanyahu - 9/11 atttacks — good for Israel–if you want to check the stories on other websites.
Posted by: Fair-minded | Jun 23, 2008 5:36:20 PM
Now I know why I am not a Republican nor ever will be.
Why is it when McCain does and says something totally stupid or his people (which is like every day) than you followers act like you never heard it or even read it. Then you always come back and attack Obama with small crappy stuff. Stuff that does not even matter anymore.
Does this help you deal with reality? Does it really make McCain look better to you?
Posted by: becky | Jun 23, 2008 5:37:05 PM
Hilliary needs to tell Obama and all of his nastiness where to go put himself.
Posted by: annoyingrabbit | Jun 23, 2008 5:37:40 PM
Obama hates America hence is wife and his evil semi-Muslim/Christian cult church and its leaders---he has no business trying to become president.
Posted by: annoyingrabbit | Jun 23, 2008 5:39:16 PM
Why is it everytime Obama gets snagged acting like a moron or being hateful, that his minions come out and attack others and try to blame them for same thing Obama has been doing?
Posted by: annoyingrabbit | Jun 23, 2008 5:41:10 PM
Now let me see.... Hillary Clinton wished subconsciously (or not subconsciously) that Obama be assassinated so that she could win the nomination. Now the republicans wish subconsciously (or not subconsciously) that terrorists attack America so they can win the election. Have politicians always been this black-hearted, or have I been terribly naive?
Posted by: Passin Thru | Jun 23, 2008 5:49:53 PM
Now wait a minute here kool-aid drinkers .. Rev. Wright made the comments and Phleger made the comments NOT Barack - right? We've had that pushed down our throats by you whacko's SOOOO fair is fair .. McCain didn't say it so hell with it!
Posted by: MJ | Jun 23, 2008 5:53:03 PM
The Federal Government better not let a ...terrorist attack on the US soil for a..."political advantage" in any party for the upcoming GOP.
Posted by: Yodatoatado | Jun 23, 2008 5:56:17 PM
McCain's spokespeople are idiots and they probably reflect private conversations with McCain. A terror attack right now would not be an advantage for McCain at all, it'd be a big disadvantage for McCain. Think about it.
Posted by: Scotti | Jun 23, 2008 5:56:27 PM
Sure makes it look like the republicans are the only people that know what to do during a terrist attack, I wonder if 9/11 would have happened if someone else had been in the White house???? Advantage ??? only to the attackees
Posted by: Rose Szymanski | Jun 23, 2008 5:57:51 PM
Top McCain adviser Charlie Black is now backpedaling hard from his claim in an interview that a terror attack on the United States would help McCain in political terms, though he is acknowledging that he did say this.
Black was quoted by Fortune magazine that should another terror attack hit, "certainly it would be a big advantage" to McCain.
I asked the McCain campaign if this was their view of things. Here's the statement they sent me, from McCain spokesperson Tucker Bounds:
"Charlie deeply regrets his comments. They were inappropriate and he recognizes that the candidate we work for has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his country and placing its security before every other consideration."
Earlier today McCain himself said that he disagreed with the comment. But he added the caveat that he wasn't sure that Black had said this.
Now we know from Black himself, via the campaign, that he did indeed say it.
Posted by: BlueJersey | Jun 23, 2008 6:00:10 PM
This proves what we already know - some Republicans will do anything to win! Anyone who would welcome a disastrous event is just plain evil. McCain HAS to kick Charlie Black out of his camp.
Posted by: Liz | Jun 23, 2008 6:00:34 PM
Hey Joe Mary can vote for whomever she wants to the last time i checked it was still a free country
Posted by: Rose Szymanski | Jun 23, 2008 6:02:30 PM
Funny how when a Mccain advisor McCain makes a boneheaded statement, Obama supporters are all over it. But when "Opossum" himself makes a boneheaded statement, it's, well,... over looked. If you want to hold McCain accountable, hold Obama accountable.
Posted by: Texas Lil | Jun 23, 2008 6:03:12 PM
By not RIGHTLY blaming Bush's INCOMPETENCE for 911, he's allowed to play on Americans' fears.
By not RIGHTLY blaming Bush's INCOMPETENCE for the worse attack on the homeland, he's excused to play on Americans' fears.
Imagine, the powerful America can't get a few maniac muslims in Pakistan for 7 years?
THAT'S INCOMPETENCE!
That is why the Pakistanis have been taking US money and have been playing Bush.
So why not use fear to rule over Americans?
Posted by: Patriot | Jun 23, 2008 6:03:23 PM
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the slide in the mentality of the US....Keep it up, you might catch up to Canada.
Posted by: Attitude Dude | Jun 23, 2008 6:03:24 PM
Post a comment



