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McCain in Colombia
July 02, 2008 7:08 AM
ABC News' David Wright reports from Cartagena, Colombia. Sen. John McCain has set himself a difficult task on his trip to Latin America: to score political points against rival Barack Obama without criticizing him directly.
"I believe that partisanship ends at the water’s edge," McCain said emphatically, when asked about Obama at a press conference at the Colombian Presidential retreat here.
But on the inaugural flight of the Straight Talk Express – airborne edition – McCain felt freer to let loose.
On the plane, he blasted Obama’s opposition to the proposed Colombia free trade deal.
"He’s a protectionist and anti-free trade," McCain said. "Now he has switched, I mean remarkably, from saying that he would unilaterally renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement in the strongest possible terms in Ohio – he went to North Carolina and said well, I’m for free trade.
"It wouldn’t surprise me to see him switch on this one," McCain said.
McCain bristled at the comments on "Face the Nation" last weekend by an Obama supporter, retired general Wesley Clark, who belittled the relevance of McCain’s wartime experience as a qualification for the Presidency.
"I think it’s up to Sen. Obama now not only to repudiate him but to cut him loose," McCain said.
McCain became visibly angry when I asked him to explain how his Vietnam experience prepared him for the Presidency.
"Please," he said, recoiling back in his seat in distaste at the very question.
McCain allies Sen. Lindsey Graham stepped in to rescue him. Graham expressed admiration for McCain’s stance on the treatment of detainees in US custody.
"That to me is a classic example of how his military experience helped him shape public policy in a way no other senator could have done,’’ Graham said.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, also traveling on the trip, expressed admiration for McCain’s wartime service as well.
McCain then collected himself and apologized for his initial reaction.
"I kind of reacted the way I did because I have a reluctance to talk about my experiences," he said, noting that he has huge admiration for the "heroes" who served with him in the POW camp and said the experience taught him to love the U.S. because he missed it so much.
"I am always reluctant to talk about these things," McCain said.
Asked about one of his former jailors from the notorious Hanoi Hilton who has now endorsed his candidacy for President, McCain chuckled.
"Yeah, I saw that," he said. "He also said that he and I used to have these nice, long philosophical chats. The ones that I recall is, confess or else."
July 2, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (82)
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The fact that he hangs with Graham and Lieberman is enough to disqualify him!
Posted by: Sailor | Jul 2, 2008 2:23:42 PM
To Ann: You did not answer the question. How does being a POW prepare one to be President of the United States?
Posted by: Alan | Jul 2, 2008 2:26:08 PM
McCain was a war hero. He did a great service for our country. But does being a war hero qualify him for the presidency? I mean, should we consider voting for every war hero? It's ridiculous to think that his war experience will make him a great president. Although, again, I think that he did a great service for his country in Vietnam.
Posted by: Greg | Jul 2, 2008 2:28:33 PM
"I am always reluctant to talk about these things," McCain said.
How utterly and completely dishonest. All we hear over and over again, especially in all the utterly fake outrage over Wesley Clark's perfectly factual observation, is ABOUT John McCain's experiences. They're exploited for his political gain at every turn. Spare us the theatrics, Senator.
Posted by: Diana Powe | Jul 2, 2008 2:31:24 PM
All POW's for President!!
Jessica Lynch for VP!
Hogans Heroes for the Cabinet!
Seriously, McCain did a brave thing by staying when he could of left.
But John Kerry did many many acts of bravery, as did Wesley Clark, and I bet Senator Webb didn't get to be secretary of the Navy under Reagan for being a chicken.
Why is alright for McCain's surrogates to attack the honorable service of those 2 american heroes, but holy McCain must be worshipped from afar?
ALSO:
Who are you going to believe McCain or your own lying eyes?
EVERY CAMPAIGN AD I HAVE SEEN FOR MCCAIN HAS THE SHOT OF HIM RETURNING FROM VIETNAM. So he may not like to "talk about it" but he sure likes to show pictures.
Mr. McCain did honorable things, and he deserves, and has received, laurels for that, but being right in Hanoi, and wrong about everything since then does not a president make.
Clark is an advisor to Obama, Swiftboater Bud Day is a Spokesman for McCain.
Posted by: feckless | Jul 2, 2008 2:42:06 PM
McCain is too hotheaded and thin-skinned to be president. He's Rovian as well, attacking Obama for a supposed flip-flop when in reality it is McCain who has flipped on every top issue in this campaign, from taxes to immigration to torture to offshore drilling. And why doesn't anyone in the media (his base) call him out on the claim that he doesn't like to talk about his service -- that's all he talks about. One example -- he ripped on Hillary's support for a Woodstock museum by saying he was "tied up at the time" in at least one debate and three interviews.
Posted by: Seamus | Jul 2, 2008 2:42:13 PM
Someone get this 'delicate flower' a pillow.
So, Sen. McCain believes that he can define his entire campaign around his POW status, but NO ONE can ask him how that experience ACTUALLY QUALIFIES HIM to be president.
Geez . . . I thought Republicans were supposed to be party of the non-PC, not overly sensitive types. Guess that image is going out the window.
No wonder McCain made propaganda tapes for the enemy if he can't even field a simple, innocuous question without immediately going to red-faced rage.
Grow up senator, and get a thicker hide.
Posted by: Jeff C. | Jul 2, 2008 2:50:48 PM
Grow up senator, and get a thicker hide.
Posted by: Jeff C. | Jul 2, 2008 2:50:48 PM
*********
No, NO, NO!!! I love "red-faced McCain" If you saw the Repub debates, the one in the Reagan Library, when Romney was going after McCain because of his lack of knowledge on the economy. McCain was so mad he went right past red and straight to PURPLE! I thought he would have a stroke right then and there.
Ahhh...good times! I wanna see more of THAT, LOL!
Posted by: SERIOUSLY! | Jul 2, 2008 3:04:23 PM
I think all this is great stuff.
The over-reaction to Wesley Clark's statement by the media and especially the cable news channels, will eventually lead us to disregard them. For some of us that has already happened, for others more of the same should lead them to a similar conclusion.
Wake up America you are being manipulated!
Posted by: m | Jul 2, 2008 3:08:54 PM
McTemper needs Lieberman & Graham by his side at all times to save him from himself...we need someone who can speak for themselves without stumbling all over themselves for POTUS!!
THIS GUY IS WAY TOO OLD!!!
Posted by: aurorazz | Jul 2, 2008 3:11:19 PM
Watching McCain, king of the flip floppers, has NO moral high ground whatsoever when it comes condemning others for pandering or switching positions. You just don't hear about it because McCain's fanboys in the press keep the lid on it.
McCain has flip flopped on: immigration, Bush's tax cuts, campaign finance reform, torture, negotiating with Hamas, negotiating with Syria, cigarette taxes, earmarks for Arizona, his opinion of right wing televangelists, immigration policy, illegal immigrants, lobbying legislation, gay marriage, ethanol, the Confederate flag, the swiftboaters, global warming legislation, normalizing relations with Cuba, Social Security privatization, warrantless spying, estate tax, etc.
Quite the straight talking maverick.
Posted by: alibidrain | Jul 2, 2008 3:13:41 PM
McCain loves torture, and loves to know that his actions have resulted in the deaths of 4000+ innocent US Citizens, and hundreds of thousands of innocent dead Iraqis.
There are currently 1million+ Iraqi refugee children forced into prostitution because of McCains policies.
Posted by: Jesus Hussein Christ | Jul 2, 2008 3:14:20 PM
Americans became visibly angry when Senator McCain asserted that U.S. military personnel could remain in Iraq for "100 years...1,000 years...10,000 years."
And, "Please," Americans said, recoiling in distaste when Senator McCain stated that it doesn't "really matter" when American troops return home.
Posted by: Sam Russo | Jul 2, 2008 3:18:15 PM
Republicans fell all over themselves in the 2000 primaries telling us that despite McCain's military record, he would never ever make as good a President as George W. Bush. So eight years of Bush malfeasance later they want us to vote for Bush's understudy???
Posted by: Dave Adams | Jul 2, 2008 3:28:43 PM
Oh man I can't wait until he debates Obama, there will be some "Scanners" like head explosions from his temper.
Posted by: Jacob | Jul 2, 2008 3:34:33 PM
How can this guy say, with a straight face, that he's reluctant to talk about his military experience? ...he brings it up constantly.
Posted by: Ryan | Jul 2, 2008 3:38:15 PM
"Yeah, I saw that," he said. "He also said that he and I used to have these nice, long philosophical chats. The ones that I recall is, confess or else."
And he did and made videos to prove it
Posted by: Ernest Tee | Jul 2, 2008 3:50:13 PM
No Republican can say boo to Wesley Clark or really any Democrat after they had the sick gall to give their people
PURPLE HEART BANDAIDS
and let Bob Dole make fun of Kerry's purple hearts. The fact that Bob Dole and McLame are the only veterans the GOP can brag about (Hagel is talking about quitting the partei) is sad enough when the Democrats had to fight to get benefits for our troops. Screw the GOP and their lying Nazi a$$e$, they are the shame of America.
Posted by: Phil Graves | Jul 2, 2008 4:05:34 PM
McCain is soooo out of touch to the point, that the McCains forgot or chose not to pay property taxes in San Diego County. They have no idea what it means to be behind the economic 8-ball. Their primary concern is amassing power, enough send it to the crapper once they have it. The same gameplan with Bush-Cheney, only now that 100 ft hole we've dug ourselves into may be ready to colapse on us all.
Repubs4crapper08
Posted by: deadbeat4Prez | Jul 2, 2008 4:16:44 PM
Funny how he cared so much about the detainee's because he was one, but didnt agree with the supreme court that they deserved a fair trial to be heard. imagine if that was the case all those years ago in Vietnam. He would still be there now.
Posted by: Dan | Jul 2, 2008 4:17:41 PM
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