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McCain: Obama Doesn't Have 'What it Takes' to Protect Nation
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ShareOctober 29, 2008 4:47 PM
ABC News' Bret Hovell reports: With just over five days to go before the country votes, John McCain attempted to turn the storyline of the campaign to national security in a speech this afternoon in Tampa, Fla.
It was the harshest criticism of Barack Obama’s readiness for the office of president that McCain has leveled in the campaign.
“Barack Obama has displayed some impressive qualities,” McCain said of his rival for the White House. “But the question is whether this is a man who has what it takes to protect America from Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, and other grave threats in the world. And he has given you no reason to answer in the affirmative.”
McCain’s acknowledged that much of the country has been distracted by the economy. His argument for refocusing the debate on national security was that the economic crisis the country is undergoing will pass, but the national security challenges will still be there.
“We're going to pull through these hard times -- and do it together, just as our country has done before,” McCain said. “But when that day arrives, and the worries of financial crisis have fallen away, we will find awaiting our country all of the same great challenges and dangers that were there all along. They mattered before the economic turmoil of the present. They will matter still when it has passed. And in a time of war, at a moment of danger for our country and the world, let it not be said of us that we lost sight of these challenges.”
His clear implication: when the economic mess is settled, will you still want Barack Obama to be president?
McCain cited the possibility of terrorist attacks in making his case for his candidacy over Obama’s.
“With terrorists still plotting new strikes across the world, millions of innocent lives are still at stake, including American lives,” McCain said. “Our enemies' violent ambitions must still be prevented -- by American vigilance, by diplomacy and cooperation with our partners, and by force of arms as a last resort.”
McCain cited the Joe Biden comments, in which the vice presidential nominee on the Democratic side said that Obama would be tested as president, and pointed to Obama’s desire to negotiate with counties with which the United States has tense relations.
“In each case, Senator Obama presents his plan for direct talks as if no one before had ever considered that,” McCain said. “He seems unaware that more talk has been tried many times to no avail and that our adversaries recognize such gestures as a sign of weakness.
He cited Congressman Barney Frank’s statement last week that he hoped to cut defense spending under the next administration.
“We're getting only a glimpse of what one-party rule would look like under Obama, Pelosi, and Reid,” McCain said. “Apparently it starts with lowering our defenses and raising our taxes.”
The Obama campaign responded with a statement e-mailed to reporters.
“As usual, John McCain made his stale case for continuing the Bush-Cheney-McCain foreign policy that has completely failed to defeat Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, while Barack Obama will turn the page to restore our security and standing in the world,” said Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, on behalf of the Obama campaign.
McCain was flanked by a number of what the campaign described as his national security advisors, including Senators Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman, Governor Tom Ridge. McCain had met with a group of them before making his statement, in a national security roundtable. Lawrence Eagleburger and Jim Baker dialed into that meeting but were not there.
During his remarks, McCain cited as one of his advisors Dr. Henry Kissinger, and mentioned that Kissinger was one of the people who helped negotiate his own release from prison. McCain has dramatically increased the use of his personal biography on the stump in recent weeks.
October 29, 2008 in McCain, John, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (396)
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It worries me more that he will further tank the stock market.
Posted by: d0 | Oct 29, 2008 4:59:08 PM
What Obama doesn't have is a stupid VP candidate
Posted by: Rev. Ike | Oct 29, 2008 5:00:20 PM
McCain, if you bend over, stick your head up your a** maybe you can find Bin Laden there...because he's not in Iraq.
Posted by: JoeShmoe | Oct 29, 2008 5:00:34 PM
No truer words have ever been spoken.
Posted by: Send Obama packin | Oct 29, 2008 5:03:41 PM
Obama is as dumb as a post.
He is a sick socialist that does not have the best intrest of the United States in mind.
Release your certified birth certificate you traitor!
Posted by: monkeyboy | Oct 29, 2008 5:05:57 PM
As a devoted republican for more than 35 yrs this stateman by the McCaoin camp is funny!!! What makes me think that a man that is 73 yrs old, that acts and looks ill will be a better protector. If he dies Sarah Palin will have to protect us!! Scary!!!!!! Joe Biden has more foreign policy experience in his little finger thatn McCain has in his whole being, a fact,period. I am sorry I will not support this loosing ticket. Sarah Palin is a negative joke, shes all over the place with her message, what a joke. Today she decided that the tax issue is not working for them so she again starting attacking Obama. Sad!!! I urge all republicans who are smart to reject this non-sense of Palin.
Posted by: Bill | Oct 29, 2008 5:07:39 PM
“We're going to pull through these hard times -- and do it together, just as our country has done before,” McCain said.
In McCainSpeak:
We will be in Iraq 100 years and your sons and daughters will be drafted.
Posted by: Jwench | Oct 29, 2008 5:10:40 PM
Aw c'mon. Now ABC wants you to believe McCain can actually focus. (snicker)
Posted by: DobermanSpencer | Oct 29, 2008 5:11:16 PM
McCain needs to settle down before he has a stroke !
Posted by: Other Way | Oct 29, 2008 5:12:03 PM
And apparently McCain knows how to capture Osama bin Laden but won't share that knowledge unless he is elected President. So na-na-na-na-na-na to you, my friends, elect me or die.
Posted by: mila | Oct 29, 2008 5:12:21 PM
I guess I miss what McCain's great qualifications as Commander in Chief are, does he base it on his experience as a prisoner? Were the Vietcong teaching him strategic planning or something. I thought his time was spent just getting through the day like the other POW's.
Why on earth should I feel safer with his feeble finger on the trigger?
Posted by: JR | Oct 29, 2008 5:12:53 PM
monkeyboy-McCain finished fifth from LAST in his class at the Naval Acadamy. Now what were you saying about Obama who graduated magna cum laude. That means he was smart. Look it up. (hehehe)
Posted by: DobermanSpencer | Oct 29, 2008 5:13:55 PM
OK, John, we'll BE AFRAID.... BE VERY AFRAID.... even though your boy Bush ignored the report that Bin Laden was going to attack inside the US, and you and your 'safety qualified' group were UNABLE to protect us in 2001!
We're going to have to take your word that you're the man to do it - it's the only leg you've got left to stand on!
Posted by: paintpaintpaint | Oct 29, 2008 5:14:01 PM
anybody who sticks up for McCain by calling Obama stupid needs to have their paper thin glass houses reinforced ...
lol
which ticket is actually stupid...
Obama Biden
or Mccain palin
and you call Obama stupid oy...
stupid got us the last 8 years
and now stupid tries to call Obama stupid
the irony. lol
same team
same tactics
9th year
throw these lying STUPID bums out ...before they trash America any worse...oy
Posted by: dl | Oct 29, 2008 5:15:02 PM
Colorado: Obama 53%, McCain 45%
Florida: Obama 51%, McCain 47%
Georgia: McCain 52%, Obama 47%
Missouri: McCain 50%, Obama 48%
Virginia: Obama 53%, McCain 44%
Just released polls by CNN/Time
Looks like McCain is heading to Sedona!
Posted by: richard | Oct 29, 2008 5:15:08 PM
McCain says that Obama hasn't shown that he is able to fight osama bin laden and al qaida, but neither has he. McCain needs to explain how invading Iraq has made us safer against terrorism and why staying in Iraq forever will help us. The Iraq war emboldened Al Qaida and actually helped Osama Bin Laden recruit more terrorists! We need to go after the terrorists where they live and plot, not wait for them to come to us in Iraq or anywhere else. Obama has said this and he is right.
Posted by: Dave | Oct 29, 2008 5:15:14 PM
Sarah Palin today again started attacking Barack Obama. She is all over the palce and its really hard for her to stick to good ideas. The Tax issue is just not working. A new poll came out today trusting Obama with the tax issue.
BARACK OBAMA WANTS TO GIVE 95% OF FOLKS A TAX CUT. IF YOU MAKE OVER 250,000..YOU WILL NOT PAY A DIME IN TAX IN FACT YOU GET A HUGE TAX CUT, A FACT.
BARACK OBAMA WANTS TO CUT CAPITAL GAINS TAX FOR ALL SMALL BUSINESS.
BARACK OBAMA WANTS TO STOP THE DOUBLE TAXATION.
OBAMA IS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THE WORKING CLASS.
MCCAIN IF FOR THE WHEALTHY ONLY, A FACT. LETS NOT FORGET HE HAS SEVEN HOMES OR MAYBE MORE HE DOES NOT REMEMEBER. HE STATE THAT HE NEVER PUMP HIS OWN GAS. HES A RICH PERSON WHO CARE LESS FOR THE POOR AND THE WORKING CLASS.
Posted by: JAKE | Oct 29, 2008 5:15:29 PM
"In each case, Senator Obama presents his plan for direct talks as if no one before had ever considered that,” McCain said. “He seems unaware that more talk has been tried many times to no avail and that our adversaries recognize such gestures as a sign of weakness."
Funny, Bush is willing to talk with the Taliban. Is that showing a sin of weakness?
Posted by: Jwench | Oct 29, 2008 5:16:04 PM
"We're going to have to take your word that you're the man to do it"
sure, why not, people took Bush's word for it and how well that turned out.
Posted by: JR | Oct 29, 2008 5:16:45 PM
Where is Bin Laden? Notin Iraq all you cowrads that won't go to Iraq and fight there.
Why is that you ignorant scum? Because you know it is King George's persoanl war and won't waste your miserable stinking lives over it.
I say we need to start the draft and send everyone who has posted for the war and thinks McCain can lead them to victory and send them all to Iraq.
They are so incompetent they would all be dead in days.
A good start for this country.
Posted by: Steve W | Oct 29, 2008 5:16:56 PM
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