Well…..I do not like McCain but have to agree with him on this one.

very simplified response of McCain; first Obama proposed (no commitment) to withdrawal of combat troops, rest (which are substantial, contracters/private army) not mentioned. Its mostly a domestic issue bewteen sunni and shia and different powerstructures; terrorirists like al queda came in after invasion. Even the ones are were sympathetic to to their cause are tired of the carnage (many come from saudi arabia which is hardly mentioned). Sounds like if McCain, after his mistakes lately, can only come up with a strange translation what was said. It sounds all a bit desperate if you try to win some points which are not very good anyway to say it mildly.

I am a Hillary supporter and hope she is elected president. But……. finally………Obama’s grand speeches/promises are being challenged by the McCain.

The media and voters also need to do more research on Obama’s background and voting record in the Illinois senate and the US senate, now that he is the front-runner. DIG DEEP, ASK HARD QUESTIONS.

If for some bizarre reason Obama becomes the Democratic nominee, more Republican attacks will follow. Will be a test just how strong Obama and his rhetoric are.

Hillary is my first choice, McCain my second choice for president.

He’s exactly right. Al qaeda would be shooting their guns in the air and posting our backs on their websites. This was the stradegy by Clinton when our blackhawk was shot down in Somalia. Bin Laden said we were a paper tiger and started hitting us. 2 embassies, the USS Cole, and he did try but failed to bring down the world trade center. What did we do? Nothing. Nice stradegy.

@Ari

What planet are you from Obama has called for numerous troop withdrawls already. He also said he’d sit down an negotiate with dictators and lunatics! One of those lunatics wants to turn a US ally into a crater. Obama has had too much of the loony left’s kool-aid.

Mr McCain’s simplistic and erroneous interpretation of Obama’s proposal is indicative of his decaying mental capacity. I respect the man for his service to the country but I also respect the office of the President. A McCain presidency would be a disaster this country cannot afford. I find myself in a very uncomfortable position and I just MIGHT end up voting for Obama this coming November.

@ Rick

That was uncalled for, McCain’s interpretation of Obama’s proposal is probably accurate. Remember McCain has seen a lot of the Washington doublespeak, that Obama uses now.

I M HILLARY SUPPORTER,,

I M AGAINST WAR IN IRAQ,,,,BUT WE GOT IRAQ IN TROUBLE SO WE HAVE TO STABILIZE IT TOO,,,,,SO I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH HILLARY ON THAT ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,BUT I LIKE MCCAIN ON THAT ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,GO HILLARY ,,GO MCCAIN,

AMERICA NEEDS A LEADER,,,,,NOT HIPPI LIBERAL

BARACK HUSSIEN OBAMA,,,,,,NICE NAME ,,,WHY HE WAS HIDING IT

BARACK HUSSIEN OBAMA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,VERY PRETTY NAME GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS FATHER ,,,,,,,,,WHY OBAMA WAS HIDING IT ,,,,,

Everyone - A candidate does not have to speak with $5 words and awe inspiring rhetoric to be accurate. McCain is right! If we pull out of Iraq then we will either be going back there or having to fight the same people on our ground. Does anyone want a war on our own land? I think not!

@ Christopher

What do you mean “probably accurate”; talk about doublespeak! Geez

MRS OBAMA,PROUD OF AMERICA FOR THE FIRST TIME,,,,,,,,,,,,,

@AISHA

Yes, his name is Barack Hussein Obama Jr. and no, he has not been hiding his middle name. I’m sure that everyone that has looked in to him knows the name and so what. Hussein is an arabic name and guess what his dad was from Kenya (Do you know where that is?). Come on, if you’re going to write down someones name spell it correctly for god sakes but who knows, you’re probably a product of the Bush’s ‘No Child Left Behind’ education.

Harry - You are right that Hussein is his middle name. The issue is everytime people use it in the media, Obama’s supporters or Obama claim it is “fear-mongoring”. How is it bad to state the fact that his father is Muslim, he was raised in a Muslim school, that his “Christian Church” is as racist as Southern KKK groups. Obama touts his membership with his church, but somehow it is unfair to attack him with these facts. Now if people are making up lies about Obama then fine call them out. But do not scold or censor people for putting the truth out about Obama’s background either personal or political.

McCain doesn’t say what he means or means what he says…strange man.
I am not his FRIEND.

Harry - You’re right. Let’s not talk about his middle name. Let’s talk about his substance…….Oh wait………there is none. His parade will run out of gas. Clinton did not know how to make him answer questions without looking foolish himself. McCain does. It looked like he schooled him on Iraq today.

“Clinton did not know how to make him answer questions without looking foolish himself.”

Sorry, I meant herself.

Obama can talk all he wants and be as eloquent as possible but there is a couple of facts he cannot change regarding national security and the military.

First, Senator McCain has the experiences from his grandfather, father, as well as his own practical experience to draw from in dealing with military actions in Iraq, Afganistan, and other hot spots around the world. Obama cannot speak of self-less sacrifice experience the same manner as Senator McCain.

Second, Senator McCain also has two sons who are currently serving in the military and as such, any decisions to send our troops in harms way would include his immediate family. Obama cannot match this area either.

Any sacrifices Obama has put forth has come at no cost to him and from behind a desk…this is a far cry difference than the self-less sacrifices Senator McCain has proven time and again!

Obamas Iraq policy is simply Stupid.
McCain is absolutely right.

[...] Bad John McCain: “If we do what Senator Obama wants to do, and that’s immediate withdrawal, that would mean surrender in Iraq. So I guess that means he would surrender and then go back,” McCain said. [...]

I AM BLACK AND I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT.

THE GUY DOESN’T HAVE ALOT OF EXPERIENCE, HE IS TOO NAIVE AND HE IS FAR TOO LIBERAL. THE GUY IS MORE LIBERAL THAN BILLARY CLINTON.

I WOULD RATHER VOTE FOR A DOG THAN OBAMA.

BORROWED SPEECHES DOESN’T WORK FOR ME.

WAKE UP AMERICA !!!!!!

I am African-American, a veteran, and an Obama supporter. I don’t believe there are any good answers for Iraq at this juncture thanks to George. This is why I lean towards Obama, would rather spend my tax dollars here in the US than in a country that will be fighting when my future grand kids are adults.

By the way, Obama is smart. He knows that there are a lot of scared ignorant white people out there who are petrified of anything sounding Arabic. The guy using the name the other day was only playing on the fears of ignorant white folk.

WHY? Is it that none of the press responded to Obama’s stupid comment on Al Qaeda in Iraq. Am I just as stupid or did Al Qaeda not flee Afghanistan to Iraq after the American insurgency? Sadam Hussein gave them refuge. (Does anyone else not get this?)

Obama will say and get away with just about anything? The liberal media will protect him and defend him against any unflattering or controversial information.

I am not a fan of Hillary, but maybe she and hubby can now feel how “any” Republican feels when going against the liberal press. (I would laugh but this is too serious.)

Isn’t it amazing that they could go after Republicans with the flimsiest of evidence such as the Dan Rather attack on President Bush or the recent attack on Sen. McCain by the New York Times? But they can overlook anything about Obama.

Is Obama really that dumb, or does he know that once he “puts one over” on the public, he will have to come to reality about Iraq and the true threat of Al Qaeda.

I pray that Americans will WAKE UP from their “Prozac Politics” and demand some reality. Obama is not the person the media is making him out to be.

Obama has changed his position on Iraq. Before last night’s debate he has always said upon being sworn in as he would begin immediately to withdraw troops and have themn home within 90 days. Last night he said he would first meet with the generals get their concensus, and start a slow withdrawal based on the safety of the troops. Of course no one called him on it.

Ty, if you have a job and Obama is president, you better be ready to spend alot more tax dollars with his liberal ideas and welfare to any lazy bum policy. You don’t want to finish the war in Iraq? He said he would go back if al qaeda establishes there. Oh wait, they’re already there. He was reminded of this, so he blamed Bush and McCain for al qaeda being there. I don’t know if he intends to pull out, or stay there, he never really answered the question. Just playing the blame game. Very Presidential.

And let me tell you about us ignorant white folk. Worried about his middle name? No. Scared of Arabic? No. Worried about a guy who’s endorsed by the nation of islam Louis Farrakhan? Absolutely. Worried about the endorsement from Cornell West? You bet. Obama’s church gave Farrakhan an award for man of the year. The same guy who sees us as the “white devil”. Also, ignorant white folk like me don’t want to pay high taxes because people, of all colors, don’t want to work as hard as some of us do. Ignorant white folk like me look at the issues and not the color of his skin.

Too bad you have a thing against us white folk. Maybe you could’ve learned something.

WHAT?

@ Ty

WHAT?

Comment by Harry
February 27th, 2008 at 5:41 pm

I think you have that turban wrapped around your head to tight!!!

Ty = a complete idiot!!

Well, once again little Barack Hussein Obama displays his ignorance. In a response to McCain he says “Al Qaeda would not be in Iraq if Bush would not have invaded Iraq”. The fact is Al Qaeda operatives were in areas of Iraq long before Bush had American troops in Iraq. My god little Hussein Obama, Al Qaeda operatives are in France, Germany, Spain, and numerous other places throughout the world and Bush didn’t invade these places. Wake up little Hussein Obama. This guy is unbelievable in the stupid comments he makes. This guy is going to be our future leader … somebody really has to be kidding.

It’s interesting that it is becoming politically incorrect to address Barack “Hussein” Obama’s muslim heritage, but it was okay for people to point out Romney’s Mormom beliefs as if there were some kind of negative connotation that we should be concerned about. Our great left wing media found no problem in noting Romney’s Mormom beliefs; however, they seem to want to go out of their way not to point out “Hussein” Obama’s muslim connections. We should not emphasize the word “Hussein” in his name … why, are they afraid that it has some negative connotation that they are worried the American people might be concerned about? When do we get to see the real facts about Barack “Hussein” Obama? Who is he? Who has he associated with in the past. What are his past and present beliefs? Barack “Hussein” Obama … tell us who you really are.

Independent - I’m not too worried about his middle name to tell you the truth. I do question his Islamic teachings a little bit. If he only practiced it a few years, I’m not sure how serious it is. I’m actually more worried about what he is now. A member of Trinity United Church of Christ.

Let’s take a look at the churches “value system”:
1. Commitment to God
2. Commitment to the Black Community
3. Commitment to the Black Family
4. Dedication to the Pursuit of Education
5. Dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence
6. Adherence to the Black Work Ethic
7. Commitment to Self-Discipline and Self-Respect
8. Disavowal of the Pursuit of “Middleclassness”
9. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the Black Community
10. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting Black Institutions
11. Pledge allegiance to all Black leadership who espouse and embrace the Black Value System
12. Personal commitment to embracement of the Black Value System.

He calls himself a uniter. If he’s been a member of this for all these years, it’s kind of hard to believe he would include anybody out of the black community. Don’t take my word for it though, go directly to their website.

He was a 7 year old when he went to an Islamic school. Only went because of his mother’s remarriage. Was sent back to Hawaii to live with grandparents and go to a exclusive prep school in Hawaii.

Ari writes….

terrorirists like al queda came in after invasion. <<<<

Actually that is incorrect. It’s an angle the Democrats and the media try hard to pound and it’s unfortunate that they are for the most part successful is misleading people about that. We invaded Iraq in 2003. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi settled in Iraq in 2002 (after we chased him out of Afghanistan) where he joined the Ansar al-Islam group already operating in Iraq since 2000-2001. He quickly took control of the group and transformed it into al-Tawhid al-Jihad and pledged allegience to Bin Laden. Only recently has the name of the group changed to Al-Qaeda in Iraq for political purposes that the US media and the uninformed unwittingly further when they suggest that Al-Qaeda was not in Iraq before me messed everything up. The only truth of that exists in the name “Al-Qaeda” but it’s the same group that has been operating there since 2000-2001.

I don’t fault you for not knowing this. The media and the Democrats have done an excellent job spreading this propaganda to further their political agenda. Unfortunately it’s not accurate.

Rick from Ohio writes…

Mr McCain’s simplistic and erroneous interpretation of Obama’s proposal is indicative of his decaying mental capacity. <<<<

Actually I watched that debate twice. The minute Obama said he reserved the right to go back into iraq if Al-Qaeda began to build bases my immediate response was “Uh….Barack….they already ARE.” And I might note that the areas they are being built are those areas that have been left largely unprotected after Great Britain began their withdrawl. Now knowing that, what do you suppose will happen when/if WE withdraw? And for those that say we are the cause of them being there in the first place see my post above on that topic.

I would counter Rick, that Obama’s foreign policy is indicative of his complete inability to grasp reality.

Independant points out….

It’s interesting that it is becoming politically incorrect to address Barack “Hussein” Obama’s muslim heritage, but it was okay for people to point out Romney’s Mormom beliefs as if there were some kind of negative connotation that we should be concerned about. <<<

That IS interesting isn’t it?

The only thing that should matter in this presidential race are the policies being put forth, and than it really won’t matter because we have the same old politicians in Congress who have their own agendas.

Comment by Rick from Ohio
February 27th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
@ Christopher

What do you mean “probably accurate”; talk about doublespeak! Geez

———–
@ Rick
Meaning there is no way to be absolutely sure concerning what Obama was going through Obama’s mind unless McCain is telepathic and read Obama’s mind.

That being said, Obama’s comments, prior comments, etc. support McCain’s argument concerning Obama.

Comment by Rick from Ohio
February 27th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
@ Christopher

What do you mean “probably accurate”; talk about doublespeak! Geez

———–
@ Rick
Meaning there is no way to be absolutely sure concerning what Obama was going through Obama’s mind unless McCain is telepathic and read Obama’s mind.

That being said, Obama’s comments, prior comments, etc. support McCain’s argument concerning Obama.

Obama’s spending promise haunts him
He’s the one with the money — and a vow to accept a general election limit
By David D. Kirkpatrick and Jeff Zeleny
The New York Times
updated 12:01 a.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008
Just 12 months ago, Senator Barack Obama presented himself as an idealistic upstart taking on the Democratic fund-raising juggernaut behind Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

That was when Mr. Obama proposed a novel challenge aimed at limiting the corrupting influence of money on the race: If he won the nomination, he would limit himself to spending only the $85 million available in public financing between the convention and Election Day as long as his Republican opponent did the same.

Now his challenge to his rivals has boomeranged into a test of Mr. Obama’s own ability to balance principle and politics in a very different context. After taking in $100 million in donations, Mr. Obama is the one setting fund-raising records, presenting a powerful temptation to find a way out of his own proposal so that he might outspend his Republican opponent. And the all-but-certain Republican nominee, Senator John McCain, is short on cash and eager to take up the fund-raising truce.

Mr. Obama was notably noncommittal about his previous proposal in Tuesday’s Democratic debate, indicating that he would add new conditions, especially on spending by independent groups, to his previous pledges to accept the deal. If nominated, “I will sit down with John McCain and make sure that we have a system that is fair to both sides,” Mr. Obama said, alluding to the need to close “loopholes.”

Campaign finance experts said the issue was a major test of Mr. Obama’s commitment. It is also a first glimpse of what might come in a general election fight between two candidates who have championed public integrity, opening themselves to accusations of hypocrisy.

On Wednesday, the McCain campaign stepped up its criticism of Mr. Obama after his statement at the debate.

“The fact is, Senator Obama signed a piece of paper and pledged to take public financing for his campaign if I did the same,” Mr. McCain said. “I believe that Senator Obama should keep his commitment also, which means taking public financing. The rest of it is ground noise. The rest of it is irrelevant.”

Some Democrats and Obama supporters, meanwhile, have sought to strike back at Mr. McCain by accusing him of exploiting the public financing system. They argue that Mr. McCain may have violated technicalities of the election laws by using his eligibility for public matching funds to help obtain a loan but then opting out of the matching funds at the last minute to avoid the spending restrictions they impose. “People aren’t exactly clear whether all the t’s were crossed and i’s were dotted,” Mr. Obama said in Tuesday’s debate. (The McCain campaign said it followed the law.)

The issue may be more sensitive for Mr. Obama, though, because has run in part on his record as an advocate of stricter government integrity rules, including the public financing system. Last February, he sought the election commission’s blessing on a public financing proposal in part to underscore his support for tighter election rules. (The filing was short of a commitment, but he later went further in a questionnaire from a coalition of government-integrity groups.)

Mr. Obama has argued that his campaign was already meeting the spirit of public financing laws because it had relied overwhelmingly on small donors instead of corporate patrons.

Still, with public financing for the general election phase of the campaign amounting to nearly $10 million a week, Mr. Obama’s hedging puzzles some.

“You ought to be able to run a campaign for two months on $85 million,” said Joan Claybrook , president of Public Citizen , which lobbies for stricter campaign finance laws. She called Mr. Obama’s recent remarks “a very bad signal.”

“This whole idea started with Senator Obama, and we think he and whoever the Republican nominee is ought to follow through,” said Fred Wertheimer, founder of the advocacy group Democracy 21.

David Plouffe, Mr. Obama’s campaign manager, said the campaign would not make a decision until the Democratic primary is settled. But in a recent column in USA Today, Mr. Obama appeared to set some new conditions. He argued that any bipartisan agreement to accept the limits of public financing would be “meaningless” if there were no provisions to close the “loopholes” that allow unlimited spending during the long primary season or by independent outside groups.

The article cited a possible model for an agreement: one reached by Senator John Kerry , a Democrat, and former Gov. William Weld, a Republican, in the 1996 Senate race in Massachusetts. That deal limited each campaign to spending about $7 million over the last four months of the race and counted any expenditure by an outside group seeking to help a candidate against that candidate’s limit. “We can have such an agreement this year, and it could hold up,” Mr. Obama wrote. “I am committed to seeking such an agreement if that commitment is matched by Senator McCain.”

Although Mr. Kerry and Mr. Weld later praised the deal as a positive step, it ended in accusations that each side had broken its word. With no real enforcement and no clear standard for judging outside spending, there was also no way to address issues until after the election.

Copyright © 2008 The New York Times

Paul. The problem with some of the items you listed is that the focus is on “Black”. Until we do away with the “Black” syndrome, Obama can forget his “United” pitch. One would have thought that we were Americans; however, many of these Black racists whose philosophy you outlined have their own agenda which cannot be interpreted in any other way than racist. Certainly if Barack Hussein Obama has aligned himself with these groups, past or present, he will not really do much to unite anything or anyone. It will be interesting to see how this disaster unfolds.

@ TY

Ty,
I think you just showed us and the world that either 1 - you are ignorant or 2 - you are racist. Otherwise you would not place any color reference in your statement.

NOTE:
According to Webster -
racist
racism

1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination

If anyone knows the meaning of surrender, it would be McCain. He has already surrendered the white house to Hussine!

Barack Hussein Obama is a racist, an atheist, associates with terrorist groups, slum lords, attended a muslim school, dresses in muslim clothing, refuses to wear a flag lapel pin, refuses to put his hand over his heart during the national anthem, his wife is a racist, and is not proud of her country. Why would anyone vote for him, unles you want to see the fall of America.

I respected McCain , for what he has done for his country ,but my husband too was a soldier now retired ,but I do not believe heis who we need s president I do not like his policies on the war.’ At this time the thoughts of a republican for president puts chills down my spine after all the years with Bush in office .I think Hillary is better for president.

@ june

I don’t think Hillary will get her party’s nomination, and McCain’s policy on the war is correct. We’re fighting people out to annihilate us, they get their kicks by using people in wheel chairs to blow people up. They think they get a bunch of virgins in Heaven doing stuff like that.

Any withdrawl, would be seen by them as a victory that would further embolden them, McCain is correct.

Why are these old white men of the democratic party keep endorsing obama? Aren’t these the same washington elite that obama is running against (change from the old washington politics)? How can it be change when you are electing another man? 232 years of men being presidents. Okay obama is half black, but he is still a man. Elect a woman, now that is real change!

Vote Hillary “08!!!

[...] to come around to the point of view of quite a few Americans, McCain has no intention of “surrendering” Iraq. Even if that means defeating Iranian backed al-Qa’eda in Iraq. Thumbnail below [...]

Using Obamas logic, if a many times over convicted felon and murderer with a gun was breaking into my home, I shouldn’t grab my Remington 870 12 ga., I should sit him down and ask him why is he robbing me.

To you liberal women. If a man tries to rape and injure you and in your purse is a .38, take a page from Obamas book and try to reason with him. You could end up as friends.

Oregon Grandparent Rights…

Oregon Grandparent Rights…

[...] Obama wants to withdraw troops from Iraq just as peace and stability are finally being achieved. This will free up the international [...]

[...] is a far cry from when McCain formerly characterized Obama’s strategy as a form of “surrender.” McCain’s flip-flop seems all the more glaring in the way it follows quickly on the [...]