McCain: “Obama Would Rather Lose a War in Order To Win a Political Campaign”
Rochester, NH–
John McCain returned to his second home of New Hampshire today, holding his trademark campaign event, a town hall. The crowd was very enthusiastic breaking into a standing ovation when he walked on stage. He quickly went after his rival making a pointed attack on Barack Obama’s stance against the troop surge in Iraq compared to his own initial support, “This is a clear choice that the American people have. I had the courage and the judgment to say I would rather lose a political campaign than lose a war. It seems to me that Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign.”
He continued attacking his rival on Iraq and the troop surge, even bashing Obama’s initial plan to have all troops withdrawn by now, even though the presumptive Democratic nominee has switched to a 16-month withdrawal policy, “You might recall that Senator Obama, my opponent said the surge would not succeed. That he wanted us out. If he had his way we would have been out last March. We would have never done the surge. We would never have succeeded and we would have had defeat and my friends that would have been catastrophe for he United States of America,” McCain then went after Obama’s comments yesterday that he would still be against the troop surge, “He was wrong then. He was wrong now and he still fails to acknowledge–he still fails to acknowledge that the surge succeeded.”
The Republican nominee-in-waiting told the crowd that the improved situation in Iraq is “fragile,” but that Obama’s withdrawal plan “refuses to acknowledge the conditions on the ground. “
While Obama visits the Middle East, McCain has not only been hammering him on his Iraq policy, but that this is his very first trip to Afghanistan trying to make him look inexperienced. He also said today that the combination of more troops and using the same strategy of “clear, hold, and build” as in Iraq will help improve the violence and instability in the country.
Tags: barack obama, john mccain
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McCain made one of his best lines at this townhall. Obama is willing to forgoe our troops getting any credit for thier efforts in Iraq so he wont lose face in this election. He is willing to lose this war in Iraq so he can win points politically.
McCain did a good job at this townhall. he sounded like he knows exactly what he’s talking about.
McCain 2008
Once again, John McBush has it backwards. It’s impossible to win a war that has already been lost. Over 4,000 brave Americans have lost their lives. Over 500,000 innocent Iraqis have lost their lives. Over 4 million Iraqis have lost their homes. Over 30,000 Americans have lost their futures. The Iraqi people have lost their infrastructure as a result of US bombing. Lastly, the American people have lost their souls.
No one wins a war.
Wait, Sen. Obama doesn’t want to win or lose- he just wants to leave. Remember, we can’t have winner or losers anymore because it might hurt someones feelings. Isn’t this what we are told by the far thinking left in this country. Sen. Obama is just parroting them. Maybe we should just give trophies to all our enemies and then they will like us.
That is such a false statement. Especially when the Iraqi government supports Obama’s plan. What does Mccain have to say about that?
McCain is missing the whole point. He’s still believes that there is a war to win. It’s not a matter of win or lose, the bush admin has never responded to what defines the end of the war because they have never had a plan that they sought to accomplish. McCain cannot define what it is to “win” this war because there is no “win” or “lose”, it’s an undeclared war with undefined purpose (after it has come to light that all intel leading up to the “war” was illegitimate and wrong) with no stated goals to acheive and has been managed as if the civilian leadership of our military has been in a vaccuum. I fully support Obama’s efforts, he is acting as a leader should. I will vote for him and cannot at this time imagine that I will ever vote republican again. The party has betrayed me over the last 15 years, as an American wage earner and family man. Time to get some realistic ideals and views into the executive branch. McCain offers nothing but bush/cheney doctrine retooled by another speachwriter. Enough already! Get a real leader into the White House!
Why doesn’t this article mention the Independent voter in her mid 60s that repeatedly hammered McCain on the ethics and legality of the Iraq war? Although you have to give credit to McCain for letting her speak; she really took over the meeting and gave McCain a lot more than he bargained for.
I have been waiting for John McCain to wait up and start campaigning. Good job McCain!!! Now maybe he will start reaching out to conservatives. He can start by picking a strong conservative as his running mate. Might I suggest Mike Huckabee?
McCain has the strength and the ability to stand firm and not flip flop on his policies as we have seen Obama do very regularly. Obama is pulling a major stunt over in the Middle East and his contender is simply trying to point out the facts. Has everyone forgotten all that America lost on Sept. 11 2001……was it really that long ago….where is our faith in our nation……if this is the change Obama brings count me out.
How many brave young lives does it take to force our bellicose politicians and deskbound generals to pull their collective heads out of the blood and sand of misguided foreign wars?
Did our president and his coterie of experts learn anything from the tragic French experience in Indochina (later known as Vietnam)? The French lost 94,581 lives in that conflict. We ignored that history lesson. The cost was 58, 194 American lives.
Did our politicians and deskbound generals learn anything from Russia’s 10-year military campaign in Afghanistan? That adventure cost 14,453 Russian lives and more than 53,000 wounded. The result: Russia withdrew in humiliation in 1989 leaving chaos behind.
We are now engaged in a military conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq that has lasted longer than almost any war this country has fought. There is no end in sight. The political and military spin doctors are hard at work trying to call “the surge” a success. What is success in Iraq/Afghanistan? Freedom? Security? Food on the table? A voice in their government? Unfortunately, the people of those countries have had none of those things for more years than memory can recall and our military presence and sacrifice has not and will not bring them.
The Iraqi people want us out. Why don’t we accommodate them? Why don’t we stop the flow of coffins and the overflow of wounded veterans stressing the Veterans Administration? That part of the world has been unstable since World War I. Maybe those political heretics who keep saying, “It’s about the oil stupid”, are right.
McCain with his buddy Joe Liberman are like FUEL & FIRE and should scare every American who loves this great land.
if McCain is so patriotic, why on earth he DID NOT SUPPORT RECENT VETERANS BILLS?
Why doesn’t he talk to the family of those veterans that do not know where their next meal comes from.
For the past 8 years we heard enough of scare tactics and now McCain doing the same thing.
We should learn from history that every great empire failure came from arrogance and abuse of power and this November we can not afford to have another war mongle running this great nation down the wrong path.
McCain is just struggling to recuperate from this week. After challenging Barack to go to Iraq, suddenly Obama is getting a lot of positive press. Especially after Maliki pretty much endorsed or accepted Obama’s plan for withdrawal. And then you have the Iraqi government’s push for withdrawal and the Bush administration beginning to agree to one.
What I don’t understand is McCain’ reliance on the surge as a point of why he’s great for Iraq. The situation in Iraq is much bigger than one tactic in a war.
Stan Cann, go cry in another country and leave us alone. We fight for our freedom!
The latest flip flop is that Bo is going to withdraw the troops. I don’t think that means bring them home.
This is a very true statement…Obama wanted to leave…cut and run…when things got tough and it was purely for political purposes. So if we had done what Obama had desired he would not have been able to even go to iraq and make the speach that he did. That Obama continues to cast the surge down is an affront to the hard work and sacrifice by many an american. Shallow thinking should never be rewarded with kudos for it will always lead to defeat. Those who advocate such an approach should be rejected for the isolationists they truely represent…socialism at its best representative in Obama.
Looks to me like you’re the one that has it wrong Stan, because it looks like we’re winning at this point.
when you loose lives and billions of dollars, you cannot call it winning. it is still at a great loss.
Obama wants to get this country back on course. McCain just wants to continue the same.
this country cannot keep the same course. we need look into how we can help our needs here.
Obama 08
Obama 08
Obama 2008
Wow, two whole responses and one is from an Obama supporter. Fox news sure generates interest.
Tell that to Japan, France and most of Europe. It took destroying the infrastucture of most of Europe to rebuild the democracy and economy they enjoy today. If it were up to you week minded liberals, we would all be speaking a different language.
I’m in my 60’s and a republican who will never vote republican again. This is war (occupation) that can ONLY be won by the Iraqies!!! McCain remindes me of every bad thing that has happened in the last 50 years. I lost a lot of friends in Vietnam and I DO NOT want to be reminded constantly of it. It to was a war(occupation) that could never have been won! Iraq not necessary–Vietnam not necessary and I do not want to be reminded of my losses. He has no health care plan, no education plan(he screwed up the public schools in AZ) and no long term plan to get us off oil!!! I want HOPE and a future for my grandkids besides the draft!!
Your comment at the bottom of the screen
McCain: Obama would rather lose a war than win an election campaign” does not align with Sen. McCain’s actual quote. Please encourage the staff to accurately convey the idea.
Thanks.
[...] Fox [...]
Hey Stan Cann. Nice line, but still wrong. McCain is not Bush and even though Harry Reid said we lost the war doesn’t make it true. In Fact we won the war with Iraq. We destroyed their military and their government and rid the world of a brutal dictator. We have been and are now in a proxy war with Iran and Syria.
Only Obama and brain dead Dem’s refuse to give credit to our military for the great job they did and are doing.
Iraq is the central war on terror and that comes from Osama and the other nut jobs we are fighting. Enough already; GOD BLESS AMERICA and GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS for a job well done.
Stan Cann is totally ignorant if he believes the war is already lost. As a Veteran I dispise those who want to undermind the war effort which only aids the enemyThere has been and 80%drop in vilence since the Surge started Even Obama acknowledges the surge is worlking I agree with McCain Obama wants the Presidency enough the he would willfully losethewas to gain it Ernie FrechlCa
McCain will say anything to distort Obama. This is not a war, it’s an invasion.
The Iraqis want their country, we want the Iraqi’s OIL. To leave without having
full control of the oil fields, is having lost the war, the way McCain sees it. If we
are so much for Democracy in Iraq, why don’t we get out of their affairs, and let
them run their country. We are not dealing with Indians here, we are dealing with
a people who’s culture spans back to the B.Cs.
I AGREE WITH lOUISE
Stan Cann - this war is not LOST. I hope and pray that you are not in the military and if you are thank you for your service but shame on you for insulting the hero’s that are winning. And trust me I have not lost my soul. I have faith that the Anti-christ in the form of Obama will be voted off the stage just like the rest of the American Idol’s after their 15 minutes are up!! That is excatly what this joke of an election has become - Political AI.
[...] sources already made a good job with the coverage of the event, so let me present with two links: Fox News and CNN. I have also posted photos from my trip under this [...]
[...] gears to a positive focus will leave McCain looking more and more obstructionist the longer he his continued strategy of attacking timetables and withdrawls, particularly as the White House does in fact begin to show some movement toward some things which [...]
“The Republican candidate said that in any event, He would not allow democrats to destroy the United States.”
“Asked about the democrats feeling the need to destroy America, McCain replied, “I would hope that would never happen,” saying the democratic congress could impose “significant, very painful sanctions on the American people which they think could modify their behavior.”
He added, “But I have to look you in the eye and tell you that the People of America can never allow a democratic instigated surrender of our freedoms, and our way of life.”
I have no comment better than the one Stan Cann left. Good Job.
[...] winning an election instead of American winning the War. McCain describes this poor quality best: by Shushannah Walshe Rochester, [...]
I have a few issues with the last comment.
First of all, you cannot state that the war has been lost just because you do not believe that war can ever be justified. You are trying to frame your statistics (which are questionable at best) as if all of these lives/homes/futures were lost at the hands of the US. If I am not mistaken, the terrorists that we are at war against are responsible for almost all of this (with the exception of a few unfortunate incedents). Refusing to admit that we are winning the war in Iraq, when all reports out of that region are stating otherwise, is nothing more than refusing to admit the truth.
Second, if we pull out all of Iraq and that region once again is taken over by terrorist organizations, those 4,000 brave men and women have lost their lives in vain. If they believed in the cause that they are fighting for, then how can you say that it was all for nothing or that it caused more harm than good?
And last but not least, Iraqis are now enjoying the freedoms made possible by the democratic government that we helped them establish. You should just be thankful that some people are willing to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of others, and especially for ungrateful individuals like you.
McCain said he was fine with troops in Iraq for “100 years”. Two days ago, he said there would be no “permanent presence”. 100 years sounds pretty permanent to me.
Today (see above), McCain said that Obama is “wrong” and is willing to “lose the war”. Yesterday, McCain said it was realistic that the troops could be withdrawn by 2010 (Obama’s timetable).
McCain says the U.S. should stay until we achieve victory. Withdrawals should be based on conditions on the ground. But McCain refuses to define “victory” or the “conditions” necessary for withdrawal.
Apparently, if McCain withdraws the troops by 2010, the war will be a victory. But if Obama withdraws the troops by 2010, the war will be a defeat.
Politics. Go figure!
[...] the significance of the surge strategy. Further, McCain lowered himself to new depths when he said: “Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign.” TIME’s [...]
Louise,
Your candidate sounds like a fool. Obama was right from day one and McCain was wrong that is the simple truth. All McCain has is the surge, no future plans and as experienced as he is has been wrong on almost everything but the surge. Also it was not just the surge that worked many tribe leaders put there guns down and he shunni decided to fight with Americans instead of Al queda. It seems many of you McCain supporters just believe anything he says not matter how untruthful it is.
[...] a war. It seems to me that Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign. [FOX, A good Countdown [...]
We need strong leadership, not a candidate like Obama who is all image and no substance.
I’m voting for McCain, a true man of the people. He’s proven he is a hero of our great country and a stand up type of guy, not Obama who is selling us out by telling people anything they want to hear for a vote and making promises to foreign leaders he can’t keep and pretending to be president with reporters having to remind him he is NOT President.
It’s too important for the US to have a President who knows how to lead and takes a stand rather than feed the media and voters any popular rhetoric like Obama does with his smoke and mirrors.
Use your minds, folks. This is real life, not a reality show.
Well said George
McCain 2008
McCain 2008
McCain all the way
What I find so sad and hypocritical is all the liberals opposing the Iraq war. A lot of times they have good points, but could not be more wrong in others. More important, how they defended Bill Clinton’s Kosovo war that killed thousands of civilians and was completley unessasary. Liberals love to talk about how Obama has the support of General Wesley Clark. Eventhough he made that idiotic comment about McCain. I never heard liberals decry Wesley Clark when he made this comment on Good Morning America during the time of his war. He said,”Bombing cannot stop the killing of civilians.” If you want to decry war and the killing of innocent people and say it has no benefit to the United States, you better mention Bill Clinton’s war as well. You never will which is sad.
We have not lost, and there is an end in sight. Have faith in our men and women over there. To say we lost is a slap in the face to our military.
Stan….
Would you say we won or lost WWII or the Civil War or the Revolutionary War????? Your philosphy about the cost of war is childish. War stinks, but sometimes……..
“The loss of the life of a few is for the survival of many, and the ideal of this nation is greater than my life”….that would be a quote from my brother…serving 22+ years, veteran of 2 wars, with a purple heart and bronze star (both from Iraq).
GOD BLESS OUR MILITARY
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[...] Iraqi government and the Bush administration moved towards Obama’s position, chose instead to attack Obama’s character in lieu of discussing the issue: It seems to me that Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political [...]
[...] July, according to a Fox embed, John McCain said it seemed to him Barack Obama “would rather lose a war in order to win a [...]