McCain says Georgia conflict not a partisan issue
YORK, PA –John McCain said there is “no room for partisanship” when it comes to the Georgia-Russia crisis and refrained from criticizing his Democratic rival on foreign policy during an interview with Fox News’ Carl Cameron today.
“I respect Senator Obama’s views and I believe that it’s important that we act in a bipartisan fashion now,” McCain told FOX after a town hall meeting in York. “There’s no room for partisanship now.”
His reluctance to make Georgia a political issue comes on the same day one of his key surrogates, Sen. Joe Lieberman, criticized Barack Obama as lacking the experience to handle the crisis.
During the interview, McCain focused his fire on the Russians, who he said were acting in “violation of all international norms,” and reiterated his belief that they should be booted from the G8.
“Clearly, Russia no longer shares any of the values and principles of the G8, so they should be excluded and I think long-term they must pay a price for this act…which is clearly at the best, you could call it a gross and outrageous over-reaction to what might be viewed by some as provocation,” McCain said. “Thousands of innocent people are being rendered homeless, killed and wounded and there’s no necessity for it.”
McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann told reporters aboard the campaign plane today that McCain’s views on G8 expulsion are getting increasing support, noting recent comments by British opposition leader David Cameron.
The presumptive GOP nominee also had some subtle criticism for President Bush’s dealings with the Russian leader during the past eight years.
“I don’t know if the president quote, ‘missed the boat.’ But, I do believe that the president probably had a higher opinion of Vladimir Putin than I do,” McCain noted, but resisted to criticize the commander in chief when asked if President Bush should have returned earlier from the Olympic games to address the crisis.
He also stressed that NATO needs to reconsider Georgia’s bid for membership, arguing that the body is currently limited in how much assistance it can provide the “small struggling democracy.”
“Through the NATO membership, that if a member nation is attacked, it is viewed as an attack on all. I would move forward at the right time with the application for membership in NATO by Georgia,” McCain said. “We don’t have, I think, right now, the ability to intervene in any way except in a humanitarian, economic way, and do what we can to help the Georgians.”
Other highlights:
On whether he trusts the Russian declaration of a cease-fire: “I think it depends on whether they think they’ve achieved their objectives or not. I think they want a regime change. They want a compliant person in charge in Tbilisi. And I think they want control of the energy supply. And I think it’s part of this — also this effort to re-exert age-old Russian influence in the region. And that applies to Azerbaijan, to Ukraine and either countries in the region who will, I think they believe, will take — learn a lesson from this experience that Georgia’s had.”
On whether the Russians can claim victory so far: “I think it’s a set back for democracy, for progress. Not only in Georgia, but it could be in the region. But, you know the Russians have tried this in the past. I don’t think they can extinguish the flame of independence in Georgia, or Ukraine or other countries in the region. So, in the short term, I think they probably won some kind of corp-victory. Putin has articulated it before and now he’s put his words into action. And I think it’s a real wake-up call for all of us.”
Tags: Carl Cameron, Georgia, interview, john mccain, Russia
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McCain is hamstrung. He can’t tell the truth about Bush because he needs Bush’ support for fund raising and to keep the right wing in the tank. McCain does not have the ability to lead on these key issues. If he was truly a “straight talking” “maverick” he would not be anywhere near Bush. So instead he is pushing the envelope as much as he can to sound like this straight talking maverick and hoping its enough to be credible. I think Americans are smarter than that. John McCain is about John McCain. That’s all. That’s straight talk.
Hey everybody! I can’t believe this…
McCain’s foreign policy coordinator, Randy Scheunemann, is a paid lobbyist for the Republic of Georgia. I am not making this up, folks. You can google it.
He is in war stance to protect his buddy’s employer.
I am starting to think that this is what Obama means when he says that McCain is part of the old way of doing things. Washington is sick and filthy place. After all the years there maybe McCain is as corrupt as the rest of them.
Wow. Mind blowing.
To Paul Stewart,
Lets do some straight talking then. If McCain is about McCain then Obama is about..well..Obama. Lets see how Obamas talking and showing restraint works in this real world situation. Lets see if it stops the Russians. LOL.
Force is needed and Georgia will suffer until force is used.
Its a sad time for USA what have we become when we used to be the strongest nation in the world now we sit an watch Russia crush innocent people havnt we had enough bleading heart Democrats we must elect a strong leader while there is still hope
I think the US got it wrong with Iraq and for the foreseable future can do nothing except “tough” words which Russia can choose to ignore.
Moreover your troops are overstretched right now, a huge budget deficit and you are not really sure where China stands in all this. We in Europe also don’t like the commies in Russia, but I don’t think the best way is to be in your face, trigger happy stance. Russia can easily blitz us here at worst or start a 3rd world war at least. Its time to think through our strategies and put Russia in a position whereby it will be in its best interests to preserve peace.
[...] Looks like Joe Lieberman is not reading his McCain memos that closely. The presumptive Republican nominee has said the recent conflict between Georgia and Russia should be above partisan notes. [...]
[...] his part, McCain told FOX yesterday that there is “no room for partisanship” on Georgia though one of his surrogates, Sen. Lieberman, struck back at Camp Obama last night noting [...]
as always, McCain shows that he IS the better candidate. That he IS the one we can trust. That he IS the one who knows what he is talking about. Maaybe obama should take a 6 month vacation and come back some time next year!
And Obama is about Obama, what else is new. The American people are smart enough to see that Obama has not had a original idea as of yet. First taking ideas from Clinton then taking ideas from McCain. This man can not think his way out of a paper bag without someone writing it down for him and letting him know what to think and how to express it. This man is a puppet and everyone knows it but there are people out there that want to believe that if Obama is elected then the sun will shine, the air and water will be clean, the war will go away and everyone will live in peace and so on and so on. Good luck with that.
Clearly, McCain is the by far the better choice to lead us in these troubled times. The bullies of the world are hoping and praying that Obama is elected. Many of them have already expressed this desire. If and when that happens, we will see an incremental rise in these types of aggression. Obama will be seen as weak and ineffectual, which, in fact, he is.
I fear John McCain. It is funny how everything in an attempt to bring peace has to start with a fight for him. It is also strange that the McCain camp called Obama arrogant because he had actual followers, said he was a United States Citizen in Berlin, and acknowledged his connection to “the world”; saying he was “acting presidential without being president”. Yet McCain can say “he speaks for every American and claim us all to be Georgians” Well he does not speak for me, and he is not the president either. And yet he can not only pretend to be but provoke other nations with a presumptuous approval of all people and get away with it. When war is all you know, is your only answer to every problem, and your tone is only energized when war is the question, you are NOT a leader, president, or statesman. You are a cowboy and an officer at best. A man that will lie because he is told to, even after knowing the facts, is suspect. A man who who stands solely on what he does not want but wants nothing but personal and party power can not represent or address the real issues affecting Americans. But the bigger fear is that so many of the country would rather abandone their own needs and issues for the sake of holding on to fear, defeat, and hate of others. Most don’t even try to critically think about themselves, the country, or the world realities.
IT IS SAD
WITH THE WORLD WATCHING, WAITING AND WONDERING WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE REST OF THE “FORMER” SOVIET COUNTRIES ON THE THE CASPIAN, AND THE PIPELINE TO THE OIL, RESOURCES UP FOR GRABS, MR. McCAIN HAS THE RIGHT OF IT, WHEN HE SAID;
“I LOOK IN MR. PUTIN’S EYES AND I SEE “”KGB”" !
WHAT DOES THE GEORGIA GOVERMENT SEE NOW? THAT MAYBEE McCAIN WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG?
THESE ARE THE DAY’S THAT WE TRAINED FOR IN THE 50′S, HIDE YOUR HEAD UNDER THE DESK, AND DON’T LOOK UP BECAUSE OF THE FLASH, FROM THE BLAST.
AND NOW MR. PUTIN IS GOING TO SEND SUPPORT BACK TO CUBA? WHAT DIDN’T WE LEARN IN 1962? ANYBODY GOT A CLUE? THE COLD WAR WAS NEVER, “OVER!”
AND IT JUST GOT HOTTER. WHAT SAY YOU? WHAERE WILL THE U.S STAND/ WITH MR. OBAMA AND APEASMENT FOR WHOEVER WANTS TO BASH BUSH AND AMERICA BECAUSE WE ARE BITTER CHRISTIANS? CLINGING TO OUTDATED BILL OF RIGHTS SECOND AMMENDMENT? OR FIRST AMMENDMENT RIGHTS?
OR WITH THE GEORGIANS AND MR. McCAIN?