McCain: “We are all Georgians”
YORK, PA — John McCain maintained his focus on the war in the Caucasus for the second straight day, declaring, “we are all Georgians,” during a town hall meeting before more than 2,000 voters in central Pennsylvania.
“We learned a great cost of the price of allowing aggression against free nations to go unchecked. With our allies we must stand in united purpose to persuade Russian government to withdraw its troops from Georgia,” McCain told the crowd. “(President Mikheil Saakashvili) wanted me to say thanks to you, and give you his heartfelt thanks for the support of the American people for this tiny little democracy far away from the United States of America. And I told him that I know I speak for every American when I say to him, ‘Today we are all Georgians.’”
Given his average crowds total between 400-700, often with little enthusiasm, today’s rally almost had the atmosphere and feel of a Democratic event–especially near the top. McCain entered the York Expo center in a dramatic fashion Tuesday as a huge American flag was raised up behind the crowd to reveal his campaign bus rolling into the hall to the theme music from Rocky.
While McCain continued to focus his ire on the Russians and has largely avoided making Georgia a political issue on the campaign trail, Sen. Joe Lieberman went there today during his introductory statement, arguing that the Arizona Senator is more capable of addressing the conflict than Barack Obama.
“We’ve just seen over the last few days as the Russians invaded a sovereign nation, Georgia, and watch the response of this man John McCain to that crisis, right, strong, clear, principled, the kind of president we need in the White House over the next four years, to be there to protect our country, our security and our freedom,” Lieberman said. “In my opinion, the choice could not be more clear, between one candidate John McCain who’s had experience, been tested in war and tried in peace. Another candidate who has not. Between one candidate, John McCain, who’s always put the country first, worked across party lines to get things done, and one candidate who has not. Between one candidate who’s a talker and the other candidate who’s the leader American needs as our next president…we never know when we elect a president what crisis will occur in the four years of his watch.”
McCain instead zeroed in on the need for the international community to develop a consensus opinion and stand up to what he called Russian “aggression” and “killing.”
“Over the past several days, we’ve seen that international aggression’s tragically not a thing of the past. We thought we put a lot of that behind us at the end of the twentieth century, but now we find it rearing its ugly head in the twenty-first,” McCain said. “There must be an independent international peacekeeping force in the separatist regions and we should ensure that humanitarian aid can be airlifted to Georgia’s capital, and we stand ready to help our Georgian partners put their country back together, and we must make clear to Russia’s leaders: the benefit they enjoy from being part of civilized world require the respect for the values, stability and peace of that world.”
Tags: Georgia, john mccain, pennsylvania, Russia
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No McCain, we are not all Georgians, because we are not all innocent civilians being attacked unjustly by a neighboring country that’s stuck in the 19th century. What a shameful exclamation to try and capitalize on the loss of innocent lives.
I am an avid pro-life supporter who also supports Obama. Why?
Pragmatic approach to abortion reduction.
I believe the best way to reduce abortions is to reduce unwanted pregnancies.
The best way to reduce unwanted pregnancies is to use effective birth control.
The best way to get the public to use birth control consistently is to have doctors prescribe effective birth control.
The best way to get doctors and patients to gether for birth control is to have Universal Healthcare, or at least programs that severely press for the use of birth control where it is needed.
Obama is our best chance to reduce abortions because he will reduce unwanted prenancies by establishing more prevalent healthcare for the poor.
If the populace uses birth control, 99% of abortions can be prevented.
Once we reach that place. Then we work to rid the world of those abortions through legislation and judges. However, pragmatic approach works best.
Hey McCain
Where is Georgia err Atlanta? I am a Floridian
I AM A GEORGIAN TOO IF I COULD FIND THE DARN PLACE
I LIKE GEORGIA, THEY GOT DARN GOOD PEACHES, HECK IT’S OBAMA’S FAULT WHY THE RUSSIANS DON’T LIKE GEORGIA. WHY ELSE WOULD ANYONE WANT TO BOMB GEORGIA UNLESS THEY DON’T LIKE PEACHES
I’m not writing about the website. I’m writing to again advise you that your “fair and balanced” policy is NOT applying to John McCain. Today on the channel you aired a Town Hall meeting with John McCain in Pennsylvania. You showed how the bus drove into the assembly area and John McCain stepping out of it. Then during John’s opening remarks when he was talking about Russia and Georgia, you cut away from it to go to the plane crash in Massachusetts. Hardly any coverage of the Town Hall meeting at all! This is really starting to infuriate John McCain backers. If this was Barack Obama, the entire meeting, from start to finish, would have been aired on Fox News, commercial and interruption free! Why are you giving so much air time to Obama and cutting away from McCain to air other stories? And it was the 3rd or 4th time the plane crash had been aired today too. We would have loved to hear what questions the assembly in Pennsylvania had for John and what his reponses would have been. But we had no chance to hear it. We even checked with CNN, CNN Headline News and MSNBC to see if they were airing it. They weren’t. We probably could’ve checked C-Span to see if they had it but thought of that too late.
We are really getting tired of hearing the droning, too-long speeches Obama is giving and then having almost no coverage of McCain’s. This is not “Fair and Balanced” coverage to us!
Sincerely hoping this changes in the near future - before the conventions,
Maureen and Philip Johnson
Phoenix, AZ
P.S. Please don’t take our Phoenix address as “Oh. They’re from Arizona. Everybody in Arizona loves McCain.” We’ve only lived here for less than 2 years and have liked McCain for a very long time - before he tried to get the nomination in 2000.
Why are no comments allowed on the front page article?
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/12/current-and-former-republicans-line-up-for-obama/
Oh give me a break! The closest I come to being a “Georgian” is having a cousin who lives in Atlanta, GA.
Tread lightly or we will find ourselves in the middle of another conflict that holds no strategic value to USA. McCain would like to rattle his sabre at Russia pushing toward confrontation. Are our sons and daughters to be sent to Georgia for his politics? I for one say let the european union solve their backyard problems, without any American blood spilled.
McCain graduating so low in his class obviously misunderstands tactics and strategy in war and battle. I don’t want our military blundering into another conflict on posturing or mistake by another politician.
Whoa!
Is McCain running to be the presidenct of Georgia? I don’t go for this one world order stuff.
I’m not a Georgian. I’m an American. I don’t think Georgians can run for the president’s office in America. I think Senator McCain should stop trying to be a citizen of the world.
McCain is talking like he’s already elected. Right now, Mr. Bush is the only president. And only he should be speaking for us in a situation related to world conflict. When, and if, Senator McCain is elected he can speak for us.
What nerve.
We are not all Georgians. I am sorry for the loss of live in this tragic event but this was brought on by US Foreign policy. Specifically the policy of Kosovo to which GW Bush has endorsed. Russia, Putin specifically, forwarned that this was going to happen. Now everyone wants the territorial integrity respected, They did not in Kosovo and as such, split away 15% of the country.
I hope McCain will back off his hypocritical stance and try to make progress without stirring up old wounds…
McCain is a fool! Apparently Mccain doesn’t know anything about the history of South Ossetia. South Ossetia has had a “defacto independence” from GEORGIA since 1991, when they beat back the GEORGIAN ARMY! They have been struggling for autonomy from Georgia for years. Why do you think that people are fleeing into Russia, and not deeper into Georgia? See http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=13285
and http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/5568/
It looks like McCain would get his facts straight before he started the anti-Russian propaganda machine primed for war. But of course, he is the “dumbest” presidential candidate ever and only parrots what the military industrial complex tells him. See http://dumberthanbush.com !
We’re all Georgians? Okay McCain, so who’s the superpower that’s bombing the US in order to expand their country’s power? This sorta sounds insulting to the Georgians, in my opinon. If anything, we’re more like Russia at the moment, making up excuses to invade other countries.
I think McCain is wrong to back President Mikheil Saakashvili. Saakashvili tried to use the distraction of the Olympics to take back a section of the country that has been independent of Georgia since the early 90’s. A independent section that has strong ties to Russia. Did he think Russia wouldn’t respond? Now that his countries army is getting thoroughly crushed, he is crying to the world to save him. His own people blame him for this mess. I feel sorry for the people of Georgia that they have an idiot for a leader. McCain’s stance that Russia is to blame for this makes him look like someone that is out of touch with the reality of the issue.
Where’s the U.S. president during this crisis?
The facts are that Georgia INVADED a Russian territory called South Ossetia. In response the russians kicked them out and beat them all the way home.
If canada invaded maine, or mexico invaded texas, would we be within our rights to kick them out and go beat the hell out of them at home?
A) why is this our concern?
B) what possible retaliation could we do to Russia short of a full scale nuke assault?
C) why are we all Georgians? I’m an American and while I care about the rest of the world, charity begins at home.
McCain is trash…and his words are vomit. In his heart he does not support this position because he supports the invasion of Iraq. At this point how can the U.S. tell anyone what to do, as it refers to imposing ones will on other countries, after the way it handled Iraq. McCain you don’t fool me and you don’t fool us. You were part of the problem not the solution, don’t act as if you are part of the solution here.
McCain really puts the
KRAP in ELKRAPAHO.
McCorpse.
John McCain doesn’t speak for me nor do I suspect for most Americans. I am not Georgian and suggest that he should let Europe take the lead on this one. We’re already spread to thin to have any powers to control Russia. His tough guy stance doesn’t play well in all cases.
WE ARE ALL WHAT?
WHAT A CROCK OF
KRAP.
[...] Lieberman criticism, which echoed his remarks in Pennsylvania earlier today, is noteworthy because McCain has not made Georgia political issue and even told Carl Carmeron [...]
You reporters failed to mention that McShame pronounced the presidents name incorrectly three times. McShame and leiberman a real joke.
McShame probably thinking of Atlanta,Georgia.
Sorry we are not Georgians! If John Mccain had good judement and experience, he would not provoke Russia. Do he really want a nuclear war and people say it would be dangerous for Obama to be president.
[...] Lieberman criticism, which echoed his remarks in Pennsylvania earlier today, is noteworthy because McCain has not made Georgia political issue and even told Carl Carmeron [...]
[...] - Fox News: McCain: “We are all Georgians” Tags: John McCain, [...]
Definately, mac we are not georgians, we live near georgia…..by the way,what state is georgia in America…..
Already acting like he’s the President. Ok for him, but not for Obama???
I am not a great believer in Senator McCain, I feel this election is one of the worst this country has ever experienced, we have little to choose from. However, for all of Senator McCain’s faults and failings, he is still the best candidate running for President. I watch many of you bad mouth him and call him names but I will back the person who puts his country first and has the experience needed to lead this country during these difficults times. I respect Senator Obama but I do not feel he has the qualifications to be an effective President, at lest not yet. So for all of you who have nothing more to do than trash Senator McCain, I just hope and pray that if Senator Obama does win in November, we don’t live to regret your decision.
That’s right McCain… Let’s start another WAR with IRAN and then Russia. This man is out of control. This man scares me a lot more than Obama does.
No, Georgia is partly responsible for the Russian invasion and America is needed in the middle east to help protect Israel from destruction.
I think many of the people posting here have missed an important point. McCain has already acknowledged Georgia and South Ossetia’s strained relationship. McCain however understands that Russia is trying to do a lot more than just protect South Ossetia. Russia has been posturing more like the old Soviet Union of late. By invading Georgia itself and heading towards Tblisi it’s gone way beyond simply protecting South Ossetia. McCain called it the way it is, Russia should be checked. Russia is looking to expand it’s influence in the region. The Europeans will do nothing, they want Russian oil and gas. Georgia is an ally, that alliance should be honoured. As McCain has also stated, Georgia occupies a unique economic and strategic position in the region. The Russians don’t like the fact that a US ally is so close to their borders, so they’re using force to attempt to change that situation.
McCain is wrong, very wrong. We are NOT all Georgians nor do we support the president of Georgia. This is simpleminded grandstanding at its best by McCain & Co. How dare he politicize this for his own gain. And the irony of using a spin on a quote by JFK in Berlin…boy, Obama must have really gotten under his skin something good. If McCain can’t even temper his foreign policy statements because of his rage against his opponent, how will he do it when he is faced with aggressive opposition overseas? Somebody tell this loser that WE are not all Georgians because I for one hold the Georgian president responsible for being far too aggressive in his attempts to suppress dissention, and Russia as well for instigating hostilities and impinging on Georgian sovereignty by issuing Russian passports to people essentially living inside of Georgia.
WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE YOU ARE NEXT PRESIDENT YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT IS THE MAN THAT BELONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE I AM NOT A VOTER I NEVER VOTE IN MY LIFE BUT TO MAKE YOU ARE NEXT PRESDENT I WILL BE THERE. GOD BLESS
ive read your comments and i think the only reson your trashing john is because you cant find anything good to say about B.H.O.
Comment by Tel…
August 13th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I think many of the people posting here have missed an important point. McCain has already acknowledged Georgia and South Ossetia’s strained relationship. McCain however understands that Russia is trying to do a lot more than just protect South Ossetia. Russia has been posturing more like the old Soviet Union of late. By invading Georgia itself and heading towards Tblisi it’s gone way beyond simply protecting South Ossetia. McCain called it the way it is, Russia should be checked. Russia is looking to expand it’s influence in the region. The Europeans will do nothing, they want Russian oil and gas. Georgia is an ally, that alliance should be honoured. As McCain has also stated, Georgia occupies a unique economic and strategic position in the region. The Russians don’t like the fact that a US ally is so close to their borders, so they’re using force to attempt to change that situation.
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Why is it OK to condemn the Russians for doing same thing the US has been doing in Iraq.?
When McCain made the statement ” We are all Georgians “, did he realise that Joseph Stalin was a Georgian ? Obviously his knowledge of history and that of his advisers, is seriously deficient.
[...] there any limits to McCain’s inflammatory derangement? “We learned a great cost of the price of allowing aggression against free nations to go [...]