Politicians put their foot in their mouth on a regular basis. Sometimes it may be the result of long hours on the campaign trail, sometimes because they simply can’t keep their facts straight and sometimes because they can’t keep their lies straight. Sometimes it’s simply because they do not understand the facts.

Couric/McCain Interview:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4284432n%22%20rel=%22nofollow%22%3E

Per President Bush and Col. MacFarland, the Anbar awakening was already well under way through organized efforts by the tribal leaders well before the surge began. These events took place months before the surge was even announced. Per McCain, the surge ‘began’ the Anbar awakening.

http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=3738

McCain also neglects the fact that although the surge helped to support an awakening already in progress, the new troops headed for Baghdad, not Anbar. He also gives little credit to the ongoing Sadr truce.

The Couric interview gets even more interesting as McCain tries to distance himself from the numerous failed Iraq policies under the Bush administration:

“McCain: The fact is we had four years of failed policy. We were losing. We were losing the war in Iraq. The consequences of failure and defeat of the United States of America in the first major conflict since 9/11 would have had devastating impacts throughout the region and the world.”

Why would McCain support a president responsible for four years of failure?

“no one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have.” [John McCain, 03/28/08)

“The fact is that I have agreed with President Bush far more than I have disagreed. And on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I’ve been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.” [John McCain, 06/19/05]

“I am proud of this president’s strategy in Iraq.” [John McCain, upon receiving endorsement from President Bush, 02/13/08]

Gaffes and old quotes are a living history of our thought processes, how well we think, what we think and when we think it. Even Carly can’t change that fact:

“To say that John McCain was aligned with President Bush on the prosecution of the war in Iraq is to change history.” [Carly Fiorina, McCain Campaign Advisor, 07/13/08]

The McCain campaign should be thankful the media has let them slide on many major issues, such as his voting record on veteran health issues and successful effort to shut down all investigation into remaining POW/MIA over the protests of their families and veteran groups in order to open up trade with Vietnam (his father-in-law immediately opened up a multi-billion dollar beer industry there).

http://www.aiipowmia.com/sea/schanberg_mccain.html

McCain has been given no media coverage on the very real probability he suffers from PTSD.

“Among U.S. servicemen taken captive during the Korean War, as many as nine out of 10 survivors may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental disorders more than 35 years after their release, psychologist Patricia B. Sutker of the New Orleans Veterans Administration Medical Center and her colleagues report in the January AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY.”

Perhaps McCain should quit whining about media coverage and not look a gift horse in the mouth.

The simple fact is that very soon McCain will talk about a 2 year timetable for bringing our troops home. Bush already is – the Iraqi prime minister is saying by the end of 2010 and so is Obama.
If McCain does not want to look more and more like the crazy uncle losing his mind – he will have his own time line for withdrawal -or rather a victory back step bugaloo.

Again, you find a way to embarrass those of us from the South that actually embrace the benefits of literacy… For your sake, I will attempt to enlighten you, but I doubt you will be able to wrap that piece of juicy fruit you call a brain around the concepts…

While the NYT Company has stock on the public market, in regards to the application of Constitutional rights, it is considered a private entity. You see, Cleetus, (or Joe Bob, et cetera), in order for that 1st Amendment right to become an issue, there is a requirement of state action. While there are a few particular exceptions, government infringement is generally needed to assert your Constitutional rights.

Did I “splain” it well enough for you?

“Maybe the New York Times is as fed up with the McCain Bush B.S. line that the surge is working”

I am sure the NYT, Obama, et al. are fed up with hearing about the Surge, since the Left in this country was so heavily invested in defeat. But that does not make the surge any less of a success. I don’t think any of the Dem leaders still deny the obvious success of the Surge, even Harry “the war is lost” Reid, but you keep holding out hope that we will lose the war. I will be sure to not question your patriotism, though. That would be ridiculous, kind of like rooting for us to lose.

As to your handle, your “chickenhawk” implication is absurd. Few know more about the sacrifices of Sen. McCain. In addition to his own obvious experience in Vietnam, McCain’s son served honorably in Iraq, and he has another son who is about to graduate from the Naval Academy and may have to go over there as well.

If I am preparing for a jury trial and my client asks what he or she should consider to be a successful outcome, it wouldn’t make much sense if I started blathering on about how quickly I hoped to be back from the courthouse.

By the same token, it is idiotic to define victory based upon timetables and dates for withdrawal. The troops will come home eventually whether we win or lose. It is a well worn cliche for a force to “declare victory and go home” when it finds itself in a difficult spot. That is just a spin on defeat. Victory has to be tied to conditions on the ground that allow the troops to come home.

In case you missed our tag, it’s “FITSNews: Unfair, Imbalanced.”

We’re not trying to be objective, you dumbass.

-FITSNews