posted on March 1, 2007 10:56:30 AM new
Where are all the cried from those on the right about his comments? They said Obama was wrong for saying the exact same thing.
The more I hear about McCain, the less I respect him.
WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential contender John McCain, facing criticism from Democrats, on Thursday said he regretted using the word "wasted" to describe the more than 3,100 U.S. lives lost in the Iraq war.
"I should have used the word, sacrificed, as I have in the past," the Arizona senator said after Democrats demanded he apologize as Sen. Barack Obama did when the White House hopeful recently made the same observation.
"No one appreciates and honors more than I do the selfless patriotism of American servicemen and women in the Iraq War," McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, said in a statement.
On Wednesday night, McCain said on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman": "Americans are very frustrated, and they have every right to be. We've wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives."
McCain, a staunch backer of the four-year-old war but critic of how President Bush has waged it, made the "wasted" remark after confirming to Letterman what has been clear for at least a year or more -- that he's in the running for the 2008 Republican nomination.
"I am announcing that I will be a candidate for president of the United States," he said -- and added that he would officially enter the race by giving a formal speech to that effect in April after a visit to Iraq.
Hours after the taped appearance aired, the Democratic National Committee called on McCain to take back the "wasted" lives remark.
"Senator McCain should apologize immediately for his callous comments," said Karen Finney, a DNC spokeswoman. "How is it that John McCain now believes American lives are being wasted, yet he so stubbornly supports the president's plan to escalate the war in Iraq and put more American lives in harms way?"
In response, McCain issued the written statement indicating he regretted his word choice. He said the U.S. is seeking to correct its mistakes with Bush's new strategy.
"We have made many mistakes in the past, and we have paid a grievous price for those mistakes in the lives of the men and women who have died to protect our interests in Iraq and defend the rest of us from the even greater threat we would face if we are defeated there," McCain said.
Obama, for his part, gave the Republican a pass when asked about McCain's comments at a Senate news conference on an unrelated matter.
"As somebody who had the same phrase in a speech, I think nobody would question Senator McCain's dedication to our veterans," said Obama, the Illinois Democrat. "We have a duty to make sure that we are honoring their sacrifice by giving them missions in which they can succeed ... I'm positive that was the intent in which he meant it. It was the same intent I had when I made my statement."
In February in Iowa, Obama said: "We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized, and should have never been waged, and on which we've now spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted."
Later, he told a reporter: "I was actually upset with myself when I said that, because I never use that term."
"Their sacrifices are never wasted," he said.
A four-term senator, McCain unsuccessfully ran for president in 2000 against Bush and has been laying the groundwork for a second run for more than a year. There had been little doubt that he would become a full-fledged White House candidate. He had been expected to make his candidacy official in the spring.
A former Navy pilot, he has emerged as the Senate's go-to guy on Iraq. In recent months, McCain has become Bush's most outspoken supporter of sending in another 21,500 troops to Iraq -- even though he for years has leveled strong criticism about how Bush has handled the war.
___
Associated Press Writer Sam Hananel contributed to this report.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on March 1, 2007 12:03:23 PM new
Lets see....the differences between obama and john mccain.
John McCain SERVED our Nation....and became a POW...for YEARS. He spoke out about the anti-war protesters and how the traitors like kerry cause them even more PAIN and SUFFERING because of their statements/actions.
Then Mc Cain voted FOR going into Iraq.
edited to add: McCain also supported sending in MORE troops.
obama has NEVER supported this war.
obama has NEVER served our Nation
obama has NEVER been held as a POW.
obama has NEVER supported increasing our troops.
so, imo, many would clearly understand it was a 'slip' with McCain....because he has ALWAYS supported America.
And served his Nation well.
obama's position is in question.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
Ann Coulter
[ edited by Linda_K on Mar 1, 2007 12:06 PM ]
posted on March 1, 2007 12:26:28 PM new
linduh you proved just the opposite
How could the war monger/hero McCain make a slip like that ????
And, with his usual class, Obama commented:
"""As somebody who had the same phrase in a speech, I think nobody would question Senator McCain's dedication to our veterans," said Obama, the Illinois Democrat. "We have a duty to make sure that we are honoring their sacrifice by giving them missions in which they can succeed ... I'm positive that was the intent in which he meant it. It was the same intent I had when I made my statement."""
See linduh, that's a class act....something you can't come close to....
posted on March 1, 2007 12:32:26 PM new
'he who doesn't believe this President approves of the war' lol
asked the question. I gave my answer. You don't like it sybil? lol That's YOUR problem.
"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on March 1, 2007 01:03:29 PM newHow could the war monger/hero McCain make a slip like that ????
Exactly Mingo. How can someone that was a POW, supports sending more troops to Iraq, and is a Bush suck up say those who have died in the war wasted their lives.
Those people who died wasted their lives, but yet he wants to send more people to Iraq to get killed. That doesn't make a lot sense to me.
Just another typical Republican. To quote someone "It proves they're HYPOCRITES.....and that they talk the talk but don't walk the walk."
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on March 1, 2007 01:10:46 PM new
Oh did obama refer to our troops as our TREASURE?
Think you purposely LEFT THE REST OF HIS STATEMENT out for some biased reason, 'he who believes this President doesn't approve of this war'????
I do.
His full statement was:
Late Wednesday, while announcing his plan to run for the presidency on the late night comedy-variety Late Show on CBS television, McCain said about the Iraq war: "Americans are very frustrated and they have every right to be. We wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives, over there."
So as ALL can NOW read....he referred to them as 'our TREASURE'.
posted on March 1, 2007 01:13:44 PM newso, imo, many would clearly understand it was a 'slip' with McCain....because he has ALWAYS supported America. And served his Nation well.
So basically what you are saying is that in order to support America you have to support this administration, have to have war experience and can not speak out against the war.
By doing the above it is OK then to say those who have died in the war has their lives "wasted".
How anti-American is that? I am glad to see how much Linda and McCain really support the troops?
John McCain SERVED our Nation....and became a POW...for YEARS.
So because of this he desereves special treatment? Didn't you say the troops signed up for the military, they know what to expect, they voluntered?
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on March 1, 2007 01:21:21 PM new
LOL....boy you take everything to such crazy extremes.
Do I appreciate AND respect a man like McCain for the service he gave and continues to give to our Nation? I SURE do.
Do I support ANYONE who wants to have America admit defeat and run like cowards?? Nope I sure don't.
Will I vote for McCain in '08. Nope....he's too far left of central for me. I've always considered him a RINO.
But it WAS YOUR party that was SO hopeful he'd run with kerry on the dem ticket - as kerry's V.P. LOL LOL LOL And he wouldn't. That pissed a lot of liberals/dems off.
And the thing it appears you can't grasp is that McCain hasn't agreed with a lot of the way this adminstration has handled this war in Iraq.
But McCain STILL supports America defending herself against all threats....getting the job DONE...and then coming home. And he STILL believes WE can do it.
He's NOT A COWARD....he's certainly NOT A QUITTER....never been an anti-war protestor....and his experience in VN war FAR surpasses the young, inexperienced obama...
That's the HUGE difference **I** see between his 'slip' and obama's 'slip'.
posted on March 1, 2007 08:28:59 PM new
Keep listening Logansdad, there's plenty of reason not to respect McCain. I have personally worked with the man in the past on western water issues and there was a time I would have voted for him for whatever position he chose to run. Not anymore. It's clear he'll say pretty much whatever he thinks it'll take to win. Senator McGain is is making flipflopping into an art.
Consider:
He bashed TV preacher Jerry Falwell as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002, but has since decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.
He used to oppose Bush’s tax cuts for the very wealthy, but has "evolved" and now supports them.
In 2000, he accused Texans Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.
He co-wrote and supported a major campaign-finance reform measure that bore his name. He has since abandoned his own legislation.
He used to think Grover Norquist was a crook. Then he got serious about running for president and began to reconcile with Norquist.
He's taken a firm line in opposition to torture, and then bent over in the face of White House demands.
He was against presidential candidates campaigning at Bob Jones University before he was for it.
He used to be anti-ethanol. Now he’s pro-ethanol.
He has spoken both for and against state use of the Confederate flag.
And now he’s both for and against overturning Roe v. Wade.
I think anybody's allowed to change their mind in the face of new evidence, but this is so blatantly false as to be laughable. The man has become a sad old caricature, nothing more. It'd be funny if it weren't so sad to see how the right is flocking towards Giuliani.
posted on March 2, 2007 07:17:30 AM new
the profe said: "It'd be funny if it weren't so sad to see how the right is flocking towards Giuliani."
That may well change down the road. Remember that all this started earlier than normal - we're still a year and eight months away from voting day.
=======
Dear Vote.com Voter,
An online survey by Vote.com of 29,000 Republican Primary voters showed surprisingly strong support for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich -- who hasn't even entered the race -- and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Gingrich topped the survey with 41% of the vote
followed by Giuliani with 33%.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney ran a distant third with 12% and
former front runner Senator John McCain lagged in fourth place with only 7%.
Commenting on the Vote.com poll, CEO Eileen McGann said, "This survey shows the strong support for Gingrich getting into the race among Republican base voters and demonstrates how little progress McCain has made in appealing to the core of the GOP."
The online survey was conducted on February 27, 2007.
posted on March 2, 2007 09:57:31 AM new
No, sybil is just proving, once again, that she can't grasp or retain what she's read here over and over and over again.
posted on March 2, 2007 02:46:35 PM new
We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized, and should have never been waged, and to which we now have spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted.
Obama.... It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.George S. Patton
posted on March 2, 2007 04:06:01 PM new
Logan,
I haven't heard any repugs say anything about support for any republican front runners for President in 2008.
Lets hear it boys and girls who is your man that is best suited for your beliefs.
I thing other people have asked that question and so far no replies from the repugs.
You don't think the new-con here are a reflection of split party. Maybe they don't like any of the front runners???
Maybe the repugs are so split they want to start new party.
posted on March 3, 2007 12:47:20 PM newKeep listening Logansdad, there's plenty of reason not to respect McCain. I have personally worked with the man in the past on western water issues and there was a time I would have voted for him for whatever position he chose to run. Not anymore. It's clear he'll say pretty much whatever he thinks it'll take to win. Senator McGain is is making flipflopping into an art.
I know what you mean Profe. There was a time I would have considered voting for McCain. I would have taken McCain over Bush any day of the week. But the more I hear him talk he is just another politician doing double talk trying to appeal to everyone while not taking a stand on anything.
As of now I will support Obama. It is time for this country to have someone fresh blood in the White House.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
Are YOU a Bunghole?