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McCain Assails Obama on War Stances

By TOM RAUM
,
AP
posted: 39 DAYS 15 HOURS AGO
comments: 57
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KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine (July 21) - Republican John McCain worked on Monday to wrestle the spotlight from rival Barack Obama's tour of Iraq by insisting he was right and the Democrat was wrong about the war and releasing a new critical ad blaming higher gas prices on his opponent.
As Obama toured the war zones trailed by U.S. network TV anchors, McCain ridiculed him from afar during a visit with the first President George Bush at his summer home on the Atlantic. At the same time, the Republican contender released an eyebrow-raising new ad flatly blaming the Illinois senator for higher gasoline prices.
The Republican and Democratic presidential contenders have differed sharply over Iraq. Obama has said he would withdraw U.S. troops from combat there over 16 months while reinforcing the U.S. effort against al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan. McCain has resisted any timetable for withdrawal, insisting that victory in Iraq is a necessary precursor to success in Afghanistan.
Any withdrawal of troops from Iraq "must be based on conditions on the ground," McCain told reporters as he stood beside the 84-year-old former president.
The Arizona senator disparaged Obama as "someone who has no military experience whatsoever."
"When you win wars, troops come home," McCain said. "He's been completely wrong on the issue. ... I have been steadfast in my position."
On Afghanistan, McCain said, "I've always said it's long and tough and hard."


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As to Iraq, "We've succeeded. We're not succeeding, we've succeeded," McCain said later at a fundraiser.
McCain told reporters he didn't care if Obama's trip was stealing attention and "doesn't in the slightest undercut" his own message.
Stewart Iverson, chairman of Iowa's Republican Party, said he's hopes voters will conclude from Obama's overseas visit that "one trip doesn't make you an expert in foreign policy."
He said the McCain campaign will have to keep pointing out the differences between the candidates' stances on foreign policy. "It's not something that you do in one speech. It's not just today and tomorrow. It's next week, it's next month," he said.
Iverson predicted the foreign trip may provide "a bump for a little bit for Obama." But as for a lasting impact on McCain, he said, "I don't think necessarily it's going to hurt him."
The elder Bush declined to advise McCain on the two wars, noting that he no longer follows every headline each day.
"No advice," Bush said. "My respect for him knows no bounds."
Bush would not criticize either McCain for advocating oil drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf nor his son for rescinding his own 1992 presidential order banning such offshore drilling. Increasing domestic production was important, Bush said.
In a TV ad on national cable and in 11 states, McCain pushed his support for offshore drilling as the remedy for rising gas prices.
And even though McCain opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and during his 2000 presidential run opposed lifting the offshore drilling moratorium, his ad clearly tries to blame rising prices on support for the moratorium by Obama, a first-term Illinois senator.
As the price readout on a lonely gas pump rolls over to $5, the announcer asks, "Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump?" Rising from the background is the sound of a crowd chanting: "Obama, Obama, Obama." A smiling Obama appears on the screen with a pump rising over his right shoulder.
Finally the announcer says: "One man knows we must now drill more in America and rescue our family budgets. Don't hope for more energy, vote for it. McCain."
This ad is the latest tit-for-tat commercial over energy in the presidential campaign. Earlier this month, an Obama ad accused McCain of being "part of the problem" of high gas prices.
The main premise of McCain's ad — that opposition to drilling is responsible for high gas prices — is disputed even by McCain allies. In arguing for an end to the offshore moratorium and for drilling in the Alaska preserve, President Bush said that these steps "will take years to have their full impact" on energy costs.
At a rally alongside a military museum in South Portland later Monday, McCain continued his efforts to portray Obama as risky on matters of war and peace. "I hate war and I know how to win wars," McCain said. "I don't need any on-the-job training."
"Our troops will come home in honor and they won't come home in defeat," he added.
Of Obama, McCain said, "He refuses to this day to acknowledge that it (Bush's troop buildup) has succeeded."
As anti-McCain protesters chanted from across the street, McCain said, "I know America is divided about this war."
Afteward, McCain had two fundraising appearances in Buffalo, N.Y., that together were expected to raise about $1 million. The first was a $10,000-a-plate dinner at the home of GOP fundraiser Anthony Gioia, former Ambassador to Malta. The second was a $1,000-a-person, meet-and-greet at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.
Associated Press writer Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, N.Y., contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-07-21 16:51:57
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Celtic4425

06:36 PMJul 23 2008

McCain the so called expert on war...he cannot even get his timetables correct. His interview on CBS was censored because his facts and dates were wrong! So much for the liberal press? Do we really want this old soldier to decide our sons and daughters future? Our economic and moral descisions? The Iraqi govt. agrees with Obama. Let us not stay and cripple my own country while McCain panders to the military contractors feeding off war at the expense of American dead. mccain is surrounded by lobbyists...they can not define winning. I would add to the fact that McCain has no clue on the economy and no one to help him either.

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ACME824

02:55 AMJul 23 2008

THE REPUBLICANS ARE BUSILY COMPILING THEIR KEY WORDS AND PHRASES, AS THEY LOCK STEP, ATTEMPTING TO BRAINWASH, WITH FEAR AND PANIC

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OnzaQueen

01:57 PMJul 22 2008

McCai is so stupid. First of all, baming Obama for hgh gas prices? What next? I suppose Ted Kennedy causes AIDS?An this BS about "victory in Iraq?" This isn't a game and there isn't a finish line. It's just a bunch of wasted lives and wasted money. McCain will have us in Iraq forever an continue to earn us more enemies abroad.

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(1)

conundrum98789

01:36 PMJul 22 2008

LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI didn't know Obama was president for the past 7 years.I didn't know oil prices quadrupled under "President Obama" I didn't know "president Obama" let the Saudi's Bang him for money. Man, I must have been living under a rock!

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(4)

KCF ESQ

11:25 AMJul 22 2008

WOW.. I am SHOCKED at this AOL News poll that claims 66% of participants voted for McCain !!???!!!!If McCain wins, then I will leave the USA .. how can my fellow citizens vote for a very rich man who belives that the Health Care Industry will respond to the free market !!??! This is no Policy at all with regard to the very health of US Citizens. THis will insure that the USA becomes a third world country. Our babies and elderly will simply die alone in poverty. Insurance companies do not want their business. That is the FREE MARKET!!!

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(1)

ARA9557

11:18 AMJul 22 2008

Why is it that a politicians cannot admit that they are wrong? Obama was wrong about the surge as were the other Democrats. The answer is that they would have to admit that GW and John McCain were right. Playing politics with our brave men and women is just wrong. Another wrong that Obama and the Democrats need to admit is that overshore oil drilling and building new oil refineries are intermediate steps that we should doing to get off our dependence on foreign oil. Stupid is as stupid does.

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sharpsound

11:12 AMJul 22 2008

Who cares what McCain says? I for sure don't. I'm for putting the country in the right direction after 8 years in the wrong direction.

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sharpsound

11:11 AMJul 22 2008

Who cares what McCain says? I for sure don't. I'm for putting the country in the right direction after 8 years in the wrong direction.

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(1)

yopatte

10:49 AMJul 22 2008

Did McCain really say when you win the war troops come home> Wasn't he in Vietnam? Wasn't he a POW? Now prove to me this man can lead the country.

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(1)

Lcgfrancis

10:36 AMJul 22 2008

Senator Obama did not say 57 STATES. He said 57 elections. The US does have territories!

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