1. McCain's hammering Democrats for not supporting the troops and Barack Obama's campaign may be flaming out: http://www.solidpolitics.com

Bill at 9:20AM on Mar 28th 2007

2. McCain's idea of supporting the troops is to lie about the deadly challenges they face.
As for his own military service, McCain apparently took flight school as seriously as did Cod-piece Dumbya. If not for the Vietnamese villagers rescuing him from the lake in which he landed in his ejector seat he would have drowned. Had he taken his training more seriously he would have remembered to tuck his arms before "punching out" of his aircraft. McCain graduated near the bottom of his class at Naval Academy, then got into flight school thanks to his dad - who was Admiral of the Navy.
After daddy greased the skids for McCain's naval "career," John married into the Anheiser Busch empire, and moved to AZ where he was able to (carpetbag) spread enough of his wife's money around to get elected. Just like Dumbya Bush, McCain has had everything handed to him. Is it any surprise that he is so far removed from reality (and honesty)?

el maestro at 11:11AM on Mar 28th 2007

3. And yet, you dont care that you're own libs are shameless liars mr. el maestro. Wow. Hypocrisy at it's best. To bad you dont have a dad whose been over there, whose seen the sites, and who KNOWS that it is improving. It's not half as bad as CNN makes it out to be. But then, CNN is the all-knowing...

Quincy Q. at 12:28PM on Mar 28th 2007

4. I'd have to go with Michael Ware's opinion since he's been in Iraq the past four years. If John McCain wants to prove what he says about the 'safety' of some parts of Iraq, he and George W. Bush and Dick Cheney can simply visit Iraq and take a stroll down the safe neighborhoods. Unfortunately, John McCain can't take his POW experience with him to bolster a fantasyland untruth about Iraq. It doesn't float.

Gus at 11:35AM on Mar 28th 2007

5. Hey Wolfie-there are several American Cities that I wouldn't feel safe walking around in----lets take a stroll in South Central LA.

Rico

Rico at 11:55AM on Mar 28th 2007

6. I absolutely believe Michael Ware, he is right there daily and "knows" the factual truth of the conditions!!

Jean at 12:02PM on Mar 28th 2007

7. That makes McCain look like the total ditto-head George Bush so very much counts on. The man is ridiculous..him President?hahahaha NEVER!

kevin at 12:15PM on Mar 28th 2007

8. Michael Ware must be made of steel. Not ony does he work in that hellhole Iraq, but he is like a breath of fresh air, even as he is telling it like he sees it. We have been holding our breath, waiting for him to be uninvited to report, on CNN.

Wendy McDonald at 12:27PM on Mar 28th 2007

9. To QunicyQ:
Is your dad the source of your knowledge of Iraq? Is he also responsible for your writing and reasoning skills (such as they are)? That would explain a lot.

el maestro at 12:32PM on Mar 28th 2007

10. McCain appears to have succumbed to the allure of power by supporting the Bush fantasy of victory in Iraq. Like most delusions its the refuge of cowards who push the most for war but are the most reluctant to do any actual fighting.

There is no honor in war fought under the pretext of lies, incompetance and corruption. This administration and McCain are under the delusion we are making friends by killing 600,000+ Iraqi's and having 2,000,000 refugees. If the same numbers of deaths on your families and destruction was visited on our country would we welcome - ever?

Dale Freeman at 12:47PM on Mar 28th 2007

11. Is it not patently clear that the debacle of Iraq is being politicized by far right wing ideologues. All US citizens want success for our military endeavors. We greatly desire that the sacrifices of our true patriots on the front lines be rewarded with wished for outcome. Fact is, they achieved all primary goals with the capture of Saddam, an elected government and removal of the Baathist regime.
Michael Ware is and has been right there in Iraq, he sees on a day to day basis the reality of the situation and is still able to report openly all pertinent facts. Those who believe that somehow the media is responsible for what is taking place are more interested in political score cards than realities.
Johnny Mchasbeen! Running for office McCain is playing to any group who will support him. Next he well be telling us about how he's found Jesus and been saved. Note how these war hawks talk, stating that this will take a long time to resolve.
Damn right Johnny, these barbarians have been fighting among themselves for millennia, even prior to Muhammad or the Muslim schism which has so deeply divided them. When will he, and those like him, admit that we cannot win this militarily, that we cannot begin to effect all necessary changes in the thinking of a culture so deeply divided in hate for one another? How does anyone believe the western world can walk into the Muslim mind and change centuries of sectarianism?
Yes John, do go to Iraq and walk down those streets you speak of, BEFORE they've been policed by our troops to clear all possible suicide bombers, snipers or other insurgent attacks.
Is it not clear that McCain feels he has much to gain by obfuscating facts in his desire to win the office of president. Once I felt McCain was a fair, open and honest man> Certainly I will always respect his great sacrifice during a previous war. That is why I hope he wins the election, since he wants it so much, let those who started this mess be forced to resolving it. Let them have the pleasure of reuniting us as a nation and earning our place of respect and honor throughout the world.
Bottom line, I believe the guy in the streets of Iraq, he is living the truths of this situation..........

Steve at 12:45PM on Mar 28th 2007

12. And yet, you dont care that you're own libs are shameless liars mr. el maestro. Wow. Hypocrisy at it's best. To bad you dont have a dad whose been over there, whose seen the sites, and who KNOWS that it is improving. It's not half as bad as CNN makes it out to be. But then, CNN is the all-knowing...Quincy Q.

Wow, Curly Q, calm down--you are becoming overly emotional about a simple question. In the very narrow scope of this question, Michael Ware seems more credible than John McCain.

McCain has a significant political stake in putting a positive spin on the situation in Iraq. Ware is just calling it as he sees it everyday from a "boots on the ground" perspective.

If you look hard enough, you can find improvement in the Iraqi situation. I watched some close relatives suffer with cancer for months. Sometimes they had "good days" and I became hopeful that their condition was improving. Those positive bounces gave me hope that would win their fight with cancer. Both of them died, though.

My optimism was based on hope that things would turn out the way I wanted, and my inability to accept the premise of an unacceptable reality (denial). Sound familiar?

Art at 12:43PM on Mar 28th 2007

13. John McCain is exagerating the progress from the recent troop surge in Baghdad. Americans would be killed or kidnapped in short order if they began strolling about in Baghdad. Michael Ware wouldn't admit that anything the U.S. Military does in Iraq could ever lead to improvement. Sectarian violence HAS BEEN REDUCED there.

ron reed at 1:34PM on Mar 28th 2007

14. Senator McClain sure lost my vote with his stupid unwavering support for this fiasco called war in Iraq. As a Viet Nam vet and not a POW even I know a civil war when I see one and am damned that our men have to fight that war. The gutless wonders are better at sneak killing each other and everyone else from ambush than a real face to face confrontation. Let them fight their own war and let's pull the hell out of there and NOT spent one cent more.

Stimpy58 at 11:36PM on Mar 28th 2007

15. If what John McCain says is true then the war should be over pretty quickly when the bulk of the troops committed to the surge gets in country. Right now only about a third has reached Iraq. I would suggest to Senator McCain that he go to Iraq and demonstrate along with General Batreus how well things are going by taking a stroll through those safe areas he was talking about without body armor, armored humvees, or armed escorts. Perception is everything.

Charles at 2:05PM on Mar 28th 2007