McCain Gaffe: "Common Knowledge" That Iran Is Training Al-Qaida

*** UPDATES BELOW ***

Sen. John McCain is taking this week to travel the Middle East (as well as stop of in London for a fundraiser). Today in Jordan, he falsely claimed that the predominantly Sunni terrorist organization Al-Qaida was receiving training from predominantly Shia Iran:

Speaking to reporters in Amman, the Jordanian capital, McCain said he and two Senate colleagues traveling with him continue to be concerned about Iranian operatives "taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back."

Pressed to elaborate, McCain said it was "common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well known. And it's unfortunate." A few moments later, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, standing just behind McCain, stepped forward and whispered in the presidential candidate's ear. McCain then said: "I'm sorry, the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda."

Continue reading here.

UPDATE: McCain made these statements yesterday on Hugh Hewitt's radio show:

As you know, there are Al Qaeda operatives that are taken back into Iran, given training as leaders, and they're moving back into Iraq.

Listen to the audio here.

UPDATE: The McCain campaign has offered a statement acknowledging the mistake, and saying Democrats are making mountains out of molehills:

"In a press conference today, John McCain misspoke and immediately corrected himself by stating that Iran is in fact supporting radical Islamic extremists in Iraq, not Al Qaeda -- as the transcript shows. Democrats have launched political attacks today because they know the American people have deep concerns about their candidates' judgment and readiness to lead as commander in chief."

The statement does not address his mistake from yesterday.

UPDATE: The DNC Communications Director Karen Finney released this statement:

"After eight years of the Bush Administration's incompetence in Iraq, McCain's comments don't give the American people a reason to believe that he can be trusted to offer a clear way forward. Not only is Senator McCain wrong on Iraq once again, but he showed he either doesn't understand the challenges facing Iraq and the region or is willing to ignore the facts on the ground."

Comments

[gd7277467]

Christ McShame !!

Do America an incredible favor !!!

Go home !!!

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Seems like McSame has missed more than a few doses of Arecept this week.

Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran
BOMB IRA-A-A-AN
It's just like Ira-a-a-aq,
But with an N-N-N.
(all together now)
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran

And I thought Brian Wilson was crazy!

[darker]

McCain sounds like LIAR GWBush ALL OVER AGAIN.
Does McCain have the necessary brain to be Presidential material?
NOT.

[SmolderingRuin]

Senior moment?

[Aquinas]

You/ve got it exactly right: Senior moment.
Wait for more if he's elected.

[dax49]

fox has spent the whole night trashing obama and not even mentioned this. it shocks me just how racist sean hannity and newt gingrich are and no body calls them on it. it is truly disgusting

[charlietuna11]

wouldsomeone please contact mccains doctor about adjusting his medication­..its an imbarassement watching this clown..if theres one certainty in life ,you can be sure your never going to see the sen. on jeorpardy.­.

[Cos1]

too funny. it won't be his last gaff. better watch him tho. he might say the wrong thing and get us into awar we can't get out of for 100 years.

[patrickjkiger]

I know it seems like a dumb mistake for a candidate who is presenting himself as a foreign policy expert, but remember that before the invasion of Iraq, Bush reportedly didn't know the difference between Sunnis and Shiites either. And look how well he worked out for us.

[CC1]

First of all, Iran arming or helping al-Qaeda is hogwash. Iran supports Hezbollah, a Shiite group, and al-Qaeda is a Wahhabi Sunni group. In either event, it holds little relevance to a presidential campaign. I don't trust McCain, Clinton or Obama. I have no choice but to pick the lesser of the three evils. Honest politicians, and pro-change protesters like myself have little voice in this corrupt country. I'm ashamed.

[Erdgeist]

Never have so few been so out of touch with so many.

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

.

If you're talking about some of the republicans I've read about in the past several years, you must mean "never have so many been touched by so few".
.

[BlackWidowPilot]

Er, I would argue that *touching* is a systemic problem within the ranks of the GOP:

http://www.armchairsubversive.org

"Gang of Pedophiles" is what "Hundred Years War" McCain remains a loyal partisan of.

Just what we need; four more years of the Busheviks. Family values like the locals in THE HILLS HAVE EYES.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[Gary47]

Hi body certainly hasn't quit, but we're not so sure about his mind.

[SanityNow]

PLEASE use this footage during the general election campaign. This was not a slip of the tongue. McSame's agenda is clear. To continue down a path of destruction and war profiteering for a few, at the cost of many.
"Common knowledge and reported in the media . . . " a script from Dick Cheney's playbook.

[sebocd]

The old buzzard is liable to get in a plane and napalm Denver during the Democratic convention, thinking he's after Al-Qaida.

[Nochnoi]

LOL!

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

I'm sure Georgie W. will let him borrow his flightsuit for the photo-op. He won't let him borrow the codpiece, but the flightsuit­... no problem.

[Opinionater]

The Republicans sure picked a winner this time.

[dogman44]

In the photograph he looks like he's having one of those smack yourself in the forehead, Homer
Simson DOH moments.