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

[fourex]

John, you jumped way ahead of the program. Iran doesn't train al Qaeda until 2010 two years before the Rapture. Didn't Hagee teach you anything?

[realpolitic]

Will Hagee be McCain's Secretary of State?

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Nope, Attorney General.

[loball]

Attention Repubs-
This is what happens when you get your intelligence from Fox news.

There were no WMD's. Saddam did not attack us on 911. Not all Muslims are terrorists. Al Qaida was not in Iraq pre-invasion. Iran is not poised to destroy the earth. People are fighting for their families and lives in Iraq, not because they "hate our freedom".

McCain is not fit to wield the kind of power that will be given to the next president.

[TimN]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-09-06-poll-iraq_x.htm

Poll: 70% believe Saddam, 9-11 link

WASHINGTON (AP) —

Sixty-nine percent in a Washington Post poll published Saturday said they believe it is likely the Iraqi leader was personally involved in the attacks carried out by al-Qaeda. A MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS, Republicans and independents believe it's likely Saddam was involved.

[realpolitic]

What does your nutty poll prove? That people believed the load of bull coming from the administration. People believed what they wanted to believe immediately after 9-11. Bush used Iraq and al-Qaida together in every other sentence.

[TAC]

"Sixty-nine percent in a Washington Post poll published Saturday said they believe it is likely the Iraqi leader was personally involved in the attacks carried out by al-Qaeda."

A few years ago, a poll showed 85 percent of the military believed the same thing. Just pathetic...

[BlackWidowPilot]

Yes, and an equal or larger result comes when the question is asked should we pull our people out of Iraq.

And if, Tim, you'd had taken statistics in college, you would understand the *limitations* of polling.

Polls should be taken with a grain of salt, no matter what one's bias is, no matter what the results of the poll may indicate, and one must always consider the source, and remember that polls depend upon sample populations, and *where* the sample population resides can have a great deal to do with the net results.

A healthy skepticism is a healthy habit to acquire, Not a slavish devotion to the "Gang of Pedophiles" and their Bushevik agenda.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[TimN]

Let me scratch that last sentence. It was unnecessary.

[jennbeez]

Look for a recent unscientific poll. This one was conducted 3 years ago.

[calirighty]

Attention dems- this is what happens when you don't read the news. There were WMD's. Some were found and other evidence points to them being shipped out prior to the invasion. That is Fact. No one EVER said Saddam was behind 9-11. But that does not matter because he broke the treaty that ended the gulf war by 1) failure to allow unhindered weapons inspections 2) illegally paying $25,000 to the families of suicide bombers 3) illegally targeting U.S. aircraft in the No Fly Zone with radar. 4) firing surface to air (SAM) missiles at U.S. and coalition aircraft. That is FACT. No one EVER said that all Muslims were terrorists. Strange though that all captured or killed terrorists have been Muslims. That is FACT. Al Qaida was ABSOLUTELY in Iraq prior to 9-11. That has been proven by both U.S. AND foreign intelligence. That is FACT. Iran has stated they want to "wipe Israel and the Zionist (American) nations off the face of the Earth." That is fact. People are NOT fighting for their families and lives. Most of the insurgents are either 1) Islamic extremists trying to gain sectarian power or 2) criminals who are trying to cash in on the black market stealing and selling of oil. That is FACT. My sources are reputable news agencies such as NBC and CNN, intelligence agencies both foreign and domestic, The 9-11 Commission and, family, friends and acquaintances who have actually BEEN in Iraq. What are YOUR sources?

[desmirl]

The lead picture on the home page? Moe, Larry, and Curly.

[CaptainVideo]

The telephone rings at 3 A.M. . President McCain picks it up and says "Bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran!

[Rog49Thomas]

Phones in the patients' rooms in nursing homes are turned off after 11PM so their sleep is not disturbed.

[Bluesue]

We saw McCain misspeak a few times in the primaries (a few times in Florida come to mind) and Lieberman stepped in to clarify. I think we should be aware if there is a pattern. He may be physically vigorous but is he mentally vigorous, especially under stress and a heavy schedule.
I firmly believe Reagan had the beginnings of Alzheimer's while in the White House and McCain's age concerns me for this reason.

[hu.man]

This is a really valid issue. It must be brought up in the campaign. Senility is a progressive disease and its onset is very difficult to detect. McCain needs to be thoroughly examined for his mental health. We saw how things turned out with Reagan. Everybody was suspicious toward the end of his presidency about his mental health and those suspicions were borne out after Reagan left office.

We don't need a president that is at 98% and declining. We need on at 100% and holding. There is no margin of error here. The Reagan snafu should be brought up in the fall campaign.

[BeeClone]

Don’t worry McCain won’t be in the white house, unless he’s there to visit President Obama.

[iPolitics]

McCain: 100 years in Iraq. War with Iran. Admits he has no clue on the economy. He is Bush w/o the Jesus Camp

[dartagnan]

Ah yes, the voice of "experience" is heard.

What a jerkoff. Can you imagine how America will react to the sight of this senile bumbling warmongering idiot on the same platform with Barack Obama? Damn, I can't wait.

[jimdog1954]

Ditto, Dartagnan... Obama will mop the floor with this knucklehead. The new CNN poll seems to show a dead heat between McCain and the Dems. No frickin' way, dude.. When the general election campaigning begins, McCain's numbers will free-fall faster than the U.S. dollar. Barack On, America!!!

[avicenna]

Between McCain's and Clinton's extensive experience and world knowledge, is it any wonder how well things are going for America? Hate to bring a thinking person into the executive branch, eh? The only people training terrorists are those who defy the Geneva convention, use torture and degradation, and keep innocents incarcerated without trial... wonder if McCain would be able to pick his own gov't from a line-up.

[LucyC]

This man is too old to serve as President. Period.

[BlackWidowPilot]

Lucy,

about "Hundred Years War" McCain, this man is too *incompetent* to serve as President.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[realpolitic]

He will make further gaffs like this one and people will begin to wonder.

[jaschrod]

It's not his age as much as he is just dumb. I do not know where people find this person smart enough to be president, I guess the same people who thought Bush was smart enough.

[Gerald36]

Not only too old, but has been so long at the Senate that he doesn't know what the hell to do with his life; he should quit and get a life!

[cricket]

mccain's foreign policy depth is truly inspiring. i am sure hillary or obama cannot touch these depths .

[CaptainVideo]

But Hillary says McCain is qualified to be commander in chief while Obama is not.

[MikeMidCity]

What does that tell us about Hillary's judgement when coupled with her vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq?

[Meah]

That is right. Obama is the only one who is not dizzy from spinning all of the time.

[realpolitic]

Well, we will take your word on it. Do you know who will win the second race tomorrow at Balmoral?

[Giordano Bruno]

What has been said all along about the neocons, of which John McCain is certainly a derivative form, is that they make the facts fit what they want the truth to be rather than what it is.

It is far more convenient if you can paint a monolithic enemy, evil incarnate, part of an axis, part of a conspiracy, something designed to evoke fear and loathing among the voters to distract them from their economic and security self interests.

America has been lied to. It's leaders have not stood in integrity. They have misled us. Mr. McCain, probably made an honest mistake, demonstrating that he has big gaps in his knowledge base about the middle east and about the sunni shiite differences. If he did know he is a demagogue. If he didn't know about it, then he is a dimwit. What I keep telling myself about McCain (since he has a very good chance to replace 43, is that at least he is a bright fellow). Just like McCain himself, it seems like I was mistaken. He ain't that bright, and if he is, he's a damn liar. And possibly he is like 43--both a damn liar and a stupid shit.

Giordy

[peterg76]

Well, he can't be president if he can't even keep the simple lies straight.

[Taan]

Why does our political system have such difficulty in nominating men and women not only outstanding in character and experience but those who stand above the petty, peeviousness of candidates squabbling over irrelevant issues. Somewhere between the minimum age requirement and the nursing home there must be battalions of superbly qualified applicants for the Oval Office. Is it that these folks are repelled by the pigsty atmosphere in which the electable must wallow in order to make it to the White House?

[ProfessorDuh]

McBush has a senior moment. And it won't be the last.

[moana]

OH my goodness, did his home health aide forget to show up for his med reminders?