DNC To John McCain: "Stop Whining"

John McCain "defended himself Friday against television ads that accuse him of advocating a 100-year war in Iraq," the AP reported. (The Huffington Post unveiled the DNC's Iraq ad -- you can view it here.)

The ads tie McCain to President Bush and cite McCain's comments that there could be an American military presence in Iraq for 100 years. They are being run by the Democratic National Committee and the liberal group MoveOn.org.

"One hundred years in Iraq? And you thought no one could be worse than George Bush," an announcer says in the most recent ad, run by MoveOn.org.

McCain brought up the commercials at a town hall meeting Friday in Denver, saying they are lies. He doesn't deny saying "100 years" in connection with U.S. military operations in Iraq, but says he was clearly referring to a possible peacekeeping force -- not a centurylong war, as critics imply.

"You have seen an ad campaign that is mounted against me that says I wanted to stay and fight in Iraq and fight for 100 years," McCain told about 300 people at the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center.

"My friends, it's a direct falsification, and I'm sorry that political campaigns have to deteriorate in this fashion," McCain said. "Because there's legitimate differences between myself and Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on what we should do in Iraq."

But the DNC is hardly backing down. In a statement released to The Huffington Post late Friday, DNC communications director Karen Finney said, "John McCain should stop whining. We can see why John McCain doesn't want people to see this ad, but its time for him to defend his own words. Clearly John McCain knows that the more people learn about his real record and his willingness to keep our brave troops in Iraq for 100 years, the more they'll see he is not the right choice for America's future."

Moreoever, the Dems pointed to a new poll showing why McCain is "so upset":

Results from a new national study among 629 self-reported Democrats, Republicans and independent voters showed that after viewing a new DNC ad attacking Senator McCain, independent voters' favorability ratings of the senator decreased by 10% points.

The study was conducted by HCD Research on April 29, 2008, to obtain Americans' perceptions of a new DNC ad entitled "100" that attacks Senator John McCain. The ad features a clip from a January 3, 2008 town hall meeting in Derry, New Hampshire in which Senator McCain responded with his hundred year remark to a comment from an audience member who mentioned last year's White House statement about the U.S. having a possible 50 year military presence in Iraq.

Among the study findings:

• Prior to viewing the ad, 57% of independents rated Senator McCain as either "Very Favorable" or "Mostly Favorable." After viewing the ad the number dropped to 47%. On the same measure, favorability ratings of Senator McCain by Republican viewers decreased by 4% points after viewing the ad, 80% to 76%.
• In response to a hypothetical election matchup between Senator McCain and Senator Barack Obama, survey participants favored Senator McCain 39-36 prior to viewing the ad and favored Senator Obama 40-36 after viewing the ad.
• In response to a hypothetical election matchup between Senator McCain and Hillary Clinton, survey participants favored Senator McCain 40-38 prior to viewing the ad and favored Senator Clinton 41-38 after viewing the ad.

Comments

[SCG]

100 years of "peaceful" occupation or the oil depletes, whichever comes first.

[tubette]

i REALLY hope they do a bomb bomb bomb ad.....

[EyeballKid]

I'd estimate that the Johnny McBomb-bomb ad is being saved for the general election.

[fourex]

The Hagee Rapture conference with McCain and friends will be the halftime show, ending with the Parsley Armageddon speech that wants to destroy Iran and Israel. These videos are out there.

[prscnt1]

The war was and is to control the oil market, oil prices and transfer wealth to the oil producing states within the US which are the Gulf states through Rocky mountain states all the way to Alaska. To do this, military industrial complex also had to take part, and surprise! Surprise! They jumped on the opportunity to use out obsolete stockpiles of weapons, paddle "new" systems and technologies against stateless enemies. If this is not enough, IT (Info Tech) guys saw a massive opportunity to build database driven police state. The net result is that our orifices are probed everyday.

Arizona does not produce oil, and McCuntain had no interest in oil except the campaign contributions from the oil companies, hence the truth. But the little old bastard will soon will be back paddling after spanked.

The war will go on: oil, IT, military and our weapons industry have their suckers on every pore of our skin, and they will not let go until we are sucked dry. In the process, the whole US will be owned by the rest of the world as we sell out everything to feed these four monsters.

Let us see how fast CrazyDemocrat=looney Republican replies!

[ChiGuy]

The person campaigning to be his VP running mate, Hillary, said it best:

"If you can't stand the heat..."

[MTTM]

Grandpa McCain is a dottering old militaristic fool who's kissed up to the Theocratic fascist wing of the Neocon base.

He's a lot like Mussolini, except without the intelligence.

[Eoin45]

That's 'doddering' not 'dottering'. Maybe you're getting a little senile yourself. I don't like McCain either but knock off the age-ist 'grandpa' crap.

[koshanostra]

or the moustache

[IraqistheHotGates]

Do you guys think attacking McCain's heroic service or his age will really carry you all the way through November?

Really?

[graffen48]

Yes, I wonder how many innocent women and children he blew to pieces on his bombing runs in Vietnam, something I never understood....how can one believe in some good and gracious god and yet be responsible for blowing innocent people away??? Every single person he killed with one of his bombs was a mother, or a father , or a sister , or a brother to someone. I wonder how he lives with that???

Also, I don't want some 72 year old man who's already having "senior moments" to be my leader. I know plenty of people who are in their 80's that have a sharper mind than McCain does.

[JAYFRTTT]

He was a soldier. A simple soldier who believed in the oath of loyalty to our Flag. He followed orders. He was told what to; saluted; and said "YES SIR". A soldier does not get to pick his fights he is nothing more than a human weapon unleashed by his commanders from orders from above them. I believ that original order was given by a President named Kennedy.

[landmine]

Having actually been around during McCains " vicous outburst" period, I have to wonder what has brought about his apparent, recent "calm".
Medication, Lobotomy, Therapy?
On a personal level, I hope he is "cured".
However, it is disturbing that he continues to strut his military mindset and support of Bush policies, reflexively.
Finally, his communication skills seem to be out of adjustment. He is always having to "explin what he really meant". This is not a good thing.
We are evaluating people to lead our country. I see a problem with electing someone who I often don't understand, and a large part of our population doesn't understand.
It reminds me of caring for an aged Uncle. Where one might have to ask questions several times in order to understand what dear old Uncle John is saying....and meaning.
Would be extra difficult to find Uncle John out back or across the street hollering and throwing things at the neighbors.

[veteran1964]

Believe me, he is biting his tongue daily and soon we will see an outburst....This temper can only be held in for a short time. He wants the c=nts, as--oles, wh--res, and so-bit-es out here to think that he is such a nice guy.

[MTTM]

Grandpa McCain isn't mentally or physically fit to be President. What a Moonbat!

[jupitor]

It's about time the Dem's struck back. It's time the Dem's get a blasted nomanee to go at him and in his face! My only worry is it will be Hillary, and they will agree on to much to go at each other on a lot of things! And wasn't it them who's already has said things about Obama okn the campagne trail? So what does he have to whine about?

[dsbsh]

He's been coddled so much by the MSM that he can't remember the last time he's been attacked on his record. (And this is not an attack on his memory, but on the bootlicking MSM.)

[CuriousPerson]

You're calling McCain a moonbat?

[TrueIndy08]

but the sad thing is there are enough idiotic democrats that are willing to spite the party and vote for this idiot... its sad!

[Gordon]

the term moonbat is traditionally used to describe those on the left

[americanwhocares]

Mr. McCain is unable to stop whining. He is required to change his "depends" so often.

[JAYFRTTT]

Everyone knows, that is, anyone with basic knowledge of world history, that without our military in Europe after WWII we would not have the alliances that we do have with these great countries. Ask any nation in Europe if they would have rather not had us there. We know what that answer is and what would have happenned if our forces were not on the scene - the Bear from the North would have taken over the countries we had just helped free. Our troops are still stationed there today, and thank God for that. These soldiers are in no immediate danger, but are there to make sure that no danger arises.
John McCain means nothing different when he talks of a hundred years for our soldiers in Iraq. Being there to to keep a peace and help build free sociaties.

[cathye]

But it IS different. Japan and Germany were the aggressors, and they were beaten fair and square. They signed a treaty that included in a provision to keep a US presence within their country for an indefinite period of time. In the case of Iraq, it was the US that invaded them. No treaties were signed that permitted the US to keep a force in Iraq because there is no peace there.

Liberation from tyranny is something that historically has to come from within. It cannot be imposed from outside forces. Those forces can assist, but the bloody internal mess of revolution can only be handled by the citizens. Not outside interest. Until we stop mucking around there, Iraq can never begin to move forward.

[IntelligentDesign]

Reason # 27 Why We Invaded Iraq: Build peace and help build a free society.

[4peace]

JJ - that was then and this is now.....lets build a peaceful, free society in the good ole motherland, seems we ought to do away with the do as I say not as I do mentality........just sayin.

Peace through violence doesn't work, and if ANYONE thinks Iraq is better off today than they were "back in the day" of Saddam Hussein, they are moonbat, effed in the head, CRAZY.

[Rumplestiltskin]

So you would argue that live in a totalitarian state subject to the whims of a goon is preferrable to a chance for personal liberty. That is interesting. You may want to ask the Kurds if they agree with your thinking.

[bogananda666]

The reason for the American occupation in Europe was to protect it for American markets. Europe was destroyed and needed reconstruction and the USA was the only country in the World with its means of production intact.. The troops were to protect the American capitalists markets there. The Europeans like being protected by the American military, it gives them money for health care and other services. They also realize that it will eventually lead to the demise of America which is alredy happening.

[Moka11]

Anyone with basic knowledge of why America was attacked on 9/11 knows that Bin Laden hated the United States for our policies and presence in the Middle East. The thought of having an American military present in Iraq for a "hundred years" and building an American military base the size of the Vatican with an "amusement park", fast food franchises, Starbucks, billiard rooms, etc. is a continued trashing of the "Holy Land" and propels the recruitment of suicide bombers, jihad, al qaeda, and insurgency.
To imagine American military forces "keeping peace" for a hundred years "peacefully" highlights the arrogance and fundamental misunderstanding of American foreign policy in the Middle East. American military occupation offends hundreds of years of Middle Eastern sacred history.

[coolkraft]

another example of just how out of touch this moron bad tempered McCain is

[rh654]

If the DNC actually takes some pages from the Republicans play book in how to fight for the White House - they should be much more successful.

[bogananda666]

You're right in they are defining McCain. They have to bring his Alzheimer's up as well. Families with member who have it know better than anyone that Alzheimer's should disqualify anyone as president. Ronald Reagoon has the Republican Party Alzheimer's for at least his last term which proves that for a REpublican to be president doesn't require a mind and/or a brain and they prefer it that way.

[oneeyedodin]

This is no way to talk to the next POTUS.

[1differentdrummer]

Now that is a hooha. The only way I see that happening is for all of the Ds to sit on their butts and neither work nor give to their candidate.I'm prepared to vote for either D candidate because to let McBush into power would give us at least four more years and I don't think the country can stand that. 100 Years War? Europe had that, we don't need it.

[Jason357]

You guys keep pushing McClinton, and McCain is EXACTLY what we'll end up with.

[VisiteDeVoltaire]

Worship of authority is not a precept of the Constitution. Even if he does become the next POTUS, the president is still ONLY a politician. He is supposed to be a SERVANT of the people not an autocrat.

This may be a concept which is hard to accept for some, but there is no monarchy in the United States. The idea that anyone is more deserving of respect than another simply because he is an elected official is Un-American at best and totalitarian at worst.

[Elderta]

Bravo, DNC!
This advertisement was the reason why I pledged to give $10 a month to the DNC through November for more great ads like this. I just wish it could be more. Thanks, Howard!!!

[paixa3]

Believe me, if the DNC will do this weekly, I will gladly chip in ten per month.

[amst]

Of course nobody knows what will happen, BUT the ONLY reason McCain is doing well (more or less) is becaue the Dems don't have a candidate yet. Trust me, He'll be easy to oop I think. They have so much material on him with the 100 year war, the deragotory word he called his wife, his temper (yes, I know, I hate this slime game too, but let's face it, people are dumb enough to let these things influence them and it works to a degree) That along with McCain's age, which I really thinks is noticeable just by how "slow" he seems. Anyway, Obama can kick his butt easily I think.

[TocinoHumano]

I love the slime game. It's payback time. The Republicans have been doing it to us for decades. Now it's their turn to be on the receiving end. As I've said before, the beauty of running a negative campaign against a Republicans is that all you have to do is tell the truth.

And once the general begins, remember this: You should never hit Republicans when they're down, because it's easier to kick them.

[bogananda666]

Not to mention his Alzheimer's which the Republicans prefer. Ronald Reagoon has Alzheimer's for at least his last term which proves that a Republican president doesn't require a brain and/or a mind and that's what preeminently qualifies McCain.