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

[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.

[CrazyDemocrat]

Maybe it's just me, but you sound a little paranoid

[prscnt1]

Yes it is just you!

How are the profits from the war?

[Crozier]

MAYBE IT'S JUST ME.....BUT I THINK THAT YOU HAVE NAILED THE ISSUE TO THE OBSERVATION OF ALL CORPORATE SHILLS --MCCAIN OR HILBOT - WHO POST HERE.

[NotWaldo]

Let's use the right words. America did not go to WAR with Iraq, it was an illegal INVASION. America is not KEEPING the peace in Iraq, it's called an OCCUPATION.

[CrazyDemocrat]

Fully funded by both democrats and republicans alike...Guess they like occupations also !

[Bobby]

However, 23 Senators voted against the Iraq war resolution. 21 were Democrat, 1 was a Republican and 1 was Independent. The Republicans have much more blood on their hands in my opinion, but the leadership of Pelosi and Reid has been terrible since the 2006 elections.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00237

[Kalima]

Started by Republicans for oil, funded by Dems for the sake of supporting
the troops. In a nutshell what more do you want?
Do you ever think things through ?

[prscnt1]

CrazyDemocrat = Looney Republican.

[qdog112]

Republicans are the " they did it too party" They never take responsibility for anything, no matter how red-handed they are caught. THIS IS BUSH'S WAR AND HE MUST OWN IT!

[Bobby]

McCain...stop whining. Stop getting your facts wrong about Iraq. Stop flip flopping on issues such as torture and tax cuts for the very rich. Stop aligning yourself with religious idiots like Hagee and Parsley while the MSM drools over Rev. Wright. Stop being delusional. Stop selling out to lobbyists, including having them run your campaign. Stop fighting the GI bill that REAL heroes like Chuck Hagel and Jim Webb support. Stop claiming your war hero status when you were shot down on your FIRST sortie over Nam, and you did over 30 videos for Charlie.

[lucky54]

IMHO John McSame should be gently put a sleep, or at last locked up in a nice nursing home.

[deke33]

A peace keeping force? Let's see didn't Bush declare all major battles over with on the Mission Accomplished aircraft carrier? Is that what we have in Iraq now a peace keeping force? McCain is ridiculous. He voted against the ban on torture, he opposes a GI Bill for our troops, which I suspect has in it healthcare for wounded troops. Yep, he is a Bushie.

[Jason357]

Someone needs to ask McCain about the comparison of Iraq to the US . He Bush and the other focus group morons have used the same 100 years, hundreds of years comparison in the evolution of the US and how it takes time. The opium trade in Afghanistan, and all of those issues need to be answered.

People need to remind McCain of history, how the British Empire behaved and the US was supposed to be different. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars

[BOBONDE]

HEY YOUNG PEOPLE, WANT A FREE TRIP TO IRAQ OR IRAN, THEN BOMB BOMB MC CAIN IS YOUR GUY TO SUPPORT.

[bobo209]

INSANE MACAIN=

Number Of Iraqis Slaughtered In US War And Occupation Of Iraq "1,205,025"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In U.S. War And Occupation Of Iraq 4,065


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cost of U.S. War and Occupation of Iraq

$516,207,839,839


I REST MY CASE..

[bobo209]

He is our hero for killing brown people/?ohh jesus of texas..my friend he is insane and OLD...He is on a metamucil trip.

[zann]

I'm no McCain fan, but...
He didn't mean we'd be at war with Iraq for 100 years as the ad implies, just that we'd maintain the army bases and embassies there that we built at such huge cost.

How can we hate the ads that distort and decontext our candidates (Obama in may case) and cheer when its done to somebody else?

Like most people, I try to be honest and ethical in my private life. Its self-intereest- I'd be fired and friendless otherwise.

So you go from your private life relationships to various relationships with strangers, that is, famous strangers like the political candidates, or from their point of view, the voting masses. Do you have to SHOUT, and SHOCK to be heard at all?

Wouldn't it be great if there was One Trusted Source that would keep things in perspective and context for us? We could check in briefly once in a while. Instead we get overpaid pundits, who have to compete with each other and SHOUT and SHOCK. And distort and decontext and confuse us. And Huffington Post, which is comfortable for me since it trends towards Obama, but is too entertaining and shouty and shocky to be One Trusted Source.

And by now as soon as I hear the word "whining" my mind just shuts down.

[Gma11]

I partially agree.

I agree that he did not mean we would be fighting in Iraq for 100.

I disagree (with McCain, not you, zann) that our keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years would be like keeping troops in Korea for 100 years. Given the historial conflict between Sunni, Shia, and Kurds between Arabs and Persians, between Muslims and Christians, and between local people and their western colonizing powers, it is very likely we would continue to be targets of attack until we leave, whether that be two years or 100. The prerequisites for democracy do not yet exist in such tribal societies.

My son-in-law helped construct some our permanent bases while he was there - and they are intended to be permanent regardless of what this lying administration has informed us. The Iraqis are fully aware of this as well. How can they trust anything our administration has to say?

I dislike misleading ads as well. The contrast could have made more appropriately.

[Mij13]

The other day he also changed the meaning of what the president said when he announced "Mission Accomplished". He's getting exactly what he deserves here. Nothing misleading about that ad at all.

[deke33]

I suppose you support his vote on not banning torture and his disapproval of the Veterans bill. I hope this is part of your clear thinking ethicalness.

[SouthpawSass]

The problem with McCain's "100 years" is if we stay, regardless of what he "claims" our troops mission will be, will only serve to embolden those who attacked us on 9/11 - you know, the one's that we refuse to go after. Do you understand why the 9/11 guys were kinda pissed? Because we were on their property to begin with...

Non combat tours? Will our troops be armed with mace? What will they do if fired upon? Not fire back? So, if someone fires at our soldiers and our soldiers in defense, fire back, then is that not combat?

[DeSwiss]

"He didn't mean we'd be at war with Iraq for 100 years as the ad implies, just that we'd maintain the army bases and embassies there that we built at such huge cost."
===============================================================================

I've heard this refinement of what he "meant" before. Let's just hope that the Iraqis cooperate with the "McCain 100 Year Peacekeeping Plan," because that's the only way its going to work. Its take two to tango, remember. And if we're to be doing "peacekeeping" for another hundred years, then what exactly are we doing now?

And if this IS peacekeeping, then why are our service people still getting shot at, bombarded with mortars and IEDs, and being killed??? And whose side do we take in their civil war? A religious/tribal/extended family civil war at that.

It all still sounds like war to me....

[Jason357]

This issue about definitions is revealing a much deeper issue, the liars and corrupt jerks currently in US politics. I's time to clean house, starting with McCain.

[CTmom13]

He did mean stay in Iraq for up to 100 yrs....even if it's bases we don't need that, we need to spend the money here.....HE SAID IT, STOP WHINING

[RussT]

It seems to me the only folks whining are The Democrats.

"Wah, Fox News is mean"

"Wah, Al Gore should be President"

"Wah, we should surrender in Iraq"

"Wah, we need government hand outs"

"Wah, President Bush disagrees with us"

Heh Heh @ the whining goes on and on and on! Stop It!

[Nyland8]

What are you whining at?

8

[HellenaHandbasket]

I'm sorry, but Fox News isn't "mean", it's irrelevant.

And Al Gore should be President because he won the election.

And leaving Iraq is not "surrender". Whom would we be "surrendering" to?

And our government's sole purpose is to provide for it's citizens. Why would you want it to do otherwise?

President Bush disagrees with everyone who is smarter than he is.

There is no "whining" going on here. It's only Americans exercising their hard earned freedom. would you prefer us not to?

[SouthpawSass]

Okay I like your response better than mine... :)

[SouthpawSass]

Cheese and crackers RussT to go with your whine...?

[DeSwiss]

Well its good to see that you've got the mantra down pat. Good fer you!

Because you'll be saying it for quite a while, methinks...

hehehehehe :-)

[robodweeb]

Fox Noise isn't mean, it's incompetent. LIke the rest of the Repubican party.

They think the Lincoln-Douglas debate was between Frederick Douglas and Lincoln Logs.

[Crozier]

They spent BILLIONS keeping BUBBA and BUBBETTE in a single wide....thinking that the eighth grade was their senior year.....and that Jesus Christ wanted a Dominionist Theocracy under the party that Jesus belonged to....the Republican party whether they nominate an elephant or a human being with no heart...and for this, will vote themselves into servitude, slavery and fascist peasantry.

[robodweeb]

"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,"

That isn't what the ad says.

McLiar.

[orianna]

McCain's military experience consists of crashing 4 planes and spending the rest of the years in prison.... how does that imply he has successful military experience? If his daddy wasn't the admiral in charge of the war, he'd have been grounded after crashing the first... those jets cost millions!..... but, still he managed to get captured... well, my daddy was a POW too, and by no stretch of the imagination does anyone in my family think he can run the country because of it.

[VivaZapata]

your logic, unfortunately, escapes the mainstream media and consequently the american public, but thank you anyway.

[HellenaHandbasket]

I'm sorry but I don't understand what you're trying to say.

Is the "logic" faulty or is it valid? If it "escapes the mainstream media" does that mean it isn't true?

Are you implying that everyone who was ever captured by the enemy is qualified to be President?

[DeSwiss]

In my estimation, its rather more like they suppress that logic, rather than it escaping them.

:-|

[lucky54]

Bravo, Shoshana Johnson for President !!! or Jessica Lynch, or maybe Lindy England :))) Poor little John McInsane he is so out of tuch of himself never mind the rest of the world. I can't even imagine how anybody with a quarter of brain would want to see 4 years of McSlame after 8 years of Chimpy. Well I guess I forgot repugs have no brain.

[Gma11]

We've got a private plane and little airport on our 19 acres in rural western Wisconsin. My husband, although gainfully employed in another profession, has been flying for 38 years and is very involved in area Civil Air Patrol and flying clubs. Most of these people, a great and diverse group, are Republican. I have been absolutely shocked by their animosity to McCain!! And it is for the very reasons you point out. They perceive him as an arrogant, cocky pilot who regularly endangered the lives of his fellow navy men. And they talk heatedly about his killing some of them in several reckless incidents (they refuse to call them "accidents"). They all know exactly what incidents they're talking about and get in these big heated, angry discussions. I don't follow it, but they get incredibly riled about it.They don't like McCain's character.

[Nyland8]

LOL Wow! Is that true? FOUR PLANES !?

Boy, there's a funny skit in there somewhere. McMadman sitting in the cockpit, musing over what the red button does - for the FOURTH TIME - because he doesn't remember.

"Hmmm? What does this do again?" [ *PA-WHOOOSH* Suddenly, the canopy is gone - and then *BLAM!* - McSalty gets launched into the wild blue yonder like he had a Sidewinder up his ass ] "Oh ... yeah. Now I remember. WHAT A RUSH!!!"

The "A-4 Skyhawk Pilots For Truth" ought to be able to set the record straight on that.

http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/cin_mccain_lost_five_u.htm

If it wasn't so tragic, it would be comical.

8

[VivaZapata]

John McCain claims that it is obvious that he was referring to peacekeeping forces rather than fighting forces in his now famous staying in Iraq for one hundred years, but the line between "peacekeeping" and "hostile, aggressive fighting" has been blurred with all the doublespeak that goes on in these Bushonian times. McCain is exceedingly annoying with his feeble "my friends" style of speaking, but to characterize his defending himself as "whining" is inaccurate. None of the three candidates fit that description despite all the silly back and forth arguing that occurs on these pages. The question of US presence in Iraq has to do with purpose; McCain has indicated in a backdoor way that the driving force behind the war was oil (agreed with by an undiplomatic Alan Greenspan). If this is true, the purpose of US presence is Imperial, relegating Iraq to a colony and its people to slaves. However, television ads cannot encapsulate all of that in sound bite form, so John McCain is going to have to live with his words. If they do not exactly fit his intent, they're close enough.

[jbsouth]

Insightful analysis.

[MfromS]

Whatever..... That's ridiculous.

We need oil or our country comes to a stand still. It's a matter of national security to make sure that our energy interests in the region are secure. That's the way the world works, it won't change if Obama is elected, if you think it will, you are sadly mistaken.

[jbsouth]

But, we have no RIGHT to that oil. Without Imperialism...........WTF.

[SouthpawSass]

"Whatever.... That's ridiculous" is your response? So, accepting it as "the way the world works" is your argument. Interesting.

[JohnKemp]

Hell, I agree.

Obuma does enough whining for all three of them.

[AMJordan]

"sniff" "sniff" It's just sooo important.

Talk about whining AND crying.

However, I find it strangely satisfying that after all these years of Whitewater, blue dresses, Vince Foster, Valarie Plame, Max Cleland, swiftboating, John Kerry and WMDs that when someone punches the bully, HE CRIES worst than Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire.

[jbsouth]

OOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.........................they gonna kick you off this site writing like that. These folks are serious about their infatuation with all things Obama.

[robodweeb]

It must be sad for those who can't get enthusiastic about their candidate.

[SouthpawSass]

Again, I see postings that pin Obama supports as having a "Messiah" complex, as fanatics with infatuations...

And I'm always amused that for whatever your reasons, Clinton and McCain supporters just don't have that kind of enthusiasm. Pity your candidates don't inspire you.

[BlackWidowPilot]

Johnny Reb Kemp! Got tired of arguing that the *North* started the American Civil War, have we? I see that your own racist animosity just cannot be contained; just can't resist getting in a dig at Senator Obama.

Predictable. Patheticly predictable, Herr Kemp.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[sparkandy]

Here we go again. We took something out of context. This sounds just like the whining the Obama supporters did when Obama's close friend and mentor turned out to be a racist fool. If this statement can't stand on its own, then it's a statement that should never have been made. Now the Repubs can whine about 'context' and everyone can point fingers in all directions and pretty soon we can call it even.

[AMJordan]

How far out of context was it?

He said the words. He clarified them a few seconds later BUT THE CLARIFICATION IS JUST AS BAD.

The Hundred year clock doesn't start until the casualties stop. We could be their for Infinity +1!

[sparkandy]

I don't know how far out of context it was. The point is that we've been hearing this out of context crap for weeks and months now. I just think if a comment has to be 'clarified' by putting it into some convoluted context, it was too weak to stand on its own and is therefore worthless. Wright's comments, McCain's comments, and all comments that require apologists to explain them.

[Kalima]

The Iraqis will not stand for it, it's not a very realistic option. Just Americans
dreaming again. The rest of the world says, "Get out."

[jbsouth]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............you gonna get it too. They gonna flag you to death for saying something about Obama like that.

[MfromS]

Ha, yeah we'll see how effective that "100 year" bullshit is on anybody other than far left Obama supporters. To try to compare McCain's statement to Obama's relationship with Wright is a joke.

The Wright issue isn't going away until the election is over.

McCain's "100 years" town hall speech will be used in his own commercials to give the context of the statement. That's all he needs to do to discredit the Dems BS attempts at twisting his words.

Too bad you can't say the same for Obama when dealing with the racist Rev.

[Nyland8]

So ... you'll be voting for who then? Romney? ... or Thompson?

8