Exclusive Video: McCain Was For Talking To Hamas Before He Was Against It...

Two years ago, in an interview with James Rubin for Sky News, Sen. John McCain expressed a willingness to negotiate with the terrorist group Hamas -- the very group that McCain has been relentlessly using to smear Sen. Barack Obama over the last several weeks.

Rubin has written an op-ed in Friday's Washington Post about his exchange with McCain, and The Huffington Post has obtained exclusive video. Here's the key excerpt:

RUBIN: "Do you think that American diplomats should be operating the way they have in the past, working with the Palestinian government if Hamas is now in charge?"

McCAIN: "They're the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another, and I understand why this administration and previous administrations had such antipathy towards Hamas because of their dedication to violence and the things that they not only espouse but practice, so . . . but it's a new reality in the Middle East. I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and decent future, that they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that."

Watch the video:

Sky News clip of McCain discussing why he would talk with Hamas.

Video courtesy of Sky News

As Rubin adds:

Given that exchange, the new John McCain might say that Hamas should be rooting for the old John McCain to win the presidential election. The old John McCain, it appears, was ready to do business with a Hamas-led government, while both Clinton and Obama have said that Hamas must change its policies toward Israel and terrorism before it can have diplomatic relations with the United States.

Even if McCain had not favored doing business with Hamas two years ago, he had no business smearing Barack Obama. But given his stated position then, it is either the height of hypocrisy or a case of political amnesia for McCain to inject Hamas into the American election.

UPDATE: The McCain camp has released the following response:

"There should be no confusion, John McCain has always believed that serious engagement would require mandatory conditions and Hamas must change itself fundamentally - renounce violence, abandon its goal of eradicating Israel and accept a two state solution. John McCain's position is clear and has always been clear, the President of the United States should not unconditionally meet with leaders of Iran, Hamas or Hezbollah. Barack Obama has made his position equally clear, and has pledged to meet unconditionally with Iran's leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the leaders of other rogue regimes, which shows incredibly dangerous and weak judgment."

UPDATE II: Blogging on HuffPost, National Security Network's Max Bergmann digs up quotes from McCain saying he was in favor of conducting talks with Syria, despite acknowledging that Syria's government was "sponsoring and harboring terrorists." Click here for details.

Comments

[VolvoBirkenstock]

We interrupt this thread for this breaking news announcement:
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Raymondf
Idon't really care, but if they print your garbage they should print mine.
-----

A right winger supporting the Fairness Doctrine!

Praise Jeebus!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

[WLA]

Saint Ronnie Raygun is spinning in his grave.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Funny how the wingers denounce the Fairness Doctrine while at the same time expecting Huffington to post their opposing views.

[AMJordan]

Ah, The Trollsmacker is on the job!

[cadawa]

McCain's statement about Hamas is a perfect example of paranoid projection that is cornerstone of the Republican agenda.
Unlike the Bush government, Hamas was elected by a majority of the people. They were pushed out of office by the intervention of Israel and US backed rebels.
The GOP won the presidency and formerly controlled congress by cheating, disenfranchisement and manipulation.
So I ask you who the rogues really are?

[obamanation31]

He was for it before he was against it......

[jhink465]

McCain flipped and then he flopped. What a loser. I see a landslide for Obama in the making.

[Gmoney1]

Romney said on CNN today that as a child when his dad said I'm going to deal with you one way or another, it meant his dad was not going to talk to him - ha - where do we get these people - Now, wait until the media try to define for us stupid americans, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER -

[HomelandSecurity]

Now this is HuffPo indulging in rampant ageism! MCain is old and senile and can't remember what he said last week, let alone two years ago.
To hold his feet to the the fire, simply because he is mentally incompetent, is wrong I tell you so very very wrong.

[BushBites]

You forgot to mention that half his face sags.

Who was that Tommy Lee Jones character?

Oh yeah, it was Two-Face:

http://www.cineclub.de/images/1995/08/batman-forever-4.jpg

[bugsbonzai]

When it comes to mental incompetence, take heart that the Supreme Court agrees with you that it's not a factor for appointing the president.

[HomelandSecurity]

Wow, I guess I'm going to have to placard my posts with "Warning, possible sarcasm ahead."

[fayted]

More the reason he should not run for president, do you want someone that can't remember what he said? about the middle east? are you kidding me, all of this talk is because of the mentally incompetence of the hole Bush administration, is this guy of the same deranged mentallytie YES, YES, YES, start wars all over the world, have you're hand on the button at 3a.m? very scary, what's very wrong is there approach If we keep starting wars against people, just because we don't like them were are we going to end up at? military stretch, economy flunking, what makes us think that countries are not tired of the bulling, wake up, the policies of the rupublicans are self destructing our AMERICA, we better stand up and say NO MORE, we better start caring for our one.

[realtalk]

McCain is mentally incompetent, and sadly his age doesn't bode well for him. And for McCain at 71, it is only downhill from here!!! FACTS ARE FACTS!

[dontshootme]

I can see it now. . .

After he wins a down and dirty campaign over Obama in which McCain convinces the American public that he is in fact a different kind of Republican McCain holds a press conference.

Then he pulls off that plastic mask a la mission impossible and we all cry, "Oh My God!"

It's really George Bush

[GrainOSand]

You're a mean one, Mr. McCain.
You’re really are a heel.
Divisiveness and distractions,
Your presence makes me ill.
Mr. McCain


You’re a conflicted politician
Void of depth and any notable skills.


You're a panderer, Mr. McCain
Your heart's a muddy hole.
Your brain is full of lies,
Do you have a soul.
Mr. McCain


I wouldn't touch you, no matter the spin
No matter the polls.


You're a vile one, Mr. McCain.
You have deceit in your smile.
You have all the love and grace
Of a carnivore gone wild.
Mr. McCain


Given the choice between the two of you
I'd take Barack Obama by a mile.


You're a foul one, Mr. McCain.
You're a dirty, dirty, lump.
Your heart is full of unwashed underwear
Your proposals full of junk.
Mr. McCain.


The three states of your campaign are,
And I quote: "Sink. Sank. Sunk."

You're a charlatan, Mr. McCain.
You're the candidate of terminal rot.
Your not smart yet you want to be on top
With moldy, ineffective policies that mostly amount to slop.
Mr. McCain


Your candidacy is an appalling landfill overflowing
with the most toxic variety of despicable
nonsense imaginable,
Mangled, unclean, and projecting a dismal flop.


You repulse me, Mr. McCain.
What a repulsing mega bore.
You're a sub par shaky shortstop
And you can’t get anybody out.
Mr. McCain


You're a Triple Decker cow fertilizer and hyena sandwich
With anthrax sauce.

--Dr. Ruse


http://www.links2love.com/christmas_songs_mr_grinch.htm

[WLA]

Mmmm... Sandwich.... Aagahghgg

[john85msy]

Double Standards?

[poco767]

prevaricator in chief

[abby4ever]

This stuff is tailor-made for a poliical ad, may it run..and run...and run!

[JADE2002]

McSame

McBush

McLiar

Mchypocrite

McFloppy

McNasty,

You guys are too much, this is soooo funny!!!!

[BWonka]

McDole

McLoser

[JADE2002]

lmao!

[LarksTongue]

McAmnesty! That's the one that'll hurt him.

[haleywins]

McFloppy, too cool!

[HST]

Bomby McSurge

[Purobi]

I have a question (really). Can CT recall Senator Lieberman? Can any state recall their senator(s) like we did for the Governor of California?

[VolvoBirkenstock]

No Federal Officeholder can be recalled.

No provision in the U.S. Constitution.

[Purobi]

Thanks Volvo. Too bad though.

[TocinoHumano]

A year of so ago somebody on Air America looked into this (I think it was Thom Hartman). Sadly, the answer is no.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Depends on the individual state's constitution.

The federal remedy for a Congressman or Senator is EXPULSION from the chamber by a two-thirds vote of his peers.

See Article I, Section 5:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

(In context of rules and behavior -- not simply being a jerk.)

[VolvoBirkenstock]

State Constitutions do no establish the qualifications for Senator.

[CaptainSunshine]

John McCain -- Amnesty for illegal Aliens -- I've heard the people and they want border security first.

John McCain -- I don"t believe the wealthiest 10% of Americans should get 60% of the tax breaks. I think the lowest 10% should get the breaks -- We've got to make these tax cuts permanent.

John McCain -- I don't care if we're threr for 100 years -- The troops will be coming home by 2013.

John Sidney McCain -- UNELECTABLE

[lornejl]

Liberals do not represent American values, torture, contempt for the rule of law, peace making,cutting taxes only for the wealthy 1 percent, rigged elections, pollution,short sightedness, sporting flag pins, I could go on and on, but rush is on.Have a nice day, only if you are a conservative.

[JohnBarleycorn]

Rush is a fat, drug-abusing, near deaf, right-wing racist and his fans are largely comprised of undereducated, white, ultra-conservative ignorant chickenhawks whose vision for America is so morally bankrupt, that the GOP stands to lose dozens of seats in the House this election cycle.

Keep dreaming, Lorn. Your kind should be neutered for the good of the country.

[WLA]

Heh. Lorne was being sarcastic.

[LarsGruber]

Bush boy went hat-in-hand to the Saudis and all we got was a lousy burkah.

I don't know what Bush did to the Saudi King, but I saw him smoking a cigarette afterwards.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Whatever he did, he was a failure at that, too.

Saudis said no to increasing production.

[ranger5]

McCain's taped statement is unequivical. But by now we should all be used to politicians talking out of both sides of their mouths at the same time. Dems as well as Repubs. One must be an accomplished liar and spinner to get anywhere in politics. Sadly, while the lies of politicians can be demonstrated beyond all doubt, the professional spinners have been so successful at convincing a gullible American electorate that down is up and up is down that they, we, continute to elect and re-elect the most blatant liars on the planet. That McCain's numbers are so high indicates clearly that he isn't the only one out of touch with reality.

[CaptainSunshine]

That's with the younger guys. With this old geezer, we have to question whether or not it's actually senility or just a thirst for power knowing that this is his last go round.

I think it's the latter because he is knowingly flip flopping on all the issues for political expediency.