McCain Adviser: Another Attack on U.S. Would Be "Big Advantage" For McCain

***READ BELOW FOR UPDATES - McCain's response, Black's Apology, Obama's Response***

Fortune Magazine is running a profile on John McCain titled, "The evolution of John McCain." McCain's chief advisor, Charlie Black, is interviewed in the piece. Below is a choice quote from Black on why he thinks another terrorist attack on US soil would help McCain win the presidency.

On national security McCain wins. We saw how that might play out early in the campaign, when one good scare, one timely reminder of the chaos lurking in the world, probably saved McCain in New Hampshire, a state he had to win to save his candidacy - this according to McCain's chief strategist, Charlie Black. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December was an "unfortunate event," says Black. "But his knowledge and ability to talk about it reemphasized that this is the guy who's ready to be Commander-in-Chief. And it helped us." As would, Black concedes with startling candor after we raise the issue, another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. "Certainly it would be a big advantage to him," says Black.

McCain responded to Black's quote during a press conference today. The Senator told reporters, "I strenuously disagree":

At that same press conference, Charlie Black apologized to reporters for his comments:

Black, interviewed by reporters as he stood outside McCain's fundraiser, said: "I deeply regret the comments. They were inappropriate. I recognize that John McCain has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his country and placing its security before every other consideration."

Barack Obama's campaign issued a response to Black's comments:

"Barack Obama welcomes a debate about terrorism with John McCain, who has fully supported the Bush policies that have taken our eye off of al Qaeda, failed to bring Osama bin Laden to justice, and made us less safe. The fact that John McCain's top advisor says that a terrorist attack on American soil would be a 'big advantage' for their political campaign is a complete disgrace, and is exactly the kind of politics that needs to change. Barack Obama will turn the page on these failed policies and this cynical and divisive brand of politics so that we can unite this nation around a common purpose to finish the fight against al Qaeda," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

Comments

[peterv]

wishful thinking, in pentagon a similar stand was mentioned some time ago, in crisis a country seems to revert to extreem right. With information control government established its objective, more about controlling domestic population than really about controlling extremism on foreign soil.
Another advisor is quite blunt about Mccain's economic policies, which a lot of times you don't read here. Not very impressed about political journalism, should be more investigating, tell objective differences, but instead too busy with hearsay and the like.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7464263.stm

[adavis08]

Richard Clark was correct on Keith Olberman last night when he said that if John MCCain isn't running on fear and terror mongering he should fire Charlie Black. I don't expect McSame to do this however because it has worked so well for the Repubs in the last 2 elections. What qualifications beside being in the military make John McSame "The good Shepard " when it comes to keeping America safe? The Republicans have enabled the terrorists, and are the causes of the first attack. I agree with one poster that a manufactered attack would be right out of the Repubs playbook. More lies to make people afraid.

[hiriumi]

Where did this illusion of republican is better at national security than democrats?
This sounds like republicans are real good friends with terrorists. If terrorists attack, republican wins!

[simplyirresistible]

I agree. They let the cat out of the bag way too soon. We must be kept very, very afraid. It's the Republican trump card.

Are whites really afraid of blacks?

http://healinganation.wordpress.com/

[obamanation31]

Here's what he said back then

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH7xZQ4Q3j4

[Lane]

"On national security McCain wins."

What an absolutely absurd comment. If there was another attack in America there is no one here left to defend us, they are all dispersed around the world. I guess we could empty our cofers and buy some BlackHawk mercenaries like we have done in Iraq The comment the McSame is better than Obama on national security is as absurd as it gets. .

[keclxivq]

"I deeply regret the comments. They were inappropriate. I recognize that John McCain has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his country and placing its security before every other consideration."

Goddamned Liar!!!

[Exit]

The politics of fear yet again. How often can they go to this well?

[hardlyhikin]

Seven years after 9/11, untold billions spent on "Homeland Security" and we're STILL susceptible to another attack?
To me that argues AGAINST retaining the regime that has "lead" us through this national nightmare. For God's sake, if what you're doing doesn't work, try something else. It's folly to continue doing the same thing that doesn't work.

[chatombreux]

Neocons disgust me. All they're doing is feeding into the conspiracy theories that say they orchestrated the attacks on 9/11 in order to gain almost totalitarian control of the government. For anyone to say publicly that another attack would be good for the party is to say that they like being in crisis mode because it offers them more power and authority. They like operating on the fears of the populace. Isn't that the same method used by Hitler's regime?

As for Benazir Bhutto, she'd still be alive today if George Bush hadn't convinced her to return to Pakistan. I actually think he was hoping she'd be killed to help his "cause".

[booker52]

McCain if he had anything about him should ask for Black's resignation.

[BarryChamplain]

Many years ago, before he had a bigtime media career and an agent, a Republican operative named William Krystol posited to an interviewer of little widespread notice that when the American people are suffering from issues of economic hardship or uncertain security, this was good for the Republican party. Theory being, they'd be so so preoccupied with their own problems, so as not to notice the GOP agenda or to have the presence of mind or the free time to mess with it.

As I said, the comment went mostly unnoticed.

You need to LISTEN to these people, when they reveal to you who they really are!

And, in light of the way they see American citizens as naught more than lab rats... why is it still de rigeur in this country, that anyone who DARES to suggest that they will gladly kill off a few thousand of us, every once in awhile in a "Pearl Harbor-like event" (THEIR words!), to achieve more power; or fight a war based on lies; or rewrite the Constitution; or something... invariably gets branded as "crazy"; "paranoid'; "tinfoil hat"?

Give me one reason why anyone with an IQ of 60 or over still should trust these people.

[rabprevent]

THE WHEELS CAME OFF THIS BUS LONG AGO AND THEIR SPREAD THE FEAR TACTICS WILL WORK WITH THE UNEDUCATED AS USUAL. ONE HAS TO WONDER WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN? CAN THE REPUBLICANS EVER WIN SOMETHING BY RUNNING ON THE ISSUES? WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THAT, DON'T WE?

[Soothsayer08]

The Repubs know that Bin Laden and other terrorist groups watch our newscasts and maybe they are trying to signal them. I'm sure Dick Cheney and Bush will help in any way they can, afterall they want to keep the control of the White House in the Neocons hands.

[midwestvoter]

If only binLaden was still alive and the Neocons could muster up another 9/11, kill a bunch of innocent Americans, destroy some asbestos ridden landmark that no one wants to renovate and make a killing off the insurance, inject billions more tax payer money into a failed industry they all are heavily invested in, (hey, maybe this time the terrorists can get us in a Hummer loaded with Iranian dirty bombs?), sell a crap load of flag pins made with slave labor in China (bought at Wal*Mart under a prominent "Made in America" sign), enjoy the resurgence of Ted Nugent's machine gun toting music career at patriotic rallies everywhere and launch nukes into Iran to coordinate with our Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza... Yes, "if only". What a wonderful advantage to McCain and his ilk it would be.

[mooph]

Interesting that the catastrophe Black referenced was the assassination of a high-office candidate, Benazir Bhutto. And with the fear of something like that happening to Obama, and the fairly recent flap over the Bobby Kennedy comment, it's somewhat stunning that the media hasn't made the connection.

Perhaps Black was daydreaming about how McCain could console a nation over the loss of a highly-esteemed leader-in-waiting, and could sav the wounds of an injured nation. Then again, perhaps he was saying an event like this would be McCain's only chance.

Disgusting in any light.