McCain Makes False Claims On Iraq Timeline (VIDEO)

In an interview with CBS News' Katie Couric tonight, John McCain made the false assertion that the Surge brought about the so-called Anbar Awakening. Except, as MSNBC"s Keith Olbermann points out, the Surge was announced after the Awakening. Olbermann also explains that CBS News edited the gaffe out of the final interviewed that aired Tuesday night.

Watch the video:

HuffPost blogger Ilan Goldenberg points out that this is not some minor gaffe, but a fundamental misunderstanding of the Iraq situation:

This is not controversial history. It is history that anyone trying out for Commander and Chief must understand when there are 150,000 American troops stationed in Iraq. It is an absolutely essential element to the story of the past two years. YOU CANNOT GET THIS WRONG. Moreover, what is most disturbing is that according to McCain's inaccurate version of history, military force came first and solved all of our problems. If that is the lesson he takes from the Anbar Awakening, I am afraid it is the lesson he will apply to every other crisis he faces including, for example, Iran.

Comments

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Even David Gergen is saying this is becoming a problem that is a pattern showing McBush's age.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Note to CBS: More Lou Grant, less Mary Richards.

[ZHarris]

heh

[Egalitare]

But, but, I thought "happy news" was good news.

[Mort]

Two has beens trying to make news.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Gordon Brown's gift:

"British Troops To Pull Out Of Iraq Next Year"

"Most of Britain's troops will be out of Iraq in a year, six years after the American-led invasion, Gordon Brown indicated yesterday.

"British Forces will remain at their present strength of 4,100 for the remainder of the year but there will be a "fundamental change of mission" in the first months of 2009.

"According to defence and political sources, the numbers will be down to a "few hundreds" by next summer.

"This emerged after Mr Brown told MPs that the mission would change "as we make the transition to a long-term bilateral partnership with Iraq, similar to the normal relationships which our military forces have with other important countries in the region".

Perfect timing of the announcement. Before O arrives in London.

[CocteausTwin]

It is almost like these people want a reasonable and intelligent POTUS.

[goldnchyl]

go figure

[bosshogg]

which is worst cbs or mcsame???????????????????

[goldnchyl]

CBS, at best shoddy, irresponsible journalism, at worst, something far more sinister

[bosshogg]

nixon would of be proud of cbs deception.........................

[Chillinout]

Again off topic though very interesting:

Here is a short article on the effects of McClone's $16 million ad buy in eleven states.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/22/mccains-ad-buy-is-a-big-t_n_114371.html

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

I'm recording AC 360 on CNN "Breaking news" McBush not knowing when the Sunni Awakening happened could be a "game changer".

[williamg]

We were warned about his capacity early this year:

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

[CocteausTwin]

I think we were warned of it everyday this year by his own actions.

[goldnchyl]

I thought Norris was on Mc Cain's side.

[bosshogg]

OBAMA CAMP http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080723/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_iraq_timeline_2imeline_2

[Chillinout]

Wishing or hoping the MSM would actually have journalistic integrity is like trying to pick up a t u r d from the clean end. It ain't gonna happen.

[CocteausTwin]

From the clean end eh? I am going to have to start writing these gems down.

[Clarabell]

Yea, that is a good one.

[Chillinout]

I find it a little suspicious that when one of these tr0lls disappear, they all seem to disappear.

Things that make you go hhhmmmm.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Shortbus is running for cover. He will later claim that he was joking and that we have no sense of humor.

Always does when he is proven to be a liar.

[CocteausTwin]

I think it is shift change, or lunch break for the tro)) rooms.

[Chillinout]

I can see the tr0lls being in a boiler plate type of room, (that is a place where telephone scams are run from), all sitting around at their computers with a huge reader board giving them their talking points. And a big old fat greasy haired man with a big cigar stuck in his face, (kind of like R ush), walking around and telling the tr0lls to work harder.

[dentuso]

here's the one thing with which I'm having the most fun.

The Repubs insist the O won't do well against McGoo in debates, citing a semi-soft showing against Hil.

Consider the fact that it's the first primary where a man had to debate a woman, and no one knew what the rules of engagement were. O had to be very, very careful about attacks the entire time. Anything of force would have come across as bullying. With that, I think he did a remarkable job in an arena where no one knew what the rules were.

Now.... against McGoo? He can nail that lying pr**k to the wall and no one is going to feel like he's beating on him like a cod being readied for chum.

Especially now.

[ZHarris]

He's still got to be careful about that war veteran thing...

[dentuso]

Agreed 100%.

Axel rod will have him prepped with precisely the right points. I expect they'll give him a drip... drip... drip, antagonizing him, making himself trip, and then watch him blow his top on national TV.

[peacekitten]

if the rules of a legitimate debate were actually observed, it wouldn't be an issue.

facts, truth, not interrupting each other, no personal attacks. a moderator who asks pertinent, insightful questions about the policies of each candidate.

mc(ain finished among the bottom of his class. he lost five very expensive aircraft, four of which should have been enough to ground him before he had a chance to be shot down and imprisoned. glean from that what heroism you will.

the fact that he has endorsed the use of torture after having endured it himself, and the fact that he has consistently voted against funding bills that would actually be of service to today's returning veterans, despite having been one himself, speaks much louder volumes about his character or lack thereof. such issues are certainly fair game for debate. if he views the simple truth as insulting, then so be it.

[MarkieBee]

It had NOTHING to do with Hillary being a woman...in the primaries there is a line you don't cross when scrapping with opponents. You NEVER hit them so hard that the real opponents - the other party - can then use that attack against the candidate if he or she becomes the nominee. That's why Hillary's "I've crossed the threshold, McCain has too, but Obama only has a speech from 2002" was such as BS thing to say. She violated the rules and deserved to get her arse kicked like she did. Obama could have just pounded her 3,000 ways to Sunday with all kinds of crap - he certainly had the money to - but chose to not play politics as usual. It was the right choice again and showed how scary-good that man's logic and judgment are. I cannot wait for the inauguration parties in Washington, D.C. next January!

[CocteausTwin]

OMFG who said that? That is almost the biggest lie they have attempted this year.

[Egalitare]

That's nothing.

I was listening to POTUS 08 on my XM radio one drive and some commentator said that Obama was useless without a teleprompter, and that McCain's grasp of policy and command of the audience will clean Obama's clock.

[PrinceHal]

Boy, that ain't half of what CBS did in its alleged "newscast" Tuesday night.

Alas, nobody will ever really care that McCain screwed up an Iraqi timeline. But CBS did so much more than cover up McCain's gaffe. The entire "newscast" was given over not just to evening the score with man-in-the-spotlight Obama, it was actually devoted to making Obama's trip a net gain for poor stay-at-home McCain.

Katie Couric wore her prosecutor's hat for the Obama interview, time and again hitting the Democratic nominee where it hurts. Katie's interview seemed designed to do as much damage to Obama as possible, while her follow-up interview with McCain was all empathy and concern --- Did widdle Johnny feel fwustwated by having all those bad reporters following his opponent all over Europe and the Middle East?

There was a maddening -- and to some extent incredible -- contrast between the two interviews: Did CBS really intend to be so obviously partisan in what it described as a news program? Obama was asked repeated versions of what came down to a single exasperated question: "You don't mean you actually continue to oppose the surge when it's been so successful?" But when the interview was over, instead of swatting his interrogator with his best backhand, Obama actually smiled and thanked her for having him.

If you missed the "newscast" but have access to a videotape, you'll see that all I've done here is hit the highlights.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Superbus
Golf Central is a NEWS program. Tell you what. Take your pick. My golf course in Vero Beach, or one my courses in Georgia (Gainesville or Atlanta). I'll arrange lessons for you and Thunderclap.
Posted 12:07 AM on 07/23/2008

Be prepared to be exposed as a liar, shortbus.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=golf+course+vero+beach+FL+&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=golf+course++gainesville+ga&btnG=Search

Won't take me long to check the corporate ownership.

[dentuso]

I'll talk to you tomorrow about him. It's BS.

Surprise!!!

[VolvoBirkenstock]

I know. His mistake was giving specific cities where the courses are located.

Very easy to check business records. Already found out that Chicopee is owned by Chicopee Development, which is owned by Chicopee Manufacturing.

"Chicopee Manufacturing, a division of Johnson & Johnson, which began here in 1927. In the 1920's they constructed a self-contained village with homes, schools, churches, medical facilities and retail stores. Today, almost 1,000 people live in this community which now boasts Chicopee Woods Golf Club, a beautiful new recreational area."

[Chillinout]

Of course it's BS. If he owned all of these things, he sure wouldn't be spending all of his time here.

[CocteausTwin]

You know I am the last person to defend that piece of tripe, but was he saying he owned them or frequented them? I have referred to an apartment, restaurant, and tavern as my own not claiming to own them. But I am sure his was a claim of ownership.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

He claims to own them.