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

[repearwo]

Corporate Broadcasting System CBS

[nellie]

Nothing But Corporate NBC

[CocteausTwin]

or Complete B S

[Chillinout]

I am going to watch CBS news tomorrow just to see if they acknowledge their screwup.

[Kache]

CBS's editing of McCain's comments amounts to a campaign contribution. CBS has a published advertising rate for Couic's show. How much was their contribution? Has anyone reported this contribution to the Federal Election Commission?

[williamg]

"[Mc Cain] spent, several weeks with the main theme of his campaign being, quite literally, to criticize Ba rack O bama for not having been physically present in Iraq recently. This (of course) got O bama to go to Iraq, thus setting up a dilemma. Either O bama would survey the "progress" in Iraq and change his position, thus making him a flip-flopper, or else he would refuse to change his position, thus making him obstinate and out of touch with reality.

But instead of either of those things happening, O bama went to Iraq and Iraqi leaders said he'd been right all along! That's about as close to "game, set, match" as you get in terms of real world events influencing your political campaign. What's more, given the domestic situation and Jo hn Mc Cain's inability to talk about domestic issues persuasively, he can't afford to play for a draw on Iraq. "

- Matthew Yglesias

[ZHarris]

nice analysis

[dentuso]

Agreed throughout, except for the part about McGaffagain not being able to talk about domestic issues persuasively.

It is now recognized that he knows far more about the economy than he does about the middle east.

[nellie]

This is great. And it's the way it should be. One candidate is playing games, the other one is trying to solve problems. It's good to see the game player get out-played. And he did it to himself.

[dentuso]

Agreed throughout, except for the part about McCain not being able to talk about domestic issues persuasively.

It is now recognized that he knows far more about the economy than he does about the middle east.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Typical Maureen Dowd article some truth some "tounge in cheek". But I like the last few paragraphs.

" A foiled and frustrated Mc Cain " trying to get covered when the entire media world has gone fishin" for O bama stories " took the Hill ary tack of mocking the press for having a "love affair," as his campaign said, with the senator. Mc Cain is hopping mad that the surge that he backed, and O bama resisted, has now set the stage for the B ush puppet M aliki to agree with O bama"s exit strategy. But O bama has a better batting average with his judgment on how we shouldn"t have gotten into Iraq, we should have gone after O sama and we should talk to Iran and other foes, if only to better assess their psychology. Then we might have deduced that S addam had the "Beware of Dog" sign up without the dog.

It doesn"t work for Mc Cain " and his foreign policy guru H enry K issinger " to keep insisting that timetables will lead to defeat.

The Angry One can try to paint The One as having bad judgment. But who is being advised by K issinger, the man who helped keep us in Viet nam and get us into Iraq? "

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/opinion/23dowd.html?hpp

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

I love how the McBush camp calls 0bama "The One".

[njb5112]

Seriously--you can't claim sexism as the reason you can't do your job well...when you can't do your job well Katie.

This was a major gaffe and you gave him a free pass. A disservice to the public that relies on you for honest news---not very journalistic of you at all.

[peacekitten]

anyone with two functioning brain cells figured out quite a while ago that relying on the msm for factual news was like relying on joseph hazelwood to make an oil delivery.

the msm, since their takeover by right-wing owners, has increasingly become nothing more than a bunch of talking bobble-headed dolls. without the intellect.

[ZHarris]

Great business idea! Let's release a series of bobble-headed dolls of all the MSM correspondents. You in?

[marzipan]

Love the Hazelwood simile, peacekitten, ;-)

[truthtopower007]

Even Hilary knows Obama is the better candidate Katie. Stand down. War and peace is at stake.

[kellygrrrl]

anyone else witness Rush Limpbag's tantrum today

total indignation that MkKain was met by only one reporter

WHINER!!!!!!!!!!

[sanywhere]

did not catch it; but, it is so f'ing funny that only one showed up.

[AdLib]

Heh! I thought Rush didn't like McCaln anyway, why is he whining when the rest of the MSM agrees with him?

[VolvoBirkenstock]

They quickly started carrying his water when he got the nomination.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

I heard bits of the final hour. The OxyAddict was fuming.

She-yawn had flecks of spittle where his lips should be.

[dentuso]

The way he's been conducting himself, most Republicans are thinking the less witnesses the better.

[NochlessMonster]

No... I have never listened to his show.... well, I had to listen to a bit of it once and laughed so hard the person I was with changed the channel.... thankfully!

[AdLib]

Dan Rather was ruthlessly fired for something far less ethically transgressive than this. Couric and the current editor for CBS news should be fired.

[sanywhere]

much agreed.

[dentuso]

No question.

[skibo69]

I saw Gonzo today. A great docu about politics and Hunter H. Thompson. Weirdly somewhat relevant to today's frieakshow. Check it out.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/gonzo/trailer/

[apogee2perogee]

Bad craziness !

[ZHarris]

I sure miss Rauol Duke

[NochlessMonster]

Do you mean Hunter S Thompson?

[jobama]

Just yesterday Katie Couric said this to haartez (Israel news paper) "The glory days of TV news are over, and the media landscape has been dramatically changed. News is available now for everyone, everywhere, all the time, and everybody fights for the last pieces of the shrinking pie. The corporate pressure and the ratings terror are intensifying all the time, and the situation is not simple " and here we find out how the corporate pressure works.......... trying her best to get Mcbush elected. Shocking !!!!

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Don Henley was prescient

"I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry

Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear
Give us dirty laundry

We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who
comes on at five
She can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam
in her eye
It's interesting when people di-
Give us dirty laundry

[ChiGuy]

Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down

[apogee2perogee]

Kick 'em all 'round.

[Mort]

Get the widow on the set.

[AdLib]

Actually, Paddy Chayefsky was far more visionary about this in his screenplay for the classic movie, "Network".

[peacekitten]

perhaps. but paddy chayefsky didn't sing.

[Sabreen60]

So does Katie get a pass from her boss? Put the pressure on. This was a purposeful dishonest act. Mc Kane has been crying about unfair m e d i a coverage. I guess this is her answer to the perceived problem.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

"You don't really need to find out what's going on
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone
Just leave well enough alone
Eat your dirty laundry "

[gladys46]

A poster gives the email address ... I emailed ... I stated that this could be considered a cover-up and maybe considered a "criminal act" !!

I don't believe in causing anybody their job ... but, had this been someone acting on behalf of O ... all the world would find it being looped constantly on each and & print & electronia mediums!

Desparate people do desparate things ... Mc is that person and apparently Katie attempted to assist!

[ultramagnetic]

On AC360 tonight, Anderson Cooper and company had this as a Major major mistake. McCain's camp was scrambling putting out BS retorts.

[SnapShots]

This is sick. What idiot at CBS edited it out and replaced it with an answer to another question? I'm disgusted.

We all, each and every one of us has the power to change this, you know. If the majority of Americans boycotted CBS and their advertisers, we could put them out of business.

[ZHarris]

heh, I'd have had to been watching C BS in the first place...

[dentuso]

Ditto. I can't boycott CBS. It would be like me taking an oath to stop spreading spiced chicken fat. on my nipples.

[apogee2perogee]

The CBS affiliate here is holding out for more money from Dish Network for rebroadcasting their signal. Didn't watch the news, but miss Letterman and Kilborn.

[dentuso]

Shortbus,

I have to give you credit for showing up tonight.

This is like watching Milli Vanilli's agent asking if anyone's still interested in a concert tour.

[CocteausTwin]

Ballsy isn't it?

[dentuso]

Ya gotta give him props for delusional courage if nothing else.

[suzyhein]

Milli Vanilli had to give back their Grammy. What will Shortbus have to give back?

[AdLib]

His GED.