McCain Camp Attacks Obama's Holocaust Museum Statement

The McCain campaign implied on Wednesday that Barack Obama's commitment to preventing a future genocide was not sincere, attacking the Democratic candidate during his appearance at the Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem.

In an early morning press release, entitled "Obama on Genocide," McCain aide Tucker Bounds emailed reporters a quote from Obama's appearance in which the Illinois Democrat reiterated the cry "never again." He followed that quote with one taken a year ago from an interview that the Senator gave with the Associated Press in which he said that genocide or humanitarian crises were not a prerequisite for keeping U.S. troops in Iraq (a statement he has since walked back)

"Well, look, if that's the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces," said Obama, "then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now."

The message was fairly explicit: Obama's commitment to stopping future Holocausts is in doubt. Asked for clarification, McCain aide Michael Goldfarb responded:

"Today he says 'never again.' A year ago stopping genocide wasn't a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces in Iraq. Doesn't that strike you as inconsistent?"

It's a heavy charge to make, not least because Obama had just wrapped up his visit to the Holocaust memorial. In addition, there are, for better or worse, outstanding implications when discussing genocide when it comes to Jews -- and the insertion of the issue into the presidential campaign will border for some, on the taboo. Moreover, on the topic of Iraq, Obama has said he would leave a residual force to intervene in potential humanitarian crises and that he reserves the right to intervene militarily with international partners in order to "suppress potential genocidal violence within Iraq."

"I'd love to know more about Obama's residual force," said Goldfarb, when asked about it. "How big is it, where is it based, what is its mission, how long will it remain in Iraq? Nobody knows the answers to those questions, and I'd encourage the Huffington Post to inquire further with the Obama campaign."

UPDATE: Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), one of the most high-profile Jewish supporters of Obama, tells the Huffington Post that McCain's attack is "shameful" and "unconscionable."

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Here is the full press release:

Obama on Genocide

Obama today at Yad Vashem:

"Let our children come here and know this history so they can add their voices to proclaim 'never again.' And may we remember those who perished, not only as victims but also as individuals who hoped and loved and dreamed like us and who have become symbols of the human spirit."

Obama on July 20, 2007:

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn't a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces there.

"Well, look, if that's the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces, then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now -- where millions have been slaughtered as a consequence of ethnic strife -- which we haven't done," Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Comments

[UnknownSoldier]

02:38 PM on 07/26/2008

egal

"Preventin­g a potential genocide because it might happen near our oil sources while ignoring several already in place might seem like a hard stance on genocide to McCain, but most of us are well aware that the United States doesn't involve itself in preventing genocide even when it can, even when it should, even when it must."


When is the media going ask John McCain when is going to commit troops to the Congo to stop the genocide going on in that region. This is part ot the double standard in the media, this is a legit foreign policy question for McCain. He was the one who bought up position that we need to stay in Iraq to prevent genocide. If it was Obama who said that the Press would be all over him.

[BethStuart]

10:23 AM on 07/26/2008

I have the impression that McCain's campaign strategy is to keep throwing mud at the wall in the hope that some of it will stick.

[ChescoMom]

09:45 AM on 07/26/2008

And today in the news the McCain camp said they were criticizin­g Obama. When asked what it was in response to, the McCain camp replied "Were we supposed to have a reason today?"

[yeswecancan]

04:57 AM on 07/26/2008

OH this despicable McCain. He criticizes Obama for making a speech on foreign soil ... after he made a campaign speech in Canada on June 20. He criticizes Sen. Obama for the well known pledge after he made his own photo op trip to the Israeli Holocaust Museum, as detailed on their website:

Visit of Senator John McCain to Yad Vashem

Senator John McCain, accompanie­d by Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham recently visited Yad Vashem. He toured the Holocaust History Museum and then laid a wreath in Yad Vashem's Hall of Remembranc­e.

At the conclusion of his visit, Senator McCain said: "I want to thank the people who manage this incredible place for all their hard work and dedication to make a reality of remembranc­e of man's inhumanity to man and a remembranc­e to the courage and bravery and sustainabi­lity of the human spirit,"

Upon exiting the Children's Memorial, McCain inscribed the following message in the the visitors' book: "I am deeply moved. Never again. John McCain."

Once again, John McCain is so jealous and bitter his good judgment has left the building. His angry rants are giving us a better picture of what a (gasp) President McCain would look like. God help us.

[Norge]

10:52 PM on 07/25/2008

America needs to examine it's own history of wars and murder from Viet Nam to the war with Mexico and the American Indians to the present day and do some soul searching. Stopping genocide begins at home including cultural genocide. And the American beef berger and pig berger needs to be contained within it's own borders.

Rolf Krogsæther

[shelobo]

03:03 PM on 07/25/2008

There's a huge difference between genocide and MURDER of American troops and civilians in Iraq ,which McCain condones everytime he says HE says " HE will not surrender " he surrenderd back in nam ,so he knows just how to surrender without pride .

[amcg50]

10:40 AM on 07/25/2008

Can you say "Bitter Man"? And desperate too!

I can't wait untill we have the opportunit­y to see the contrast between these two in a debate!

[biggiej]

08:53 AM on 07/25/2008

im so tired of these republican­s all they do is criticize the democrats. if mccain wins the presidency im moving cause i dont want to stay in this country for another 4 years while another bush is running the country and running our name into the ground. if he wins i think there is something serious about our election process. one more thing how are we as a country going to go to other countries and tell them how to set up there election process and our process is screwed up it dont make sense

[alexpope]

01:12 AM on 07/25/2008

Heve you no sense of decency left Senator McCain?

[mari2JJ]

03:26 AM on 07/26/2008

You have to have some decency to start with. McCain has sold his soul to get this nomination and he has junked his straight-t­alk express. He has a temper that stays out of control much of the time so he is unable to think straigtht most of the time. Unfit for duty, Sir.

[BaileyWo]

12:26 AM on 07/25/2008

On top of all that, it's a strawman argument that violates any sense of decency by its very use.

[alexpope]

11:00 PM on 07/24/2008

McCain is going bonkers. His vituperati­on is over the top. I can't remember a candidate making the kind of despicable low-road statements that he's been tossing off and few are protesting­. as in "have you no decency Mr. McCain?." The gall of him questionin­g Obama's sincerity at Yad Vashem. He is desperate for attention, but goes to cheese counters for photo ops. Degoutant as the French would say.

[AbstractImp]

08:41 PM on 07/24/2008

The Corruption Treason War Crime Party questions your committmen­t.

[GarenYegparian]

04:39 PM on 07/24/2008

Ridiculous­!

McCain won't even support a commemorat­ive resolution on the Armenian Genocide and he's got the nerve to criticise Obama about the latter's comments regarding another genocide?

[Iam4thiscountry]

04:16 PM on 07/24/2008

AlexP1: But the Germans still loved him and understood and credited him with at least trying.

[Iam4thiscountry]

04:16 PM on 07/24/2008

Why doesn't McCain say stuff that is positive about himself. He is sounding like a cranky old man that is in the first stages of Demintia. I know, my dad had it. He critized everyone and everything­. We thought he was just a big jerk until it came aparrent that he had Dementia. That took a couple of years.
Sooooo Sad