Obama Adviser: McCain May Have Made Georgia Situation Worse

Barack Obama adviser Susan Rice said on Hardball last night that John McCain's belligerent response to the Russian actions in Georgia "may or may not have complicated the situation."

WATCH:

At the Belgravia Dispatch, Gregory Djerejian explains why McCain's position would compound the mistakes President Bush has made in the region.

Ben Smith explains that McCain has long history of aggressive anti-Russian rhetoric:

While virtually every other world leader called for calm in Georgia last Thursday morning, John McCain did something he's done many times over his career in public life: He condemned Russia.

Indeed, McCain, who publicly confronted Putin in Munich last year, may be the most visible -- and now potentially influential -- American antagonist of Russia. What remains to be seen is whether the endgame to the Georgia crisis makes McCain seem prophetic or headstrong and whether his muscular rhetoric plays a role in defining for voters the kind of commander in chief he would be.

Comments

[MsMadame]

Bush/McCain have openned Pandora's box!

If you are not a multi-millionaire, you do not have a chance.

[nellie]

http://pundits.thehill.com/2008/08/14/john-mccain-on-russia-angry-bellicose-belligerent-and-extreme/

[JoeBlough]

So will the lobbyist's have to give back the protection money Georgia was paying? Georgia got nothing for it.

[vfippinger]

Why is nothing being said on MSN about m.c. .cain's adviser being a piad Lobbist for Georgia as recently as April this year, recieving $200,000.00 at that time and Lobbying Government no less than 49 times?

His Employer has admitted to it and filled in the financial blanks.

[markkraft]

For all his tough talk, apparently McCain doesn't want US forces in Georgia.

But who else is going to deliver humanitarian supplies and help to stabilize the situation in the short term?

Truth is, the US has had military trainers in Georgia for years, and had a large military exercise in that country just last month. Now, during this ceasefire, is a great time to bring in troops, not only for humanitarian reasons, but as a way of making sure that the ceasefire holds.

If the Russians want to continue the fight with U.S. troops still inside the country, they would very clearly be in the wrong, and the repercussions of that would be theirs to bear. But at this point, we should be willing to stand up for Georgia's defense, if only because they are a NATO applicant and soveriegn democratic nation.

[MissingAmerica]

McCain used this conflict to show a bit of that GOP tough-minded, if not ignorant, arrogance. What we need now is a measured, well thought-out approach. After all, we are not playing with little tin soldiers on the cupboard shelf. This is no more a war game than the invasion of Iraq, which was our invasion of a foreign country in the 21st century. We used to be the ones to set the bar, now we have lowered it immensely.

The one who should be considering the implications of this latest conflict is Bush. Judging by the press pictures recently released, however, he'd have to do a lot of sobering up. Bush has viewed his entire term in office as one drunken spree, one long vacation, one long opportunity to do whatever he wants, consequences (even death to others) be damned.

McCain is obviously cut from the same cloth. It's time for the G.O.P. to go.

[Whinger]

I don't know about making it worse, the Russians know he has no head for leadership!

Flip Flop McCain's brain is unable to function properly on a daily basis, he's lost it completely!

[rollingdivision]

Susan Rice's contention that in some way McCain honestly and bluntly describing the invasion of Georgia and contemning the Russian, Medvedev and the boss Putin changed what Putin had planned in anyway is laughable.

[mtredstar7]

How does McCain explain away Bush's invasion of IRAQ now that he states that country's do not invade each other in the 21st century? Is this a McCain flip flop, or has the old goat finally reached senility?

[patriotic008]

Poor Mc C a i n. I think the old boy is still living in the Cold War-era in his head

[Redrover666]

That's a good thing. Putin is a cold war era KGB agent.

[memphispaul]

Regardless, when international crisis is upon us it is the President that speaks for the nation. McCain's comments were not in keeping with the general tone and content of the administrations position. McCain's actions may well have undermined the administration and its approach to the situation.
If you notice, even those that wrote op-ed articles did so in a way that did not detract from the goals of the administration.

[mary82]

I, rebuke you satin in the name of jesus.

[mary82]

that should have been satan.

[Sixtwo]

What appear to be isn't always what is. Don't forget McCain's April 17, 2008 phone call to the President of Georgia wherein he strongly supported the fledgling republic. His top foreign advisor (Randy Scheunemann) prepped him for the call. On the same day of the call, a lobbying firm partly owned by Randy (Orion Strategies) signed a $200,000 contract to continue providing stragegic advice to the Goergian government in Washington. Of course the Repugs would say that the phone call had no bearing on McCain's decision to speak with President Mikheil Saakashvili--on the same day. What a coincidence!!! I AM NOT SURPRISED THAT McCAIN WOULD SPEAK OUT LIKE A GANG BUSTER TO ENDORSE RUSSIA WHILE OTHER LEADERS WERE CALLING FOR CALM. What scares me is: Will McCain continue to listen to the lobbists if he becomes commander-in-chief (God forbid)!

[AzRealProgressive]

Georgia was an ally a decade before that. how many phone calls do you think they have made or received? How many were made by Democratic senators, etc?

[ChristiB]

THE COLD WAR HAS BEEN OVER FOR DECADES! Thank God! But not according to McCain. He fears the Russian "empire" is trying to spread. Beware people - communism may spread into our neighborhoods.

I never have said this until this very day because I don't believe in discrimination against somebody because of their age. I respect older people for their experience.

But this guy is too old - he's stuck in the past and has been frozen in the US Senate for over 25 years - somebody forgot to wake him up and update him periodically. All the guy knows is war. He advocates for war.

[Daly]

"respect older people for their experience" Not all older people have experience as proven this election. He is giving the thinking older people fits.

[Redrover666]

You are truly, very very young.

[Redrover666]

The cold war ended in 1991.

[jrterrier]

so what exactly do you call russia's invasion of another country? you think it's ok? then why do you have so much trouble with our invasion of iraq, which by the way rightly or wrongly was approved by the UN.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

Quit spreading lies,the U.N. never approved invading http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1394831.php/CHRONOLOGY_Significant_events_in_Iraq_before_after_US_invasionasion

[1099]

So you don't think this this invasion by Russia is an attempt on her part to expand her borders and increase her power and influence in the world.? Were you even alive during the Cold War years? Obama's statement that both sides of this conflict need to show restraint typifies his naivete on foreign policy especially when dealing with Russia and a man like Putin. McCain had the balls and sense to call Russia 's(Putin's) action what it was, an outright act of agression. Taking a position like Obama only invites more aggression.

[Ish11]

McCain shows the "balls" alright. But he left no wiggle room with that tough statement. Besides, what can we do to Russia? Nothing. All we can do is make smart well thought moves towards a solution. Remember always to pick your battles wisely.
BO '08

[mistlesuede]

This whole situation with Russia/Georgia and John McCain stinks like Limburger cheese and onions. There is something really wrong with what is happening and when I turn on CNN American Morning and the President of Georgia is questioning a Senator's words and actions, there is something really terribly wrong with our foreign policy.
His lobbyist was paid $200,000 by Georgia. What the heck is going on that the American people are letting have pulled over on them again?

[Hare]

What do you figure?

[robjh1]

Her comments are a pretty darn stretch from reality. Let's look at the facts, the US warned Georgia of the implications its actions would cause if they moved there troops near the Russian border. Georgia chose not to adhere. Georgia not McCain made matter worse. Susan is playing the old game of spinning a piece to favor her candidate.

Furthermore folks, whether you like McCain or not, he apparently is seen in high regards by many Democrats. Remember John Kerry had considered him as a running mate back in 2004.

[Ramirez]

Kerry/McCain would be running for reelection this campaign.

[lunchbag]

Pretty weak comments by Susan totally lacking any grasp of world affairs. She is the advisor of?????

[DaisyMiller]

yeah, that's who he picked to advise him.

[Twentylaws]

I heard more from John McCain today on Georgia-Russian hostilities than BUSH! Who is the president here? Poor Cindy had to hurry up and rush back into the cameras before the media took too much of the spotlight off desperate John McCain anxious to look Presidential than to show compassion for his wife's illness...how pathetic!

You and others mock Obama all you like but its Bush actions that matters here! I'm disturbed to find out there is a long-standing comraderie between Mihail and George. The Georgian President saw fit to have a George W. Bush BLVD put in place for his cherish friend. I smell the sweet scent of DECEIT!

It was Georgia who threw the first punch NOT Russia! Bush just wrote ol' Mihail a check he can't cash. Our military too stretch thin! Putin knows this... been sitting, waiting in the wings for the right moment to strike...like the handsome cobra snake he is. Maliki has been trying to tell the Bush admin on the low to hurry up and get troops out but that wouldn't serve the REPUBLICANS purpose now would it!

So now the EU has to get off their bluff and flex some muscles! But then again, OIL talks and bullsh*ters just take it in the azz! In the end, EU knows who keeps their houses warm and their cars with gasoline!

[AzRealProgressive]

Georgia has been a friend of the US since the 90s. That would be Clinton times.Russia has always historically been concerned with its geopolitical survival. This dust up is about who is boss in that region, and nothing else.

[seriously29]

i have not chosen either, but the comment about the lobbyist is true, just research it. I guess you bought the commercial about dems liking mccain. Well that was in 2004 when he was a maverick, when he stood up for his beliefs. republicans liked him to then.

it is now 2008. he takes both sides of the issue and has switched from not drilling to drill now. there are so many changes that he has made. yes there is an argument to made for mccain of 2000 and 2004, but not the one in 2008. I am very disappointed in him.

[MeanGreenMachine]

Before HE SOLD HIS SOUL to satan to get the rethuglican nomination.

[whitegoldwielder]

Well, I guess we know who the russians will favor in this election. Cerrtainly not old John. There's a real testimonial if there ever was one.

Obama just can't wait to talk to them. I'm sure Putin will be impressed by his eloquence.

[GooeyButter]

It's not just Russians, it's the whole world that favors Obama -- except, of course, an insular few in the Deep South, which is internationally renowned for its characteristic backwardness.

[CrzyRussell]

Unfortunately he isn't running for President of the World.

If Obama is so great why is he still more or less tied with McCain?