McCain Surrogate: Al Qaeda Blogger Using Reverse Psychology

The McCain campaign blasted back against a story in today's Washington Post reporting that an al-Qaeda official in a "commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah," had called for the support of the Arizona Republican.

In doing so, foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann attacked everything from the paper ("I use journalism in quotations marks when referring to this story"), to the controversial figures who have said nice things about Barack Obama, to a conference call questioner who asked him to reevaluate the history of the Iraq War.

The most interesting line, however, came from former CIA Director Jim Woosley, who sought to frame the al-Qaeda blog posting as some sort of attempt at reverse political psychology

"If one takes one individual Islamist blogger from one terrorist Islamist blog who has come up with this statement that it would be good to have McCain in the White House, I think one has to consider the motives," he said. "This individual knows that the endorsement of people like him is a kiss of death, figuratively and literally. So it seems to be that it is pretty clear by making this statement it would be a good thing for McCain to be president. He wants to damage McCain. He's not speaking from his heart."

How Woosley interpreted the musings of an al Qaeda blogger to be a foray into electoral strategy remains unclear. So is the idea that this endorsement shouldn't be considered honest but the "endorsement" of Obama by members of Hammas or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which Scheunemann evoked repeatedly, somehow should be regarded as sincere.

But it is important to recall that in the 2004 election, Republican officials were quick to interpret a late-in-the-election tape from Osama bin Laden as a surefire endorsement of John Kerry's candidacy. Even Kerry himself said the issue cost him the election.

Now, it appears, the standards are different, with al-Qaeda well-versed in electoral trickery and eagerly pushing a candidate that they think would, in the end, most harm its cause.

UPDATE: Greg Sargent at TPM offers an interesting reminder concerning this topic:

When discussing this topic, it's always useful to recall that journalist Ron Suskind reported that CIA analysts concluded that Bin Laden had released a tape of himself on the eve of the 2004 election in order to help Bush stay in power, partly because his presidency made such a handy recruiting tool.

Comments

[Ockham]

Oh dear lord Mr. McCain, you're so brilliant. And we all actually thought they want you to win!

You can't deal with irrational people by lending their statements credence. This is directed at Al-Hesbah. The best course of action was to have News outlets and both campaigns simply ignore it. We suddenly pay attention to this, when we haven't been paying the rest of the radicalisms they've been spewing? Not a smart move, as it only legitimizes their existence, which we have been on-and-off the fence about.

[eden4barack08]

One need not be a rocket scientist to understand that Al Qaeda thrives only if it can perpetuate the Anti-American sentiment, helpful for recruiting and justifying terroristic acts.
If America is suddenly loved and respected around the world again, as we know it will be if Obama's elected, Al Qaeda automatically loses its reason for existance, they'll no longer be able to sell the "America is evil" meme.
Also, both Al Qaeda and the Bush/Cheney/McCain neocons, need each other in order to exist.
IMO, this is why Bush never went after them with real intent to destroy them. Imagine, if we had defeated and killed Bin Laden early on in Afghanistan, Bush then, and now McCain, would no longer have a subject to use as fear monger.

[VirgoGrrrlie]

Bin Laden has become a fixture among last-ditch flip-factors in USA elections. It is clear, however, that what would be best for Bin Laden and his gang of thugs would be for McCain/Palin to be in the USA 'hotseat' - complete with their Crusader/anti-Muslim theocratic fanaticism and ignorant rantings. Bin Laden would then have the best "recruiting team" - and all paid for by USA taxpayers.

Quite an irony that a Vietnam POW could by default become the #1 recruiter to the international terrorist group that caused the worst attack on the USA in history.

[patianneb]

Hard to say anything nice about AlQ, but maybe they just recognize a second-stringer when they see one. World opinion disappointed in or running against USA an advantage to terr0rm0ngers.

[TruthSpeaker]

Of course Al Qaeda wants John McCain as President - they want conflict. They want the all important "common enemy", just as much as the Republicans do. That's why Bush let Osama bin Laden get away - you have to have a Bogey man to use to justify stripping away our rights and freedoms. It's a you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours deal. " You be my common enemy figure and I'll be yours, and we'll both fool enough of our people enough of the time..."

[karronna]

So...why isn't this on the MSM?

[KennaP]

bcuz they didn't endorse O

[whit4brains]

I heard about this morning on CNN.

[foxbat]

From the article, "This individual knows that the endorsement of people like him is a kiss of death, figuratively and literally. So it seems to be that it is pretty clear by making this statement it would be a good thing for McCain to be president. He wants to damage McCain. He's not speaking from his heart."

Typically, I would have agreed except for the fact that Al Qaida has reconstituted itself so much in the past six years that it's now getting bolder and bolder that it really doesn't need nuance anymore. It also believes, at this point, that Republicans don't care what they say and will take the "we'll show you he won't be good for you" mentality and thus stoke up the Republican base which is what Al Qaida expects to do with this announcement. Al Qaida's message this cycle was not to the independents and Reagan Democrats as it was in 2004, but directly to the GOP base. If nothing else, Al Qaida seems to understand strategy much more than McCain's campaign managers. If you want to play the "reverse psychology" card, then it should be applied to the McCain campaign because most of what they've tried to do seems to have worked in reverse for much of this election cycle.

[towny]

I think Bin Laden is just trying to get on McGOOFBALLS good side! I think he wants to be VP!

[jobecky20]

No one should pay any attention to who Al Qaida endorses....neither presidential candidate is going to stop going after Al Qaida. Vote for Obama/Biden!

[bluguy8]

Mc Cain = Osama bin Laden--who would have thought they would go together so well.

[fearandloathing1]

McCain's Health: Is there a problem with his memory? Questions about cognitive functioning, anger:
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/10/mccains-health-part-i.html

[Formeralaskangal]

The war has been a drag on our military and our economy. McCain insists he's in it to "win" it and would keep us there for a 100 years if necessary. Can we afford that? No! Was it not one of the motives of Al Qaeda to hurt the US financially on September 11th? Yes! So, by having McCain in office we will continue to be hurt economically as long as he lets the war linger on and on, as well as if he gets us into other wars. You know, as he likes to sing: "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran." Reverse psychology? Not so much. It's pretty clear that even Al Qaeda has a firmer grip on understanding the situation than McCain does.

[Martee]

Of course it is -- nothing is as it seems! Up is down. North is South! McCain can win!

[watchingthings]

Don't forget the Homer Simpson "syndrome". Vote for Obama and your vote registers to McCain.

[dbushik]

Okay, first off, it makes sense for AQ to want the most belicose and pro-war candidate in office. McCain says it's important to listen to what our enemies say...well they want conflict. Makes sense they would have wanted Bush and would now want McCain. If you're a repub and that one blows your mind, it really shouldn't.

Second, there is no ground to stand on being upset at the lack of journalistic integrity in a paper reporting this. The repubs have many times used this same attack against Kerry and now Obama. Don't understand how you can now turn around and say this is out of bounds when you've been using the same attack line yourself.

Anyway...

[Lombard42]

I feel like I'm watching "The Princess Bride" ...

[wndrwrthg]

"There's a catch".
"What catch"?
"Catch 22".