Another John McCain Gaffe -- Iraq Was the First Major Conflict After 9/11

There is one more John McCain gaffe that the media missed from the now famous CBS interview with Katie Couric.

This is the same interview in which McCain claimed the surge led to the Anbar Awakening, which is demonstrably false. But watch below for another gaffe when McCain says Iraq was the first major conflict after 9/11.

Was Afghanistan not major enough for him? It almost reminds you of when Don Rumsfeld was not impressed with invading Afghanistan because it did not provide a rich enough target environment. He needed something more major.

In all likelihood, this was a simple mental mistake for McCain, among a litany of others recently. But it does go toward state of mind. They never saw Afghanistan as a priority.

Young Turks on You Tube

Follow Cenk Uygur on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheYoungTurks

Comments

[Awakenedcitizen]

Here's the thing, posting here is OK, if you want to make an impact, write a letter to the editor of your local paper, go to the McCain website and send them a message.

[noamjunior]

McCain is not forgetful and these are not Gaffe's.
page one of the repulican playbook- Say whatever you think best makes the point you are trying to get across- regardless of its complete disconnect with reality

[dmmathis]

The media is doing Sen. McCain a favor by refering to his statements as gaffes. He has a poor understanding of everything that is important in our time, not a poor memory.

[Maccabees]

I'm getting tired of reading about McCain's gaffes. I get the point. When he speaks, he mispeaks. He's not qualified.

I realize that what he says and does is "news", but none of it is actually "new".

He likes to fight; wants to drop bombs; loves to tell history "the way it should have been"; and talk about the good old days.

OK. He's a "warrior". I respect the fact that THIRTY FIVE YEARS AGO he had just been released from a prison camp. Thirty five years ago Elvis was still alive, the Knicks beat the Lakers in 5 games for the NBA championship and tricky Dick Nixon was waist deep in Watergate. So?

Being a "good man" does not mean he's a "qualified man". His time has come and gone.

[janvoght]

sen john mc cain is a good man, AND he is very forgetful. this does not bode well for the type of leader America will require to pull us out of the deep blunders of the last two terms. rewarding this American hero with four years to sit as the president of the USA, is not the reward he deserves, nor is it what America needs.
obama '08

[Dave01]

I have seen enough of him (he was my senator for 14 years) and I'm learning just how much of a good man that he is NOT.

[shelobo]

McCain also got it wrong about the Sunni sheik who John McCain said was protected by the surge and subsequently helped lead the Anbar Awakening, the sheik he was referring to was actually assassinated by an al-Qaeda led group in MIDST of the surge.The sheiks murder took place even with the surge underway. In September 2007, Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, the sheik widely credited with persuading Sunni leaders to turn against al Qaeda in Iraq, died in a bomb attack in Anbar. His work, prior to then, was held as a major effort in transforming the province from one of Iraq’s deadliest areas into one of its safest.McCains memory is going, going gone!

[Veeve]

I don't think this is a gaffe so much as it is a clue into the Bush/McCain mindset. Afghanistan was never on their agenda. Bringing those who would murder 3000 Americans to justice, is just not important in Bush-McCain world. They just wanted Iraq as their gas pump in the Middle East. The fact that they have caused the murder of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis never mattered to these thugs. One brown person is the same as the next to them and killing is killing and as long as they are killing, they are happy. It's sad and pathetic.

[littlenoodles]

>I don't think this is a gaffe so much as it is a clue into the Bush/McCain mindset...

...in more ways than one. Either McCain's mental capacity is severely degraded, or these misstatements are intentional. Think about it. McCain's gaffes all serve the very Bushian purpose of confusing the public about who the enemy is and what we're fighting for.

McCain must know that Iran is Shiite, that the surge is a desparate attempt to salvage a disaster (not a 'victory' in any meaningful sense of the word), that Iraq was at best a diversion of attention from the true problem, and that all of this amounts to harnessing US power for political purposes. He knows that the only way Republicans win support for their anti-populist policies is by keeping the public misinformed about just what those policies are. And these gaffes are right up that ally.

[exflatlander]

In the end, the Bushies persuaded the American people that they were best prepared to protect us from terrorism, even though the worst terrorist incident ever to occur on ourt homeland occurred under their watch. They are very skiled at taking advantage of American stupidity. And abetted by FOX News.

[robjh1]

Why are McCain's gaffes always put out there and nothing about Obama, who constantly makes gaffes? Is the media being biased?

[Yaa]

Please mention a few of Mr. Obama's constant gaffes.

[hawkeye58]

We're still waiting...

[shelobo]

The media is FAIR ,BALANCED AND UNBIASED ,haven't you paid any attention to FOX ?Besides McCains not going to remember if the media was biased or unbiased this time next month !

[ajax2]

At his age forgetting something that happened 6 years ago is not a gaffe, but quite normal. I speak from experience.

[tonyrich]

But, your not running for President

[JustMyWords]

I'm thinking that if your claim to fame is your incredible military & foreign policy experience, it's a pretty big gaffe to forget an entire war.

[exflatlander]

Well, let's not forget that this "war" was over in Bush minds almost as soon as it started."Idon't think about him very much [Osama]." George W, Bush

[NotaBeliever]

According to the news this morning, the good senator's numbers are improving against Senator Obama's numbers. Last night on Letterman, Dave posed his usual 'who ya gonna vote for?' question and McCain won. I read in the letters to the editor of the local paper that down-home folk are more interested in drilling for oil than making nice-nice with people and leaders across the pond. Something's happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear. Just thought I'd mention it.

[Kram]

The morons will elect McSame. American voters are the dumbest people on earth. The fact that people would even consider ANY republican after eight years of Bush, is the most depressing testemonial to American stupidity there is.

[tonyrich]

TRUE

[shelobo]

Americans are NOT dumb,we just TRUST our 'leaders' to much. Just as you do and many people all over the world do,except we have FOX news to get us the REAL truth ,don't we ?Darn I meant MSNBC ,wait maybe its News Hounds I'm thinking of .....'sigh' blame on my age !

[shelobo]

Watch this site along with the http://electoral-vote.com/ and this one http://electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Pres/ec_graph-2008.html ,at the site there is a link (the presidental polls daily) to EACH state that plays a major role in the election such as ....CO MI MN MS ND NH PA WI ,McCain is ahead slightly in only a few states from looking at the graphs.It's a close race VERY VERY close.

[CyrusBeaucephus]

He says he knows how to win wars. I guess our hard hitting media didn't bother to follow up on the specifics of that claim

[BPCentrisAmerican]

He says he knows how to win wars. The probem is he just can't remember them.

[noamjunior]

like he won vietnam?

[AspenFreePress]

The Aspen Free Press is covering John McCain when he arrives in Aspen this afternoon to meet with the Dalai Lama at a private residence here. A Denver protest group reportedly is en route to Aspen. McCain will have a statement for media when he arrives but will not answer questions. Do you want pix?
Sterling Greenwood
Aspen Free Press

[shelobo]

Reportably the Dalai Lama is secretly preparing to make a deal with China has been growing since two of his envoys made a trip to Beijing last September. They visited China again in late May, in the first direct contact between both sides since 1993.And McCain is hopeing to score some points with the Dalai lama ,that way McCain can continue the close relationship with China that the Bushs have always enjoyed.China's Communist leaders and the Bush family have always been close. When daddy Bush, functioning as ambassador to China, was cavorting around Beijing with his secretary/mistress, China's security apparatus was discrete about the rather brazen affair and the leadership kept its mouth shut right through the course of Bush's political career.......this link explains better than I can...http://www.counterpunch.org/lindorff02182004.html

[shelobo]

You can buy tickets to hear the Dalai Lama speak ,a thousand dollars each,McCain WILL make a haul off this one.http://www.aspenfreepress.com/

[flatus]

Haven't you heard? The follow-up question came to an untimely end right around November, 2000.

[exflatlander]

Like we "won" in Vietnam? Remember Nixon promising that he had a secret way to end the war? It took him 5 more years to enact his "secret" which turned out to be taking off as rapidly as possible to get us the hell out of there. Many more dead on both sides in the interim while he tried to "win" the war. (Remember:"Peace with honor"?). By all counts the Vietnamese should still hate us. Apparently they don't carry grudges - but you can count on a population that carries grudges for centuries - like the Middle Eastern countries- to hate the US long after we're all dead.

Americans have to be stupid to forget such a bitter lesson so quickly.

[mergina]

THIS GUY WON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT HE ORDERS THE MILITARY TO DO.
RETIRE HIM ALREADY...­.AARRRGGGH­HHHHHH!!!!­!!

[notepad2]

Ramblings from the Most Magnificent One.

Talking about a tornado in May - “In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed." Twleve people were killed.

“Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go.”

In Sioux Falls, S. D. - “Thank you, Sioux City. ... I said it wrong. I’ve been in Iowa for too long. I’m sorry.”

When trailing Clinton in Kentucky - “Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known, coming from a nearby state of Arkansas. So it’s not surprising that she would have an advantage in some of those states in the middle.” Has there been an earthquake recently that has moved Arkansas closer to Kentucky than Illinois is?

Incoherently speaking on the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma, Ala. - “There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Ala., because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born.” The New Messiah was born 4 years before the Selma march.

[idest]

This is relevant to the above article how? Maybe you can try explaining why John McCain thinks Iraq was the first major conflict after 9/11. I can't figure it out.

[recruitgal]

LOL.. OK, I'm not defending him, but he and Clinton were working a ridiculously punishing schedule, and it's hardly surprising he made a few mistakes.

I don't expect either candidate to be super human, but I expect them to have a firm grasp of policy issues, and McCain clearly doesn't.

[ishok]

Musings from a Hillary supporter.

My candidate lost. She ran a terrible campaign.

She mismanaged over 200 million in donations.

I'd like to help her ...like the Obama supporters helping their candidate but ... it's easier to post comments. ( I save time and money this way).

I hate Obama. I love Hillary and would do anything for her.

Who's that knocking at my door? ... S__t! It's those people coming to take my cats away!
I've got to go...

[lady49]

Although, that's very "white" of you to say so....
Try responding to the article.

[Insearchoftruth]

Yesterday much attention was given to a poll that said BO is a riskier choice. That means that people are not connecting McCain's reconstructions, missteps, lost thoughts, forgotten facts, temper etc to the idea of his finger resting on the most awesome military machine the world has ever known. A machine that has spent the last generation building a rapid respnse capability to strike anywhere in the world in minutes. The lack of discipline McCain is displaying should scare the hell of everyone. This is not funny.

[Merckx]

I can't watch it. It's too gruesome to think that this guy is even in with a chance of being our next president.

[mi]

It's almost sad to watch if he wasn't running for President.
Which makes him a lethal threat to our Nation.

[sloLes]

These two comments, by Merckx & mi, sum it up. Our major democratic elections have deteriorated into contests between two people chosen very early in the process by the major media, which is owned by less than a dozen wealthy families. And their primary goal seems to be to enrich themselves.

If one spends too much time here, one tends to believe McCain is the only candidate with flaws. But Obama seems enthusiastic to support Israeli ethnic cleansing and illegal land confiscation & new settlements ringing Jerusalem. And he was positively eager to fight the terrorism of others, without ever looking at American sponsored terrorism. Yes, Obama is bright, witty, and mentally shape. But he is also carrying a huge load of 'Cultural Baggage.' And he shows no signs of being aware of his burden.

Obama was chosen by the media, because he's vulnerable. They've always planned on pulling the rug from beneath him in October and pushing for his opponent. If McCain can last that long, he has a real good chance of being elected.!

Indeed, American electoral democracy has gotten very sad!