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Campaign denies McCain’s Iran/al Qaeda ‘gaffe.’

By Ali on Mar 18th, 2008 at 5:57 pm

Campaign denies McCain’s Iran/al Qaeda ‘gaffe.’»

Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that Iranian operatives are “taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back” — despite the fact that Iran is a Shiite nation and al Qaeda are Sunni fighters. Responding to reports of McCain’s factually inaccurate claim, the McCain campaign released a statement attempting to paint the senator’s fundamental error as an isolated slip of the tongue:

In a press conference today, John McCain misspoke and immediately corrected himself by stating that Iran is in fact supporting radical Islamic extremists in Iraq, not Al Qaeda — as the transcript shows. Democrats have launched political attacks today because they know the American people have deep concerns about their candidates’ judgment and readiness to lead as commander in chief.

The fact that McCain made identical remarks on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show as well makes it clear McCain did not simply “misspeak.” What’s more, McCain corrected himself only after Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) “stepped forward and whispered in the presidential candidate’s ear.”

UPDATE: Fox News aired footage of Lieberman correcting McCain during today’s press conference. Watch it:

Screenshot

UpdateA video by CNN shows that McCain repeated the inaccurate claim twice during the same press conference, bringing his total number of "misspeaks" to three.
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59 Responses to “Campaign denies McCain’s Iran/al Qaeda ‘gaffe.’”


  1. judyinnm Says:

    That’s how he gets the full support of the Bushes & Cheney (voter suppression, Diebold machines, donor lists, and all other Rovian concoctions) - use his campaign for president to drum up support for attacking Iran, either before or after the next “election”. “Third Bush Term” - unless georgejr himself decides to not relinquish the throne.


  2. ralph the wonder llama Says:

    Perhaps when Gigi shows up to shower us with her wingnut links, she can explain why, if it’s so clear to everyone across the globe that Shiite Iran and Sunni al Qaeda are in cahoots, Saint JOhn MCSame’s campaign moved so quickly to claim that the good Senator “misspoke”?


  3. BillinChicago Says:

    This kind of muddleheaded thinking is why we have made zero progress in the War on Terror, and why we continue to waste money and lives in countries which had nothing to with 9/11, all the while ignoring all of this:

    http://www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com

    The people who are funding “Al Qaeda in Iraq” are the same people who have always funded Al Qaeda - our wonderful “friends and allies”, the Saudis. In fact, it’s no coincidence that a majority of the suicide bombers attacking and killing our troops in Iraq come from the exact same country as the overwhelming majority of the 9/11 hijackers. Until we’re willing to call them on this, why would they even consider stopping? And who can doubt that Bin Laden is laughing his ass off in a cave somewhere every time he sees Bush or McSame shake their fist at Iran?


  4. Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:

    I am so sad that TP chooses to have a virtual blackout on Obama on this site. I would really like to discuss his speech with the people here. Maybe I’ll go over to the Zoo when I get home and talk to the people there.

    What is TP going to do when Obama is the Presidential candidate? Will they still boycott him?


  5. Xisithrus Says:

    McCain is too old,sickly and bellicose to lead and would compound our economical problems and foreign entanglements.


  6. RUCerious Says:

    McFoggy can’t get it right, he so wants to tar Iran with a big brush, but just can’t seem to dip it in anything but shit.


  7. Max-1 Says:

    .

    McDementia!!!

    .


  8. Mark @ News Corpse Says:

    How many “slips of the tongue” will it take before people begin to question McCain’s cognition problems? Reagan had Alzheimers long before he acknowledged it - and while he was still in office.

    This is not an attack based on age. There are plenty of people McCain’s age who do not exhibit these symptoms. this is merely an inquiry into his fitness to serve.

    Get your free Pocket BARACK-itizer here.


  9. Alejandro Says:

    You act like this is some sort of mistake. No. They actually think the American people are that dumb. And you know what? They are mostly right.


  10. GSD Says:

    McCain probably believes in liberal fascists too.

    -GSD


  11. L. Hussein Annie Says:

    4 - Cave?

    Cave, schmave! I’ve always believed that Osama bin Laden is home in Saudi Arabia - tucked up in the bosom of his family.


  12. JMOHR Says:

    If we were not wasting our time on a useless and self-defeating war between Hillary and Barack, we could be sending out a stream of political ads with the gaffs on tape and attacking McCain as being as expert on Iran as Bush was on Iraq. We could also raise the issue of just how much straight talk is there coming out of McCain if he misleads on his statements concerning Iran’s support of Sunni’s.


  13. help.me.jebus Says:

    Is his campaign old and confused as well?


  14. DieNowForPeace Says:

    What is TP going to do when Obama is the Presidential candidate? Will they still boycott him?

    Nah, probably just fold like some cheap, origami.


  15. tarazan Says:

    I can’t wait to see McCain discussing the economy, national and international.
    He knows one answer..”cut taxes..cut taxes..cut taxes”. Bush is his model.
    And when it comes to war and peace,McCain knows how to sing :”Bomb, bomb, bomb..Iran”,and forever wars.

    Any surprise that McCain is confused between Iran and Al Qaeda? !! Not at all.


  16. help.me.jebus Says:

    @13

    If we were not wasting our time on a useless and self-defeating war between Hillary and Barack

    So true my friend, so true…

    one of them has to concede for the good of the country.


  17. artwrite Says:

    It was the day after St. Patrick’s Day. Johnnie’s mouth was very dry, his brain was, how shall we say, heavy with slosh.


  18. help.me.jebus Says:

    And the Video truth shall set you free…


  19. Badger Says:

    When our troops first attacked the Taliban in Afghanistan…Iran helped us! Why would they do that if they were Al Qaeda sympathisers? Obviously they are not. McCain should KNOW that as a powerfull senator, let alone a candidate for President.


  20. Fred Says:

    grumpy old men


  21. calibleu Says:

    Does it really matter what he says? Everytime he opens his mouth to speak, he lies.


  22. Roket Says:

    McInsane is definitely Bush 2.0 material. I swear I can’t tell the difference between them.


  23. StratRat Says:

    So, the politician who wants to advance Bush’s third term can’t admit to any wrongdoing….Hmmm, does that sound similar to another current politician who also cannot admit to any errors….?

    Sounds like the right man for the job….


  24. oldtree Says:

    One has to wonder if he is just ignorant, or stupid. He says many things that are false, but all ticks do. He is following in king george’s footsteps. Perhaps his advisors still think this is what is most likely to endear him to the base?
    It seems like he has said enough to prove he is either a serial liar or an idiot.


  25. flavorino Says:

    McCain’s campaign has to deny reality…..if they didn’t they would be forced to admit that their candidate is not mentally fit to be President.


  26. McWars Says:

    Lieberman was on the ‘00 Democratic ticket — he won.

    Lieberman may be on the ‘08 Republican ticket — he will lose.


  27. osage Says:

    Mr. McCain and his campaign are just doing the same thing Mr. Bush and his press secretaries have been doing for more than seven years……lying in deliberate attempts to deny, hide and cover-up his incompetence, ignorance, dishonesty and unworthiness. If the Bush adminstration exemplifies one thing, it’s that when you constantly makes mistakes and generally screw everything up, the only viable politcal response is to lie. All that matters is that you never admit how seriously incompetent, ignorant, dishonest and unworthy you truly are. It’s worked for Bush, Cheney and Rice with the 29% Bush Republican faithful…..why not for John Sidney McCain, III?


  28. Red Pill Says:

    Entirely consistent for this lot. Remember that the Shrub would have us believe that every insurgent confronted in Iraq is al Qaeda, when in fact, that body represents no more than two percent of the insurgency. McCain’s just reading his party lines.


  29. Max-1 Says:

    McLieberman had to remind McTORTURE the meme is supposed to be; Not Al-CIA-duh silly, it’s radicals.

    See, they can call it radicals and foment a level of hatred toward those radicals, no matter neither the accuracy or verifiability of such statements. Rather irresponsible of them, too… NO?

    REMEMBER:
    It WAS WMD’s
    It WAS ties to Al-CIA-duh
    It WAS Yellow Cake Uranium
    It WAS Bio-Chem mobile labs
    It WAS imminent threats
    It WAS suit case nukes

    And then…

    It BECAME ABOUT bringing Democracy
    It BECAME ABOUT a Freedom agenda
    It BECAME ABOUT holding elections
    It BECAME ABOUT holding elections… AGAIN!
    It BECAME ABOUT standing up
    It BECAME ABOUT fighting the insurgents
    It BECAME ABOUT capturing Al-CIA-duh in Iraq

    And now

    It NOW is about the surge
    It NOW is staying the course
    It NOW is about Parliament
    It NOW is about winning an occupation

    IT NOW IS ABOUT MAINTAINING THE LIES!

    Do we really believe McTORTURE and McLieberman will change course, especially on the issue of Iran?

    .


  30. Cal Malenky Says:

    Whattya bet he chooses Lieberman for his Secretary of State if they manage to steal the election again.


  31. dixie blood Says:

    Vote for McLame and/or LIEberman and you vote for WAR…CONSTANT NEVER ENDING WAR!!!!! Fascist BASTARDS!!!


  32. the Lone Voice of Reason Says:

    Ok,as if it wasn’t terrifying enough that this old codger getting all crazy old pissed and having his fury shaken finger on the “button,” but him not knowing exactly whom he should be bombing.


  33. JerryJerr Says:

    McCain is warming up his W Bush rhetoric for the fall. Bush is the one who said “There are Sunni’s and Shia in Iraq? I thought they were muslims”. (I’m paraphrasing)

    Despite losing the House and Senate with these same lies about Al Queda in 2006, McCain is going to adopt the same fear-mongering that this Administration has spewed since 911.

    The sad thing is that this strategy actually has a chance of working again this fall. Never underestimate how naive and uninformed the American electorate is. NEVER.


  34. rogerD Says:

    Maybe he saw the Queen of diamonds like Lauence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate. And Lieberman was countermanding the sighting.


  35. moondancer Says:

    You deny everything? We have pictures…
    How stupid is this guy? McCain= rock pickem.


  36. RUCerious Says:

    A Clue! A Clue! My Candidacy for a Clue!


  37. Guido the Loving OBGYN Says:

    Iran is laughing at us.


  38. RUCerious Says:

    Just One Question, McCandidate.

    Who’s training YOUR extremists?


  39. Evergreen2U Says:

    Is this a continuation of Black is White? The script of the late USSR and Bush regimes? finger down throat vomit.


  40. DallasNE Says:

    This reminds me of Gerald Ford in debate in 1976.

    How many times has McCain been to Iraq and how many times has he spoken on the issue. In spite of all of this McCain still doesn’t know who the individual player are in Iraq and keep them straight so how can he develop a policy that makes sense when he doesn’t display any sense himself.

    This is indeed a blunder of huge proportions coming from a candidate that has recently made his foreign policy experience the cornerstone of his candidacy. This is in a league with the Gerald Ford mistake.


  41. RUCerious Says:

    DallasNE ~ Perhaps we should coin
    McBlunder…Candidate of Confusion.


  42. DallasNE Says:

    Yes, McBush McBlundered — indeed a candidate of confusion.


  43. RUCerious Says:

    Gotta love the chyron under these two jackasses that reads

    ‘widen the chasm of racial misunderstanding’

    That is their slogan, isnt’ it?


  44. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    artwrite Says:
    March 18th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

    It was the day after St. Patrick’s Day. Johnnie’s mouth was very dry, his brain was, how shall we say, heavy with slosh.
    ____________

    …slosh… what a great word. Haven’t heard THAT one recently.

    O/T, but have you ever heard of “Olde Frothingslosh… the only beer in the world w/ the head on the bottom”?

    “Oh, my gosh! Its Frothingslosh!” exclaimed the hardy band of imbibers in the small pub at Upper-Crudney-On-The-Thames, England. Their jubilant voices echoed through the morning mists, “By Jove! The foam IS on the bottom!” In all its amber glory, the first glass of Olde Frothingslosh Pale Stale Ale stood before the amazed crowd, the beer floating on TOP of its own foam.


  45. Doc Rock Says:

    McCain taking a leaf out of Cheney’s book and making it up as he goes?


  46. Jess Wonderin Says:

    Been in the Senate since before the “invasion”, been shopping in Baghdad several times, been briefed on the Foreign Relations Committee . . . and STILL can’t figure out the players without a Program? Shit, the old man has really got MY confidence . . . maybe he can get a deal with Vitter on a Depends bulk buy . . .


  47. ohplease Says:

    Lieberman = Wormtongue


  48. QUALAR Says:

    The future Der Leader needs to be lead. It’s a disease of the elderly - CRS (can’t remember shit).


  49. Gregor Samsa Says:

    Goon_golly should get his act together and send all his links over to the McCain campaign crew asap.

    They would probably appreciate all his hard work and “evidence”.

    Heh.


  50. Ditch Mitch KY Says:

    Great. Sen. McWar doesn’t even know about the War he supports. Wait until we hear his comments on the Economy! Can’t wait.


  51. DallasNE Says:

    John McCain isn’t the only one beating the Iran war drum by citing an al Qaeda, Iran connection. Today Bush did the same thing when he said that pulling out of Iraq would embolden Iran and provide a source of money for al Qaeda.
    http://news.yahoo.com/ s/ ap/ 20080319/ ap_on_go_pr_wh/ bush_iraq


  52. araratararat Says:

    The blind leading the blind, or the rabid chicken-hawk war monger leading the 100 year war - war monger. Whatever both these fascist Zionist war mongers are crazy as loons.

    The Zionist war monger Rothschilds so want to see Mcbu$h/Cain in the oval office of the White House they are throwing a gay la la fund raising event to make the idea a reality.

    …..

    Senator’s Supporters Are Invited to Lunch With a Lord (Rothschild)

    Saturday, March 15, 2008; Page A06

    Sen. John McCain plans at least one campaign event on his week-long congressional trip to Europe and the Middle East: a March 20 fundraiser in London. An invitation sent out by the campaign says the luncheon will be held at Spencer House, St. James’s Place, “by kind permission of Lord Rothschild OM GBE and the Hon Nathaniel Rothschild.” Tickets to the invitation-only event cost $1,000 to $2,300. Attire is listed as “lounge suits.”

    This Story
    McCain on World Stage On Mideast, Europe Trip
    Senator’s Supporters Are Invited to Lunch With a Lord
    The fundraiser will be limited to Americans, as foreigners are not permitted to donate to presidential candidates.

    McCain spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said the campaign will reimburse Congress for the political portions of the trip, as well as the senator’s flight home, because he is flying separately from the congressional delegation.

    “We are also paying for the fundraiser and his hotel that evening in London,” Hazelbaker said. “We will reimburse the Treasury for the cost of a flight to London.”

    – Matthew Mosk

    Senator’s Supporters Are Invited to Lunch With a Lord

    Saturday, March 15, 2008; Page A06

    Sen. John McCain plans at least one campaign event on his week-long congressional trip to Europe and the Middle East: a March 20 fundraiser in London. An invitation sent out by the campaign says the luncheon will be held at Spencer House, St. James’s Place, “by kind permission of Lord Rothschild OM GBE and the Hon Nathaniel Rothschild.” Tickets to the invitation-only event cost $1,000 to $2,300. Attire is listed as “lounge suits.”

    This Story
    McCain on World Stage On Mideast, Europe Trip
    Senator’s Supporters Are Invited to Lunch With a Lord
    The fundraiser will be limited to Americans, as foreigners are not permitted to donate to presidential candidates.

    McCain spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said the campaign will reimburse Congress for the political portions of the trip, as well as the senator’s flight home, because he is flying separately from the congressional delegation.

    “We are also paying for the fundraiser and his hotel that evening in London,” Hazelbaker said. “We will reimburse the Treasury for the cost of a flight to London.”

    – Matthew Mosk

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2008/ 03/ 14/ AR2008031403897.html


  53. crawfordvillageidiot Says:

    Oddly reminiscent of Nancy whispering in Ronnie’s ear after dementia had set in!!


  54. williamf Says:

    Oh yeah, this is a guy with a sharp mind folks. He needs to be sittin’ in the rocker on the porch. I think he’s gonna be nuttier than Ronnie Reagan who late in his term turned the duties of the office over to his wife and the stars. But, being a Reagonite is admirable and desirable?? He was a movie actor reading a script. McCain can’t even get the script right or his lies straight.


  55. Kay Says:

    If McSenile gets in : RIP America.


  56. Kay Says:

    We are all f_cked if McBomb gets in.


  57. Keith H. Says:

    And this fossil is leading all others in the zogby bull . . I mean poll . . . riiiiigggghhht.


  58. Exit Stage Left Says:

    I don’t think that old fart could keep track of two bingo cards. Vote for McBingo and LIE-berman may be calling the shots.


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