Wash. Post Reporter Says ‘No Way’ Secret Service Would Agree To McCain Plan To Visit Iraq With Obama
Wash. Post Reporter Says ‘No Way’ Secret Service Would Agree To McCain Plan To Visit Iraq With Obama
Last Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) suggested that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) visit Iraq — together — saying “it would be good for the country.” When asked about Graham’s idea, McCain said, “Sure. It would be fine,” adding condescendingly, “I would also seize that opportunity to educate Senator Obama along the way.” Yesterday, McCain outright challenged Obama to go to Iraq saying, “I’d be glad to go with him.”
But would such a plan actually be feasible? In a washingtonpost.com chat this afternoon, Post Congressional reporter Paul Kane suggested that there is “no way” the Secret Service would buy into the McCain/Graham scheme:
Roseland, N.J.: John McCain’s suggestion that both he and Barack Obama visit war-strewn Iraq together: Can you think of an idea the Secret Service would veto faster?
Paul Kane: Yeah, that idea did make me chuckle. No way Secret Service allows such a thing. Remember that market visit McCain did in Baghdad in early ‘07?
The “dog-and-pony show” that McCain wants to take Obama on is going to require a significant security presence. As Kane noted, McCain famously cited his Baghdad market stroll last year as an example that security was getting better there but absent from his claim was the large American military entourage that accompanied him.
But throughout his campaign for president, McCain has shown how little he thinks through the various plans he has offered, as some of them have little chance of being realized or have actually already been implemented:
– Earlier this month, McCain floated the idea of creating a human trafficking task force. But the problem is that one similar to what McCain proposed already exists.
– McCain offered a plan to kick Russia out of the G8, an idea one “senior U.S. official” called “impossible.”
– McCain had to back away from his plan to create a “League of Democracies“ because it was “greeted with alarm by some Republican supporters and wariness by important U.S. allies.”
Maybe the unworkable nature of McCain’s grand ideas can be attributed to severe lack of planning. But some have suggested that McCain’s slip-ups simply amount to “senior moments.”
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When asked about Graham’s idea, McCain said, “Sure. It would be fine,” adding condescendingly, “I would also seize that opportunity to educate Senator Obama along the way.”
“Educate” him on what ?
Pandering ?
Talking out of both sides of his mouth ?
How to include the words “My Friends” in every speech he gives about 250 times ?
How to ditch his wife for a much younger , wealthier and idiotic one after cheating on her repeatedly ?
I’m sure he’s ecstatic at the prospect …….
May 29th, 2008 at 2:14 pmWhy would Obama want to go along with that gimmick anyway?
_AIO_
May 29th, 2008 at 2:15 pmMaybe Obama could buy some rugs in the Green Zone.
_AIO_
May 29th, 2008 at 2:17 pmWill the propaganda about how well thing are in Iraq be any different over there than from what Obama gets here?
_AIO_
May 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pmHere’s what certain IF they both went to Iraq: Obama could stroll through the streets unattended and maybe escape detection, or at worst, would be able to engage the people. McCain would be dead meat.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:23 pmBut would such a plan actually be feasible? In a washingtonpost.com chat this afternoon, Post Congressional reporter Paul Kane suggested that there is “no way” the Secret Service would buy into the McCain/Graham scheme…
Regardless of whether it’s “feasible” it would no doubt be useless.
The “dog-and-pony show” that McCain wants to take Obama on is going to require a significant security presence.
Exactly what is the point of another “dog-and-pony show”? So that McCain can further delude himself into thinking that we’re winning?
http://progressiveworldreview.com
May 29th, 2008 at 2:24 pmWell, to be fair, this doesn’t sound like MCSame’s dumb idea — it sounds like Lindasy Graham’s dumb idea.
Grampy has enough winners of his own that we don’t need to make fun of him for someone else’s.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:25 pmWhen asked about Graham’s idea, McCain said, “Sure. It would be fine,” adding condescendingly, “I would also seize that opportunity to educate Senator Obama along the way.”
Rather grandiose for a nimrod with the mental acuity of a twit.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:25 pmeducate Senator Obama along the way
Let’s hope Senator Obama notes McCain’s class rank at the Naval Academy and shoots back, “You first, pal.”
May 29th, 2008 at 2:26 pmI say we just send McCain over to Iraq alone and let him stay there until we have achieved the victory he constantly says is rightfully ours, whatever that may mean, and not let him come home not one minute before “victory” is achieved.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:29 pmI’d like to educate Obama on all the rubble McCain left back in Vietnam. Everyone should get to know his colossal f uck up of an opponent.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:31 pmGrampy McSame says - My friends back in the day we would all take strolls thru markets like Iraq, they would have pony rides, cotton candy, and carmel apples, those where the days, I would like to have Obama experience those kind of simple times, we will visit the “Shooting Gallery” first of course, Iraq is the perfect place for that, he can learn to “Duck” and “Dodge” those pesky sniper fire, I know it always got my blood pumping, it’s wouldn’t be dangerous for him or anything, I will supply him with a “Special” vest to stop any bullets, hehe, maybe I can take Hillary along too, it’ll be like a picnic in Indiana in the summer time, except for all the dead bodies and stuff…Wieners and Beans in my pants make me want to dance.
Yeah, great idea Grampy, take him for a little learning on Iraq, yeah right.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:34 pmMcCain knows there is no way he wins in November, so I guess he figures he can take out the man who will.
If I was Obama, I wouldn’t even board a plane with McCain. He doesn’t have the best track record for safe landings…
PEACE
May 29th, 2008 at 2:34 pmMcCain is not thinking in terms of whether the Secret Service would agree to such a plan. McCain is thinking about the PR value of Obama being unable to go on such a trip. Face it, will the press really follow up on this and ask what kind of judgment has been exhibited by a presidential candidate who would think it a good idea to have both the Republican and Democratic contenders at the same place at the same time in a war zone? I doubt it. What has made the headlines is that McCain made the challenge. Obama should go out on front with this and say that he will indeed go to Iraq on his own. He then ought to ask whether McCain’s challenge for a joint trip really demonstrates a good sense of security judgment.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:35 pmOh, the irony! McCain wants to personnally educate Obama on how well Iraq is going but can’t because it’s too dangerous. How funny! Unlike the American President, the Iranian President literally gets the red carpet treatment in Iraq, so maybe they should contact him.
McCain doesn’t think things through? Oh great, just what we need. Isn’t eight years enough of that?
May 29th, 2008 at 2:37 pmMcCain keeps bragging of how often hes been to Baghdad as if these propaganda-tours actually says anything about the real situation in Iraq
May 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pmThanks for educating me, Grampy McSame.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pmPerhaps Grampa can show off his newfound knowledge regarding the difference between Sunni and Shia. Lindsey can give Obama pointers on how to get a good deal on a tasteful accent rug at the market. G.I. Joe Lieberman can walk around looking like Elmer Fudd in his flak jacket and combat helmet screaming “kill da wabbit”. Obama can be the responsible adult and tell his geriatric travel companions when it’s time to take their meds. Good times.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:49 pmRemember this? 01 April 2007 McCain in Baghdad market.
claimed he was perfectly safe.
He failed to mention that he was wearing a flak jacket, had 100 heavily armed soldiers as an escort, sharpshooters on nearby roofs covering his sorry ass, heavily armed helicopter gunships overhead, a convoy of armored vehicles for transport, and the fact that the market had been cordoned off- no one in or out during his visit.
Can you say Potemkin Village?
May 29th, 2008 at 2:52 pmMaybe it’s just me, but I’m thinking that with Obama’s nomination pretty much locked in at this point, Iraq really shouldn’t be on his list of places to visit right at the moment. No telling what colud happen if either one of them were to go at this point.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:53 pm*colud=could.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:53 pmConsidering McCant’s poor luck with military planes if I was Obama I wouldn’t get on the same one as Grampy McConfused.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:55 pmHow in the world does Graham think that an expensive taxpayer-funded publicity stunt that will yield no new information would be “good for the country”?
I’m tired of sending our elected officials to Iraq to get a dog and pony show they could be given on a soundstage here in the U.S. for far less money.
Obama would be better off if he skipped the propaganda tour and instead talked to the next batch of real soldiers coming off deployment. After all, they will have seen much more than Obama would be permitted to see.
This also applies to McCain, but his mind is made up and he doesn’t want to be confused with facts.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:56 pmI look forward to McCain educating Obama about the progress in Iraq — under the protection of 4 apache gunships, 100 troops, 3 helicopters and the sturdiest flack vests.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:56 pmmcain is an idiot roger, he’s a stupid old man. the only people who are dumber than mccain are his supporters, how’s them facts?
May 29th, 2008 at 2:57 pmI would suggest that W take them and Cheney along in Air Force 1 and while they are going to the market, he can take a tour of Fallujah on his trail bike while dead-eye Dick rides ss shotgun on one of those WWII sidecar motorbikes.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:58 pmMcCain says, Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, blah, blah, blah…
Can’t talk about economics or domestic issues so he has to keep talking about Iraq.
But if he’s such an expert on foreign policy why didn’t he know the WH was pushing a bunch of propaganda to go to war and Scott McClellan did?
May 29th, 2008 at 3:02 pmMy mistake, I’m the non-tactical expert. An apache gunship is a version of a helicopter.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:02 pmLet’s give McAncient a rifle, a bazooka, and a headband and send him in to confront al-qaeda Rambo-style.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:03 pmRoger can relate to idiots Bobwurst. Birds of a feather …
May 29th, 2008 at 3:05 pmMcCain can crash any aircraft he pilots, no problem.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:05 pmI really wish Obama would completely agree to do this with only one caveat.
They refuse to accept ANY security cover, and are allowed to stroll anywhere in Baghdad at all. That means Dora, Sadr City, etc.
Watch McIIIrd crap his pants when asked to do that.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:08 pmI’d really like McIIIrd to give Obama a lesson on which Shiite AlQaeda factions are being trained in Iran…
May 29th, 2008 at 3:14 pmBuckie, Buckie, Buckie…! Will you marry me?
You know, since we Progressives are in favor of gay marriage, polygamy, underage marriage and first cousins marrying - oh, yeah, and you’ll have to marry my cat Rosie, too.
~ A
p.s. we’ll see if we can arrange the for the same date that I’m marrying Zooey and Shayne too (you know, save on cake expenses and all).
May 29th, 2008 at 3:14 pmMcCain is very naive if he really takes the expression ” facts on the ground” literally, as he seems to do when he talks about “seeing the facts on the ground.” You can’t see any “facts” when you’re on the ground. You can’t even see any “facts” when you’re in a helicopter. You need intelligence analysts to give you “facts” - preferably in sober prose, not in PowerPoint Presentations.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:15 pmRUCerious Says:
“Watch McIIIrd crap his pants when asked to do that.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if McCant craps his pants on a semi-regular basis, RU. I think that’s what’s happening when mid speech he gets that far away glint in his eye, my friends.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:16 pmMcCain and gang just want to get Obama in front of a Mosque for a photo opportunity to be used to paint him as a Muslim in one of their 527 ads.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:22 pmI like the idea of Obama just talking to returning soldiers, but
I want to see Lindsay Graham used as THE RUG.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:23 pmCrap. Senator Liberace—er, I mean LINDSAY Graham ought to just get back to polishing his candelabra - and STFU.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:34 pmSo, let me get this straight…grampy McLame, the old codger who pisses his pants over pork barrel spending wants another free trip to Iraq at the cost of $250,000 plus dollars to the American taxpayers? What’s this assclown going to “teach” Obama, how to spend other people’s money while they lose their homes to foreclosure? How to claim to support the troops by not even bothering to show up for the vote on the G.I. bill? Jeeebus, the irony and hypocracy of waaahhhhpublicans knows no boundries.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:34 pmjrod Says:
McCain and gang just want to get Obama in front of a Mosque for a photo opportunity to be used to paint him as a Muslim in one of their 527 ads.
They’d probably photoshop one of Rachel Ray’s scarves onto him!
May 29th, 2008 at 3:35 pmBombin’ Johnnie’s labored too long with the PTSD, which has turned into full-on, pre-senescent dementia. He has soooo many demons. You can see it in his eyes, which are as opaque as a shark’s…
May 29th, 2008 at 3:57 pmWash. Post Reporter Says ‘No Way’ Secret Service Would Agree To McCain Plan To Visit Iraq With Obama»
Many of our thoughts are on the same page.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:00 pmThank you Secret Service!
I will admit that this visit would be a wonderful idea:
right after Bush and Cheney stroll down the market square without military escort
May 29th, 2008 at 5:13 pmLinsay probably likes that idea too.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:38 pmNo surprise that one McCain surrogate sets up an amazingly implausible, foolish scenario so that McCain can take tee off on Obama’s lack of military “knowledge.” Next up, another McCain surrogate sez the reason why it won’t happen is ‘cuz Obama’s “too chicken.” These folks are so predictable.
His heroism and sacrifice to our country aside, it astonishes me that McCain should be so hawkish and yet so unsympathetic to the needs of our troops (see: McCain’s insult of a crappy GI Bill). It must have to do with the difference, not to mention the distance, between fighting a war with your boots on the ground and fighting a war from a cockpit. Forty years creates a hell of a lot of distance too.
Bad ass fighter pilots are of limited use in our current conflicts. You can’t “defeat” insurgents from thousands of feet in the air. The terrain is largely either urban or mountainous. Opposing forces are usually small.
Sadly, our military is so over-extended and our force levels so severely compromised that we now have USAF and US Navy troops fighting and dying on the ground.
-AF
May 29th, 2008 at 5:52 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
I predict that John McCain will come unglued during his debates with Obama.
May 29th, 2008 at 7:47 pmThis is the conversation that should have taken place.
Cheers,
May 29th, 2008 at 8:42 pm