FLASHBACK: McCain Declared Osama Bin Laden Threats Are ‘Very Helpful’ To Bush’s Campaign
FLASHBACK: McCain Declared Osama Bin Laden Threats Are ‘Very Helpful’ To Bush’s Campaign
Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) sought to distance himself from adviser Charlie Black, who told Fortune Magazine that another terrorist attack on the United States would be “a big advantage” to McCain’s campaign. McCain rejected the comments, saying, “If he said that, and I do not know the context, I strenuously disagree.”
However, McCain himself has made similar assertions in the past. In 2004, just three days before the presidential election, McCain argued that a recently-released video-tape by Osama bin Laden would prove “very helpful to President Bush”:
U.S. Sen. John McCain, campaigning in southwestern Connecticut on Saturday, said Osama bin Laden’s video message to Americans will likely energize President Bush’s re-election campaign.
“I think it’s very helpful to President Bush,” said McCain, R-Ariz., while stumping in Stamford for U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays. “It focuses America’s attention on the war on terrorism. I’m not sure if it was intentional or not, but I think it does have an effect.” [AP, 10/30/04]
In the 18-minute video, bin Laden declared that al Qaeda was still motivated to attack the United States again.
More recently, McCain indicated that the terrorist attack that killed Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto would help him politically, as CNN’s Dana Bash recounted on the Situation Room yesterday:
BASH: I was actually with Sen. McCain the very day that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. … He really did understand from that moment that this was something that he thought could help him in the race at that point to be the Republican nominee. In fact, at that event that very day I asked Sen. McCain if he thought it would help his political campaign and he said pretty much “Yes.” … So it’s not a secret that back then that Sen. McCain and his campaign thought it would help.
To be sure — unlike Black seemed to do — McCain in 2004 was not advocating a terrorist attack. Yet just like his trusted adviser, McCain — who claimed yesterday he “cannot imagine” why Black would say such a thing — has not hesitated to claim political advantage from acts of terror.
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McCain can’t remember what he ate for breakfast, don’t expect him to remember what he said 4 years ago or what he told Charlie Black to say last week.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:24 pmOf course he did. It’s where Charlie Black got it from.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pmIn the 18-minute video, bin Laden declared that al Qaeda was still motivated to attack the United States again.
We’ll just ignore this like we did last time because, it’s far more important to pass the FISA immunity bill so our “Representatives” can claim to be tough on terror by listening to the phone calls of innocent Americans instead. Sheesh!
June 24th, 2008 at 12:28 pmWell they have to listen to all our private phone calls so they can ignore the important calls that are FISA eligible by the actual evildoers. You can’t get intel to blackmail political opposition with FISA.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:32 pmI was for it before I was against it!
Yes, I change my mind more often than my underwear, but that’s changing, too.
America needs change. I can change change & still have change left to change!
June 24th, 2008 at 12:34 pmShayne Says: You can’t get intel to blackmail political opposition with FISA.
Bush should just go back to playing golf for the next seven months.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:35 pmWhy not “claim political advantage from acts of terror.” That is exactly what President Bush did for a very long time. Keep the people afraid and maybe they won’t notice what we are doing to their country. Stripping them of their freedoms with the Patriot Act and weakening our Civil Liberties.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:37 pmWould someone clue McIIIrd into this new technological breakthrough known as videotape.
Sheesh!
June 24th, 2008 at 12:37 pmReich-wingers worship terrorists because they kill without having to answer to a government.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:41 pmYaknow, McSame,
June 24th, 2008 at 12:44 pmJust admit that you can’t step above the tried and true tactics of fear mongering, so successfully used by your companions.
But hopefully, this time, America has awakened, and won’t put up with the bull $hit anymore!
They tell him about it every day but by the next morning he forgets. That’s how he got to be the repug candidate in the Alzheimer footsteps of Ronnie Reagan. That way if he ever has to testify like Ronnie did on Iran Contra he can say he doesn’t remember a couple of hundred times and be more convincing than Alberto Gonzalez.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:46 pmIf he thinks he would benefit by it, he would pay for it to happen. Just like the shooter does. How many times must they tell you the terrorists are their allies before our ignorant and pathetically stupid populace gets the picture?
June 24th, 2008 at 12:49 pmWith FISA alone (which is bad enough), the spooks at NSA and the CIA had enough information to write, on Aug 11, 2001, that Osama was planning to strike at the USofA.
At which the Busheviks said: Okay, you’ve covered your ass.
And did nothing (unless you think abetting the attack constituted doing something).
And when the attack came, they used it as a pretext to install proto-fascistic controls, regulations, and draconian internment practices.
The next attack will benefit the Pukes no matter what. If it occurs before the election, it will be a stimulus for the war against Iran. If it occurs after the ‘election’ but before the inauguration, the busheviks spin it as a reason NOT to step aside. If it happens on Obama’s watch, he’ll be impeached. If it happens that Bombin’ Johnnie’s # 44, he’ll get a ribon for delaying it so long…
So any attack on the USofA is a win for the Pukes./..
June 24th, 2008 at 12:49 pmWhy aren’t we getting any McDepends trolls here? Did they burn themselves out on the eahave their “Official KKKarl Talking Points” email yet?
June 24th, 2008 at 12:49 pmdick what a dick
June 24th, 2008 at 12:50 pm‘eahave’ s/b ‘other threads or are they waiting to get’ on 14.
Bad fingers this morning, Sorry!
June 24th, 2008 at 12:52 pmI have yet to see or hear an explanation as to why any type of terrorist attack would be at all “helpful” to the Depends wearing fool………….
Since when does being a crappy pilot who crashed every plane he tried to fly and being captured by the enemy make someone a “national security” or a terrorism expert ?
I tend to believe someone of that ilk is LESS CAPABLE and wouldn’t want him anywhere in the picture.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:54 pm…has not hesitated to claim political advantage from acts of terror.
Because he’ll stop at nothing to win the White House. No flip-flop is to big that McCain won’t take it.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 24th, 2008 at 12:58 pmtokin librul Says: So any attack on the USofA is a win for the Pukes./..
I think an attack would show that the Republicans have not been doing their job fighting terrorism…
June 24th, 2008 at 12:58 pmMcCain must be ecstatic then that an Israeli officer killed himself (possibly) at the airport today as the Sarkozys were leaving for France.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pm“I think it’s very helpful to President Bush,” said McCain, R-Ariz.
Gee, do you think Osama bin Laden figured that out?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:06 pmsince Osama Bin Laden passed away in December, 2001, any Bin Laden “threats” were probably produced locally in Virginia by the Bush regime… So presumably, the Bush regime was trying to help the Bush regime… The all-knowing McCain hard at work…
June 24th, 2008 at 1:07 pmunbelievable Says:
I think an attack would show that the Republicans have not been doing their job fighting terrorism
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I think that attack occured on 09/11/2001. They dropped the ball and they still haven’t recovered it. The worst attack in US history came under republican watch, and we’ll continue to pay for it.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:11 pmThe Republicans got nuthin’. They need a terra’ attack to get votes. Pretty pathetic. Lets hope they don’t “make one up”.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:11 pmMcMetal, actually, dumping five aircraft and being held captive doesn’t make him a national security expert. It’s being surrounded by corporate lobbyists that makes him an expert on how to sell our country out to the military industrial complex.
Why does McIIIrd hate Dwight Eisenhower?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:13 pmI’d still like to know how allowing the worst terrorist attack in history to happen on your watch makes you more competent to handle terrorists. Even if you give them the first plane that hit the towers, when there were other jets in the sky off course shouldn’t fighter jets have been scrambled? And if as they say all the jets were away on training missions who left all that air space unprotected? Republicans better on national security my a$$.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:20 pmMcIIIrd hates everybody. Even his wife, apparently. Unless c*n* has become a term of endearment and the rest of us don’t know about it.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:22 pmI really, really hate this guy, can you tell?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:22 pmWhen people are scared, they don’t think clearly, and they vote Republican.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:23 pmRUCerious Says:
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McMetal, actually, dumping five aircraft and being held captive doesn’t make him a national security expert. It’s being surrounded by corporate lobbyists that makes him an expert on how to sell our country out to the military industrial complex.
Why does McIIIrd hate Dwight Eisenhower?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Actually , dumping 5 aircraft really just makes him a shitty pilot ; and his subsequent capture kind of makes you wonder about his evading/elusive tactics and abilities , doesn’t it ?
What is the GOP’s big pre-occupation with “smearing” their opposition , when truth be told , their candidates aren’t much removed from people you can find in any bowling alley……..?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:23 pmShayne Says:
McIIIrd hates everybody. Even his wife, apparently. Unless c*n* has become a term of endearment
Know how you can tell that I’ve never said that to my wife?
I’m still alive.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:25 pmpeople you can find in any bowling alley……..?
Ahem, I resemble that remark!
June 24th, 2008 at 1:25 pmDieNowForPeace Says:
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people you can find in any bowling alley……..?
Ahem, I resemble that remark!
June 24th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Potential write-in candidate ?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:28 pmDo you feel safer riding with someone who totaled a car? Perhaps the accident was determined to be ‘no fault’, but wouldn’t you feel safer with someone not associated with total failure?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:30 pmshoeless says #31
A bit of humor - funny video re: McCu*t’s statement and the media:
LINK
PS wear headphones if you’re at work.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:31 pmwhoops, sorry - my link had a problem. Try this:
LINK
June 24th, 2008 at 1:33 pmKira Says:
A bit of humor - funny video re: McCu*t’s
Not to sound prudish, but I find that offensive. Apologies to all you Carlin fans out there; I just don’t think it’s appropriate.
And I don’t mean the video (tho i’ll be sure to watch it at home since I don’t have headphones here)
June 24th, 2008 at 1:42 pmThat’s why my husband’s still alive too. Although if I had Cindy McCain’s money I’d probably find more creative ways to make him suffer.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:50 pmShayne Says:
That’s why my husband’s still alive too. Although if I had Cindy McCain’s money I’d probably find more creative ways to make him suffer
My wife said she thinks John beats Cindy.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:00 pmCindy walks, looks & acts like a scared puppy…you may be on to something there.
Senator McCain, do you still beat your wife?
June 24th, 2008 at 2:07 pmLuis M Says: Not to sound prudish, but I find that offensive. Apologies to all you Carlin fans out there; I just don’t think it’s appropriate.
So you didn’t watch the video yet, I assume. What’s not appropriate? Calling the so-called “moral majority” on their hypocrisy? Have you been watching what they’ve done to reasonable & intelligent debate on political issues - how THEY have dragged it into the dirt? I for one, am happy to call them out.
Sorry you’re offended. I’ve been offended by the so-called “moral majority’s” language since the mid-90s.
Bottom line, the video is only for those who have a sense of humor.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:51 pmPlease Michael Moore: for Chrismas I would like an October release of a feature length movie showing clips of McCain before and after.
After what ? Doesn’t matter. Just a long string of McCain:
It would be fortunate for Osama….
It would be reprehensible to use the threat of Osama….
Iraq is a cake walk. They’re throwing flowers.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:02 pmI’ll have no problem with us being there for 100 years….
Clearly, dealing with terrorism issue is a chink in Obama’s armor. The issue wouldn’t be discussed here if the two candidates were viewed as equal in this regard. Being soft on terror is simply the bed that the leftwing elements of the DNC have made for their party, and therefore Obama now must lay in it. Its actually unfortunate too because there are a lot of blue dog democrat types, JFK type democrats and security minded independents who absolutely hate the fact that the democratic party is so wishy-washy on fighting terrorists. Even though the republicans are completely lost and without leadership, they still own this terror issue because the perception is that republicans know how to deal with terrorism while democrats don’t seem to even consider it a top priority.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:53 pmClearly, dealing with terrorism issue is a chink in Obama’s armor. The issue wouldn’t be discussed here if the two candidates were viewed as equal in this regard.
Listen to yourself. People talk about it therefore it is a weakness. McCain supporters discuss Terrorism, therefore it is a sign of his weakness. Stupid. No?
they still own this terror issue because the perception is that republicans know how to deal with terrorism while democrats don’t seem to even consider it a top priority.
Keep swirling in that fantasy
June 24th, 2008 at 5:08 pmNOV 06 was just the start.
Mr.NiceGuy Says:
Even though the republicans are completely lost and without leadership, they still own this terror issue because the perception is that republicans know how to deal with terrorism while democrats don’t seem to even consider it a top priority.
Your “perception” is warped. The real difference is, we don’t piss our pants every time some Republican freak says, “BOO!”
June 24th, 2008 at 6:02 pmJohn McCain comes across as a cartoon character. Is it true that he crashed five planes during his “Naval career?”
June 24th, 2008 at 6:03 pm