McCain Adviser Absurdly Claims President Bush Opposed The Surge
McCain Adviser Absurdly Claims President Bush Opposed The Surge
Appearing on MSNBC today, Nancy Pfotenhauer, senior adviser to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), touted McCain’s national security credentials, citing his support of increasing troops in Iraq while the war was unpopular. Pfotenhauer claimed that even President Bush did not support the idea:
When Senator McCain challenged the current strategy on the ground in Iraq, and was pushing for the surge, alongside Gen. Petraeus, this was incredibly unpopular here in Washington. It was particularly unpopular with President Bush. And he did it because that’s what he felt was right on the ground and he put the interests of the country first.
Watch it:
But the facts show that Bush clearly did support a surge of troops in Iraq. In 2006, then-Multinational Force Commander George Casey, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Iraq Study Group all argued against sending more troops to Iraq. Bush ignored this advice, however, and went as far as to replace Casey with Gen. Petraeus, who was open to a troop increase.
Furthermore, at the time, 68 percent of Americans opposed Bush’s call for a surge. Despite the military and public clearly rejecting the plan, Bush expressed little doubt about the surge and ordered 30,000 additional troops to Iraq.
Pfotenhauer’s claim that the surge was “particularly unpopular” with Bush is particularly laughable.
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Who can argue with The Ministry of Truth?
July 1st, 2008 at 3:43 pmPfotenhauer’s claim that the surge was “particularly unpopular” with Bush is particularly laughable.
As laughable as McCain? McCain likely can’t even remember where he stood on the surge, given the fact that it was more than a week ago.
134 lobbyists on your campaign team, & you send in this dipshit?
Now that’s laughable!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:45 pmJebus. These idiots tell so many lies that they couldn’t find a bag of truth if it fell on their heads.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:45 pmIs this the lady who noticed McCan’t didn’t pay his property taxes FOR 4 YEARS?
A beach house in La Jolla, near the Pacific Ocean. One of SEVEN houses this old fart owns.
I believe that anyone with 7 houses is most likely ELITIST.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:48 pmIt’s all the fault of those damn polar bears! Bush did not watnt to surge, but those polars bears staged a sit-in at the Oval Office until Bush relented.
sarc ON MAXIMUM
July 1st, 2008 at 3:48 pmwantnt = want. sorry about that.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:49 pmI have now become convinced that the strategy of the McSame camp is to make their candidate look less out of touch and senile than his advisors.
It’s not easy, though.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:50 pmBush had three options in late 2006: (1) Stay the course, which was a proven political loser, (2) Withdraw and try to do diplomatically what we failed to do militarily, as the Baker-Hamilton Commission wanted, or (3) Defy the experts, send in the “surge” and hope to avoid the appearance of defeat until somebody else was President.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:50 pmPfotenhauer?/
Pffft.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:53 pmThe bimbo is clearly referencing McCain’s talking point that he was calling for troop increases in 2004-2006 while the White House was saying things were going swimmingly.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:55 pmThese pathetic attempts to rewrite history will be debunked again and again until McIIIrd is finally shown to be the true hypocrite that he really is.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:55 pmGood God!
Bush was the primary proponent of the surge.
It was his answer to the Baker-Hamilton Report.
They advised to draw back troops and start withdrawing.
Bush said, “Surge!”
These people think the American public is half retarded.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:55 pmO wait…
(Inside the McIIIrd staff morning briefing)…
Charlie, you are up to lie your ass off on the morning ABC show…
Nancy, you can make up some shit about distancing the candidate from the fuhrer…
The rest of you think up names to call Obama.
Dismissed!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:56 pmPfotenhauer gets to be the face of the very “laughable” GOP who have nothing for America. About the only people not laughing are the family and friends of the soldiers who have sacrificed so much so Bush and the neocons could be re-elected in 2004.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pmI would venture that both Bush and the “Surge” are unpopular with the American people…SO?
July 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pmThis is truly an enactment of Orwell’s 1984 — they just lie, pretend it is the truth, and the media play it as if it were the truth.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pmI am reading Naomi Wolf’s book on fascism (The End of America) and it is becoming so true that it is a frightening book. Bush&Co have taken over the media, shaped their lies into something that appears truthful, denied the actual truth and the sheeple have not a clue that they are being led to slaughter.
No matter what anyone says about any ’surge’, it was a failure anyway. No political reconciliation – except for the US backed oil deal, which will be shown to be widely onesided towards the very same companies which were thrown out of Iraq during Saddam’s time.
The more things change, the more things stay the same.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:58 pm(At the conclusion of the McIIIrd staff morning briefing)
McIIIrd…. Where’s my goddamed motherfu cking sprinkely sonavab|tch DONUTS!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:59 pmThey lie and they lie and they lie and they lie. And their pathetic, ethics-challenged supporters themselves lie to help cover up for the liars they support.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:01 pmClearly, it’s going to be Opposite Day every day between now and November for McCain’s crew. But will the public catch on?
July 1st, 2008 at 4:01 pmBut will the public catch on? YES! Note the numbers and numbers of people who showed up to vote in primaries and caucus for Democrats. Millions of them who will vote for “D’s” on their ballots. The GOP had their chance and all we got was war, death, debt, and people like Pfotenhauer who remind us every day that the GOP have nothing for America.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:05 pmJust a thought.
If the reich wing is going to launch a preemptive fadderland attack, they won’t have some brown skinned flunky do it.
No, it will be some clean cut white guy with a suit and tie and a dirty bomb in his briefcase.
So, as you are travelling to and from work, and about town and country, if you spy such a terrorist suspect, phone it in to the FBI and do your patriotic duty to protekt der fadderland…
Thank you.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:06 pmPfotenhauer’s claim that the surge was “particularly unpopular” with Bush is particularly laughable.
That is, indeed, totally laughable.
However, was not General Shinseki forced out as ACS because he advocated sending 250,000 when Bush/Rummy wanted to go light?
I am not defending Bush: there was clearly no plan for the post-invasion phase that had any care given to it. I am just saying as a point of record there was a time he opposed sending more troops, though it was clearly not the Surge he opposed.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:08 pmRepeat it three times and it’s true. Viola! Presidential legacy improves.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:09 pmrmwarnick Says:
Bush had three options in late 2006: (1) Stay the course, which was a proven political loser, (2) Withdraw and try to do diplomatically what we failed to do militarily, as the Baker-Hamilton Commission wanted, or (3) Defy the experts, send in the “surge” and hope to avoid the appearance of defeat until somebody else was President.
This is sharp, concise and dead on the money. Since he chose three, I think it is at least possible he does believe we can someday “win” in Iraq. Could be wishful thinking on his part, but I think he is still a true believer.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:10 pmThe only surge McSame knows is the sugar rush from doughnuts.
Panderer Bear Extraordinaire.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:12 pmhe put the interests of the country first
This too is laughable, if he actually did put the interests of the country first then we would not be there right now, and gas would be $2 a gallon still and maybe we would be spending all those billions upon billions of dollars here instead of there.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:13 pmI am just saying as a point of record there was a time he opposed sending more troops, though it was clearly not the Surge he opposed.
K: Bush did not want the American public to actually know how many of their fellow citizens are fighting – and dying – in the debacle known as Iraq. To that end, bush employed tens of thousands of mercenaries to fill in the ranks generally reserved for US service personnel.
Bush wasn’t ‘against the surge’, he was against the citizens knowing just how many soldiers would be involved in that surge. The surge failed in its objectives anyway, so the point is moot.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:14 pmThe so-called “surge” was and is just an escalation of the Bush war of terror against the Iraqi people, in particular, those who dare to resist imperial corporate colonial occupation of their country in the 21st century…
The only way to “win” a hostile occupation is to commit genocide, i. e., murder millions of Iraqis in the name of corporate imperial greed. Grotesque beyond belief. This is some sixty years after the German Nazis and Hitler were crushed and removed from the European political landscape. Why are we trying to mimic German imperialism and colonialism of the 1930s and the 1940s.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:17 pmdid the msnbc chatterbunny correct her lying guest with the facts?
July 1st, 2008 at 4:18 pmThe “surge” is working so well Lindsey Graham now gets 6 rugs for $5.00.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:18 pmI can understand and, indeed, have even come to expect gaffes from McCain.
I am, however, amazed at how his ‘handlers’ keep screwing up the message.
If another attack on America would be ‘good for McCain’, would no attack on America be good for Obama?
Being shot out of the sky does not qualify you to be President.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:19 pmStratRat Says:
K: Bush did not want the American public to actually know how many of their fellow citizens are fighting – and dying – in the debacle known as Iraq. To that end, bush employed tens of thousands of mercenaries to fill in the ranks generally reserved for US service personnel.
Another excellent point. I have still not heard anything more about the BATF raid on Blackwater HQ – anyone else?
July 1st, 2008 at 4:20 pmThis is as clear and close to the truth as the McCain camp will get. Thank God he’s not the President. Hasn’t Americans’ endurance for this type of false rhetoric run out yet? Nearly eight years of doublespeak isn’t enough, pile a layer of senility on there, too?
July 1st, 2008 at 4:21 pmKeltoi,
I wasn’t aware of the BATF / Blacwater story at all.
Did they raid the San Diego ‘training’ facility, or what?
July 1st, 2008 at 4:21 pmAnother excellent point. I have still not heard anything more about the BATF raid on Blackwater HQ – anyone else?
They have not raided the facility in San Diego – not that I have heard, anyway. The San Diego issue is complicated because when Erik Prince filed to open the So. Cal. training center – about 25 miles from downtown San Diego – he filed using a phony business name and purpose. That made the politicos here in town quite skepical and suspicious. Still up in the air…
July 1st, 2008 at 4:25 pmNancy should lay off the shrooms.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:25 pmZimzone Says:
Keltoi,
I wasn’t aware of the BATF / Blacwater story at all.
Did they raid the San Diego ‘training’ facility, or what?
Not surprising, the ONLY place I saw it was here.
It was, as I understand, on their NC headquarters and had to do with seizing paperwork that suggested they had illegal stockpiles of assault weapons but somehow they had talked the local Sheriff to hold on to them to by-pass the law.
I am really sketchy on the details, it seemed like a huge story when it broke last week, but it fizzled.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:25 pmJust continuing the old Nazi policy of ‘tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth’.
Why the msm doesn’t immediately call bullsh*t on these liars is beyond me.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:27 pm1. If this surge fails . . . I knew it would, and staked my reputation on it.
2. If this surge succeeds beyond everybody’s wildest dreams . . . I knew it would, and staked my reputation on in it.
3. If the success of the surge falls somewhere between 1 and 2 . . . I knew that, as well . . . and predicted it.
Are there any questions?
July 1st, 2008 at 4:27 pmStratRat Says:
They have not raided the facility in San Diego – not that I have heard, anyway. The San Diego issue is complicated because when Erik Prince filed to open the So. Cal. training center – about 25 miles from downtown San Diego – he filed using a phony business name and purpose. That made the politicos here in town quite skepical and suspicious. Still up in the air…
Yes…there was an article in my local paper about them doing the same thing here in the Idaho Panhandle, basically through a front company.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:28 pmYes…there was an article in my local paper about them doing the same thing here in the Idaho Panhandle, basically through a front company.
Idaho? I love Idaho…My good friend was the general manager of the Chart House restaurant in Boise quite a while ago. Beautiful country. Great fishing…
The filing sham is still making waves around here. We are a military town (San Diego) so you can imagine the reactions from those against the war and for those for the war. It has served to divide our community even more so than it already was. My backyard looks onto the tarmac at Marine Air Station – Miramar. Kinda noisy sometimes…
July 1st, 2008 at 4:42 pmStratRat Says:
My backyard looks onto the tarmac at Marine Air Station – Miramar. Kinda noisy sometimes…
But probably some awesome views of aircraft. Too bad Top Gun is gone from there, are there any F-16’s left or is it all choppers?
I grew up in San Diego.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pmRepublicans just make shit up.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:52 pmRegarding Blackwater, BATF raided their facility in Moyock, NC. They seized 17 AK-47s, and 5 Bushmaster rifles, all of which were fully automatic. Regrettably Blackwater will skate on this as they did a deal with the local sherrif’s office. Blackwater gave the weapons to the sherrif’s office, but ‘kept’ them in the Blackwater facility for ’safekeeping’. No stories on this in MSM since 6/27. Let’s hear it for the “Liberal Media”, tireless watchdogs of freedom and liberty.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:52 pmOn topic; how can McInsane’s people actually spew their verbal drivel? It’s bad enough to have to read it, but to actually have to say it to the press? It’s amazing what people will do for money.
Impeach Pelosi, Cheney and Bush and Save the Constitution!
These can no longer be called lies – they have now become “McFacts”, grandpa’s version of “read my lips”.
PEACE
July 1st, 2008 at 4:55 pmBut probably some awesome views of aircraft. Too bad Top Gun is gone from there, are there any F-16’s left or is it all choppers?
I grew up in San Diego.
Lots of choppers….They fly over the house and out to the sea. Quite a few 16’s too, but since they don’t do as much training there – like they did at Fightertown USA – it is quieter than it once was. Its cool to watch the blue angels fly over the house and scare the crap out of the cats.
Where in SD did you call home?
July 1st, 2008 at 5:03 pmStratRat Says:
Where in SD did you call home?
El Cajon when I was a kid, then I went to SDSU and wound up teaching in Point Loma. While going to school and before I had kids I lived all around Golden Hill, Hillcrest, all the most upscale slums, though never too far south in the real Barrio. Not that I didn’t hear gunshots at night every few days.
I miss it, especially the Ocean, but on a teacher’s salary I could never afford to live in a neighborhood I would raise children in. And that was in the 90’s, before the real estate market went nutso.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:17 pmHmmmm….Idaho panhandle, San Ysidro. Border presences for BlackWater, anyone? Add in a DHS contract, and it starts to get good…..(or bad, depending on your viewpoint).
July 1st, 2008 at 5:24 pmI stopped laughing so now I can write. WTF? Does this Nancy think that we were all sleeping or watching American Idol to have missed the boy Bush’s excitement about his “surge”? Remember, Bush argued against using the word “escalation”. He insisted it was a “surge”.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:27 pmEl Cajon when I was a kid, then I went to SDSU and wound up teaching in Point Loma. While going to school and before I had kids I lived all around Golden Hill, Hillcrest, all the most upscale slums, though never too far south in the real Barrio. Not that I didn’t hear gunshots at night every few days.
I miss it, especially the Ocean, but on a teacher’s salary I could never afford to live in a neighborhood I would raise children in. And that was in the 90’s, before the real estate market went nutso.
Upscale slums…I love that term. My parents dropped me in Clairemont/Kearney Mesa area in 1974. Went to school and all that stuff around that neighborhood. Schools have not been so great here is the last 10-15 years (high school, anyway).
My daughter is in her second year of high school (James Madison) and I think we may leave the area after she graduates. Were looking at places north (Washington, Oregon, Idaho – yes, Idaho, Vancouver, etc…).
While I a happy I bought my house when I did (ten years ago), I can’t imagine an average person paying over $600,000 for a 50 year old, 1500 sq ft house. Way too nutso – as you say.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:27 pmrobbez_92107 Says:
Hmmmm….Idaho panhandle, San Ysidro. Border presences for BlackWater, anyone? Add in a DHS contract, and it starts to get good…..(or bad, depending on your viewpoint).
I know what you mean, though I tend to discount conspiracy theories.
But can’t you just see a hologram of Cheney growling “Execute Order 66!” ?
July 1st, 2008 at 5:29 pmrobbez_92107 Says:
Hmmmm….Idaho panhandle, San Ysidro. Border presences for BlackWater, anyone? Add in a DHS contract, and it starts to get good…..(or bad, depending on your viewpoint).
I forgot, Robbez is in Ocean Beach. I think he described it as 7 square miles of sanity, surrounded by insanity – or something like that. It was funny.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:30 pmOne of the many bumper stickers.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:03 pm“U.S. out of O.B.” is another one.
Keltoi Says:
I am really sketchy on the details, it seemed like a huge story when it broke last week, but it fizzled.
Of course it fizzled. The MSM won’t publish anything that is critical of the Bush Crime Family.
I wonder if we will ever again have a free press.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:09 pmMight makes Reich.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:29 pmBTW, it wasn’t the surge that reduced the violence in Iraq—it was putting 100,000 insurgents on our payroll.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:18 pmBut the facts show that Bush clearly did support a surge of troops in Iraq.
~Satyam
I believe this is a bit of an understatement.
At least I was under the distinct impression that the “surge” was Pres Bush’s idea all along; at the very least he embraced it with a vengeance -as if it were his. The media always talked about it in those terms:
President Bush yesterday began promoting his plan to send more troops to Iraq, bringing more than 30 Republican senators to the White House as part of a major campaign to rally the American people behind another effort to stabilize the country.
Bush Works To Rally Support for Iraq ‘Surge’
One way or the other, claiming that he opposed the ’surge’ is flat out ridiculous. These people sound more and more like the trolls at ThinkProgress…
July 1st, 2008 at 8:46 pmNancy Pfotenhauer WHAT A POS! Unbelievable. I’d like to see liars like Nancy Pfotenhauer shunned from polite society. Seriously, is everyone at the country club this inhumane? I encourage all waiters & barristas to share some bodily fluids w/Nancy! ;)
Nancy Pfotenhauer – senior adviser to Sen. John McCain and televised liar.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:40 pmPres Bush opposed the ’surge’, and he never claimed that Iraq had WMD.
Coming up next, the latest Big Foot sighting. Stayed tuned.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:56 am.
R E M E M B E R:
Nancy Pfotenhauer collected a paycheck to lie.
How is that even a credible thing to do?
.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:11 am.
Who is this conducting this interview?
… To let such a gaff slip by?
Another paycheck collected!
.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 amthanks for all
Mor Inof
July 16th, 2008 at 8:58 amhttp://www.softonlinesoft.com/vb