Think Progress

Lieberman: McCain Supports Palin’s Call For ‘Exit Plan’ From Iraq

In March 2007, Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, seemingly distanced herself from the Bush administration and McCain, stating that she wanted to see an “exit plan” from Iraq:

I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place.

Yesterday at a Republican National Convention event, ThinkProgress asked Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) how Palin’s desire for an “exit plan” is consistent with McCain’s refusal to call for a withdrawal timetable from Iraq. Lieberman said McCain does indeed support an “exit plan”:

Yes, [he supports] an exit plan from Iraq. But the question is what is it. In other words, a lot of my Democratic colleagues in the Senate including Senator Obama kind of gave up on Iraq when things were going tough in 2005 and 2006. … The goal has always been to leave, but not to leave on a politically mandated timetable from Washington.

Watch it:

But it’s hard to believe that McCain supports a clearly defined “exit plan” from Iraq. He has for years been opposed to all withdrawal plans from Iraq, claiming the U.S. will withdraw only when there is “victory.” “If you pass a resolution…that dictates withdrawal and a time for withdrawal, all you’re doing is telling the enemy, ‘hang on, we’re leaving,” he said in March 2007.

Lieberman today also suggested that McCain supports the new withdrawal timetable reached between the U.S. and Iraq, which would call for the removal of combat troops from Iraq by 2011:

The sooner we’re out the better. It looks like the Iraqis and our government have agreed that 2011 is a reasonable goal, not a forced timetable, to be out of there with all of our combat troops

But Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki did indeed ask for a “forced timetable.” “There is an agreement actually reached, reached between the two parties on a fixed date which is the end of 2011 to end any foreign presence on Iraqi soil,” Maliki said last month.

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25 Responses to “Lieberman: McCain Supports Palin’s Call For ‘Exit Plan’ From Iraq”

  1. misshusseinmolly Says:

    Be fair, TP. This was before Sarah Palin got her official glossary of Bushco terms and learned that she needed to say "time horizon" instead of "exit plan".

    But now that she is part of the McBush team, she not only will flip-flop to the McCain line (whatever it is on any given day), but she will deny this March 2007 statement ever took place.

    On the other hand, Lieberman appears to be morphing McCain's official position to match Palin's of a year and a half ago. Just keeps getting weirder and weirder all the time...


  2. votenic Says:

    And there is now a Mock Election poll every week at http://www.votenic.com . See who America thinks should become president.


  3. Taguba Says:

    satirev, Exactly. Miss Alaska cannot hide behind her skirt when the Miss Alaska, Mayor of Mayberry, and PTA member ads come out. she is the one who started with the GOP talking point of community organizer.

    GAME ON and GLOVES OFF !!!


  4. katy Says:

    they just lie and lie and lie... and who's gonna know it?

    here's one AP piece that might get out there, if the editors don't read it:

    AP: Attacks, Praise Stretch Truth At GOP Convention

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/04/ap-attacks-praise-stretch_n_123771.html

    via C&L: AP Demolishes GOP Convention Lies
    http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/04/ap-demolishes-gop-convention-lies/

    more good links there...


  5. Taguba Says:

    How does Miss Alaska (runner up) get votes from the Hillary contingent with that speech ?? I just dont see what they are doing. they are such vile human beings. i cannot fathom anyone with a working brain voting for that party.


  6. misshusseinmolly Says:

    satirev Says
    September 4th, 2008 at 11:01 am

    In actuality, Palin became Joe Biden’s “dream opponent” last night by her smug and nasty sarcastic smears.
    ___________________________________________________

    I doubt Palin is going to make it to November 4. Sometime between now and then, she will withdraw from the race in a Harriet Miers fashion, claiming that the evil liberal media's relentless spotlight on her private life has created a distraction that burdens the ticket, and she is doing this "for the good of the country". And then McCain will "reluctantly" accept her resignation.

    The only question is -- will this occur before the Biden debate, or after? My guess is "after". Since she will be toast anyway, they'll let her take one last fall, and then bring in a running mate who won't have to debate anyone.


  7. JaneDoe Says:

    What is the reason Democrats are letting Republicans get away with this "the Democrats gave up on Iraq" meme? If I remember, the Democrats were merely acting on behalf of a majority of the public who then and now want out of Iraq, who then and now recognize Iraq was a war of choice, indeed probably an illegal war, and certainly a war that has and had nothing to do with 9/11 and bin Laden.

    You would think some Democrat somewhere would stand up and correct the record. Let's pray Iraq does not go south, although it is still dangerous, and wreck the Republican's pretty little meme that the Iraq war is over and they won the war.


  8. jb Says:

    Just who wears the pants on that ridiculous ticket.


  9. Max-1 Says:

    .

    McBush/Falin'08 = cut and runners

    .


  10. DRxJ Says:

    And least we forget, during Palin's speech last night, she said the Armed Forces were close to victory in Iraq!
    WTF? What victory? The victory of destroying all those WMD? Or the victory of disbanding the terrorist organization of 9/11?
    And how close? Does that mean the last 5 years have only resulted in mediocre accomplishments?
    And what about Mission Accomplished? How the hell can a mission be accomplished if we aren't victorious?

    Mucking foron!


  11. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    katy Says:
    they just lie and lie and lie… and who’s gonna know it?

    here’s one AP piece that might get out there, if the editors don’t read it:
    ___________

    Sweet baby jeebus... please pinch me, I must be dreaming.

    Did someone in the MSM FINALLY find a pair and actually use them?


  12. votenic Says:

    With only 09 weeks left for the 09 election, It's time to find out what America thinks!
    http://www.votenic.com


  13. Zimzone Says:

    Hmmm,
    Murphy, Noonan & Todd all caught saying the truth. OMG!

    I'm no Chuck Todd fan. I like him less than blowhard Williams.
    Same with Murphy & Noonan, but they will pay a price for speaking the truth.

    It's sad, really, when speaking truth in the USA is considered in bad taste or leads to termination of employment.

    LIEberman, go Cheney yourself. It may be the only sex you'll have the rest of your political career.


  14. misshusseinmolly Says:

    Taguba Says
    September 4th, 2008 at 11:09 am

    i cannot fathom anyone with a working brain voting for that party.
    __________________________________________________________

    I can't even see anyone with a working brain WORKING for that party, if they believe Palin is going to attract Hillary supporters merely because she has a vajayjay.


  15. Bob Says:

    The republicans seem to be running on being better democrats than the democrats. They're turning all the ds' ideas into their own and claiming, suddenly, that they are the outsiders. Basically, republicans are running on not being republicans.


  16. EugeneDebs Says:

    McWeasel most likely only picked Palin after Romney and Huccabee declined a seat on the Titanic


  17. Max-1 Says:

    .

    McBush/Falin'08 = Islamic Jihadist Appeasers

    .


  18. ralph the wonder llama Says:

    misshusseinmolly Says:

    I doubt Palin is going to make it to November 4. Sometime between now and then, she will withdraw from the race in a Harriet Miers fashion, claiming that the evil liberal media’s relentless spotlight on her private life has created a distraction that burdens the ticket, and she is doing this “for the good of the country”. And then McCain will “reluctantly” accept her resignation.

    I agree, missmolly. I've thought that for several days now. She's going to guarantee defeat because no one but a delusional right-winger could take her seriously.

    Of course, they may have accepted that they're going down this time, and they may stick with her for the illusion of "diversity" her candidacy offers.


  19. margerine Says:

    What is with Lieberman referring to himself as a Democrat again lately? I thought he was Independent?

    For Democrats an exit plan implies surrendering, for Republicans it implies winning. Funny how that works.


  20. MapleStreet Says:

    Now that the talking heads have determined that Palin has more executive experience than anyone else in the race, it is only right that she start making policy decisions for the McCain campaign ?

    Really, can't McCain even get out a consistent message ?


  21. GL2814 Says:

    What is Palin's exit strategy, the rapture?!


  22. christopher wiwi Says:

    Who cares what Traitor Joes say`s anymore.He is as irrelavant as ever these days.........


  23. Zimzone Says:

    LIEberman will be stripped of his committee chairships, 9-21-09


  24. the Lone Voice of Reason Says:

    McCain supports Palin's exit plan starting in 2108.


  25. youtube Says:

    This is an extremely important issue that Obama’s campaign and the Democrats must deal with during this campaign.sohbet The Republicans continue to degenerate to outright falsehoods. What are we to do when the press will not intervene to set the record straight?Bedava mp3 indir How do we cope with maintaining an offense versus wasting time and messaging on spurious arguments?



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