McCain: ‘You Don’t Announce That You’re Going To Attack Another Country’
McCain: ‘You Don’t Announce That You’re Going To Attack Another Country’
Last night, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) sat for an interview with CBS’s Katie Couric. Couric asked Palin about a comment she made last week in Philadelphia in response to voter’s question about combating terrorism inside Pakistan.
Appearing to endorse Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) position on the matter, Palin had said, “the United States should ‘absolutely’ launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan in the event that it becomes necessary to ’stop the terrorists from coming any further in.’” McCain said in reference to Obama’s position during last week’s debate that “you don’t say that out loud.”
Last night, Palin defended her remarks. McCain dismissed the Palin matter as “gotcha journalism,” before concluding, “Governor Palin and I both agree, you don’t announce that you’re going to attack another country.” Watch it:
In the days and weeks following the 9/11 attacks, McCain said multiple times to national audiences that he believed the U.S. would soon attack Iraq and several other countries:
PAULA ZAHN: And as you know, Senator, the U.S. and Great Britain notified the U.N. Security Council yesterday that they reserve the right to strike against other countries in this campaign. What countries are we looking at?
MCCAIN: Well, I think very obviously Iraq is the first country, but there are others — Syria, Iran, the Sudan, who have continued to harbor terrorist organizations and actually assist them.
October 2001, on the Late Show with David Letterman:
LETTERMAN: How are things going in Afghanistan now?
MCCAIN: I think we’re doing fine …. I think we’ll do fine. The second phase — if I could just make one, very quickly — the second phase is Iraq.
January 2002, on the deck of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt:
MCCAIN: Next up, Baghdad!
More recently, in response to a hypothetical question about authorizing a military strike on Iran during a Republican primary debate, McCain said, “I believe that this is a possibility that is maybe closer to reality than we are discussing tonight.”
Transcript:
COURIC: Over the weekend, Gov. Palin, you said the U.S. should absolutely launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan to, quote, “stop the terrorists from coming any further in.” Now, that’s almost the exact position that Barack Obama has taken and that you, Sen. McCain, have criticized as something you do not say out loud. So, Gov. Palin, are you two on the same page on this?
PALIN: We had a great discussion with President Zardari as we talked about what it is that America can and should be doing together to make sure that the terrorists do not cross borders and do not ultimately put themselves in a position of attacking America again or her allies. And we will do what we have to do to secure the United States of America and her allies.
COURIC: Is that something you shouldn’t say out loud, Sen. McCain?
MCCAIN: Of course not. But, look, I understand this day and age of “gotcha” journalism. Is that a pizza place? In a conversation with someone who you didn’t hear the question very well, you don’t know the context of the conversation, grab a phrase. Governor Palin and I agree that you don’t announce that you’re going to attack another country…
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I guess in the eyes of a Repug, if you get caught saying stoo-pid stuff and it gets reported on, that is ‘Gotchya’ journalism.
How low the Repugs have fallen in their pandering to the lowest of the LIV.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:03 pmI don’t think God wants him.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:03 pmNo, you don’t announce it. You put it to music!
“Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran”
I’m waiting for his version of “Georgia on My Mind”
PEACE
September 30th, 2008 at 2:04 pmDump-Truck Says:
McCain is stupid and not as smart as Obama. I hope a McCain guts get cut out!
Hey Dumster,
That is for the Beck/Goldberg blog. You are at the wrong place, DUDE!
September 30th, 2008 at 2:04 pmAt lease McCain and Palin are allowing the World Leaders that if they get in office their countries could be attacked without reason or notice and not approval from the United Nations. Russia is taking notice as Palin already said she would attack them Russia. Watch how the World Leaders position themselves for an unannounced attack from the United States of America.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:06 pmGuido the Loving OBGYN Says:
God needs to strike McCain dead.
I don’t condone a death wish on anyone, but I do think god is doing a “death by a 1,000 cuts” job on Johnny Boy.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:07 pmThere’s a fine line between pandering and lying.
It’s a line most politicians tapdance around.
It’s a line that McCain is stampeding across like a Frat Boy at last call.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:07 pmWhen McCain bloviated that he would follow Bin Laden to the gates of Hell to nab him is he suggesting that he would stop at the Pakistani border?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:07 pmThis is a great example of McCain latching on to a poll tested talking point rather than just speaking his mind. The man who once sang a song about bombing Iran is suddenly the great diplomat.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:07 pmJohn McCain: Do as I say – not as I do.
Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:09 pmMcCain: ‘You Don’t Announce That You’re Going To Attack Another County’
– - Yikes, COUNTY? Isn’t that treasonous?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:10 pmDoes McCain know that the U.S. is already striking inside Pakistan? It’s been in all the papers. Idiot.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:11 pmMcIIIrd just prattling on, no substance here. He actually did announce we were going to attack Iraq, much to both himself and his corpwhorate cronies delight.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:11 pmWhen McIIIrd talks about the Gates of Hell, is he referring to the SecDef?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:12 pmI’m sure that by now, Sarah Palin realizes she’s been joined with a guy who suffers from multiple personality disorder. And the shifts are frequent enough and abrupt enough to give her whiplash.
This wouldn’t be so much of a problem if she had the knowledge and the qualifications necessary for the office she’s running for (if that was the case, she could just state what she considered to be the best strategy for the country and leave it at that).
But her job is to parrot what she’s told. And with a boss who has all of the clear navigational abilities of a confused rat in a labyrinth, I can see where Palin’s frustrations are coming from.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:16 pm“gotcha journalism” = any question that Palin hasn’t been briefed on yet (in McCainWorld, that is).
September 30th, 2008 at 2:19 pmAnd during the debate Sen. Obama told that fool virtually the same thing. It was beautiful.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:20 pmCan I attack San Bernadino?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:22 pmQuestion:
September 30th, 2008 at 2:23 pmWhere’s Palin going to try to hide her rectangular cheat box?
Grumpy old McWar never met an imperial aggression by USA that he didn’t fall in love with: Vietnam, he was a war criminal in that bit of LBJ/USA aggression against the Vietnamese people. McWar has been a big cheerleader for the invasions and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq. McWar has sung “bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.” McWar supports the war criminal Saakashvili and the Georgian slaughter of the South Ossetians (see http://www.russiatoday.com for details that the US corporate media keeps hidden away).
September 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pmAnd boy was there a flash of temper on McCain’s part during that interview. It made me shudder thinking about him in the same room with someone like Putin showing his temper.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pmIf we had elections where the votes were counted, the debates might matter.
Its like the countless wasted hours debating why the Democrats can’t win the “big one”. Simple, count the votes.
Don’t believe me, read John Conyer’s book.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:25 pmI watched ‘Taxi to the Dark Side’ on HBO last night.
The docu-drama follows a young Afghan taxi driver’s rendition & eventual death by torture by CIA / US Army interrogators.
What makes this unique is most of the dialogue is by the very soldiers charged with rendition deaths.
Within the show, Donald Rumsfeld is highly visible. He & Cheney planned, cajoled & implemented much of the military ‘policy’ rendered. Included are video clips of Rumsfeld’s bizarre outlook on military policy.
This man is completely insane. He should be hanging from a lamp post in downtown D.C at this moment. Cheney should be swinging with him.
McCain, unfortunately, is the same type of man. Military might and unfettered access to anything on Earth is the only important outcome in his agenda.
Watch it if you can, it’s certainly worth 90 min. of your time.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:25 pmMcCon’s idol Dubya announced he was going to attack Iraq. Dubya’s dad did ditto. McCon is the “Old Faithful” of candidates–he’ll spew out gotcha lines as regular as a clock goes tick-tock!
September 30th, 2008 at 2:28 pmWell, Mc Drain is right we shouldn’t say we would attack a sovereign country……
Problem is almost everyone knows that McCain would!!!!
September 30th, 2008 at 2:30 pmDump-Truck Says:
Hey Dumpster,
What happened to your “empty suit Obama” picture?
Did the debate cause you to drop that stoo-pid position?
Got to REALLY hurt to be a LIV Repug now, huh?
Heh Heh
September 30th, 2008 at 2:32 pmRUCerious Says:
Question:
Where’s Palin going to try to hide her rectangular cheat box?
Apparently technology has advanced to the point where she can wear an ear-piece that you can’t see and a shall electronic device taped to her stomach under her bra.
I’m not sure that would help much. Let’s say the moderator asks her a question. Then is she going to wait a minute while the answer is being fed to her before starting to talk. That will be very obvious. Or even if they ask Biden the question first so she has time to hear the answer, she still has to remember what she is being told. I’m not sure she is capable of that.
I hate the format for this debate. Since they can’t respond to each other, I don’t even know how they can call it a debate. It’s really just an interview session.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:37 pm> McCain dismissed the Palin matter
> as “gotcha journalism,”
Yeah, you know, its so lame when journalists ask you questions that cant be answered with simply monoslylabic slogans.
Mccain, go f#ck yourself and take your wet t shirt contest winning “vp” with you. Stop getting angry because the press is actually doing the vetting you should have done before you picked this lady…
September 30th, 2008 at 2:43 pmThere’s one thing amiss in this whole skein of critique of the McC(umst)ain/Palin-isms, and it is the presumption that Murkin voters are “rational.”
They aren’t.
They’re ill-educated, ill-informed, ill-prepared, and ill-read emotional cripples who have been trained to respond to every stimulus as if their “feelings” were the determinant criteria, as if ‘feelings’ mattered in rational discourse.
I used to (try to) teach college kids to write. My first rule was “Don’t tell me feelings, present me with EVIDENCE. Feelings prove NOTHING. ”
Poor me…It was SUCH a frustrating exercise…Their training in school was so thorough, most couldn’t even RECOGNIZE ‘evidence.’ They were trapped in the solipsism and narcissism of adolescence, probably forEVER…
September 30th, 2008 at 2:44 pmRUCerious Says:
Can I attack San Bernadino?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
No…
but help yourself to Bakersfield…
September 30th, 2008 at 2:47 pm“Gotcha journalism, is that a pizza place?”
Uh, who writes McCain’s jokes? Stat call for Jon Stewart & Steven Colbert. They could actually make trollip and cunt funny.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:47 pmHow could it be a gotcha question when it was a voter who asked that question???? If you can’t answer a voters quesion, why in the hell are you campaining???? What you only like the prepaired questions you get at your town forums. Were not idiots Mr. McCain allthough it may seem that way by the candidate you have chosen to be your running mate.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:48 pmA Patriot Acting Says:
——————————————————————————–
I don’t think God wants him.
God and I had a few beers last night and God reminded me that poor old John has already sold his soul and that God wasn’t the purchaser.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:49 pm> They’re ill-educated, ill-informed,
> ill-prepared, and ill-read emotional
> cripples who have been trained to respond
> to every stimulus as if their “feelings”
> were the determinant criteria, as
> if ‘feelings’ mattered in rational discourse.
Nicely put, I like you. And just think, statistically speaking, half of america is mentally worse off than that..
September 30th, 2008 at 2:52 pmThis guy contradicts himself so much. The debate I want to see is John McCain against John McCain.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:54 pmI know a couple of other readers caught it, but when your headline said invading a “county”, I got really nervous about parts of PA, OH, FL and IN.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:54 pmThere will be more wars, my friends, and it may just be your country we attack without announcing it!
…Excuse me…
What? What Russian ICBMs incoming?/Huh?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:54 pmJohn McCain LOVES war.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:55 pmProof positive that John McCain is a technological doofus. He states one thing, usually to refute someone he is running against or doesn’t like, then out comes an archived video of him stating the very thing he now says he is against. What does he think, that video tape self-destructs after 3 or 4 days? He obviously has limited memory retention. Or is it a republican candidate attribute that they just hope no one cares enough to check?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:56 pm“And there will be more wars, my friend.”
Since they’re not announced, which countries should be shuddering in fear?
Iran, Syria, Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Sudan, Somalia.
And which regions? Southern Lebanon, the Palestinian Territores (Gaza Strip), Breakaway areas of Georgia.
Who should worry, John, about what’s not being announced?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:57 pmsatirev @#42, nice article, passing it on to friends and relatives.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:58 pm#52 statediv ~ don’t forget San Bernadino!
September 30th, 2008 at 3:00 pmWhat other plans does McCain have that he can’t tell us?
September 30th, 2008 at 3:08 pmHow is it that republicans are immune to subpoenas?
September 30th, 2008 at 3:08 pmtejas Says:
What other plans does McCain have that he can’t tell us?
You mean after he loses in November and can’t remember how to get back to his Senate office in DC that he has been in only once since April?
There are always those 8 or 9 or 10 houses to visit.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:16 pmInstead of announcing it…I will sing it for you:
“Bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran”
What a slimeball.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:16 pmA little part of me feels sorry for Palin, as she’s not that bright and McCain’s thugs are trying to make her be the Jesus Christ and Marilyn Monroe of the GOP. It’s way obvious she can’t keep the crammed info together and string it coherently when a bright light is on her.
Then again, the rest of me realizes she’s stupid enough to go out there and fall on the sword for a crazy old coot. Sucks to be stupid, ignorant and have it reaffirmed every time you have to prove your worth.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:28 pmThe thing I most noticed was how McCane jumped in to answer for her. That just about says it all.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:32 pmPerhaps most disturbing? It seems apparent, when they appear together, that Flippy McSpin really is the brains of the outfit. Now that’s what I call a low bar.
When Flippy can make her look dull and vapid? I think it’s time for the GOP to pull the plug on “Bible Spice”.
NOTE: “Bible Spice” is stolen from a blogger on another site who’s name I can’t recall. I claim no creative credit for my new favorite nickname for Flippy’s Chippy.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:44 pmWhat should World Leaders do?
Sarah said she would bomb Russia and attack Pakistan.
McCain said she’s right but you just don’t announce it.
The World Leaders should be positioning themself for a pre emptive strike from the McCain/Palin ticket. With McCain’s lost of memory and not knowing one country from another one would hope their paying attention. Who knows McCain might even strike the wrong country by mistake and Sarah would use her now famous line ” I’ll get back to you”.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:47 pmJackie,
McSpin has already been instrumental in attacking a “wrong country by mistake”, he’s aware of that fact, and still thinks it’s a good idea to continue the occupation. It’s virtually certain he would continue an aggressive military policy and his Chippy would proclaim it’s the Will of God.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:59 pmThe Mavericks October Surprise:
Palin “voluntarily” withdrawls “country first” admitting she’s not the right partner for these dire times. Saves face. Falls on sword. McCain replaces her with conservative economic heavy hitter (Bloomberg, Romney, Gingrich) and we’re back tied at 46. Week of the 20th, place your bets.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:02 pmSort on on topic.
RCP now has Obama showing a 249/163 electoral lead with 126 toss ups.
Of those tossups:
NV, WI, MN, MO, IN, OH, NH, VA, NC, FL;
If Obama takes MN and WI, that gives him 269, the tie total.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:16 pmAny other tossup pushes him over the top.
MTG ~ Interesting piece on 538.com
On why Palin can’t be dumped without hosing the base with battery acid…
September 30th, 2008 at 4:19 pmsometimes his stupidity is just not worth commenting on.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:19 pmMiles I’ll place a bet
Sarah will withdraw but I think Lieberman will be the choice.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pmSarah is to close to losing her job as Gov. of Alaska so she’s done what she could for McCain. Now here’s why I pick Joe lipstick. It’s after the VP Debate and Joe will use his experience and his being a Jewish leader to pick up after Sarah. Look Joe corrected McCain with every error during his tour so he’s a good pick up stick for McCain.
Oh lookee there, it’s McCrazyCain with his granddaugher!
September 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pmJohn McCain is a Nazi thug. Pass the word.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pmI wouldn’t take any bet on this circus.
When the top of the GOP is fracturing before our eyes it’s impossible to make any assumptions. Flippy is splitting from his President, his party, and often his own campaign. His veep is just a mess. Chimpy has lost control of the Congressional delegation, who may split into House vs. Senate factions. And even the corporate media can’t contain the open chaos in the statements of the desperate.
Then one must consider the possibility that Bible Spice could get pregnant, again, and Flippy could drop dead. Or Flippy could snap and strangle the silly trollop, ending up in jail. At this point it’s just as likely that Bob Dole and Reagan’s ghost are the candidates on election day as anyone else.
Or maybe Flippy will drop dead from exertion before quite finishing the job and Bible Spice will pick Jebus as her running mate?
September 30th, 2008 at 4:50 pmThe New Yorker cover on plain.
September 30th, 2008 at 5:09 pmPutin would slap the taste out of his mouth.
September 30th, 2008 at 5:15 pmDoes McCain actually disagree with Obama on the issue of pursuing terrorists inside Pakistan, or is he simply against talking about it? Also, why does McCain equate hunting down terrorists inside Pakistan with attacking Pakistan. Is he saying that Pakistan is a nation of terrorists? That’s even more undiplomatic than Obama’s position.
September 30th, 2008 at 5:15 pmHere’s a good video from ADN showing Palin’s lies, lies, and more lies about the Troopergate investigation:
September 30th, 2008 at 6:02 pmhttp://community.adn.com/mini_apps/vmix/player.php?ID=2221420&GID=118
McCain is screwed if he dumps her. The fundy base will
September 30th, 2008 at 6:42 pmgo crazy.
> McCain is screwed if he dumps her.
> The fundy base will
> go crazy.
Yeah it wont happen. Palin is the only reason Mccains rallies have any more energy or enthusiasm than a funeral. These fetushugging biblehumping fruitcakes dont require competence, a room temperture iq, or any glimmer of self awareness in thier candidates, all they need is t#ts, lipstick, and a self professed and therefore obviously genuine love of jeezus. Oh, and a complete distate for birth control in any form. I hear shes making her daughter get married so she wont have to talk to her about birth control..
September 30th, 2008 at 7:46 pmWe dont annouce that we’re going to attack other countries? I’m pretty sure we announced that we were going to attack iraq. But granted, maybe that was a special case..they did call us f$gs and everything..
September 30th, 2008 at 7:48 pmHoly SH|T Has anyone put these pieces together???
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/
Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1
“The command is at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., but the soldiers with 1st BCT, who returned in April after 15 months in Iraq, will operate out of their home post at Fort Stewart, Ga., ”
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/stories//2008/09/29/gas_shortage.html
“Two more weeks of gas chaos, official says
Atlanta’s chaotic gasoline shortage should be back to normal by Columbus Day, Oct. 13, at the latest, said Randy Bly of AAA South. That means about two more weeks of uncertainty, desperate searches for stations with gasoline and long lines at stations that do have gas.
Bly said Nashville had fuel shortages similar to those in metro Atlanta, but now 70 to 80 percent of the city is being supplied.”
Hmmm, the Army violating the Posse Comitatus Act
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act
And everyone is occupied with the bailout…
October 1st, 2008 at 12:46 amI smell martial law in parts of Georgia around the corner.