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| Home Front: Politix |
| A McCain Gaffe in Jordan |
| 2008-03-19 |
| Sen. John McCain, traveling in the Middle East to promote his foreign policy expertise, misidentified in remarks Tuesday which broad category of Iraqi extremists are allegedly receiving support from Iran. He said several times that Iran, a predominately Shiite country, was supplying the mostly Sunni militant group, al-Qaeda. In fact, officials have said they believe Iran is helping Shiite extremists in Iraq. Speaking to reporters in Amman, the Jordanian capital, McCain said he and two Senate colleagues traveling with him continue to be concerned about Iranian operatives "taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back." Pressed to elaborate, McCain said it was "common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well known. And it's unfortunate." A few moments later, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, standing just behind McCain, stepped forward and whispered in the presidential candidate's ear. McCain then said: "I'm sorry, the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda." Perhaps what Joe whispered was; "John, that's still classified!" The mistake threatened to undermine McCain's argument that his decades of foreign policy experience make him the natural choice to lead a country at war with terrorists. In recent days, McCain has repeatedly said his intimate knowledge of foreign policy make him the best equipped to answer a phone ringing in the White House late at night. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #12 Joe's a hawk only on defense. McCain needs a social conservative: Hunter, Thompson.... and preferably a hawk on illegal immigration |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-03-19 20:48 |
| #11 I am looking for a partner, Querent.... Just to take up the slack when I'm super-busy at work, ya' know. ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-03-19 18:56 |
| #10 With the economy roiling, look for Romney to get the nod for VP. |
| Posted by: doc 2008-03-19 18:15 |
| #9 Methinks Ms. Skolaut & i should start a joint venture. next dead jihadi confirmation = popcorn balls all around! |
| Posted by: Querent 2008-03-19 14:18 |
| #8 Chocolate covered popcorn balls for Querent! :-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-03-19 13:02 |
| #7 re: #6, please, pretty please, with chocolate on the popcorn. then we sit back and watch veins burst in foreheads across the middle east... |
| Posted by: Querent 2008-03-19 12:50 |
| #6 Will Lieberman be the vice presidential candidate? |
| Posted by: bman 2008-03-19 12:01 |
| #5 The story was a WaPo article--enough said. Ed is right with regards to Iran--they are playing both sides against the middle. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2008-03-19 11:38 |
| #4 Standard answer: Iran can cooperate with Al Quaida just like Soviet Union cooperated with Nazi Germany, the aryan supremacit Nazis with the Jaopanese (who were declared honorary aryand) and later the predominatly capitalist US and Uk cooperated with Soviet Union. |
| Posted by: JFM 2008-03-19 10:41 |
| #3 The experts of the press. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-03-19 08:49 |
| #2 As Michael Kinsley wrote, A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth.” |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2008-03-19 07:39 |
| #1 Not a gaffe at all. Iran does both. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-03-19 00:37 |