Wednesday, September 12, 2007

JOHN MCCAIN

McCain: Democrats Ought to Return MoveOn.Org Donations, Denounce Ad

The following is a rough transcript of highlights of Sen. John McCain's conference call with bloggers, just completed:

 

Jennifer Rubin, Human Events: Signs of stiffening spines among colleagues?

 

McCain: I think that was helpful because they were such great Americans. I wish every American could hear their message in its entirety. I think you’re seeing a shift on the Hill because of a combination of facts on the ground and articulate testimony of Petraeus and Crocker. Also, I’m glad the President went to Baghdad. We need to put more progress on Maliki, great progress at the local level.

 

Petraeus told me that if he needed any more troops, he would say it. He’s saying the Iraqi military will be able to be more and more militarily engaged…

 

Betsy’s Page: 100 years from now, what will people think of George W. Bush?

 

McCain: I think a great deal of that will be related to what happens in Iraq. Historians tend to judge people on foreign policy and national security issues… The day Harry Truman left office, he did not stand well with the American people. A big reason for that is Korea, that he wanted to stand and fight when the American people didn’t. History is judging Harry Truman with a  lot more respect than people felt in 1953.

 

Mistakes have been made in every war we’ve been in... Look at early world war two, look at MacArthur’s early mistakes. Then point out that we are now on right track, and buttress that argument with the facts that Gen. Petraeus showed in his testimony. Share their frustration and sorrow, the enormous sacrifices that have been made, be sensitive to that.

 

Jim Addison: Do Democrats not understand the issues? Are they so enslaved by their left wing that they don’t care about security?

 

McCain: Jim, I don’t like to disparage the patriotism of my opponents in this debate, but the facts on the ground are clear. The refusal to repudiate the MoveOn.org ad, and lack of respect for the honorable service for one of our military leaders, may have more implications.

 

Phil Klein: Next steps in Iraq debate?

 

McCain: We’ve gone 54 years with a defense authorization bill. We are now approaching a point where that may not be possible, or at least not on time, and that should disturb all Americans…. They’re still thrashing around, and they’re attempting to get guys like Alexander and Warner to sign on to some sort of quote compromise bipartisan unquote position. I will fight it. I know I should be out fundraising, I know I should be out campaigning, but this is far more important than any political campaign.

 

Doug Lampbert: Why not take out al-Sadr?

 

McCain: I agree with you, when they first had a warrant out for his arrest, back in 2003, I met with Bremer and Sanchez and I said ‘get that guy.’ There was some worry that would stir up the Shiites. It’s well chronicled in Fiasco and Cobra II. Now he’s bouncing back and forth to Iran. He stays in well-populated areas. I’m not that tactically proficient about the situation on the ground, but it is important to arrest him and put him on trial for murder.

 

Sadr announced six month moratorium – there was fighting between Iraqi army and his Mahdi army. He got a lot of publicity about it, the fighting that injured pilgrims to Karbala. I’m a little fuzzy on the details, but it was bad publicity. Clearly his announcement is bound to be some good news, a sign that he is weakening. He is getting weaker and weaker.

 

Question from me: Should Democrats return any donations they received from MoveOn.org?

 

McCain: Sure, sure but first, the most important thing is to denounce it. Denounce, denounce, denounce. I think that would be most beneficial in response to this.

 

Question from me: Did the hearings address the concerns of wavering Republican lawmakers?

 

McCain: I hope so. I hope so. I’d like to tell you that I know that it did, but I don’t know; I think a lot of it will depend on what they hear from their constituents. I’ll just tell you, I couldn’t have asked from a better performance for both of them. My esteem for Ambassador Crocker couldn’t be higher. You know, over his long career in the diplomatic service, I’ll note that he only spent a year to a year and a half in Washington. Maybe that should be a lesson to all of us.

 

Matt Lewis: Anti-surge sentiment in Iowa?

 

McCain: Americans don’t want us to fail. They don’t want us to lose, as Harry Reid announced that we had. You show success, you get through some of the prism that they receive their news, you can see opinion shift.

09/12 04:13 PMShare