Meanwhile, The Republican Candidate Is Free to Screw Up

[baghdad_bush]

Now that the Obama speech has sunk in (to great reviews except for Dimbaugh http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/rush_limbaugh_reacts.php), we turn our attention to the stirring and profound John McCain, who wants to become president by being even more stupid than Bush. http://www.hoffmania.com/blog/2008/03/meanwhile-the-r.html

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."

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.

[gratuitous]

1. Don't ask McCain about what he said

Let's all ask Clinton about something one of her supporters said, or ask Obama about something one of his supporters said. See, Democrats are responsible for everything any of their supporters say; Republicans aren't even answerable for their own bullshit. Once you understand that, you're 90% of the way to understanding why we're in the mess we're in now.

[NewJeffCT]

2. And, don't forget

McCain invited John Hagee onto stage with him recently - the same Hagee that said the Pope & the Catholic Church are the anti-christ and practice a false idol religion. Hagee also said that Jews are responsible for their own persecution.