Obama camps hits McCain

[Windy]

Obama Campaign Hits McCain
by DiegoUK
Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 12:06:59 PM PDT
McCain has been trying to score a hit on Obama on Iraq for weeks, stepping up the rhetoric and the absurdities.

Today, speaking before the American GI Forum, McCain stated:

Eighteen months ago, America faced a crisis as profound as any in our history. Iraq was in flames, torn apart by violence that was escaping our control. Al Qaeda was succeeding in what Osama bin Laden called the central front in their war against us. The mullahs in Iran waited for America’s humiliation in Iraq, and the resulting increase in their influence. Thousands of Iraqis died violently every month. American casualties were mounting. We were on the brink of a disastrous defeat just a little more than five years after the attacks of September 11, and America faced a profound choice. Would we accept defeat and leave Iraq and our strategic position in the Middle East in ruins, risking a wider war in the near future? Or would we summon our resolve, deploy additional forces, and change our failed strategy? Senator Obama and I also faced a decision, which amounted to a real-time test for a future commander-in-chief. America passed that test. I believe my judgment passed that test. And I believe Senator Obama’s failed.

DiegoUK's diary :: ::
Obama Camp Response to McCain GI Forum Speech:

The American people are looking for a serious debate about the way forward in Iraq and Afghanistan, and angry, false accusations will do nothing to accomplish that goal. Barack Obama and John McCain may differ over our strategy in Iraq, but they are united in their support for our brave troops and their desire to protect this nation. Senator McCain’s constant suggestion otherwise is not worthy of the campaign he claimed he would run or the magnitude of the challenges this nation faces,

Fact Check on McCain Speech to the American GI Forum

McCain Rhetoric on Iraq: "From the early days of this war, I feared the administration was pursuing a mistaken strategy, and I said so."

The Facts: During the "early days of the war," McCain offered rosy predictions, not criticism of the Bush administration:

· EARLY 2003: MCCAIN PREDICTED A SHORT WAR IN IRAQ, SAYING "WE WILL BE WELCOMED AS LIBERATORS"

McCain: Predicted a "Brief, Successful War In Iraq." In March 2003, just prior to the start of military operations in Iraq, McCain said on the floor of the Senate, "The costs of these enterprises are not known with any degree of certainty at this time. Nor are the costs we will incur after what I believe, what I fervently, hope, will be a brief, successful war in Iraq, as we seek to establish the foundations for a peaceful, stable and democratizing Iraq." McCain also added, "I believe the war in Iraq can be concluded successfully in a relatively brief time."

McCain Proclaimed "There’s No Doubt In My Mind...That We Will Be Welcomed As Liberators." "There’s no doubt in my mind that once these people are gone that we will be welcomed as liberators," McCain said on MSNBC’s Hardball in March 2003.

McCain: Iraq War Will Be "Relatively Short." During a March 2003 interview on NBC’s "Meet the Press," McCain said, "I believe that this conflict is still going to be relatively short. I believe we’ve achieved significant goals and successes."

McCain: End of Iraq War "Very Much In Sight." In interview on ABC’s Good Morning America, McCain was asked "At what point will America be able to say the war was won?" McCain replied. "We’ve still got the oil fields in the north that have to be secured. Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s hometown, I would imagine there’ll be some die hards there that, but I think that we, it, it’s clear that the end is very much in sight, and today I think Americans should be very proud of their leadership, their technology...There are still some foreigners, Syrians and others hanging around. But it won’t be long. It will be a fairly short period of time, but this happens in wars. I’m confident that once they are confident the area is no longer a threat to the Marines and to or army troops that they’ll start imposing discipline. In the meantime, we’ll have a short period of chaos."

McCain Said He Was "Sure" The End Of Conflict In Iraq Was Near. During an appearing on "Lou Dobbs Moneyline," McCain was asked, "Is it your judgment that we are near the end of this conflict?" McCain replied, "Oh, I’m sure that’s true."

· Summer 2003: McCain Said the "Major Conflict" Was Over In Iraq

McCain: "The Major Conflict" Is Over. McCain said in 2003, "I have said a long time that reconstruction of Iraq would be a long, long, difficult process, But the conflict, the major conflict is over ... The regime change is accomplished."

McCain Proclaimed "Massive Victory" in Iraq and Credited Combat-Readiness for "Our Victory" in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom demonstrated to the world what we saw just 12 years ago. We went to war as the most combat-ready force in the world. The value of that readiness is clear. We won a massive victory in a few weeks, and we did so with very limited loss of American and allied lives. We were able to end aggression with minimum overall loss of life, and we were even able to greatly reduce the civilian casualties of Afghani and Iraqi citizens. . . . Our technology edge in Afghanistan and Iraq would have been meaningless if we did not have men and women trained to use it. Having the best weapons system platforms in the world would not have given us our victory if we had not had the right command and control facilities, maintenance capabilities, and munitions."

McCain: The Mission Is "Accomplished." In an interview with Salon.com. McCain said, "I just think — as I said — I think we will find weapons of mass destruction. Now, I think it’s entirely appropriate now that regime change has been orchestrated — and though the danger is certainly not over, the mission is ‘accomplished’ — it’s appropriate to have a hearing."

McCain Rhetoric on Veterans: "Whatever our commitments to veterans cost, we will keep them, as you have kept every commitment to us."

The Facts: McCain has repeatedly opposed increased funding for veterans health care, and against funding for our troops:

· MCCAIN REPEATEDLY VOTED AGAINST, AND OBAMA REPEATEDLY VOTED FOR, INCREASED FUNDING FOR MILITARY EQUIPMENT FOR OUR TROOPS

Obama Voted For And McCain Voted Against $360 Million for Armored Vehicles for Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2005, Obama voted for and McCain voted against providing $360.8 million for armored tactical wheeled vehicles for units deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and $5 million to establish ballistics engineering research centers at two major research institutions. The measure against which McCain voted also required such centers to advance knowledge and application of ballistics materials and procedures to improve the safety of land-based military vehicles.

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Obama Voted TWICE Against And McCain Voted TWICE For And Keeping Capital Gains Tax Cuts, Rather Than Using the Savings to Replace or Repair Equipment for Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2005, Obama voted for and McCain voted against repealing the extension of capital gains tax cuts and use the savings to repair, rehabilitate or replace the equipment used by the Army and Marine Corps in Afghanistan & Iraq. A week later, prior to the issuance of a conference report regarding that measure, Obama voted for and McCain voted against a measure to "insist that conference report include funding to strengthen America’s military, as contained in Senate-passed amendment, instead of any extension of tax cuts for capital gains and dividends (which do not expire until 2009), as contained in House-passed bill."

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McCain Voted Against Providing An Additional $322 Million for Troops’ Safety Equipment, Including Body Armor. In 2003, McCain voted against an amendment to provide an additional $322 million for battlefield clearance and safety equipment for U.S. troops in Iraq. As National Journal noted, the amendment would have provided funding for "soldiers’ body armor, communications and other equipment." The increased spending would have been offset by a reduction in Iraqi reconstruction funds.

McCain Opposed $1 Billion For Equipment For National Guard. In 2003, McCain opposed providing $1 billion for equipment for the National Guard and Reserves.

· MCCAIN REPEATEDLY VOTED AGAINST INCREASES AND OBAMA VOTED FOR INCREASE FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE BENEFITS

Obama Voted For And McCain Voted Against Increasing Funding For Military And Veterans Hospitals By Limiting Dividend And Capital Gains Tax Cuts To Individuals Earning Less Than $1 Million. In 2006, Obama voted for and McCain voted against providing $19 billion for military and veterans hospitals, offset by limiting the dividend and capital-gains tax rates to individuals earning less than $1 million.

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Obama Voted For And McCain Voted Against Adding Nearly Half-A-Billion Dollars In Funding For Veterans Health Care In Wake Of $1.2 Billion Shortfall. In 2006, Obama voted for and McCain voted against adding $430 million for outpatient and inpatient health care and treatment for veterans.

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Obama Voted Against And McCain Voted For Tripling TRICARE Fees For Veterans Offset By Eliminating Corporate Tax Breaks. In 2006, Obama voted for and McCain voted against the Kerry amendment that would eliminate a tripling of fees for veterans in the TRICARE health care program by raising the discretionary spending limit by approximately $10 billion. The provisions would have been fully offset by eliminating certain corporate tax breaks.

Obama Voted For And McCain Voted Against Making Veterans’ Health Benefits A Mandatory Spending Program And Avoiding Future Budget Shortfalls. In 2006, Obama voted for and McCain voted against an amendment that would make veterans’ health benefits a mandatory program, spending $104 billion over five years. The funding would have been offset by closing corporate tax loopholes and rolling back the Bush tax cuts for millionaires.

Obama Voted For And McCain Voted Against Increasing VA Health Care By $1.5 Billion; Amendment Was Paid For By Ending Corporate Tax Breaks. In 2006, Obama voted for and McCain voted against an amendment that increased the discretionary spending limit by $1.5 billion to $874.5 billion to provide an increase in funding for veterans’ medical services. It would be offset by ending certain corporate tax breaks.

Obama Voted For And McCain Voted Against An Amendment To Increase Veterans’ Health Care Funding By $2B. In 2005, Obama voted for and McCain voted against increasing funding for the Veterans Affairs Department by $1.98 billion and designate it as emergency spending. It would stipulate that $840 million be used for veterans’ regional health networks; $610 million be used to address the needs of service members deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan; and $525 million be used to provide mental health care and treatment.

Obama Supported And McCain Opposed And Increasing Funding for Veterans Mental Health Services. In 2005, Obama voted for and McCain voted against providing an additional $500 million per year for five years for veterans’ mental health services. The cost of the proposal would have been offset by deferring tax cuts for those making $1 million a year.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/25/14343/1112/396/556938

[TwilightGardener]

1. Obama's camp needs to do what Hillary did, and what McCain's doing now:

first thing in the morning, disseminate the day's talking points--make it short and punchy, sell it to every network, conference-call it, surrogate it, slogan it, soundbite it--doesn't even fucking have to be entirely accurate, the media never fact-checks and if they do, it's too late once the message has spread. They need to OWN the day's attack, force the media to TRUMPET the daily attack, rather than just respond tepidly in the afternoon to the opponent's attack.

[opihimoimoi]

3. McLames got cow chips...too many cow chips....thats all they got...

[stillcool]

4. and I'm sure the 'media'..

will jump right on it, and report what is said accurately.

[Gabi Hayes]

5. they showed only clips of McCain's most strident statements, follow by comments like these:

Andrea Greenspan: McCain is finding his voice at last

not one word about the accuracy of his comments

the other coverage/comments I saw were exactly like the above

[stillcool]

6. I can't deal with it...

my husband watches Keith and Charlie Rose. He was a die hard news junkie for decades, and when he gave it up it gave me hope. But the lack of news in this country has gotten so much worse, especially on the internet.

[gatorboy]

2. Don't hit too hard!

You might break a hip.