Video: McCain demands apology to Petraeus from Hillary
posted at 8:40 am on March 26, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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It’s delivered in John McCain’s low-key style, but it shows a flash of the zip that McCain can put into his rebuttals. We saw it at the Republican debates, and some have wondered whether we would see McCain employ some hard criticisms against either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. In this clip, he takes on both of them over their insistence on withdrawal from Iraq:
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As commander-in-chief, she would fire all of her generals.
Do you think she’s going to apologize?
Absolutely not. Her camp would believe it shows weakness.
madmonkphotog on March 26, 2008 at 8:44 AM
Calm, thorough thrust of the knife. McCain learned torture, all to well, and now he will slowly apply those teachings to his opponents…every few days, apply a little pressure, we have several months, plenty of time to break down the weak fabric of his opponents…they can’t endure it.
Hillary, you thought you were under sniper fire, now you know you are…
right2bright on March 26, 2008 at 8:48 AM
Impossible for her to apologize to anything military. The Democrat base is so anti-military, an apology from her would equate to a political blunder of gigantic proportions.
Keemo on March 26, 2008 at 8:50 AM
This just in from Hillary’s Campaign HQ …….
Mrs. Clinton was sleep deprived the night before the Petraeus hearings and she misspoke.
Any other questions?
fogw on March 26, 2008 at 9:14 AM
I wish McCain would address this nonsense that Obama and Clinton claim that they would somehow “end the war” in Iraq by pulling our troops out.
The war in Iraq is not being caused by the presence of US troops. The war in Iraq is caused by al-Qaeda, Sunni Baathists and radical Shi’a elements – along with support from outside regional powers – that all wish to destabilize the country and government and somehow attain power.
Those groups will not cease fighting if we leave. In fact, they’ll step up their efforts.
Get ‘em Mac.
SteveMG on March 26, 2008 at 9:16 AM
So, Hillary, will you be sleep deprived when you get that call at 3am?
Bow out now, Hillary, gracefully, before you pulverize the last ounce of Clintonian goodwill in America. Maybe you can get an ambassadorship if you go peacefully, which will allow you to make use of that vast incredible foreign relations experience. Ambassador to China. What do you think Hillary? Infamy? Or party time with your Chinese buddies?
shaken on March 26, 2008 at 9:18 AM
The general will take the Hill.
mymanpotsandpans on March 26, 2008 at 9:20 AM
McShamnesty won’t campaign AGAINST either of them. He has no will to do so. This is probably the strongest he’ll ever speak out against either of them.
This fall we are going to witness the greatest political rollover in history.
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 9:22 AM
McCain truly has his campaign on track!
Only McCain has been visiting Iraq all through this war; and only McCain has consistent personal/political dealings not only with our men and women on the ground, but our commanders in this effort. Only McCain is prepared to prevent upheaval during “transition” leading our future in Iraq may not be worse than what Bush has managed (insert prayer).
Hillary and Obama can do the wailing and nashing of teeth in private, because they haven’t earned the right to speak with experienced knowledge in Iraq. They can stew and eat their own tripe.
nObama has no foot to stand on with one exception, as a black supremacist.
Hillary is a lost cause to whomever for whatever. Hillary is lethal cancer attached to the Democrat Party. If they ignore her, hoping she’ll go away, they suffer a horrendous death. That party’s only hope is for her surgical removal and dousing with chemical purge. They may need to ceremonially burn her at the stake, which is why Hillary is refusing to debate on CBS.
Though the GOP probably has nothing to fear now but fear itself, the subsequent generation WILL elect Chelsea who sees all and enjoys every opportunity of knowledge and placement to be in the right place at the right time, and the total preparation to say the right thing for herself. Her generation will suffer so much more than ours under daddy Bill. To think, the Clintons STILL have yet to suffer politically for having killed so many Bosnians without Congressional approval!!! That Bill and Hillary would so THAT only portends what their Chelsea will do. For now, that Bill butchered the Bosnian population of civilians and mutilated their country’s stability so that Kosovo Muslims were enabled to successfully mutiny from their motherland, it is not difficult to see where Hillary would take us through Iraq. Slash and dash.
maverick muse on March 26, 2008 at 9:25 AM
.
Sorry, but did you play/watch the video?
How can someone claim that he won’t campaign against them when we have on the record HERE, a video of him going after them?
Have you read his other comments criticizing their policies and statements? This isn’t his first critical statement about the liberals.
SteveMG on March 26, 2008 at 9:26 AM
It isn’t a heavy-handed attack but I believe that it’s the sort of statement that will work well in the general campaign. McCain is allowed to keep himself ‘above the fray’ while actually digging into it. Now let’s just hope that Hillary/Obama continues do foolish political grandstanding at all the wrong times. As far as Iraq is concerned, that shouldn’t be too hard.
Think the media will twist the narrative again by the time we go to the polls, or will they be stuck with this positive Iraq meme all the way to November? Good news for Straight Talk if it’s the latter.
NeoconNews.com on March 26, 2008 at 9:27 AM
Rabid Dogs don’t apologize…They just look for another angle of attack.
franksalterego on March 26, 2008 at 9:28 AM
as far as trustworthiness, A highly decorated soldier who is getting proved right as every day goes by regarding progress in Iraq..
Or a politician who just recently (and begrudgingly) admitted to
lyingmisspeaking about a photo op she had?Drinks the Kool-aid
Why, Clinton.. of course..
DaveC on March 26, 2008 at 9:30 AM
Yes, I did watch the video and on a scale of 1 to 10 to determine how solid of an attack it is, it’s probably a 2 or a maybe a 3. He could wail into her, both of them, but he doesn’t. He either looks scared or downright reluctant to say anything derogatory against them. It was weak, so very weak.
Do you think for one moment either of the other two will hesitate for one second to bring the whole sky crashing down on him continuously for weeks and months? Do you think they will mamby-pamby around critisizing him like he just did to them? Hell no. They themselves and their surrogates will wail on him like the world has never seen and he’ll just say something like, “I will conduct an honorable campaign.”
That will NOT get it done.
Sorry, but I want a fighter, not someone reluctant to go after them.
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 9:33 AM
But what about The New Hampshire Tear? And just the other day she asked us all for a willing suspension of disbelief and allow that she’s only human.
Akzed on March 26, 2008 at 9:37 AM
“Never wrestle a pig in mud. You both get dirty — but the pig enjoys it.”
I prefer, McCain keep his hands clean, and let the pigs tell on themselves…They’re totally predictable.
franksalterego on March 26, 2008 at 9:40 AM
I still can’t get over the wuss reaction from our side just after she made that crack. If ever there was a time for GOP senators to display outrage, that was it.
petefrt on March 26, 2008 at 9:43 AM
That’s it exactly.
McCain can’t – and shouldn’t – throw the mud back. It’s up to his surrogates and others in the Party to fight back.
SteveMG on March 26, 2008 at 9:47 AM
Normally I would agree. I would much rather have a stand-up, respectable debate. However, the other side does not play by any sort of rules. Couple that with the fact that the MSM is complicit in the Dhim propaganda machine and McCain will never gain from being the only one playing fair.
I have lived my life playing by the rules, but when the other side doesn’t (and the refs, in this case the press, won’t call the fouls) you’re going to lose. Just like the uproar over torture. I say torture the bad guys. It might be the only way to get valuable information out of them, and its lightyears better than wholesale beheadings. Sometimes you have to be more like your enemy to beat your enemy. Am I happy about that? Not really, but there are more importantly things for this country than losing fairly. The stakes are too high.
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 9:48 AM
And exactly how will our MSM cover such an approach? You know how they would report it. He’d get hammered for his “attack tactics.” They may like him but they’ll abandon him once it comes down to Obama (as it will) vs. him.
McCain needs to be above the fray and it’s up to his surrogates and other Republicans to do the heavy lifting.
SteveMG on March 26, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Oh, our party’s a big bunch of wussies too! Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been calling for a spine transplant for a decade.
But they are just following their leader…
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 9:49 AM
You go, Senator McCain!
HotAirJosef on March 26, 2008 at 9:51 AM
They don’t like him anymore, because now he’s the enemy (do you remember why they liked him before? Because he’d insult conservatives all the time, and prop up liberal policies….).
But the press isn’t going to give him positive press either. Let’s take the other side of the coin. Do you REALLY think the press is going to give him kudos for bending over and grabbing the ankles?????
Not on your life. So, why not try to bypass the media a bit, show some balls to the base that you’re actually willing to take on the other side? The argument was presented that if the Dhim candidates are scared to go on Fox News how would they fare against the real baddies? Well, isn’t the same thing going to be shown? If McCain is unwilling to take on B. Hussein and Cankles, why should we think he’ll stand tall against Almonddinnerjacket?
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 9:54 AM
I didn’t say he should take it sitting down.
I said he needs to let his surrogates and others do the dirty work.
If he goes after Obama the way you like, he’d get hammered. Absolutely hammered.
He has to let his allies do that. C’mon, we know the double standard the MSM has on these types of issues. And it will be multipled for Obama.
Fight hard; but fight smart.
SteveMG on March 26, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Can somebody please photoshop that picture of Hillary to have lightning bolts comin’ outta her fingers? Senator/Emporer Hilpatine.
Tony737 on March 26, 2008 at 10:03 AM
He’ll get hammered either way, that’s why such a condition should be taken out of the equation. You’re right, he’ll get hammered going after Obama, but Shrillery not so much. That’s why I’m pushing for her to steal the primary.
I agree that allies should be hitting hard…but they aren’t. However, I think Mccain should be hitting hard from time to time too. He hasn’t, and has said he won’t. That won’t win this.
As to fight smart, I’m totally with you. I’d love to see some precision attacks that draw blood over smiles, rapier-like surgery. But McCain has never shown to be able to do that, and he’s explicitly stated he won’t get into fray.
So, what are we left with?
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 10:10 AM
I saw an animated gif of her being Palpy doing the “Power” bit to Hussein’s Windu. Funny as hell. Wish I could post it here.
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Excellent. I was appalled when she called him a liar last year. Then, during the debates and on Meet the Press, she would never back down on that insult and admit that Petraeus was right. More than any other single thing, this is what caused me to arrange my family’s finances so we can help do whatever it takes to keep her out of the Whitehouse.
juliesa on March 26, 2008 at 10:58 AM
She’s only human.
a capella on March 26, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Since when?
Darksean on March 26, 2008 at 12:33 PM
A little off topic, (Hillary) but a feeling just swept over me that I am unable to describe…not anger…not exactly sadness…something that literally shakes ones human obligation for humanity toward another human, as she has recently described herself. Now, bombarded as we’ve been these last few days regarding the blatant Tuzla lies, accurately described by Colonel Hunt, and to have that fabrication fresh in my mind as I casually replayed the video of herself confronting a hero of Gen. Petraeus’ stature, with such animus and vomit, the “willing suspension”…the phony patriotism…Well you’ve got the picture.. Anyway, a turbulence as I have never experienced, consumed me!!! My humanity was challenged and my thoughts bolted to immediate retaliation.. Strike!!…I wanted to kill!! MAIM!!..AND right Now!! aaaarrrggg….Somebody help me….I need a stronger homelife and better supervision….my head….my head!!…please….Don’t tase me ,Bro…Don’t tase me…
b4lucy on March 26, 2008 at 4:18 PM
I have to wonder if there isn’t a “Operation Chaos” going on against the Republicans. Call after call about being wussie’s, needing a spine, need to attack.
McCain’s numbers are doing nothing but going up since he clinched the nomination. Anyone who thinks McCain should mix himself up in the democratic primary must want the same thing that happened to Clinton to happen to McCain. When Clinton went negative, her numbers dropped.
Looks like McCain is smarter than the smartest woman in the world.
Hog Wild on March 26, 2008 at 5:57 PM
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