McCain backs Kerry defense record Senator says Dem not 'weak' on security

Washington Post ^ | Mar. 19, 2004 | Charles Babington

[JustTheTruth]

WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. John McCain on Thursday defended Sen. John Kerry's record on national security, undercutting the Bush-Cheney campaign's latest attacks on the Democratic presidential challenger and frustrating conservatives hoping for a unified front against the Massachusetts senator.

"I do not believe that he is, quote, weak on defense," McCain, R-Ariz., said on NBC's Today show.

Earlier, on the CBS Early Show, when asked if he agreed with Vice President Dick Cheney's claim that Kerry is a threat to national security, McCain said: "I don't think that. I think that John Kerry is a good and decent man. . . . I think he has different points of view on different issues, and he will have to explain his voting record. But this kind of rhetoric, I think, is not helpful in educating and helping the American people make a choice."

At a forum in Scottsdale late Thursday, McCain reiterated his support for Bush's re-election but said that he and fellow Vietnam veteran Kerry are friends who worked together on POW issues and normalizing relations with Vietnam.

"In life and in politics, you can have friends, and friends who are not of the same ideology. John Kerry and I are friends," he said.

"We have differences of opinion, but I'm not going to criticize John Kerry," said McCain, who went on to warn Bush that Kerry is a supreme debater. Although Bush's underestimated debating abilities may have helped him win in 2000, McCain said, the president may have a more difficult opponent in Kerry.

Demoocrats welcomed McCain's remarks during a week in which the Bush-Cheney campaign sharpened its attacks on Kerry's record on military and diplomatic matters. (etc - click on link for rest of article).

[JustTheTruth]

John McCain can't help himself. What a total loser/egomaniac/nut. Let's see - he regularly criticizes President Bush, but he is not going to criticize John F'n Kerry????

[mabelkitty]

Two boys who made big dollars with normalized relations with Vietnam.
Of course he's going to stick up for him - Kerry and McCain both married well, and both families have business interests with their Vietnam sellout.

[MarkT]

Now, now, let's be fair to John...he has the same pre-disposition to marrying wealth as Kerry does...he is only sticking up for one of his own...

[shellylet]

He just always sounds so bitter to me!
I guess he couldn't handle getting whipped by Pres. Bush!

[noexcuses]

Revenge is a dish best served cold. McCain's been waiting for this opportunity to get even with GWB's election campaign since the 2000 primaries.

[Tax-chick]

Maybe he has a brain tumor.

[ambrose]

Actually, the news media is distorting what McCainiac said.

Yes, McCain said he wouldn't term Kerry "weak on defense"... but McCain then added that Kerry's voting record on defense is fair game in the campaign, and there were many parts of the record that he did not agree with... but the media ran with the "sound bite"... typical of the liberal media.

[tcuoohjohn]

I suspect the same..It was a very nasty campaign filled with the most foul tactics. Though the Bush campaign denied the allegations it did have Karl written all over it.

[AZamericonnie]

McCain loves publicity more than he cares about his constituents. We need a replacement for him in AZ.

[LuigiBasco]

Who's going to believe one of the Keating Five?

[CommerceComet]

Maybe there is some good strategic thinking here:

Let McCain develop a reputation of being a "fair" critic of Kerry now when few people are listening. Then when he lowers the boom later in the campaign, it will have much more impact as McCain's reputation for "fairness" is already established.

[BushisTheMan]

McCain, the Manchurian candidate.

[teletech]

When will Republicans tell McInsane to SHUT THE HELL UP OR MOVE ON? Probably never, I'd guess.

[shellylet]

We'll send you Barbara Boxer if you'd like! :)

[aspiring.hillbilly]

Scumbags like mccain and kerry always seem to gravitate to each other.... mccain needs to be purged out of the republican party we are getting tired of his politics and wanton deviations from republicanism..

[AZamericonnie]

Are you threatening me??? LOL I left Calif. for what I thought was a more conservitive state. Imagine my surprise...

[beckett]

After a brief flirtation with becoming a McCain supporter some years ago, I soon realized he's an egotistical jerk of the first rank. Since then my opinion of him has been reinforced just about every time he opens his mouth. He can always be counted upon to stab his fellow Republicans in the back if it might help raise his profile with the public, which is what the above pro-Kerry remarks are all about.

[bayng]

We did in 2000... loud and clear but he doesn't get it!! What's
a shame !!!... Probably, the VC stuffed their heads too well
so they cannot think straight any more...
BTW... "McInsance", what's an appropriate name for that loud mouth from AZ.

[OldFriend]

No doubt the two Johns share the same views about our military.

[Darlin']

McCain ain't no maverick, just a egotistical nut job with some kinda twisted guilt driven, persecution complex. IMO, he craves attention so much that he is willing to be kicked around just to be the focus of the discussion.