Posted on 07/27/2008 11:10:43 PM PDT by Red Steel
On Sunday's This Week, ABC's George Stephanopoulos condemned John McCain for charging that “Senator Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign.” Stephanopoulos, who interviewed McCain on Saturday at his Arizona ranch, declared: “I can't believe you believe that.” McCain insisted “I'm not questioning his patriotism. I'm questioning his actions. I'm questioning his lack, total lack of understanding,” leading Stephanopoulos to counter: “But that is questioning his patriotism. When you say someone would rather lose a war, a candidate, that's questioning his honor, his decency, his character.”
As McCain continued to defend his assessment, Stephanopoulos kept rejecting his reasoning (“So putting lives at risk for a political campaign, you believe he's doing that?”) and excoriating his characterization of Obama: “But you're questioning his motives.”
Stephanopoulos matched a theme pushed on Wednesday's World News by ABC reporter David Wright. My July 23 NewsBusters item recounted:
Wright began his interview with McCain by scolding him for his “extraordinary statement” that “Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign.” Wright demanded: “Do you really think he's that craven?” Wright also lectured: “But what you seem to be saying there is that it's all about personal ambition for him and not about what he honestly thinks is right for the country.”
The exchange on the Sunday, July 27 This Week in the interview taped the day before in Arizona, with McCain's dogs walking around them at least once:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You've taken heat this week with your comments saying that Senator Obama would rather lose a war than win a political campaign. I can't believe you believe that.
JOHN McCAIN: Well, I'm not questioning his patriotism. I'm questioning his actions. I'm questioning his lack, total lack of understanding.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But that is questioning his patriotism. When you say someone would rather lose a war, a candidate, that's questioning his honor, his decency, his character.
McCAIN: All I'm say something is, and I will repeat, he does not understand. I'm not questioning his patriotism. I am saying that he made the decision which was political in order to help him get the nomination.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So putting lives at risk for a political campaign, you believe he's doing that?
McCAIN: I believe that when he said that we had to leave Iraq and we had to be out by last March and we had to have a date certain, that was in contravention to and still is to the Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General David Petraeus. When he never asked to sit down for a briefing with General Petraeus, our commander on the ground, when he waited 900 days to go back again where young American lives are on the line, I think that's a fundamental lack of understanding and I think the American people will make the appropriate choices.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you're questioning his motives.
McCAIN: I say that it was very clear that a decision had to be made, and I made it when it wasn't popular. He made a decision which was popular with his base, and that is a fundamental difference and he does not understand and did not understand and still doesn't understand that the surge was the vital strategy in us not having to lose a war, chaos, genocide, increased influence of Iranians in the region, the consequences of failure would have been severe. Now the benefits are enormous of a stable ally in the region, of a country that is a friend of ours, a break on Iranian influence, certainly a break on al Qaeda and other jihadist organizations. So he made the decision that that was the best way to go to get the nomination of his party.
Every time McCain says “I’m not questioning his patriotism”.....after commenting on Obama Leftist anti-American interests position.........I could SCREAM...
He SHOULD say — “Yes - perhaps I am questioning his patriotism, I will continue to question it until I see Obama putting American interests above those of everyone else, including his own and his party’s political ambitions.”
America’s interests must be held above everything else...
John Bolton is a Great Leader, a Great American, and a proven supporter of American Sovereignty. I disagree that GWB would select a MID level Diplomat for the US Ambassador to the UN.
Ted Kennedy did it with Vietnam in December of 1974, why wouldn’t a democrat do it again?
I remember when Wayne LaPierre of the NRA said what no one else would say about Clinton in 1996. That’s why I joined the NRA. And I had never owned a gun before then (I do now).
Stephanopoulos is a lying mouse.
It is, after all, his Democrats who wring their hands in glee every time they can announce that some “benchmark” casualty figure has been reached.
OF COURSE the scumbag Democrats don’t want the United States to win the war in Iraq. That would be a political loss for THEM. The Democrats are as fully invested in losing the war as they are in tanking the economy.
The rats want lots of body bags and a devastating (”It’s the economy, stupid”) recession. Period.
Because that’s the stuff they exploit to WIN ELECTIONS.
And Princess Stephie knows it.
And welcome to FReeRepublic!
“Because that’s the stuff they exploit to WIN ELECTIONS.”
That’s the stuff they exploit to tighten the screws and abolish liberty, which they will do AFTER winning elections.
This is the type of thing that we need to see and hear more of. Of course Obama would like to see us lose in Iraq if it means he could be president. Any idiot can see this. Obama cares nothing about the United States. He wants the power. It should be obvious to any intelligent person what Obama is. He is a buffoon.
You dont need to do that:-P You’d be surprized!
I understand, been there, done that.
I consider George Stephanapolus to be a traitor to America.
He comes from Lebanon and does not show his love for this country. I am very troubled by people like George who come to this country and have a good job and living and yet they are willing to work for destruction of this country. Obama is one who wants to destroy this country, so just read his Senate bill 2433. That is a bill that does absolutely nothing for the USA, and it is nothing more than robbery of the American people. We just do not deserve this at all.
Steffie just will never understand what's wrong with those decisions.
Obviously, You like John Bolton. I am more than sure that Our Great President would assure You that John Bolton cant hold a candle to Senator John McCain. As to Ambassador to the U.N., that in many of Our books is a useless Organization covered by Mid Level Diplomats. If You care to disagree, good, knock your socks off:-)
Print up some banners and buttons stating:
“ John Bolton for President!”
If Amb. Bolton wins, I am sure he will select You for Amb. to the U.N., for sure...........
Psychologically, when a person starts a sentence with a negative, “I’m not saying (whatever)”, that’s exactly what he/she is saying. Because the person believes that, he/she denies it before saying it. (I was a psychological examiner for twenty-five years.)
Yes, I noticed that registration date, too, and the person’s excessively sharp language when there was some criticism of McCain is consistent with some other newbies. Some conservatives, including me, are not accepting of McCain and that’s just the way it is. Yelling at us is not nice.
Stephanopoulos is just one more little faggot that is totally in the tank for Obama-lama-ding-dong.
Hey JohnnyMac? Is it just me, or are all of your ‘friends’ in the media who used to worship you and fight each other for a seat on that ‘Straight Talk Express’ bus, dwindling in number?
The proper response to Lil Miss Stephie would have been “Mr. Stephanopoulos, as a little twerp who has never worn the uniform, tell me just what the Hell YOU think you know about patriotism?”
Do you work for the RNC?
Well, actually, what he said was the truth. He didn't say that Obama was a traitor. But he definitely implied it!
Actions speak louder than words, Steponallofus.
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