The McCain pushback to Rubin's op-ed
Posted: Friday, May 16, 2008 11:11 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Security
From NBC's Mark Murray
The McCain campaign is pushing back against today's Washington Post op-ed by James P. Rubin, who points out that McCain said in an interview that he was open to dealing with Hamas. "They're the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another," McCain said.
McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds responds: “There should be no confusion, John McCain has always believed that serious engagement would require mandatory conditions and Hamas must change itself fundamentally -- renounce violence, abandon its goal of eradicating Israel and accept a two state solution. John McCain’s position is clear and has always been clear, the President of the United States should not unconditionally meet with leaders of Iran, Hamas or Hezbollah. Barack Obama has made his position equally clear, and has pledged to meet unconditionally with Iran’s leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the leaders of other rogue regimes, which shows incredibly dangerous and weak judgment.”
VIDEO: James Rubin, former Assistant Secretary of State during the Clinton administration talks about his Washington Post op-ed.
As evidence that McCain has been consistent on this point, the McCain campaign offers this press release the Arizona senator issued after Hamas won the Palestinian elections. "In the wake of yesterday's Palestinian elections, Hamas must change itself fundamentally - renounce violence, abandon its goal of eradicating Israel and accept the two-state solution. These elections are evidence that democracy is indeed spreading in the Middle East, but Hamas is not a partner for peace so long as they advocate the overthrow of Israel."
As well as this interview January 2006 interview with CNN:
NGUYEN: ... All right, let's shift over to the global front. The Bush administration is reviewing all aspects of U.S. aid to the Palestinians now that Hamas has won the elections. And I do have to quote you here. A State Department spokesman did say this: "To be very clear" -- and I'm quoting now -- "we do not provide money to terrorist organizations." What does this do to the U.S. relationship with the Palestinians?
MCCAIN: Well, hopefully, that Hamas now that they are going to govern, will be motivated to renounce this commitment to the extinction of the state of Israel. Then we can do business again, we can resume aid, we can resume the peace process. It's very, very important, though, that they renounce this commitment and I understand that maybe in some parts of their party it's difficult, but we can't have a situation in the Middle East where a governing nation or an organization that's governed by a group of people who are committed to the extinction of its neighbor. It's an untenable position.
NGUYEN: Does this throw a huge kink in the road map to peace?
MCCAIN: No, let's hope that they understand there's a difference between the revolutions and governing. Other entities have in the past. I think it's very relevant and an important point that we are told that the major reason why Hamas was elected was not because of the issue of Israel, as it was total dissatisfaction with the previous government which had not given them anything but corruption and economic stagnation.
