McCain unloads on Obama
Posted: Monday, May 19, 2008 2:49 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann
CHICAGO -- In the home city of his chief rival, John McCain this morning diverted from his prepared remarks to re-continue last week's blistering back-and-forth with Barack Obama over his proposed negotiation with the president of Iran.
The added comment came in response to Obama's statement in Oregon over the weekend that Iran presents a "tiny" threat in comparison to that posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Noting Iran's aspiration to obtain nuclear weapons, as well as its president's much publicized antipathy towards Israel, McCain said today that the danger posed by the rogue nation has the potential to "become very dire indeed." Echoing last week's exchanges, McCain said that the proposed meeting demonstrates "the depth of Sen. Obama's inexperience and reckless judgment."
"They might not become a superpower," he said today of Iran. "But the threat the government of Iran poses is anything but tiny."
The unscheduled slam came in advance of a pre-written critique of Obama's trade and tax policies. He notably brought up the primary-race flap over an Obama advisor who telegraphed to the Canadian government that the Illinois senator's critique of NAFTA was a purely political move. McCain called that move -- which caused a stir before the Ohio primary in March -- "not impressive," "inconsistent,: and evidence of "bad judgment."
"Sen. Obama is fond of scolding others for engaging in the 'old-style politics,'" he said. "But when he plays on fears of foreign trade, he's resorting to the oldest kind of politics there is."
He continued, "It's the kind of politics that exploits problems instead of solving them, that breeds resentment instead of opportunity."
McCain's audience in Obama's hometown was quiet and respectful as he raised questions about his rival's judgment. But three pink-clad protestors interrupted McCain early in his speech, chanting their objections to McCain's support of the Iraq War. The three women, who wore pink aprons and carried banners emblazoned with anti-war slogans, were escorted out without incident. The audience at McCormick place booed to drown out the protesters' chants.
"These things happen on occasion," said the senator after the hubbub died down. "And we move on."
