And it gets worse?

Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008 10:22 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: 2008, McCain

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Democrats point out that McCain misspoke on ABC's Good Morning America, as he talked about the problems on the "Iraq-Pakistan border." He probably meant to say the Afghanistan-Pakistan border as they were talking about Afghanistan and there is no Iraq-Pakistan border.

McCain was asked if he agrees that the situation in Afghanistan is precarious and urgent. To that, he said, "Well I think it's very serious...I don't know the exact vocabulary, but it's a serious situation, but there's a lot of things we need to do. We have a lot of work to do and I'm afraid it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border."

McCain has made other mistakes on the region, including confusing Sunni with Shia and on more than one occasion stating incorrectly that Al Qaeda was getting help from Iran.

Republicans have pointed out Obama telling CBS he'd be dealing with Maliki for the next eight to 10 years. They have snarkily said apparently Obama wants to change the Constitution because the most a president can serve is eight years. If Obama were to serve two terms, that would be about eight-and-a-half years from now. Republicans also point out that it's been 925 days since Obama has been to Iraq, but McCain has been there eight times.

On TODAY this morning, McCain told NBC's Meredith Vieira, "And you can't choose to lose a war in Iraq in my view in order to win in Afghanistan. Of course we have problems in Afghanistan and as we succeed in Iraq there will be troops available to go to Afghanistan, but it's more than just troops. Senator Obama doesn't understand that it is a strategy, the same strategy that succeeded in Iraq, we will employ in Afghanistan, the one that he rejected and still does not accept the success of."

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Comments

McSenile speaks again.

Marty In Kansas City (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:33 AM)

Speechless.

Samuel, Orlando, FL (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:35 AM)

When does winter start in Afghanistan? Wonder if the people who have shifted to Afghanistan from Iraq will hunker down there for winter, or head back to Iraq?

Dave, Tn (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:35 AM)

You people in the press sicken me. You completely excuse McCain, who apparently doesn't know the difference between Iraq and Afghanistan, or Sunni and Shia, but Obama couldn't have possibly just misspoke about eight-to-ten years. The press in this country is truly pathetic.

DLH, Houston, TX (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:35 AM)

My Friends...

I find it repulsive that the media has made a big deal of my gaffe regarding the Iraq/Pakistan border. In reality, they will share a common border when I am elected president. I will ensure that we invade every country in between to make sure that they share that border... and when they do... we will put up a giant fence to keep them away from each other...

My Friends... please vote for me... because if you do not... all I will have left in my life is a trophy wife with a huge bank account and yelling at clouds to pass my time...

I'm John McCain and I approve this message...

EJ (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:35 AM)

So in a McCain administration we will ignore the generals on the ground and mastermind a surge in another five years? WTF? He is just so confused he cannot even articulate a cogent thought.

You're right McCain, it IS more than just troops. It's an ability to establish a plan and strategy that defines the win, bench marks success and moves the hell on when the Sovereign nation requests us to do so.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:36 AM)

McSenile..thats good...

somehow the republicans keep twisting around like pretzels on what they want from their "guy"...in 2000 and 2004 they voted for a chickenhawk who protected the skies over alabama instead of serving on active duty like a real man and now...they say it can only be a military madman like mcsenile who can do...sheesh make up your minds already

Rick, NC (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:37 AM)

Marty in KC, how many slips have BO made? If you read this article, it contains a great one. I guess in his 10th yr in office, he'll also be governing those 57 states he spoke of!

NObama (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:39 AM)

im sure the Mainstream media will give mccain a pass because hes old and having a senior moment

Video of unenthusiastic anti-obama Protest
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/video-of-puma-just-say-no-deal-losers-hold-a-protest/
or
http://sensico2.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-blogs.html

camie (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:39 AM)

Anyone still want to vote for McGoo because he keeps getting confused about Iraq and Afghanistan? After all he has visited there 8 times and should know where the borders are right? Anyone??? your silence is defeaning repukes. You couldn't have put up a better candidate this time, this is just going to be too easy. O'Bama 08, yes we can

justthinkinoutloud (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:40 AM)

When Senator McCain when to Iraq, he had bullet proof garb on, was guarded by anything that could carry a gun, the shopping area was cleared, and he looked straight into the camera and announced how safe he was in Iraq.

I prefer having someone go over and actually deal with the situation as it is, rather than living in a dream world manufactured by Bush & Co.

sotiredofignorance (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:40 AM)

MCCAIN IS SCARING ME !!! This guy is in the first stages of senility!!! And we want him fumbling around in the White House with the potential to "bomb" some nation ??? Do we want he talking to world leaders about countries and regions that no longer exist? Somebody in MSM should do an expose' about the "mental capacities of seventy year old" that has experienced "severe mental and physical" trama. We need to know before we cast that vote!!

Judy Bortell Ovilla TX (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:40 AM)

Apparently Mccain's "rough weekend" continues into the upcoming week! He's had too many gaffes to just say he's "tired" or he just "miss spoke"; afterall, he takes weekends off, doesn't he? LOL! I'm afraid his age is showing......again.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:40 AM)

I'm with Senator Obama's plan all the way.:-) I'm glad that his trip overseas is being viewed in a positive light.

Californian for Obama (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:42 AM)

Senator McCain is wrong for America. He has no foreign policy credentials, and the gamble he made on George Bush's coat tails is not paying off.

Senator McCain's misspeaking is the least of our problems. Even when he says exactly what he meant to say, it makes no sense:

Social Security is a disgrace?

He will balance the budget in his first term by cutting taxes and expanding the wars?

We will stay in Iraq 50 - 100 years?

John McCain has not made sense for a long time now - hopefully America catches on before it is too late.

Nashville_fan (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:43 AM)

Lardy - Once again John McCain the hero - Don't even know what countries are involved in our wars or who the warring factions are.... But yet - "he knows how to win wars". OLD MAN YELL A CLOUDS.

Maybe he should stay away from baseball games and stay home instead , so he can sleep and also study the map.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:44 AM)

Maybe Obama rounded up the years because they're following his lead already ?

ohio (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:46 AM)

Sunni-Shia, Afghanastan-Pakistan. Two more "senior moments in a string of 100? Just McCain beeing McCain? Or is it an just the the begininnings of dimensia. You simply cannot make that many mental gaffes when you are running for President. You cannot make that many gaffes if you are President. You simply cannot have forgotten how you voted on soooooo many issues. You can't keep repeating the constant lies and mistatement of policy if you've been told they are incorrect.

Let's compare the 10 year Maliki remark to the McCain
Chechoslovakia comment, repeated twice, a country that has not existed for 15 years. Another senior moment for McCain as oppossed to the inference that the Iraqi PM will be in power a while.

You decide.

Ira, Freehold, NJ (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:46 AM)

While I'm not a McCain supporter, but there's got to be something said for so much mispeaking. I don't want a president who doesn't know the who what WHERE and when. He's done his time in the military, I'm very appreciative of that, but he's not someone that I would remotely feel comfortable in the white house. Sometimes I feel like McCain is a lot like Clinton. I got the sense from Clinton that she thought we owed her the presidency, I'm getting the same feeling from McCain....and frankly, I don't owe anybody anything. I appreciate the services all around, but in the end, I have to vote for who I think will do the best job and have my interests in mind.

Obama2008, Texas (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:48 AM)

He did not only mispeaks on ABC, on MSNBC he also said "Hybrid Fuel" and he appeared to be speaing from rehearsed statements because he kept speaking over the voice of the anchor.

Nelson, Knoxville, Tenn. (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:49 AM)

In my opinion, Afghanistan is a completely different situation than Iraq. Troops on the ground recognize that.

The Economist has had terrific coverage on this issue -- long before the Obama visit.
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11402695

-----------------
http://ilfamilypolitics.blogspot.com

Midwest Mom, Illiana (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:50 AM)

WHAT A SURPRISE! MCCAIN HAS ONCE AGAIN SHOWN HIS IGNORANCE BUT WHERE IS THE "LIBERAL" MEDIA????????

NOTHING BUT POSITIVE PRESS FOR MCCAIN TODAY!

KEATING 5 KEATING 5 KEATING 5 KEATING 5

POST THE POSTS AND LET FREEDOM RING!

WHY DID JOHN AND CINDY LIE ABOUT THEIR AGES WHEN THEY STARTED THEIR RELATIONSHIP? DO SOME LIES SHOW DISHONESTY BUT OTHERS(MCCAIN'S) JUST SHOW TRUST?

LIES MATTER! LIES MATTER! LIES MATTER!

leon houston (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:51 AM)

My God - the press is going to report every little thing. We will all be crazy by the time this is over.

Ann Utica NY (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:51 AM)

I think McCain needs to go back to Iraq for a 9th time just so he can learn a little bit more about the reason, and not have these pathetic mistakes during the debates.

Chad, Salt Lake City Utah (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:51 AM)

How many times does McCain need to go to Iraq to figure out where excatly it's at? How can an accomplished vet like him have such terrible sense of bearing? You would think such incompetence would be the sought of thing that would certianly cause a plane crash if McCain was indeeed a pilot.......which explains a lot....
On the contrary, Obamam seems to have it right, even in the Iraqi's point of veiw, as well as teh maojotiry of AMericans on how to proceed in both the Iraq and Afghan wars, and how to proceed with both Pakistan and Iran. The White House even seems to start to follow Obama's blueprint on each of these issues...

I am now convinced that President Bush is a whole lot better than McCain could ever be.....Thank you Republicans for choosing Bush over McCain 8 yaers ago. I can not imagine what a terrible mistake it would have been to nominate MCain.....I imagine McCain would have sold America sooner than his involvement with Bud caused it to be sold abroad.

The Don, Independence, MO (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:52 AM)

What about BO's comment that we pulled the arab speaking translators/specialists out of Afghanistan for the Iraq war.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae-Ak9WuUio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan#Languages

Isn't he a bit young to have Alzheimers? Maybe he was tired trying to find the other 7 states of the union.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws

Guess it's tough when you're infallible

alan, NJ (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:52 AM)

So, McCain will WAIT until Iraq is a "success" until he moves troops to Afghanistan? Under his vision, or I should say, lack of vision, of what "success" or "victory" is in Iraq, Afghanistan will never see the increase in troops, and within a year or two, the Taliban will retake the country, and women will be wearing full length burkas again.

McCain...wrong on so many fronts!

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:52 AM)

Will somebody please put this miserable excuse for a campaign out of its misery. If Romney wants to stay viable for 2012 he needs to run away as fast as he can. Otherwise, he will be tarred with the "big loser" meme for life.

Mark DiChiara (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:53 AM)

Actually, yeah, it keeps getting worse. Iraqi spokesman just announced he wants US troops out by 2010. The same guy who supposedly said Maliki was mistranslated.

Greg, New York, N.Y. (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:54 AM)

Obama never misspeaks!!! Did he say the 57 or is it 58 states. Did he say when bomb fell on Pearl Harbor?? This is one of many misspeaks he has made.

Read Obama's books and be fearful

The audacity of Obama defies logic. The millions that are willing to blindly walk right over the cliff with him astounds me.

Obama the change train to nowhere. Obama offers change that "some" can see though.

Hillocrat (one of millions) that will vote for McCain (tried and true) (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:54 AM)

Somebody help me.....

Other than doing favors for Charles Keating, to help him swindle investors,

marrying a rich heiress and then calling her a c*nt

and beating up Strom Thurmond....

WHAT has John McCain ACCOMPLISHED during his years of
public 'sevice' ?

John McCain, there's NO FOOL like an OLD FOOL

John McCain, Federal tit-sucker

MSierra, SF (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:55 AM)

Meredith Vieira, "And you can't choose to lose a war in Iraq in my view in order to win in Afghanistan."

instead the republicans chose to lose the war in afghanistan so we could also lose the war in iraq, which is in no way a war by the way, what is a ‘win’ or a 'defeat' in iraq anyway? maybe we already won and just haven't figured it out yet.

"Senator Obama doesn't understand that it is a strategy, the same strategy that succeeded in Iraq we will employ in Afghanistan" merideth vieiria doesn't seem to realize no one wants a repeat of the failed strategy in iraq, it's quite humorous to even claim there was a strategy

MK,MO (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:55 AM)

For several weeks not I have used the "D" work...Dementia. Certainly I can be written off as an Obama supporter who gets carried away...BUT...These gaffes will continue!! My hope now is that the GOP does not try to select a different candidate as McCain will simply not be able to keep up in this fast changing world. This is not a speech issue, it is a thinking issue. The country has had Bush who can't read, we don't need someone who can't remember.

Ron Indiana (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:55 AM)

As I watched him on the Today show I thought, does anyone else agree that McCain is starting to sound more and more like the grumpy old guy down the street yelling at the kids to "Get off my lawn!"

Ed, Watertowm MA (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:58 AM)

Again, Obama's misstatement is tertiary with no real bearing on anything, while McCain's is a scary confusion of actual policy.

Shia/Sunni, Al Qaeda/Iran, now Afghanistan/Iraq. I know it's a simple misstatement, but it's an important misstatement that underlines a severe potential for political and strategic confusion, leading to a possible foreign policy disaster.

Rodney Hopper, Waxahachie, TX (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:58 AM)

It's all about bringing everything back to Iraq...next we'll hear about his plan to bail out Freddie Iraq to save the US economy (or, it could just be a one-track mind, another great characteristic for a president...)

Michael (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:59 AM)

Senator McCain’s appearance on the Today show was deplorable. He was rude, condescending and refused to allow Meredith Vieira to get a word in edgewise. All with that snide little "my friends" smirk that reminds me of GW Bush doing his elbow-leaning bobble head routine.

Not a Fan (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:59 AM)

On the eight to ten year thing...I think it is idiotic for anyone to think that Obama implied that he'd be in office for more than eight years is an absolute moron...

Jimmy Carter has been out of office more than 20 years and he is still active in the region. Bill Clinton still active, HW Bush...I belive still active, but i'm not sure.

Ex-Presidents stay active. And I'm thinking even if Obama didn't get the highest office he'd still be working on this issue...so drop the supposed 8-10 year gaffe.

GP Chicago (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 10:59 AM)

So McSame wants to use the same successful strategy in Afghanistan as we have used in Iraq? Does that mean a situation in which security is better but the lack of a fully functional government and possibility of return to previous levels of violence once we stop paying factions or a powerful warlord calls off a truce continues to require our indefinitely staying to spend trillions and sustain casualties? Does it mean the denial of real sovereignty to both countries indefinitely? Not most Americans', Iraqis', or Afghans' idea of success.

And about all these misstatements; if he only got Sunni and Shia mixed up, or only confused el Qaeda (Sunni) with some group that would get support from Iran (Shia) or only momentarily forgot that there is no longer a country called Czechoslovakia or that it's not Iraq that borders Pakistan, we could chalk it up to the slips of the tongue we all make. The fact that it is all these mistakes and that he never catches and corrects himself has got to be a huge concern. This is not a quality that is at all acceptable in a president. Period. There is definitely cognitive erosion here.

Felix, CO (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:00 AM)

"And you can't choose to lose a war in Iraq in my view in order to win in Afghanistan. Of course we have problems in Afghanistan and as we succeed in Iraq there will be troops available to go to Afghanistan, but it's more than just troops. Senator Obama doesn't understand that it is a strategy, the same strategy that succeeded in Iraq, we will employ in Afghanistan, the one that he rejected and still does not accept the success of."

---------------------------------------------------

Does anyone out there understand what the hell Uncle Fluffy just said here? If so, please, attempt to enlighten us because I can't make heads or tails out of what this is supposed to mean.

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:00 AM)

Simple misspeaks... Happens to all of us... including Obama. Obama has often mixed up Iraq and Iran... e.g. the Petraeus Iraq hearings.

Not a misspeak... but just plain ignorance... Obama wanted to transfer the Arab translators from Iraq to Afghanistan. (Hint: They do not speak Arabic in Afghanistan.)

Also not good on U.S. geography. During the primaries Obama explained that Hillary did better in Kentucky because it was closer to her previous home state of Arkansas. (Hint: Kentucky borders Obama's home state of Illinois, but not Arkansas.)

Nickberry, Inchelium, WA (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:00 AM)

Bush will start withdrawing troops from Iraq before the end of the year stating "Mission Accomplished" his legacy. Mc Cain will state that the "surge worked" but to late to help his chances. Phil Gramm the mortgage fiasco was not my fault I want to be VP. Maliki thanks goodness someone finally listened and the world will "breathe easier". The UN will cry "War Crimes" against America, kick the bums out. While the right wing states they cheated the GOP and the clintons supporters will continue to say, where is Hillary? "They stole the elections, it started in Chicago". But life will go on with Obama as "President". Now that's a change you can believe in. hahahaha

"Take that to the Bank..."

Another Broke Consumer (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:01 AM)

"What about BO's comment that we pulled the arab speaking translators/specialists out of Afghanistan for the Iraq war."

Actually, those list the dominant languages spoken in each region of Afghanistan, but there aren't sufficient linguists in any of those languages to meet our needs in Afghanistan. However, as Afghanistan is an Islamic nation, most everyone has a basic understanding of Arabic, as the Qu'ran is written in Arabic as are prayers and all aspects of religious life. It's not the ideal fix, but it's the best fix we have (some knowledge you just can't get from skimming wikipedia...)

Michael (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:02 AM)

Hey... Leon... Keating Five involved FOUR Democrats of which TWO of those Democrats were found to be in violation of rules/laws. Every time you shout "Keating Five" you are actually denigrating Obama's political party... and not McCain, who was found guilty of nothing... but who set out to clean up campaign financing as a result. Turned lemons into lemonade.

nickberry, Inchelium, WA (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:05 AM)

NEWSFLASH!!!!

The war in Iraq is now a benchmark for war in Afghanistan???

If this doesn't tell people this guy is a complete and utter idiot, nothing will! The war in Iraq was a complete debacle. Not because our men and women in uniform... but because of the strategic blunders by this administration and the idiots like McCain that supported it at all costs!!!!

ya know (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:05 AM)

"Marty in KC, how many slips have BO made? If you read this article, it contains a great one. I guess in his 10th yr in office, he'll also be governing those 57 states he spoke of!"

NObama,
If you read the article and you start the clock from the time he started campaigning you would have seen that Obama will have about 9 1/2 years of dealing with them (Iraq/Maliki) if he wins two terms as as president. If you consider that Obama has had to deal with Iraq since he became a senator the time is even longer. Now go home and tell your momma you got spanked by a liberal.

Marty In KC (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:05 AM)

McCain's interview on the Today show this morning was pitiful. Meredith asked several different questions. McCain answered them all the same:

"The surge has worked. Senudda Obama won't admit it.'???

McCain is sad.

Carol Martin (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:08 AM)

who's to say that after 8 years as president, Obama doesn't have dealings with Maliki after that? He could be part of a peace mission for the next Democratic president. Republicans just can't think outside of the little box they're in

ya know (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:09 AM)

McCain wants to employ the same strategery in Iraq that we did in Afghanistan?
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Whats that define?
Sounds like Trent Lott was right about this guy.

Gary Schear, bozeman Montana (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:09 AM)

I'll give McCain the benefit of the doubt on this one. It seems to be more of a mispeak rather than another indicator of ignorance.

Actually the more damaging part of McCain's rambling answer is the: "Well I think it's very serious...I don't know the exact vocabulary, but it's a serious situation, but there's a lot of things we need to do."

What does he mean he doesn't know the exact vocabulary? Isn't this stuff his one expertise?

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, July 21, 2008 11:09 AM)

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