Friday, April 27, 2012

McCain to Obama: Don't Politicize National Security Like I Did

The Obama re-election team has released a video contrasting the President's decision to launch the successful raid on the Bin Laden compound with former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney's pitiful hedging.



Now that video has drawn the outrage of Sen. John McCain. The Hill reports
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) rebuked President Obama on Friday for using the anniversary of Obama bin Laden's death to score political points, calling it a "shameless end-zone dance."

"Shame on Barack Obama for diminishing the memory of September 11th and the killing of Osama bin Laden by turning it into a cheap political attack ad," McCain said in a statement circulated by the Republican National Committee.
Shameless?

Where was Sen. McCain's shame in politicizing votes to support the troop surge in Iraq and vows to kill Bin Laden during his run for the White House?

People with better memories than the doddering Sen. McCain might think back a mere four years ago when his campaign released this shameless end-zone dance from a surrogate with respect to the Gov. Romney.
The next President of the United States must be a leader of courage, not a weather vane who shifts in the wind. John McCain will not waver in the face of the enemy. He's been tested under fire in war and did not wilt on Iraq when the polls went south and the drumbeat for withdrawal grew louder. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Governor Romney. When it came to unequivocally advocating and supporting the successful surge in Iraq, John McCain was rock solid while Governor Romney sought political cover by indicating his support for secret withdrawal timetables. At a critical moment, John McCain proved that he was ready to be Commander in Chief. Unfortunately, Governor Romney didn't. Governor Romney failed the test of leadership on the most crucial national security issue facing the United States with American combat forces in the field; he wilted. John McCain stood tall.
Or when Sen. McCain danced thusly (and shamelessly) with reference to his Democratic opponent
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told "Good Morning America" that he was glad Obama was in Iraq and insisted the trip will give his Democratic rival an opportunity to see the success of the surge strategy. "He'll be able to have the opportunity to see the success of the surge. It is a success. This is the same strategy that he voted against, railed against," McCain told ABC News' Diane Sawyer. "He should admit he was wrong about the surge," McCain later added.
Or when Sen. McCain also danced.
Let me conclude by reminding you in wartime, judgment and experience matter. In a time of war, the commander-in-chief doesn’t get a learning curve. If I have that privilege, I will bring to the job many years of military and political experience; experience that gave me the judgment necessary to make the right call in Iraq a year and half ago.
Or when Sen. McCain shamelessly promised.
I want to assure you I have complete confidence I will get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
Thank goodness we have a fine senator who is above this sort of shamelessness.