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McCain predicts Iraq may cost him the election

He may be a 25-year veteran of Washington politics, and he may be a two-time leading GOP presidential candidate, but John McCain apparently still needs to work a bit on his “message discipline” problem.

John McCain said Monday that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can’t, “then I lose. I lose,” the Republican said.

He quickly backed off that remark.

“Let me not put it that stark,” the likely GOP nominee told reporters on his campaign bus. “Let me just put it this way: Americans will judge my candidacy first and foremost on how they believe I can lead the county both from our economy and for national security. Obviously, Iraq will play a role in their judgment of my ability to handle national security.”

“If I may, I’d like to retract ‘I’ll lose.’ But I don’t think there’s any doubt that how they judge Iraq will have a direct relation to their judgment of me, my support of the surge,” McCain added. “Clearly, I am tied to it to a large degree.”

Clearly, he is tied to Iraq, which is possibly why he was right the first time.

I find it fascinating that McCain, even now, just blurts out the first thing that comes into his head. McCain has been on the campaign trail now for over a year — and that’s just this cycle — answering questions about, among other things, Iraq. But he can’t quite answer a question about what will happen if Americans reject his policy come November? As someone hoping McCain loses, it gives me hope that he has a habit of answering questions one way, and then wanting to give a different answer a few moments later.

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108 Comments
emerald's picture

I'm feeling more confident every day.

Morris Sheppard's picture

McCain predicts Iraq may cost him the election

I could have told him that.

I'll vote for him if he streaks through Quabar Market without any military support.

c'mon John...how much do you want to be Preznet? Show your Patriotism. You were tortured for 6 years, how bad can a little naked jaunt be?

Tian's picture

Another senior moment for Grampa McCain.

emerald's picture

He'll never win in the You Tube age. All his spewings are on the record.

Mark @ News Corpse's picture

...to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding.

Translation: He must LIE!

Get your very own Pocket Barack-itizer.

tallerghostwalt's picture

Senility is such a tough thing.

Biff Limbaugh's picture

he's torturing himself and us, if he thinks he's got a cat in hell's chance of winning.

jebus.love.me's picture

can I get an Amen...

Alice in Wonderland's picture

Never interfere when an adversary is busy committing suicide!!!

jebus.love.me's picture

Wait a minute...I thought the surge is working. Also, he said that the war will be over soon.

If all of that is true, why would Iraq cost him the election? Hmmmmmm......

I Am A Banana's picture

The Cake is a Lie.

The occupation will fail.

PrincetonPDX's picture

What a tool. As I have always said. He won't win, not just because he is like 900 years old, but he is such a friggin downer, even when he is trying to give a stump speech. What a frizzled up old lizard.

Remember way back, I believe it was on Hardball, he was asked his feelings on gay marriage and he said he was okay with it. Then the show took a break for commercials and when they came back he changed what he has said after talking with one of his handlers and he was no longer okay with gay marriage.

Imagine this man in a heated debate with Obama or Hillary. He'll never make it.

He also said just yesterday that the war would be over soon but the insurgency would continue for a long time.

Left&Left's picture

Johnny, if I fucked my girlfriend's best buddy, I think she would leave me. Old man, go lay down.

emerald's picture

Hey Acting Patriot, do I have to pay to use that trademarked title of yours?

Liberal AND Proud's picture

The frumpy old white guy looks tired already...and the campaign didn't even start yet.

ConcernedCanuck's picture

McSurginGeneral: "My friends, I am here today to solicit your support and as a token of my appreciation for your support, I have instructed PrairieHill Retirement Lodge to allow extra games of Bridge and Bingo on Saturday afternoon. My first duty as President, will be to finally end the regime of those Vietnam....er......Korean.......er........(whispers)what war are we into now? Anyway, let me continue by saying.........B6....B6"

Liberal Traitor's picture

He's going almost as schizo with his message/persona as Clinton has been lately. She's all over the map right now, conciliatory one minute, attack-dog the next. With him, his persona stays the same but the message...well...

First it was we will be in Iraq for 1,000 years. Then it's "the war will be over soon." Now it's if I can't convince people to stay in Iraq for 1,000 years I lose. Well, I don't lose, but I do...

He can't hold onto one coherent line of thought.

Big Dick Cheney's picture

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/McCain_unplugged_Bomb_bomb_bomb_bomb_0419....

bomb bomb bomb... bomb bomb iran.... come on mccain, everybody follow the bouncing ball...

oh really's picture

I predict that stupidity may cost him the election. (Has anyone bothered to check this guy's
dementia status lately?)

Of course, he does have one thing in his favor: his opponent will be a Democrat.

Big Dick Cheney's picture

[Deleted. Big Dick-lose the ALL CAPS-Sitemonitor]

cheesesuace's picture

May the words that proceed from your mouth illuminate your path, Mr. McCain. A belief and a believer equals a behavior. I'm so glad for the country that you realize that you need to lose the election. Your heart of hearts within you never lies. Be the loser that you need to become this November. We need more of this self fulfilling prophesy, Johnny boy.

I just saw a clip of McCain on tv sort of apologizing for one of his supporters who kept referring to Obama as Barack Hussein Obama.

A democratic strategist said he believes things like this are coming from the extreme Right. Are they the same extreme right who love Jesus? If they are, they aren't showing a lot of love for their fellow man, here of late.

ysbaddaden's picture

McCain predicts Iraq may cost him the election

You got that right chum

Something else you feed sharks.

Che's Lounge's picture

"The voting public is a bunch of mindless morons."

"Let me just state that I didn't really mean mindless morons. I simply meant that they are a bunch of morons with no minds."

Liberal Traitor's picture

Seriously, when Obama or Hillary goes up against this guy, there are really only a couple of things they need to do to neutralize him. Run the following clips of him in commercials non-stop with no voiceovers of that movie preview voice guy going "In a world where John McCain is president..." blah blah, and make sure to date every clip:

McCain saying he doesn't really know much about the economy.
McCain saying he never met with Paxxon. Followed immediately by Paxxon saying he did meet with McCain.
Any clip of McCain denouncing torture. Followed by any clip of McCain defending his vote against the waterboarding ban.
The "bomb bomb Iran" clip. Twice.
Clips of McCain saying (now) that he critcized Rumsfeld heavily. Followed by a black screen that says "we could find nothing to support this claim"
Clip of McCain saying the 10, 100, 1,000 years crap, followed by McCain saying the war will be over soon.
End with the entire clip of the "I lose, wait, no, retract."

Done.

ysbaddaden's picture

pissed off patricia @ 25:

I just saw a clip of McCain on tv sort of apologizing for one of his supporters who kept referring to Obama as Barack Hussein Obama.

A democratic strategist said he believes things like this are coming from the extreme Right. Are they the same extreme right who love Jesus? If they are, they aren't showing a lot of love for their fellow man, here of late.

Too homocentric.

tHeGaMeOfLiFe's picture

Lame, lame, lame.

Iraq won't lose him the presidency.
he will lose because he's mccain.

1970cs's picture

McCain is 70, when people reach that age they do things the way they wan't to, not how they should for appearances.

Proud2bHumble's picture

ConcernedCanuck @ 19:

McSurginGeneral: "My friends, I am here today to solicit your support and as a token of my appreciation for your support, I have instructed PrairieHill Retirement Lodge to allow extra games of Bridge and Bingo on Saturday afternoon. My first duty as President, will be to finally end the regime of those Vietnam....er......Korean.......er........(whispers)what war are we into now? Anyway, let me continue by saying.........B6....B6"

LOL

#351, thanks CC! ;-}

Craig's picture

"I’m feeling more confident every day."

I'm not. Every day I'm hearing more and more of this anti-Obama crap from otherwise reasonable people. "Gosh, I kinda like him but that thing about wanting to swear the oath on the Koran..." etc.

From here, it seems like the racist lies and smears have only just begun and yet they are getting traction already.

If Obama is the nominee... well hell, even if Clinton is the nominee, this is going to be the dirtiest, sleaziest nastiest presidential election in modern history - at least coming from the right anyway.

Doggiebobo's picture

"My freinds, let me try to clarify what I mean..You know, my friends, I was speaking
before my mind got caught up, you know my friends,with the utterance of words. So
my friends, I'm sure you know,my friends, what I really meant to say, my friends,
was mininterpreted and my friends, I'm glad I got a chance to clarify this misunderstanding for my friends."

Samson-'s picture

mitt romney is so loving this...

bshock's picture

White male, 71, victim of 5-year abuse in North Vietnamese prison camp, presenting with:

Poor impulse control.

Unpredictable and/or inappropriate emotional states.

Forgetfulness.

Confusion.

Diagnosis: "senile dementia," possibly related to Alzheimer's Syndrome.

Liberal AND Proud's picture

I hope the Democratic Party doesn't pull a Cheney...and lose to the dead guy! LOL!

The Dude's picture

tzzzzz. Wrong Mr. McCain!

Try again asshole.

The economy is gonna cost you and your GOP fuckus the election.

Most Americans could give a rat's ass about the plight of brown people living on our oil, or the tribulations of them poor army folk coming home death or broken. It is their pocket books that Americans care about first and fore most. And guess what jackass... no matter how much you keep on telling people how things are fine, you can't lie about the reality of most people's balance: negative.

Fuck McCain and the horse he rode on.

The only self pity you can find after supporting an illegal war, that has cost untold hundreds of thousands of innocent lives and destroyed scores of American servicemen and their families, is that it may cost YOU the election. Fuck you, really sir, fuck you...

Jeffrey Stewart's picture

Already he has the look of a loser!

Spock's picture

This dude is just not Presidential!

Dr. Acula's picture

McAintGonnaWin

1970cs @ 31:

McCain is 70, when people reach that age they do things the way they wan't to, not how they should for appearances.

If McCain should win the election, he will be 72 when he takes office. Some people function fine at 72, McCain is showing he will not be one of those people.

With all the stress of this campaigning, he has to be tired as hell. I'm sure that's one of the reasons they wish Huck would check out. If he did, McCain wouldn't have to campaign so hard.

I'm hoping he loses his temper at someone and it's all caught on film. There were times at town hall meetings when he gave sharp answers to people asking him questions and that was early on in the campaign.

RayC's picture

I sure hope we are not underestimating the racist, homophobic, bible thumping, war loving American voters.

By sharp answers in my comment #43m, I didn't mean sharp as in smart, I meant sharp as in snide and angry.

Filthy Harry's picture

I like the way he frames it, that he has to convince us that U.S. Policy in Iraq is succeeding. A lot of conservatives don't realize that by this point no matter how good it may end up in Iraq, Bush & Co. and all their supporters are STILL guilty and wrong, for lying us into the war in the first place and the hundreds of thousands innocent killed so far. You can't kill 100 people just to get that one guilty guy, then think because you got the guilty guy, your strategy of killing the first 100 was right. NEVER GONNA HAPPEN McCain. Doesn't matter how it turns out, the war was wrong, it was waged with criminal negligence.

Bob D's picture

McCain will lose for that and many other reasons. Good prediction, you're right!

McCain the Liar's picture

I hope the millions of assholes who vote for McCain enlist.

hadenuf's picture

I was talking to someone just yesterday who said that he felt sorry for McCain. He wondered how McC could have sex with the injuries sustained during torture.

EUUUUU, on both counts.

Mike Mid City's picture

Big Dick Cheney @ 23:

THE BOMB IRAN SONG ON U-TUBE (AND ALL OF THE COOL AND FUNNY COPIES) SHOULD BE SENT FROM SHORE TO SHORE...

THAT.... MR MCCAIN.... IS WHAT WILL COST YOU THE ELECTION...

YOU'D HAVE HAD A BETTER CHANCE PLAYING DRESS-UP WITH RUDY

Big Dick Cheney @ 21:

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/McCain_unplugged_Bomb_bomb_bomb_bomb_0419.html

bomb bomb bomb... bomb bomb iran.... come on mccain, everybody follow the bouncing ball...

Yep, that's the good stuff when running against a man backing a war that is opposed by 70% of the public.

Rusty Shackleford's picture

At some point he will learn not to accidentally tell the truth. He ALWAYS has to backpedal, or Republicans will reject him.

Aaron's picture

That picture is so awesome. It looks like he's doing stand up comedy.
He's the freaking Rodney Dangerfield of politics.

Mike Mid City's picture

pissed off patricia @ 43:

1970cs @ 31:

McCain is 70, when people reach that age they do things the way they wan't to, not how they should for appearances.

If McCain should win the election, he will be 72 when he takes office. Some people function fine at 72, McCain is showing he will not be one of those people.

With all the stress of this campaigning, he has to be tired as hell. I'm sure that's one of the reasons they wish Huck would check out. If he did, McCain wouldn't have to campaign so hard.

I'm hoping he loses his temper at someone and it's all caught on film. There were times at town hall meetings when he gave sharp answers to people asking him questions and that was early on in the campaign.

I agree but it didn't stop Reagan, must have been the smile the old reprobate had.

emerald's picture

203 homes in my small, strongly republican neighborhood. On my run yesterday I saw only one campaign sign; Obama '08.

1970cs's picture

Pissed Off Patricia,

I think electing McCain would be the eqivalent of electing Walter Matthau from 'Grumpy Old Men', just add the bought and paid for lobbyists.

Proud2bHumble's picture

Dr. Acula @ 42:

McAintGonnaWin

#352, dranks! ;-}

rogerwt's picture

They tried to impeach Clinton for a blow job, this guy had a full blown affair. He's not even electable.

CoIntelPro's picture

McCan'tTellTheTruth is having problems?

It's the whole fucking platform, Stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Filthy Harry's picture

Mike Mid City @ 53:

pissed off patricia @ 43:

1970cs @ 31:

McCain is 70, when people reach that age they do things the way they wan't to, not how they should for appearances.

If McCain should win the election, he will be 72 when he takes office. Some people function fine at 72, McCain is showing he will not be one of those people.

With all the stress of this campaigning, he has to be tired as hell. I'm sure that's one of the reasons they wish Huck would check out. If he did, McCain wouldn't have to campaign so hard.

I'm hoping he loses his temper at someone and it's all caught on film. There were times at town hall meetings when he gave sharp answers to people asking him questions and that was early on in the campaign.

I agree but it didn't stop Reagan, must have been the smile the old reprobate had.

Regan was 69 when elected, McCain will be 72. Doesn't seem like a big difference but at that age 3 years is a lot. I want to know what meds he's on. (I don't really, its just a cheap political ploy)

Proud2bHumble's picture

McCain the Liar @ 48:

I hope the millions of assholes who vote for McCain enlist.

lol
Don't think the Army won't lower their standards (again) to let 'em, either.

Kerry's picture

emerald @ 54:

203 homes in my small, strongly republican neighborhood. On my run yesterday I saw only one campaign sign; Obama '08.

The ONLY repuke signs I see are for Ron Paul.

But then this is north western Washington.....I imagine east of the mountains is different.

Bill's picture

This guy is such a huge loser. If he wins the presidency, I will never vote again, and I will start making plans on moving to another country.

Craig's picture

"They tried to impeach Clinton for a blow job, this guy had a full blown affair. He’s not even electable."

You're under the mistaken assumption that the media will report that. At all. Ever.

Proud2bHumble's picture

CoIntelPro @ 58:

McCan'tTellTheTruth

I'm honored by your offer...

#353, fanks! ;-}

mr.ed's picture

Does anybody have a photo of him drooling?

Midnight Rambler's picture

Mike Mid City @ 53:

I agree but it didn't stop Reagan, must have been the smile the old reprobate had.

McCain sure doesn't have that though; it's more like a scowl.

Anyway, I think this thing is more of a reminder that despite his longtime lobbying-sleaze connections, once upon a time (pre-2000) McCain was sort of a straight talker. Every once in a while in a senior moment he has a relapse into that primitive mode.

FunMe's picture

As I just emailed a friend who supports sHillary:

McCain will NEVAH be President!

Big Dick Cheney's picture

bomb bomb bomb....bomb bomb iran....

bomb bomb bomb....bomb bomb my chances of winning the white house

....hey....didn't anyone notice that Obama has A BLACK BABY..

come on!!! it worked when dubya used that against me in 2000

Big Dick Cheney's picture

[Deleted. ALL CAPS-Sitemonitor]

thesidster's picture

It's too bad Clinton and Obama are not going to end this war. They are both DNC hacks that will not do what they say -just like Congress and Nancy Pelosi. When are the voters going to learn?

tyree's picture

remember when you watched bush debate gore and bush seemed like a flucking dolt ! and they made him preznut! remember when bush debated kerry and he sounded like a wonk? he stayed preznuts! dont count your chickens with mccunters diebold rules the roost!!!!!!!!!!!!

tyree's picture

besides americans are dumber then a piss pole!

Sue's picture

Well Duh!!!!

gempei's picture

John McCain, Captain of the GOPtanic, turn left, turn right, doesn't matter, that iceberg is bigger than you think. Get your concession speech ready. Get the golf clubs ready too.

pete's picture

What's McCrazytalk saying now?

Ronin Tetsuro's picture

Even if the lightbulb is slow to come on, it still works. Onward, Walnuts! Onward, and God speed!

earl's picture

"A lot of conservatives don’t realize that by this point no matter how good it may end up in Iraq, Bush & Co. and all their supporters are STILL guilty and wrong, for lying us into the war in the first place and the hundreds of thousands innocent killed so far."

Great point. Its like these people think that with the right focus groups and publicity they can fix this disaster.
BTW, Chomsky said today that a conservative British estimate now puts it at 1.3 million (not counting two of the most violent provinces).

earl's picture

McWhyamIonthisairplane

Proud2bHumble's picture

tyree @ 71:

remember when you watched bush debate gore and bush seemed like a flucking dolt ! and they made him preznut! remember when bush debated kerry and he sounded like a wonk? he stayed preznuts! dont count your chickens with mccunters diebold rules the roost!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yikes, watch out! It's a tyreed, and I like it ;-}

#354, thanks tyree!

Proud2bHumble's picture

pete @ 75:

What's McCrazytalk saying now?

#355, thancz! ;-}

Proud2bHumble's picture

earl @ 78:

McWhyamIonthisairplane

#356, thanks!

;}

Dr. Acula's picture

McShameless

earl's picture

McCant"Raisetheroof"

I'm going to h&ll for that one ...

Proud2bHumble's picture

Dr. Acula @ 81:

McShameless

Got that one already, Impaler ;}

I alphabetized the entire current list for McProliferators like yourself.

Thanks for all of your many, many contributions ;-D

Proud2bHumble's picture

earl @ 82:

McCant"Raisetheroof"

I'm going to h&ll for that one ...

Unless you are of the chosen people.

#357, thanx! ;}

Spicegal's picture

We can only hope.

peter in kobe's picture

I think that tie is going to cost him the election.

Dr. Acula's picture

Proud2bHumble @ 83:

Dr. Acula @ 81:

McShameless

Got that one already, Impaler ;}

I alphabetized the entire current list for McProliferators like yourself.

Thanks for all of your many, many contributions ;-D

My pleasure! :>)

Dave S's picture

The war is not succeeding, McCain can not convince or lie to us any longer. This guy would be another 4 years of the Bush family and their values, which means good buy homeland security and hello Iran....... oh yeah Mcfuckthisguy

wobbly's picture

Yeah, he just blurts it out.

Leave the old man alone.

Go back to that village he was trying to incinerate in the first place. Look at the picture of young McCain being dragged off to a hospital in North Viet Nam...

Does anybody online know anything about anybody?

Care about, like, history? Karma? Human suffering ???

Whatever.

odanny's picture

McCain is hogtied to the USS Iraq which was listing and taking on water by May of 2003. Now the bow is barely visible out of the water and he thinks he has a chance in hell?

Please.

Proud2bHumble's picture

Dave S @ 88:

Mcfuckthisguy

lol, #358, thancz! ;}

Peter G's picture

Ahh the man has the oratorical precision and pithiness of a George Bush

Dom's picture

He's like Ronald Reagan without the charm - or the Teflon. One shouldn't run on one's reputation for ethics and honesty when one doesn't have ethics or honesty. This fucker is going down big time. Wait til he has to criss-cross the country 40 times a month during the campaign and has to remember everything he says from one minute to the next. I say that by September he'll be ready for a nice stay at a Holiday Inn in Flagstaff.

Tim in Japan's picture

John McCain said Monday that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can’t, “then I lose. I lose,” the Republican said.

He quickly backed off that remark.

When I was in the Navy, they told us (referring to ratings exams for promotion) that most often, your first intuition is the right one.

Well, I'll be darned. I guess they were right.

Jeff's picture

maybe he needs to go shopping again.

Tim in Japan's picture

Dom @ 93:

He's like Ronald Reagan without the charm - or the Teflon.....

Or the hair!

Charlieboy's picture

Voting for Obama means admitting you were wrong about the war and that the war is lost. Amurkans will not do that. Get ready for Przdent John McBushlite and his Magic underwearing CreepVeep MittMcBushToo. (shhhhhhL he's not the blackguy you know)

cv's picture

Well, yeah, if there's any justice.

Edwin's picture

With this prediction, he might be right, for the first time.

Edwin's picture

Maybe it's time to spread the bomb bomb bomb Iran video around the blogs again!!!

Proud2bHumble's picture

Charlieboy @ 98:

McBushlite

#363, thanks! ;}

tyree's picture

Proud2bHumble @ 79:

tyree @ 71:

remember when you watched bush debate gore and bush seemed like a flucking dolt ! and they made him preznut! remember when bush debated kerry and he sounded like a wonk? he stayed preznuts! dont count your chickens with mccunters diebold rules the roost!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yikes, watch out! It's a tyreed, and I like it ;-}

#354, thanks tyree!

your welcome ! my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!

sheeit romney's picture

poor grandpa juan "insane mcrazamnesty" mccain the senile juices are flowing in his brain again

anonymous's picture

...what would saying the first thing that pops into his head mean in the company of vladimir putin? putin might have to break his foot off in mccain's behind.not good for foreign relations.

Tim Ed Anshabby's picture

“If I may, I’d like to retract ‘I’ll lose.’ "

Too late!!

capnmike's picture

Yup-A-Yup! Tell the idiot public any damn thing your spin-doctors think they want to hear. Screw 'em! Once we're in the Oval Office we can do as we damn please...congress is too chickenshit to do anything about it. Checks and balances has been gutted, and the Constitution has been eviscerated. Thank-ya George!

Barbara Diamond's picture

Remember,

This is the guy who wants to stay for 100 years in Iraq.

This link explains this strange guy completely.

Here it is: http://barbaradiamond.blogspot.com/2008/02/mccain-and-brain-dead.html

BD

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