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Lieberman To Defend McCain's Comment That It's "Not Too Important" When Troops Return
The McCain campaign is holding a conference call in a few minutes to defend his claim today that it's "not too important" when the troops come home.
Needless to say, the person the McCain camp is wheeling out to defend this is none other than Joe Lieberman.
Could it have been any other way?
Late Update: On the call, Lieberman dismissed the controversy as "another partisan attempt to distort John McCain's words to distract the American people from the fact that John McCain has been both courageous and right about the surge, and Barack Obama has been consistently wrong."
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Senator McCain declares mission accomplished. Says there is no reason to set deadlines for withdrawal. We should get our Troops out now. He says that we should not engage in nation building or staying until law and order is established. We should not stay because it would put our Troops in danger of being killed or captured, and would only help the terrorists. He said that he does not believe that it would harm our global prestige if we withdrew all our Troops now. He strongly urges that we do so.
This is not a joke folks: Senator McCain said all that.
Watch him say it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8TFKXHiefs
June 11, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let me say in advance to everyone: we in CT are very very sorry for doing this to the rest of the nation.
June 11, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
In the spirit of the Obama campaign, you are forgiven.
June 11, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
You guys need to setup a recall drive. :)
June 11, 2008 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are no recalls for federal office. Their term of office is governed by the Constitution and federal law, not state law, so unlike with state office, states can't pass laws to allow a recall.
June 11, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Speak for yourself! We are very happy to have Lieberman as our Senator. He is standing up courageously against a bully, a phony, and a snake oil salesman with tremendous cult following. He is right with surging and he is correct that as long as soldier are not dying in Iraq, we are safer for them to be there.
You guys are pathetic because you are afraid the surge may be working and the country may be better off after all when all said and done. You cannot root for the failure of this country. You cannot have a vested interest in the failure of Iraq War. No matter what was your attitude on the war, once we are there, you should root for success not failure so as to justify your position.
CT Voter, what do you think of McCain picking Gov. Jodi Rell as his running mate. She's enromously popular here. Dodd was thinking about running for governor in 2006 and dare not challenge her.
June 11, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, you can predit the future? The surge has only "worked" if it can come to an end at some point. When troop levels return to pre-surge levels and there's no escalation in violence, then you can trumpet the surge as having worked.
(And we can start a phased withdrawal of the troops since there's no need to keep them in a stable Iraq permanently, right?) Classic straw man argument - no one doubted that more troups would reduce the level of violence. The argument is that a short-term increase in troop levels could permanently reduce the level of violence.
June 11, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I speak for myself, the overwhelming majority of Democrats here in CT, and the overwhelming majority of Independents.
You, Aimee May, have just revealed yourself as a Republican, because those are the only voters who would still vote for Joe.
June 11, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Aimey May is not metally stable enough to belong to any party.
She was incoherently ranting against Obama during the primary (although she thankfully disappeared for awhile), and in favor of Clinton.
I think she's supporting whoever the voices in her twisted little mind tell her to support on any given day.
June 11, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe you can explain to me what we're getting for our $3 trillion war. Please itemize.
June 11, 2008 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Geez, these guys are really stupid - the more they defend their remarks the more publicity they give it..
June 11, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
DISTORTION! TRUMPED UP CONTROVERSY!
So does this fuel up the speculation that McCain is the Manchurian Candidate?
YOU MADE HIM SAY IT! THAT WASN'T MCCAIN TALKING ON TODAY. IT WAS MCCANE WHO SAID THAT.
and what's more THEY ARE HIDING BEHIND THE SKIRTS OF LIEBERWEANIE TO BOOT.
whatever....let's just get some sort of timewarp thing going, bypass the summer and fast forward to November so we can just get it over with and vote already.
I am starting to feel bad about how knee-deep the gopranos are. Put this poor old man and his party out of their current misery.
2012 can be their mulligan, it's just not shaping up to be their time now.
June 11, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
MCCMENTUM 2008!
Tell Joe I'm doing my part
June 11, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
MCMENTUM!
LOL! good one!
June 11, 2008 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
C'mon you little maggot, go out there and squirm for your master. I want Reid to finish your ass off.
June 11, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS: Why can't McCain ever talk for himself? Why does he keep hiding behind Lieberman while he fights all of his battles for him?
Is it because McCain knows if he talks he is going to gaffe it up and maybe even let the F-bomb slip a few times?
June 11, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did you not see his speech last Tuesday night?
The best thing his campaign could do is make it so McCain never speaks again in public.
June 11, 2008 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is off-topic, but I will try it anyway... Judging on your handle, do you live in the New Haven area. I am moving in in the fall and I would like to get involved in Dem politics...
June 11, 2008 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the official reason is that John Kerry lead the charge for Team Obama.
Unofficially, John McCain is busy having his foot removed from his mouth.
John is just not up to the rough and tumble of Presidential politics. He was 3rd from the bottom at the Naval Academy. If he hadn't been shot down and wasn't a "war hero" he would be a retired senior citizen.
June 11, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
too funny!
♪♪♪
June 11, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, there's a shocker. Let me guess: whatever he says, he will have a butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-mouth smirk on his face.
Beware the Jowls of Self-Righteousness!
June 11, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not too important that Joe Lieberman remain in the Democratic caucus.
June 11, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
The fact that they are going to battle stations on this tells me one thing: there is blood on the floor.
June 11, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, goody!
Now for the Bingo Game! You've got LieberLove and McSame. And words like "war" and "troops" and "Iraq" and it's all going be mixed together. We need bingo boards. With these "code" words. And we can see who gets a Bingo first!
June 11, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
As long as they are on defense, I'm happy.
June 11, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I picture Lieberman kept in a closet somewhere, and when they need him they wheel him out on a little gurney.
June 11, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oooh, great minds, and all. See below.
June 11, 2008 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg?
This wording:
Needless to say, the person the McCain camp is wheeling out to defend this is none other than Joe Lieberman.
conjures up the image of Anthony Hopkins in "Silence of the Lambs" being wheeled out to talk to the senator whose daughter had been kidnipped.
Joe Lieberman = Hannibal Lector in a face mask, straight jacket, and strapped to a dolly.
Really nice.
June 11, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eh, I didn't have as much of a problem with it. I mean, campaigns have control over which surrogates they bring onto their conference calls.
June 11, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
You misunderstand me. I loved that phrasing.
Lieberman as a psychopathic cannibal!
June 11, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is just another partisan attack. I am not psychopathic.
June 11, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm ... so you admit being a cannibal?
June 11, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, I got ya. Yes, I also enjoy that interpretation.
June 11, 2008 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!!!
OK. That's the funniest thing I've heard in a while. THANK YOU for this visual.
;-)
June 11, 2008 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Would McCain pick this goon as his Veep, ya gotta wonder?
June 11, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
God, I hope so.
June 11, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
It would be a "unity" ticket for sure.
;-)
June 11, 2008 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
In all seriousness, I've heard reliable reports that Lieberman is more likely to serve in the Cabinet at either State or Defense. The very possibility should have voters running to Obama.
June 11, 2008 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would have loved to see Hillary back up Obama on this. The current climate would sky-rocket the coverage of this "gaffe" (read: what McCain believes). I give her this: She can really frame things negatively when she wants to... perfect attack machine.... nothing to lose... everything to gain.
June 11, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wish we could rec comments on this site. Meanwhile, have a 4 (out of 4, just to be clear!)
June 11, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Will Harry strip him of his Chairman's position when he's running as McSame's VP?
June 11, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm 100% on Joe's side here. In President McCain's Middle East, if the troops aren't happy with this war, it shouldn't take more than a short ride to get to another war.
June 11, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh my god, I love this reference! Superb work, sir.
June 11, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is excellent snark!
June 11, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you for your support, Kenny. Footloose still makes me boogie.
June 11, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Republican Party is in big trouble. These kinds of big blunders would not be occurring if John McCain was still alive. They must miss him dearly!
June 11, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
June 11, 2008 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
And what about the actual Republican surrogates? Why are they silent on this?
June 11, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that Joe broke the seal, I'm sure we'll see some more as the day goes on. Few people want to be the first surrogate out of the gate when it comes to something like this, I think.
June 11, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have to wonder if McCain's "fuck you" chickens are coming home to roost. Not too nice to see yourself out there all by your lonesome, is it John? When Holy Joe is your only friend, you might want to re-evaluate your interpersonal skills. Who the hell is going to stick their neck out for the Angry Gaffeball?
June 11, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you, Greg, for your coverage of my conference call. John McCain is a great American and anyone who questions his dedication to the troops is clearly a coward and some kind of closet Muslim. I think the American people know what a hero John McCain is and the service he gave this country, and won't fall for these distortions.
June 11, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is that you, Wittmann? I'll tell your friend Josh you're here!
June 11, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's Gerstein.
June 11, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lieberman is the McCain Whisperer. Without Whiperer Lieberman by his side, McCain does not know Shiite about the Sunni.
June 11, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg..pls share more info about this conference call coming up...hell, you got Joe himself posting his comments for us already...
I think Barack needs to know what Joe is saying...you know what I mean since he is sharing his comments!
June 11, 2008 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I actually have no doubt that Lieberman believes this.
(amusing snicker)
June 11, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Must be a new definition of being "right" on the surge since it failed to achieve what it was intended to do.
June 11, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
so john mccain was right about the surge. big props for that.
he's still WRONG about going there in the first place.
I guess if you need a strategist for how tofight a completely unnecessary warthat has made us less safe, cost us trillions of dollars, and has killed over 4000 americans, then John McCain is your guy.
who do you trust more? the guy who got the tactics right but the overall strategy wrong, or the guy who got the strategy righ from day one?
June 11, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
John McCain just doesn't get it. He thinks being right about the surge is more important and more relevant than the fact that he was WRONG about the war to begin with!
June 11, 2008 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone else get the feeling that at some point in the not so distant future those of us who don't obsess over this stuff each and every day might finally look upon McSame's running to Lieberman for cover on every mistake as a sad, pathetic scene and not one to be confused with anything remotely presidential?
It's quite extraordinary and I'm not saying that as an attack per say, thought it is that as well, but I'm truly flabbergasted at his reliance on Holy Joe... yet again.
June 11, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's like Lieberman is his mommy.
June 11, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
somebody should do the photoshop.
June 11, 2008 2:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lieberman is McCain's shit man- every time (which is a lot) McZombie messes up Joe is called to clean up the shit.
That's second outrageous comment in three days.
"Soldiers coming back hom not too important."
"The fundementals of our economy are strong, very strong."
Scary part, McCain actually believes it 100%
Why can't Democratic party openly declare Joe as a republican troll? Why can't he be denounced, rejected or disowned by the democratic party?
June 11, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
John McCain Debates Himself.
He takes himself to task for all the terrible positions that he takes. Straight Talk Express, My Arse!. He is now arguing against himself. Every position he now takes about Iraq, he opposed when it was a Democrat in the White House.
Watch and listen to McCain debate his two faced self.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPyKpcivQYQ
June 11, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
When we increase our majority in the Senate in November we should take the opportunity to send Lieberman packing. Let's pull all his posh chairmanships and let him rot. Let him join the GOP and become their problem.
June 11, 2008 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha ha, republicans suck. That includes turncoat Joe.
June 11, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
And of course the only reason Lieberman is coming out on this issue is because we should have never made such a big issue of it in the first place. Both Obama and Clinton lost credibility attacking each other over pointless nonsense in the primaries. Now we stand to do the same against McCain unless we choose our issues more carefully.
June 11, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Au contraire, I think there's nothing pointless about this. John McCain's attitude toward the war and the troops is extremely relevant, especially as the campaign will continue to try to throw out "support the troops" platitudes while not caring a whit for the people actually serving.
June 11, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Leave it to Otto to find a negative for Obama in this story. You're a contortionist. Btw, does the F stand for "Fool" or "Fuckwit"?
June 11, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lordy, McWar is doing TV ads in MN where he keeps repeating war, war, Vietnam, war, war. If he's offering us anything else, I can't figure what it is. Keep him talking about. Even the dumbest among us are going to think of one thing when they think of McCain: WAR. If Dems can't make Americans think of anything better than that, we deserve to lose.
June 11, 2008 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Check this out:
Tea leaves: Huge (10%?) Bounce for Obama in WSJ/NBC Poll...
June 11, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gee, so sorry! I thought when something doesn't achieve its stated goal, by definition, it is not a success. The stated goal of the surge that I heard was to take the pressure off long enough to achieve a political accommodation among the belligerent factions involved in an apparent civil war. Since that hasn't happened, or even come close, I assumed that the "surge" hasn't been all that successful even if we did pay both sides to stop shooting at us. But who am I, after all...just a voter.
June 11, 2008 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink