McCain Conference Call Live-Blog
John McCain conducted another of his blogger conference calls this morning to promote his speech later at the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention in Kansas City. In taking a look at the speech released by his campaign before the event, McCain focuses on national security and the war in Iraq. He also quotes from his recently-released book, Hard Call, as well as updates the VFW on his analysis of the war on terror:
As we meet, in Iraq and Afghanistan, American soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen are fighting bravely and tenaciously in battles that are as dangerous, difficult and consequential as the great battles of our armed forces’ storied past. As we all know, the war in Iraq has not gone well, and the American people have grown sick and tired of it. I understand that, of course. I, too, have been made sick at heart by the many mistakes made by civilian and military commanders and the terrible price we have paid for them. But we cannot react to these mistakes by embracing a course of action that will be an even greater mistake, a mistake of colossal historical proportions, which will and I am as sure of this as I am of anything seriously endanger the country I have served all my adult life.We have new commanders in Iraq, and they are following a counterinsurgency strategy that we should have been following from the beginning, which makes the most effective use of our strength and doesn’t strengthen the tactics of our enemy. This new battle plan is succeeding where our previous tactics failed. Although the outcome remains uncertain, we must give General Petraeus and the Americans he has the honor to command adequate time to salvage from the wreckage of our past mistakes a measure of stability for Iraq and the Middle East, and a more secure future for the American people. To concede defeat now would strengthen al Qaeda, empower Iran and other hostile powers in the Middle East, unleash a full scale civil war in Iraq that could quite possibly provoke genocide there, and destabilize the entire region as neighboring powers come to the aid of their favored factions. The consequences would threaten us for years, and I am certain would eventua lly draw us into a wider and more difficult war that would impose even greater sacrifices on us.
Our defeat in Iraq would be catastrophic, not just for Iraq, but for us, and I cannot be complicit in it. I will do whatever I can, whether I am effective or not, to help avert it. That is all I can offer my country. It is not much compared to the sacrifices made by Americans who have volunteered to shoulder a rifle and fight this war for us. I know that and am humbled by it. But though my duty is neither dangerous nor onerous, it compels me nonetheless to say to my fellow Americans, as long as we have a chance to succeed we must try to succeed.
I'll be live-blogging the conference call at Heading Right. Be sure to join us.
UPDATE: Kansas City, not Arlington.
Posted by Ed Morrissey on August 20, 2007 10:02 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)
Comments (6)
Posted by swabjockey05 | August 20, 2007 10:39 AM
Shipmates,
Anyone else thinking Hildabeast is soon to "pop the question" to McCain...?
A pairing of Hildabeast / McCain 2008 scares to stuffing outta this swabbie.
Posted by superdestroyer | August 20, 2007 11:07 AM
I cannot imagine wasting 60 seconds listening to one of the most irrelavent politicans in America today. Why won't McCain just crawl under a rock and disappear.
Posted by filistro | August 20, 2007 11:24 AM
Jim Geraghty reports an interesting bit of news from the McCain conference call:
The date for General Petreaus' testimony on the Hill will be 9/11/07.
Posted by brooklyn | August 20, 2007 11:46 AM
Senator McCain should get out of the race.
When pressed about Rove's accurate assessment of Hillary Rodham Clinton, McCain wimped out:
http://hillaryneedsavacation.blogspot.com/2007/08/you-have-got-to-be-kidding.html
It is simply embarrassing.
Mrs. Clinton has openly demeaned everything that John McCain supports in votes and rhetoric.
Whether it be the Patriot Act, the GWOT, the battle in Iraq, Hillary has rejected the position of John McCain.
And John McCain cannot rebuke Hillary given the opportunity on National TV?
It is simply tiresome...
Hillary Clinton was a part of the most corrupt Administration in recent memory, pushing tax increases, peddling pardons, being deceitful about the genocide in Rwanda, trying to fix a sexual harassment case, etc., etc...
And John McCain cannot even say Hillary Rodham is flawed?
Even if he could get the Nomination, (which he will not), he is not able to compete for the Presidency in a sincere manner.
He is in far too deep in Washington, and has lost it.
Sadly, as much as we can thank the Senator for his fine Service to this Nation, his record in the Senate has created more problems, only enabling the Democrat folly.
Very sad indeed.
Posted by Rose | August 21, 2007 12:31 AM
Yeah, McCain was all hot to trot for Hanoi John, and his recent high praise of Hillary of a Thousand FBI Files and TYSON CHICKEN Beef Futures trading, etc, et al is just another pearl in a huge strand - like the kind the flappers used to wear, down to their knees.
McCain's career has lasted wayyyyyyyyyy too long!
Posted by Rose | August 21, 2007 1:04 AM
And remember, as you contemplate that McCain praises Hillary, while Fred justifies enabling Bill - that Fred's best friend is McCain, and if he wins the nomination, he'll come closer to selecting McCain as his running mate than anyone else.
Then the GOP ticket would be THE BEST FIRENDS OF THE CLINTONS.
THAT would be a ticket the moderates truly deserve!