The Blog Formerly Known As Vote '08

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& so it continues.

Today on the Today show Matt Lauer asked John McCain if he had a better estimate on when American troops might be coming home from Iraq. McCain delivered a less-than-artful answer (see above):

NBC’S MATT LAUER: “If it’s working Senator, do you now have a better estimate of when American forces can come home from Iraq?”

SEN. MCCAIN: “No, but that’s not too important. What’s important is the casualties in Iraq, Americans are in South Korea, Americans are in Japan, American troops are in Germany. That’s all fine. American casualties and the ability to withdraw; we will be able to withdraw. General Petraeus is going to tell us in July when he thinks we are. But the key to it is that we don’t want any more Americans in harm’s way. That way, they will be safe, and serve our country and come home with honor and victory, not in defeat, which is what Senator Obama’s proposal would have done. I’m proud of them. And they’re doing a great job. And we are succeeding and it’s fascinating that Senator Obama still doesn’t realize that.”

What’s his point? It’s not that “bringing troops home from Iraq are not important to him.” It’s that they aren’t as important to him as the casualty levels in Iraq in determining success there.

Nevertheless, the Obama campaign apparently could not resist the bait McCain dangled in front of their eyes.

On a conference call, 2004 Dem nominee John Kerry said “It is unbelievably out of touch and inconsistent with the needs of Americans and particularly the families of troops who are over there. To them it’s the most important thing in the world when they come home,” he said. “It’s a policy for staying in Iraq.” & Obama adviser Susan Rice said “This is yet one further indication of his striking lack of appreciation of the burden Iraq is putting on our military.”

In response, a McCain spokesman said “Any reasonable person who reads the full transcript would… reject the Obama campaign’s attempt to manipulate, twist and distort the truth.”

One could imagine the ads that will air during the fall regarding this quip.. & a quick YouTube search already turned up one:

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ENOUGH, ALREADY. Look, there are plenty of ways to criticize John McCain on how he views Iraq, just as there are an equal number of ways Barack Obama is open to criticism for his policy. But let’s let these debates be of substance! Not debates that are centered around “gotcha” & “can you believe he said that.”

We have said before that you owe it to yourself to pay close attention this year - it’s a year that’s important like no other. & part of what’s asked of you is that you pay close attention to context in all of these types of exchanges. It does the American people a disservice to take a perceived “gaffe” & run with it, giving the impression that a candidate would actually consciously say something that stupid. This happened on the other side with Obama’s “bitter” remark. In both cases, the candidate should not have made such a stupid/inartful statement. But their opponents went way too far in exploiting the opening. What’s revealed (for both sides) is an implicit cynicism that the American people won’t actually do their homework. Please, American voter, prove them wrong this year.

Please join me in calling for more attention paid to nuance in this campaign. This country sure could use it. If that makes us out to be a Don Quixote chasing after a phantom windmill, so be it.

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