Fresh off his Saturday Saddleback triumph, John McCain attacks on Iraq

To the surprise of many, John McCain seemed in his element Saturday at the candidate forum Rick Warren conducted at Orange County's Saddleback Church.

As Peter Hamby notes today at CNN.com, McCain's supposed reluctance to discuss his faith was not evident; indeed, he told the evangelical audience that he had been "saved and forgiven" by Christ. Adds the MSNBC political shop: "We seriously underestimated how Saturday’s religious forum was made to order for McCain, despite the perceptions that McCain rarely talks openly about his faith. On all the questions regarding hot-button social issues, the Arizona senator didn’t have to depart from GOP orthodoxy one bit, except on stem cells."

To the surprise of no one, McCain was definitely in his element this morning as he spoke to the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He returned, with relish, to the theme he had stressed during Barack Obama's overseas trip last month: that he was right in strongly advocating last year's surge in U.S. troop deployment in Iraq, while his rival was wrong in strongly opposing it and is having a hard time admitting that.

McCain didn't quite reprise the charge he made while Obama was stopping in Iraq -- that his foe would rather win the White House than win a war. But he walked right up to that line, saying: "Behind all of these claims and positions by Sen. Obama (on Iraq) lies the ambition to be president."

Our colleague Mark Silva at the Swamp has more on McCain's speech; Michael Muskal and Maeve Reston have a story at LATtimes.com.

Obama appears before the VFW on Tuesday.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Janice Silverman]

There are reports that McCain's "cross in the dirt" story is suspiciously similar to a story in Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipelago." Love those Republican values!

[Michael]

Liberal media, right.............

[Jordan Loder]

It's funny that you say that because to me, he looked uncomfortable and shaky as usual. Also interesting to note that all of Senator Obamas answers are readily viewable by a quick qoogle search while there are only two short clips of Mccains, one of which has no video to it. This is exactly what happened with Ron Paul, the media reports things that are not true and the majority of people just believe it. Then again the GOP has Diebold so who needs voters

[john baguta]

NO COMPARISION BEWEEN OBAMA AND McCAIN
Obama is towering chrismatic personality, young, energetic, full of wisdom, compassion and human dignity in his golas. Where, McCain has alomst passed his political life making waves here and there, never was trusted by any one, has no political wisdom but would like to continue the failed and miserable policies of Bush-Cheney. American by this time knows well who is right and who will be the WINNER in November. In my view Obama will win with not 10-15% margin but may be 20-30%. An great historical win, who will change the image of America and will make the world more peaceful, resource full, and just and fair for all..

[Hilary Smith]

When you say triumph, you mean McCain triumphed over himself right? Yeah, his Saddleback performance was a departure from his usual bumbling. Listen, whatever it is you think about Obama, the reality is that John McCain is not smart enough to be our president. McCain is not capable of navigating the increasingly complicated international environment that exists now and will exist into the future. McCain’s strong-arm, knee-jerk, black-white thinking makes him no better than the current Russian leadership. Vote for Obama if you care about regaining American moral authority and bringing economic stability back to the working-class.

[FV]

Triumph?!? Did the LA times just get bought by the OC register?!?

The only 'triumph' McCain had saturday was remembering his blatantly rehearsed lines/lies.

It's SO obvious he had been fed the questions ahead of time, and THEN to be even more insulted he REPEATEDLY disobeyed the Pastor's request to avoid stump speachs and made his appearance exactly that.
McCain should change his name to McCheated.
Obama OWNED his butt at this forum.... that is an obvious fact to anyone possessing a functional brain.

[McCain is Bush]

Say, does anybody have the footage of the Anti-American propoganda films John McCain made for the Viet Kong during the Vietnam war? I didn't find it on YouTube.

[Freddie]

THIS IS YOUR TYPICAL REPUBLICAN NONESENSE, JOHN MCAIN HAS NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT, VIETNAM AND STUPID ATTACKS, WHAT ELSE HAS HE PROPOSED TO DO TO THE AILING ECONOMY BESIDES GIVING MORE TAX BREAKS TO THE AFFLUENT, ALL HE SAYS IS THAT OBAMA WILL RAISE YOUR TAXES, WELL, I PREFER TO PAY FOR STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAN TO HAVE MY 5YR OLD PAY FOR IT, THIS IS YOUR TYPICAL MCBUSH ECONOMICS, WHY SHOULD I ELECT THIS SEPTUAGENARIAN WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND HIS ECONOMIC ADVISER CALLS ME A WHINNER BECAUSE I COMPLAIN ABOUT $4 GALLON PRICE OF GASOLINE? GIVE ME A BREAK, WELL THERE ARE THOSE WHO THINK IT IS OK TO HAVE A PRESIDENT WHOSE OWN HEALTH WILL BE A PROBLEM MORE THAN THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM OF ALL AMERICANS, GIVE ME A BREAK!, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR YOUR GRANPA!

[Warren K]

Triumph? The triumph of the cheaters must be. McCain can go any lower that lying to a reverend in a religious forum inside a church. What is next?

[Jose]

Since we seem intent on stomping out the first amendment, why don’t we just throw out the constitution and establish a theocracy?

[Warren K]

Triumph? The triumph of the cheaters must be. McCain can go any lower that lying to a reverend in a religious forum inside a church. What is next?

[Kay Simons]

Interesting that this was supposed to be all about morals and doing/saying what was morally right. Funny that none of the news organizations are covering that the basic rules of the forum were broken by McCain's campaign, giving him access to questions for a full half-hour ahead into the forum. Click my name for video at yutube if you don't believe it.

Who has moral character - one who implies he has followed the rules? Or one who follows the rules?

[Janice Silverman]

Did anyone notice that McCain defined "rich" as having an income of over $5 million?

[bern]

What Saddleback triumph? McCain cheated...in church.

McDummy knew the questions in advance. He can't be trusted to tell the truth or to run the country.

[Terry]

Obama was terrible on Saturday.

Obama is not used to churches - he's more comfortable in mosques.

[Ron]

Rick Warren.....
"How was it like in the CONE OF SILENCE "
John McCain....
"I tried to put my head against the wall to see if I could hear any of the answers" Laugh Laugh

It's not the deed ... it's the cover up.... Why is the McCain camp all riled up ? He cheated.
Why wasn't his answer " You know Rick... I have to be honest.. I got here late and didn't make it to the CONE OF SILENCE when I needed to be, but I didn't hear anything.

[Bum Chicken]

Obama's decision to speak out against war in Iraq in October 2002 was the "most gut wrenching" he's ever made? When running unopposed for re-election to the Illinois State Senate in a liberal district that votes 90% Democratic? In a city (Chicago) that one month later would give 82% of its votes to the most vocal opponent of the build-up to the war in the United States Senate at the time (Dick Durbin)? Please. If not for the requirements of his foreign policy judgment "fairy tale," it should have been the easiest and most politically convenient call he ever made.

[NK]

John McCain didn't really answer many of the questions thoughtfully - instead focusing on the military for the majority of his responses rather than opening up about faith. He used the forum to basically talk about his military experience and what his treament was like in the camps. I did like some of the crispness of his answers, Obama tended to be more conversational and reflective which at times appeared less than precise. I appreciated Senator Obama's nuance compared to Senator McCain's stark black or white answers. At least Senator Obama explained why he wouldn't have wanted Justice Thomas and Scalia on the bench as well as his issue with Justice Roberts. McCain just said he would remove all the liberal judges without any rationale behind them other than them being liberal. McCain's answer on "evil" was also very basic...what would you do against evil?..."Defeat it". He twitched slightly here too with a sense of anger. This is the same kind of black or white us or them thinking that got us buried in Iraq.

While I thought McCain did better in the forum than his speeches, listening to him only solidified his position as a war hawk who will likely use the military as an answer to everything - which by a majority of accounts is not what is needed in the 21st century foreign policy.

[Michael A.]

Talk about sour grapes and SORE LOSERS.

Re the Saturday forum:

(empty suit): Equivocating, ambiguous, vacillating.
McCain: Resolute.

"Above my pay grade?????" If elected, (empty suit) will likely choose 2 or 3 new justices to the Supreme Court, in whose hands will be the fate of Roe v. Wade and he says it's "above [his] pay grade" to decide when legal rights begin?????

Like I keep saying, it's like asking the paper boy to run the paper.

GO (empty suit) Lemmings, GO!

[Beth Harrison]

It is no surprise at all that out of every Democrat's mouth will come the opinion that McCain was fed the questions and therefore cheated because he had a firm and direct answer for every question. It's not hard to readily answer a question when your core values are strong and consistent. When they are not, you tend to take a longer time to answer; giving thought to what will sound good for the "right wing" all the while being "politically correct". I find it ironic that God has richly blessed a ministry like Rick Warren's since; he of course, must also be a cheat and liar. Go ahead, put your trust in the new Obamessiah - God is watching!

[Ang]

McCain is God. He will destroy evil. And as everyone knows that evil is anything that prevents the oil companies from making their billions in profits every quarter.

[HFF]

Regarding patriotism and serving our country, I note that a higher percentage of American president's have been assassinated while serving in office (four = Garfiled, McKinley, Kennedy of forty-three or 9.3%) than have died while in military service, even during wartime (for examples, Civil War = 7%, Vietnam War = 2%).
Using one's willingness to die for one's country, being a serious contender for President is in itself as strong an indication of patriotism as we have.

[Kathy]

Oh my...attempting to claim that Senator McCain cheated at the forum....simply because Senator Obama did not do very well in comparison. Desperation?

[Richard Terrell]

It's really interesting that even the liberal LA Times had to admit that McCain mopped the floor with Obama. This was the difference in a lightweight and a professional heavyweight. Obama bobbed and weaved and McCain delivered knockout punches time after time. McCain knows who he is. Obama is defined by his liberal supporters whom he doesn't want to offend. He is a sham and not ready for prime time. What a disgrace that this is the best the Dems have to offer America.

[An Independant]

The objective of the forum was to see through the souls of these candidates.
As an independent and with totally unbiased view, I think Obama came very good in fullfilling the
objective. I felt very comfortable as he showed his reasoning and analytical qualities.
He was always ready to have healthy conversation and that was the motive of the forum.

On the other hand, Mccaine seemed to be opposite. He took this as an election debate kind of thing.
Taking words from the old speeches and whenever there was time for discussion he just avoided by his firm tone.
In this world we definitley dont require those tried and tested believes and ideas which John M is bringing with him. We need to add new thought process to the Amaerican believes which John M does not seem to have at all.

As a true christian , I have started leaning towards Obama for now.