John McCain's singular theme: Barack Obama just "doesn't understand"

John McCain had a single tune he wanted to sing in his Friday night debate with Barack Obama, and he was willing to run the risk of sounding like a broken record to do it.

It took him a while to get to his refrain, because events demanded the first part of the forum deal with the economic crisis facing the nation.

But once the debate settled into its announced topic -- international issues -- McCain rarely lost an opportunity to make his core point: In matters of foreign policy, Obama just doesn't get it.

As the discussion turned to Iraq, in particular last year's "surge" in U.S. troops there, McCain said: "I'm afraid Sen. Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy."

On Afghanistan: "And yes, Sen. Obama calls for more troops, but what he doesn't understand, it's got to be a new strategy, the same strategy that he condemned in Iraq. It's going to have to be employed in Afghanistan."

On Pakistan: "I don't think that Sen. Obama understands that there was a failed state in Pakistan when [Pervez] Musharraf came to power." [Update: As a reader has noted, The Ticket should have -- and now will -- point out that this assertion is very much in dispute.]

On a president agreeing to meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: What Sen. Obama doesn't seem to understand that if without precondition you sit down across the table from someone who has called Israel a 'stinking corpse' and wants to destroy that country and wipe it off the map, you legitimize those comments. This is dangerous. It isn't just naive; it's dangerous."

On the conflict between Russia and Georgia: "I was interested in Sen. Obama's reaction to the Russian aggression against Georgia. His first statement was, 'Both sides ought to show restraint.' Again, a little bit of naivete there. He doesn't understand that Russia committed serious aggression against Georgia."

Again, back to Iraq: "Sen. Obama still ...

... doesn't quite understand -- or doesn't get it -- that if we fail in Iraq, it encourages Al Qaeda. They would establish a base in Iraq."

And in case anyone failed to catch his drift (doubtful), McCain summed up with this: "And I honestly don't believe that Sen. Obama has the knowledge or experience and has made the wrong judgments in a number of areas... ."

Obama disputed virtually every specific McCain raised. But he never delivered a concise sound bite challenging his rival's basic criticism. That might rank high on his "to-do" list for the next debate.

Obama had his moments during the back-and-forth on foreign affairs, with his best probably this on Iraq:

John, you like to pretend like the war started in 2007. You talk about the surge. The war started in 2003, and at the time when the war started, you said it was going to be quick and easy.

You said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were. You were wrong. You said that we were going to be greeted as liberators. You were wrong. You said that there was no history of violence between Shia and Sunni. And you were wrong.

And he had a good rejoinder for the grief McCain gave him about the prospect of sitting down with Ahmadinejad. He noted that the Republican "said the other day that he would not meet potentially with the prime minister of Spain, because he -- you know, he wasn't sure whether they were aligned with us. I mean, Spain? Spain is a NATO ally. ... If we can't meet with our friends, I don't know how we're going to lead the world in terms of dealing with critical issues like terrorism."

The Ticket has filed a complete copy of the debate transcript here.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images

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Comments

[jose]

“ Obama gets The McCain beat down in debate”

No doubt Obama camp is happy they kept lowering expectations for his debate performance because Obama got his clock cleaned by John McCain who kept the young inexperienced candidate looking immature and childish talking in circles. All Obama could do was interrupt with bogus claims of "lying" and looks of frustration and despair. (Not a good performer, unless someone writes a pre-written speech for Obama to study or read on teleprompter) On Iraq and all else, Obama keeps looking to the past instead of the future? Where’s the change Obama? McCain understands the next president has to look to the future and secure not only victory but also stabilizing a fledgling democracy. Obama kept up his all season stupid rhetoric, the war was wrong, the war is wrong, I’m black that makes me qualified to be president!

Especially since he stupidly picked 30 years in Washington, pro war supporter Biden (whose son is a lobbyist) as VP. Slapping the face of 18 million democratic voters, who David Axelrod said he don’t need. Again proves Obama is unstable and does not have the experience to make important decisions or have control over this great country.

Obama said seven times or more that he agreed with McCain. That’s good for McCain because when McCain is President Obama can work with him to get needed reforms through a failed Congress. McCain displayed a thorough knowledge of world affairs. Obama did not! And talked in circles and really had no coherent thoughts other than his main talking points from his pre-written campaign speech.

Bottom line; Obama got “ The McCain beat down” only because of the lowered expectations Obama just barely got across the finish line. Obama definitely finished dead last. No surprise we all know Obama is not good on his feet, as Hillary wiped the floor with him 20 plus times! Bottom line McCain had a great night while Obama is going home licking his wounds. Of course you can expect to hear the tabloid cable news , better known as Obama News Networks CNN & MSNBC media made fairy tales, that he was great, too bad for CNN that voters finally realized these two Obama news networks are not very truthful and bias. They offer voters looking for facts…NOTHING…

[Deborah J.]

McCain was belligerent and clung to the Surge as his singular "accomplishment." He wouldn't look at or engage with Obama, which raised serious questions about his skills at diplomacy. At his core, McCain is a warrior.

In contrast, Obama appeared composed, confident, thoughtful, and well-informed. In short, presidential.

McCain's "he doesn't understand" refrain seemed canned and out-of-touch because Obama so obviously had command of the issues.

Obama does not employ the usual gimics. He neither pounds us over the head nor attempts to manipulate us in making his points. He trusts our intelligence to choose wisely. How refreshing!

[Marie Stewart]

From:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/anger-entitlement-and-contempt.html

Saturday, September 27, 2008
What A Debate Reveals: Anger, Entitlement and Contempt

What I found shocking reflecting on last night's debate was how angry and entitled McCain was, in a very open way.

McCain's manner was one of that who believed he should not even be on the same stage with this person. This indicates a person of extreme rights and extreme wrongs, not a statesmanlike persona, but an angry and impulsive one.

McCain carries strong ideas of what a liberal is, ideas that very little from his cherished ideas of who betrayed the nation during the Vietnam war. A stock character, driven and created by his own rage, carried, as it has been since the '70s, with a virtual ideological blindness--blinded by a contemptuous rage--that there are others who cannot understand the world the way he can. This is not judgment, but angry certainty. This is not readiness, but a just-contained rage that he should be confronted by such ideas.

You can see it in his constricted "can you believe it" rage at one who disagrees with him. This kind of contemptuous, angry dismissal of others ideas leads easily into the impulsive decisions of the last few months--generated with barely contained contemptuous rejection of those who would reject his ideas--only the most recent forms of those essential constructs--a contemptible media, easily fed with false notions and panaceas, as he believes they were earlier in his life; intellectuals, whose reason and deliberation is contrasted with the sharp, impulsive action that for his life has constituted a certain knowledge, and an angry, certain need to sweep away those who would stand in the path of righteous certainty.

What is beautifully ironic is how McCain maintains this contempt even as he switches from one position to another in the opportunistic second--this is when the look of contempt and entitlement turns, for a moment, to anxiety and panic.

Soon, however, the gaze is back. No matter what the new position is--impulsively determined, desperately grasped--if only "they" knew better. If only "they" knew the truth.

This kind of ideological rigidity and certainty (note how Obama could not contain himself from smiling when McCain attempted to compare him to Bush in that regard) combined with impulsive decision making, from the "gut" of sure knowledge, is what has created the outcomes of the past 8 years.

It was--in a setting where one would not expect it to be, where one would expect McCain to contain it--glaring apparent last night.

This is an amplification of the last 8 years rather than a change.

We do not need to experience this type of decision making again.

Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/anger-entitlement-and-contempt.html

[Shel]

If you're going to mention that McCain said Pakistan was a failed state prior to when Musharraf took power in a coup in 1999, you should also mention that this is FACTUALLY INCORRECT!!! See, e.g., http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/703847.html.
Pakistan was not a "failed state" in 1999, it had recently had an election that Musharraf did not like the outcome of.

[Mtobias]

So tired of the constant attempts to mischaracterise Obama with Tax increases.

If you make less than a quarter of a million bucks your taxes go down.

If you make more than a quarter million bucks, congratulations, but your taxes go up.

McCain just doesn't understand that we are tired of this kind of stuff.

[Timothy Crocker]

John McCain is more dangerous than George Bush, and if Americans in the middle are too stupid or racist to get it, they deserve the continued deterioration of this country--- Continued decline of America's standing in the world, more unnecessary deaths of American soldiers, an very unsafe belligerent go-it-alone attitude that will lead future attacks on the US, and a failing economy and the pain that goes with it.
This guy is very unstable, and has been for years. Check out on u tube the old footage on his MIA, POW hearings; look at his recent erratic behavior; and the dangerous choice (by a 72 yr old cancer survivor) for vice president. Please wake up for God's sake!

[Michael Berlin]

I thought McCain came off as a nasty old man; dismissive, disrespectful and unwilling to accept any view of the world other than his own. These do not seem like the qualities that will be needed to promote bipartisanship and change in Washington.

[benighse]

Are you looking backward or are you looking forward: I'm looking forward to a better America---I'm looking forward to electing Barack Obama. WHY? Education, healthcare, out of Iraq, economy, improved relations with allies in Europe, Asia and Middle East, solar power, wind power, hybrid cars, veteran help, stronger military, peace through strength---and the improved prestige of America leading for all the right reasons--JOIN ME IN VOTING FOR OBAMA and BIDEN!

[brkdckdwg]

there is obviously something to that line about a liar cannt look you in the eyes and keep a straight face and mccain proved it time,and time again even after the prompting by the moderator mccain coulddnt do it there are numerous examples of him being challenged to say it to sen obamas face in regard to why you feel he and not you is wrong on this issue or that remark and in each case mccain couldnt do it.as for sen obama he looked directly at mccain when he spoke and while some saw his saying that mccain was right on this or that point was deferring to mccains expertise on those points but as that noun,verb,9]11 cross dresser said at the rep. comicvention ARE YOU KIDDING ME sen obama wasnot praising mccain he was burying him it was like watching a horror movie that you already know the ending to....... it reminded me of sen obama &sen clintons debate conceding a point to win the argument and i saw the same thing happening in last nites debate and i found myself yelling at the screen{DON'T GO DOWN THAT ALLEY ON VETERAN ISSUES JOHN ..JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A VET ITS A TRAP BECAUSE THE VETS KNOW THE TRUTH JOHN THE VETS KNOW THE TRUTH AND THEY ARE THERE WAITING TO SMACK YOU ACROSS THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS WITH YOUR VOTING RECORD OR LACK THEREOF OF VETERAN ISSUE NOOOO DON'T OPEN THE CLOSET DOOR OF THE PAST CANNT YOU SEE WHAT HORRORS LURK THERE IN THE SHADOWS OF PEOPLES MINDS LIKE THE GHOST OF PROPAGANDA FILMS FOR THE ENEMY,THE SKELETONS OF SCANDALS PAST AND THE MOST HIDEOUS OF ALL A CREATURE YOU HELP BRING TO LIFE A CREATURE THAT IS EVEN NOW SUCKING THE LIFE BLOOD OUT OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY.. DEREGULATION.///STOP WHAT ARE YOU DOING JOHN DON'T PRY OPEN THE TOMB OF FOREIGN POLICIES HAVE YOU TAKEN LEAVE OF YOUR SENSE MAN ARE YOU WILLING TO RELEASE THE CURSE OF WRONG ON Afghanistan WRONG IRAQ WRONG ON BEING SEEN AS LIBERATORS WRONG ON THE COST BOTH IN HUMAN LIVES AND TO THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THE COST IN HUMAN LIVES THAT AFTER ALL IS SAID IN DONE CAN NEVER EVER BE REPLACED....YEP IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A MOVIE THAT YOU ALREADY KNEW THE ENDING TO AND MCCAIN KEPT STUMBLING AND BUMBLING INTO EACH AND EVERY PERIL EDUCATION,CHILDCARE HEALTHCARE UNEMPLOYMENT ETC ETC AND THOUGH MY GIRLFRIEND TURNED AWAY I JUST HAD TO WATCH HAVING READ THE PLAY

[Larry Smith]

So Obama wants to move the war to Afghanistan. How much will that cost, $10 Billion a month? How many will die in Afghanistan before we get out? 4,000? He'll invade Pakistan to get Osama bin Laden? That should be very interesting. When did he become more hawkish than the Republicans? When his poll numbers showed he was soft on terrorism. Just another Washington politician. Hopefully, many of you won't jump off bridges when you find out he can't walk on water....

[Ok John Spell Deception]

If only Magna Cum Laude, Barak Obama, just had the grasp that bottom one percent of his class, John McCain, has on such important issues, he would be the only choice for president. Even GWB is up to "McCain's Standards".

It's clear that since John McCain is GWB's intellectual equivilent, his administration would not be much different than Bush's administration.

[Dan]

More evidence that McCain is running a racist campaign.

[Linda]

McCain mines Obama campaign material until he finds a phrase that has been used to describe/comment on his knowledge and ability. He then incorporates that into his rhetoric....his wife didn't like Obama describing "John" as someone who "just doesn't understand". What a surprise that he now uses that to describe Obama...he has done this with numerous phrases. We shouldn't be surprised that McCain likes the Obama campaign material better than his own, as he is not a person who has any intelligent, original thoughs, he choses a running mate who requires daily vocabulary lessons and has to be given responses , e.g., concerning Russia, so she doesn't continue describing insight as that which is derived from being able to see Russia. After all, being able to see Russia is a heady advantage over actually understanding U.S- Russian relations. All I can say is, if you review McCain material you find much of its origin in the Obama campaign. This candidate is an alpha sheep leading the flock, not a serious and insightful policy originator....although he did figure out that "sex sells".....ask any of his supporters for an underpininng to their support and they will all give you that "same answer"....baaa !

[gaypastor]

I was surprised how the debate's undertone was stability/experience vs. change/vision. It was a bit like watching my father and brother go at it. How does someone choose between his Dad (who has simply lived life longer and tends to be wiser) or his brother (who is his peer and wants an America for his generation too!)? I kind of wished "Mom" (aka Hillary) jumped in during the debate and declared that the world needs both stability and change!!!

[jeff durham]

Saying "he doesn't understand" repeatedly doesn't make it true.

Sounds like GWB tactics to me.

That pompous smirk looked like GWB too.

On the other hand, Obama was cool and in command of what must have been a disconcerting setting, given McCain's self-righteous and silly behavior.

McCain may have won on 'points,' but now we see this guy for the real creep he is - something that no less an authority (!) than Limbaugh has pointed out repeatedly.

[Stephen Dolle]

As an Obama supporter, I must admit I was shocked to see Senator Obama's tepid performance - right out of the gate. Obama had surged in the polls in the past 10 days mostly on McCain's total mishandling of the nation's financial crisis. It appeared to many of us that McCain was having a "meltdown" of sorts, and that between his demeanor and age perhaps this presidential thing would be too much for him. For Obama, coming off a really good 10 days, all he needed do was show up, demonstrate the kind of connectedness, youthful, and very knowledgeable person he has been "appearing" to be, like showing up to claim an award and delivering a cool acceptance speech. But instead, Obama started, stumbled, farted and fell! And I do NOT know why?

Obama was asked the first question and it was on the nation's financial crisis and the deal Congress is now working on, which I expected moderator Jim Lehrer would bring to the forefront. Obama had already demonstrated solid knowledge and leadship on this issue during the week, and I expected him to simply "explain" the crisis and likely solutions to the American people. But he was tepid and missed his opportunity to seize the moment, and McCain succeeded in transposing the topic over to earmarks and taxes, wherwe he pelted Obama with claims he was not well able to defend. I mean, we're being told that our banking system could collapse as early as next week, and the candidates were debating earmarks. Despite the repeated cues and opportunities for the candidates to delve into the current crisis, their dialogue turned into one of "talking points." And at this hour, it's talking points that we do not need. It's leadership!

With McCain let off the hook on his miserable leadership on the economy this week, the debate shifted over to foreign policy, an area well known as McCain's strength. McCain repeatedly attacked Obama for chairing the Senate subcommittee on Afghanistan, yet never once visiting it. McCain continued on throwing out foreign leader's names and facts spanning the last 25 years, and all Obama could do was recite something he had read in a report.

As an Obama supporter, I wanted to see the more youthful Obama speak from the "heart" and show the kind of leadership we've been hearing about. But he was timid and he appeared out of sorts, unsure of what he was doing. Last night was a very important night for both candidates at a critical time in our history. And Obama did NOT step up. He fell flat on his face, just like the USC Trojans did Thursday night against Oregon State. In both cases, the reported underdogs rose up and claimed victory. What does it mean for USC and Obama? USC may not make it to the championship game. And Obama may not get elected president on Nov. 4th. It's that simple.

The moral of these defeats, "If you have it, you had better bring it to the challenge!"

[Pat]

The reality is if you like Obama, you think he won. If you like McCain, you think he won. Judgment by bias. Same with papers, media, etc. If liberal, more of an Obama theme. If conservative, more McCain.

Personally, as someone who has spent months studying both candidates, no longer impressed by spin or the Barney Franks of this world, I felt McCain won. If it was otherwise, the left media would have OBAMA WON on every site. And, they don't. Simple as that.

By the way, I can tell from the blogs that homework has NOT been done. Too bad. This country needs voters who care enough to want to know the truth about both men and find the balance.

As far as the economy? Both parties are to blame, but the bulk of blame goes to democrats and if you do your research, you'll learn this for yourself. Barney Frank is a perfect example of a person who couldn't see it coming, didn't want to listen, blocked attempts to fix it before it was too late, and now blames others. Washington at its best. Obama? He just went along as always. McCain did try to stop the mess - but it was blocked in committee. It's a mistake to have Dodd & Frank anywhere near the bill now - and the $6.6 BILLION in earmarks being attached is shameful. $51 million from Biden alone. So much for fiscal responsibility being corrected. Be careful America. Even those you want to rides the backs of, the $250K humans, won't save you.

[Chris]

For everyone who believes that Obama doesn't understand or that he is naive. I have some swamp land in Florida I will be glad to sell you. . . cheap.
I think McCain's whole campaign can be summarized in one work -- "illegitimate". His whole campaign has been stolen from George Bush.

[mitchell in NY]

Obama won this debate. Many pundits have missed why, but the snap polls are correct in this case.

“Why Obama and Paul Newman won the Debate”
http://msa4.wordpress.com/

[Nora in SC]

I believe the best sign of what is happening in the campain happened after the debate. Joe Biden was asked to speak on behalf of Obama's performance. Biden appeared pleased. Next, the commentator stated that Sarah Palin was asked to appear but declined to show for the Republican commentary. Rudy Guiliani spoke in Sarah Palin's place. Where is she? Is she the weakest link?

[A_Ramirez]

My takeaway from the debate is that Obama is dangerous. I agree with McCain that to trust the future of this country to Obama is dangerous.
Also, it was not presidential to continue to agreed with your opponent.
Obama is dangerous and naive. Not ready to lead.

[steve rodriguez]

Dear A. Ramirez: I totally agree wth you when you wrote:
Obama is dangerous and naive. Not ready to lead.

[steve rodriguez]

The race card is Obama's favorite card. He plays it every time! His associates play it to, I don't want four years of playing the race card! I vote John McCain!!!!!