[big campaign] KEY FACTS CHECKING BUSH'S REMARKS ON MCCAIN

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*MEDIA FACT CHECKING -President Bush At The RNC* *National Security* *BUSH**: *"We live in a dangerous world. And *we need a President who understands the lessons of September 11, 2001*: that to protect America, we must stay on the offense, stop attacks before they happen, and not wait to be hit again. The man we need is John McCain."* *[President Bush's Prepared Remarks via *The Atlantic*, 9/2/08<http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/bush_stresses_mccains_experien.php>; emphasis added] *IRAQ* *"**No one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have."* *-- John McCain [Mike Gallagher Show via Think Progress, 4/2/08]* · *FACT**: **McCain Said The War In Iraq Would Be "One of The Best Things That's Happened To America." *While discussing the war in Iraq during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," McCain said, "We're going to be all right. We're going to prevail and we will win and it'll be one of the best things that's happened to America and the world in a long time 'cause it'll reverberate throughout the Middle East." [NBC, "Meet the Press," 3/30/03] * * · *FACT**: **McCain: "There's Not A History Of Clashes That Are Violent Between Suunis And Shias, So I Think They Can Probably Get Along." *While appearing on *Hardball*, McCain said, "There's not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shias. So I think they can probably get along." [MSNBC, "Hardball," 4/23/03] · *FACT**: **McCain: "We Can Take [Troops] From Other Places" To Put In Iraq. *While McCain was discussing the possibility of sending more troops into Iraq during an appearance on MSNBC's "Hardball," Chris Matthews asked, "Do we have them? We have them to send?" McCain said, "Of course we have them. One-tenth of our armed forces are now in Iraq. *We can take them from other places*, at least for the short term. But, we got to do it now. Time is critical." [MSNBC, "Hardball," 9/3/03] *AFGHANISTAN* · *FACT**: **McCain: "Nobody In Afghanistan Threatens The United States Of America." *During an appearance on Fox News Network's "Hannity & Colmes," McCain said, "Think we should have had a larger peacekeeping force. But *nobody in Afghanistan threatens the United States of America and nobody is running terrorist training camps to orchestrate attacks on the United States of America*." [Fox News, "Hannity & Colmes," 4/10/03, emphasis added] * * · *FACT**: **McCain: I'm Not As Concerned With Afghanistan, We May "Muddle" Through Afghanistan. *After a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington D.C., McCain was asked about the deteriorating scenario in Afghanistan. He said, "There has been a rise in al Qaeda activity along the border. There has been some increase in U.S. casualties. I am concerned about it, but *I'm not as concerned as I am about Iraq today, obviously, or I'd be talking about Afghanistan*. But I believe that if Karzai can make the progress that he is making, that -- *in the long term, we may muddle through in Afghanistan*." [McCain Speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, 11/5/03<http://www.cfr.org/publication/6502/us_situation_in_iraq_and_afghanistan.html?breadcrumb=%2Fmedia%2Ftranscripts%3Fgroupby%3D3%26%3D%26filter%3D2003>; emphasis added] * * · *FACT**: **McCain Said That Capturing Osama Bin Laden Isn't "That Important." *When asked about President Bush's failure to capture Osama bin Laden, John McCain said, "[S]ymbolically, he has great importance. But the realities on the ground are that his ability to inflict any kind of damage on the United States of America has been dramatically diminished thanks to our really wonderful military successes in the region. But Senator Daschle is right. Symbolically, he means a great deal. But *in reality, I don't think it's--it's--in the overall scheme of things it's that important*." [CBS, "Face the Nation," 3/3/02; emphasis added] * * *HOMELAND SECURITY* * * · *FACT**: **McCain: "I'm Not An Expert On What's Most Effective In The Way Of Anti-Terrorism." *While discussing security measures to protect against future terrorism, John McCain said, "I'm not an expert on what's most effective in the way of anti-terrorism. I'd like to hear the views of the experts." [MSNBC, "Hardball," 9/25/01] * * · *FACT**: **McCain Voted Against Implementing The Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. *In 2006, McCain voted against an amendment that would implement the recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission, including the screening of all cargo and enabling first-responders to communicate on a common radio spectrum. It also would call for a new direction in Iraq and authorize additional funds for intelligence activities. The amendment failed 41-57. [HR 4954, Vote #243<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00243>, 9/13/06] * * *McCain Is A Maverick* * * *BUSH**: "John is an independent man who thinks for himself*."* *[President Bush's Prepared Remarks via *The Atlantic*, 9/2/08<http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/bush_stresses_mccains_experien.php>; emphasis added] * * *McSAME AS BUSH* * * *"He has more than earned our support. He has earned our admiration and our love."* – John McCain on George W. Bush [*Chicago Tribune*, 8/11/04] * * · *FACT**: **McCain: "There Was A Recent Study That Showed That I Voted With The President Over 90 Percent Of The Time."* During an appearance on FOX's "Your World with Neil Cavuto," McCain said, "The president and I agree on most issues. There was a recent study that showed that I voted with the president over 90 percent of the time, higher than a lot of my even Republican colleagues." [Fox News, "Your World with Neil Cavuto," 5/22/03] · *FACT**: **McCain Said He Calls Bush Every Day To Remind Bush of His "Extreme Loyalty." *During an appearance on MSNBC's "Harball," Chris Matthews asked McCain, "Does the president notice the pattern of your extreme loyalty to him?" McCain said, "I call him every day and try to remind him." [MSNBC, Hardball, 3/13/06] * * · *FACT**: **In 2006 Straw Poll, McCain Told Supporters To Instead Write In Bush's Name As A Show Of Support. *The *New York Times* reported, "But on Friday, Senator John McCain of Arizona, one of the party's leading prospective presidential candidates, announced he would instruct his supporters not to vote for him and to instead write in the name of President Bush, as a show of support. … 'Straw polls are entertaining, my friends, even extremely early ones,' Mr. McCain said in remarks that were prepared for delivery Friday night and that aides distributed with undisguised glee. 'But I think we have bigger things to worry about. So if any friends here are voting for me, please don't. Just write in President Bush's name. For the next three years, with the country at war, he's our president, and the only one who must have our support today.'" [*New York Times*, 3/11/06<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/11/politics/11repubs.html?_r=1&oref=slogin> ] · *FACT**: **McCain Supported Bush 100 Percent in 2008 and 95 Percent in 2007. *According to* *Congressional Quarterly, McCain supported President Bush a majority of the time—supporting Bush as much as 100 percent in 2008 and 95 percent in 2007. According to CQ, "CQ tries to determine what the president personally, as distinct from other administration officials, does and does not want in the way of legislative action. This is done by analyzing his messages to Congress, news conference remarks and other public statements and documents." [CQ Voting Studies, Accessed, 5/15/08] * * *Presidential Support * *Year* *Support* *Oppose* *2008 (through August 25, 2008)* *100%* *0%* *2007* *95%* *5%* *2006* *89% * *11% * *2005* *77% * *23% * *2004* *92% * *8% * *2003* *91% * *9% * *2002* *90% * *10% * *2001* *91% * *9% * [CQ Voting Studies, Accessed, 5/15/08] * * *When McCain Disagrees* * * *BUSH: "*He's not afraid to tell you when he disagrees. ... No matter what the issue, this man is honest and speaks straight from the heart." [President Bush's Prepared Remarks via *The Atlantic*, 9/2/08<http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/bush_stresses_mccains_experien.php>; emphasis added] *McCain's Temperament* · *FACT**: **McCain "Screamed 'F*ck You!' at Senator John Cornyn.* The *New York Post* reported, "Presidential hopeful John McCain - who has been dogged for years by questions about his volcanic temper - erupted in an angry, profanity-laced tirade at a fellow Republican senator, sources told The Post yesterday. *In a heated dispute over immigration-law overhaul, McCain screamed, 'F--- you!' at Texas Sen. John Cornyn*, who had been raising concerns about the legislation. 'This is chickens---stuff,' McCain snapped at Cornyn, according to several people in the room off the Senate floor Thursday. 'You've always been against this bill, and you're just trying to derail it.'' [*New York Post*, 5/19/07, emphasis added] · *FACT**: **McCain Threatened to "Personally Beat the Shit" Out of His Opponent.* According to the *Arizona Republic*, "After McCain's opponent contacted his ex-wife in hopes of "digging up dirt on McCain," Carol called to warn her former husband. McCain recalls, "When the debate ended, I walked over to the opponent who had attempted to mine some little nasty opposition research from my failed marriage and told him with as much steel as I'm capable of demonstrating, *'If you ever try to hurt anyone in my family again, I will personally beat the shit out of you.'*" [*The Arizona Republic*, 3/1/07<http://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/mccain/articles/0301mccainbio-chapter6.html>, emphasis added] · *FACT**: **McCain Called Student "A Little Jerk" Who Ought to be Drafted. *According to Think Progress, "In September, a high school student asked McCain whether the senator was 'too old to be president and too conservative to be respected.' McCain 'jokingly' responded by calling the student *'a little jerk' who ought to be drafted**.* [McCain Townhall, 9/4/07 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2zx3-0zOPs>, via YouTube, emphasis added] *The Surge* * * *BUSH**: *"In the face of calls for retreat, I ordered a surge of forces into Iraq. Many in Congress said it had no chance of working. *Yet one Senator above all had faith in our troops and the importance of their mission - and that was John McCain.*"* *[President Bush's Prepared Remarks via *The Atlantic*, 9/2/08<http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/bush_stresses_mccains_experien.php>; emphasis added]** *McCAIN WAS NO CRITIC OF THE WAR'S EXECUTION* · *FACT**: **Prior To Invasion McCain Underestimated Number Of Troops Needed In Iraq.* During an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live"prior to the invasion McCain said, "Our technology, particularly air-to-ground technology is vastly improved. … I don't think you're going to have to see the scale of numbers of troops that we saw, nor the length of the buildup, obviously, that we had back in 1991." [CNN, "Larry King Live," 12/9/02] * * · *FACT**: In 2005, **McCain Said The U.S. "May Have Enough Troops" In Iraq. *While discussing the war in Iraq during an interview on CNN's "Late Edition," Wolf Blitzer asked McCain, "Does the U.S. have the manpower in place now to get the job done?" McCain said, "I think they may have enough now, but we made terrible and tragic mistakes early on by not having more people then, and we're paying a very heavy price for it." [CNN, "Late Edition," 5/29/05] · *FACT**: **In 2005, McCain Said The U.S. Had Enough Troops On The Ground In Iraq. *During an appearance on "Meet the Press," Tim Russert asked McCain, "Do you believe we have enough American troops on the ground right now?" McCain answered, "I think we have in numbers probably enough." [NBC, "Meet the Press," 2/20/05] · *FACT**: **In 2003, McCain Said "Whether We Need Additional Troops, Or Not, I Don't Know." *During an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," Bob Schieffer asked McCain, "Are we going to have to send more people in there? Are there enough people in there right now?" McCain responded by saying, "Whether we need additional troops or not, I don't know. But I do know this: that a lot of our soldiers are getting very tired, and a lot of our reservists have been on active duty for a very extended period of time." [CBS, "Face the Nation," 6/29/03] · *FACT**: **McCain: "Moving Rapidly And Leaving Pockets Of Resistance Behind I Think Is An Appropriate Strategy." *While appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Tim Russert asked, "In the Persian Gulf War, as I mentioned to General Myers, we had 600,000 troops on the ground. Here we have 250,000, more coming. Was there an inadequate force sent initially?" To which McCain responded, "First of all, the Iraqi military was measurably weaker than it was in 1991 because they never reconstituted themselves after the Persian Gulf War. Second of all, again, when I saw those bombs hit the first night and heard initial reports that we might have taken out Saddam Hussein, I was happy and I think every American was, and then we found out well, maybe we didn't. *But I believe that the blitzkrieg, if you want to call it, or Patton-like maneuver of moving rapidly and leaving pockets of resistance behind I think is an appropriate strategy*." [NBC, "Meet the Press," 3/30/03; emphasis added] *Bush's Track Record On Optimism* * * *BUSH**: *"*I **am optimistic about our future*, because I believe in the goodness and wisdom of the American people. I am optimistic because I have faith in freedom's power to lift up all of God's children and lead this world to a future of peace." [President Bush's Prepared Remarks via *The Atlantic*, 9/2/08<http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/bush_stresses_mccains_experien.php>; emphasis added] · *January 2008**: BUSH: "I'm Optimistic About Our Economic Future." *While speaking from the White House, President Bush said, "I'm optimistic about our economic future because Americans have shown time and again that they are the most industrious, creative, and enterprising people in the world. That is what has made our economy strong, and that is what will make it stronger in the challenging times ahead." [President's Remarks from the White House, 1/18/08] · *2006**: BUSH: "I Am Optimistic About The Future… I Believe This Economy Will Remain Strong." *During a speech at the Port of Miami, President Bush said, "*I want you to know that I am optimistic about the future of this country… I believe this economy will remain strong* if we leave hands in the-- if we leave people's money in their own hands so they can save, invest, and spend. I believe in the entrepreneurial spirit in America. I believe in our workers. I believe in our small-business owners. I believe that when people can dream and do and accomplish, our society is better off. I'm confident that the values of the United States will remain strong, because I understand the character of Americans by birth and by choice." [President's Remarks at the Port of Miami via Public Papers of the President, 7/31/06] · *2004**: BUSH: "America's Economy Is Getting Stronger. I Am Optimistic About Our Future." *During a speech in 2004, President Bush said, "America's economy is getting stronger. I am optimistic about our future, not only because of what I see today but because of what I know we have overcome. Let me just review right quick the economic history of the last couple of years. First, when I came to office, the country was headed into a recession. That means we were going backwards. That means it's hard to find work if you're somebody who is looking for work. It means it's hard to make payroll if you're a small-business owner. It is a negative period. Fortunately, we cut taxes, which made this recession the shallowest--one of the shallowest in American economic history." [President's Remarks in Charlotte, North Carolina via Public Papers of the President, 4/5/04] --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "big campaign" group. 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