When McCain Said "100 Years", He Meant "100 Years"

RNC flips out over devastating ad on John McCain:

Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. Duncan called today on CNN and MSNBC to pull a new Democratic National Committee ad criticizing John McCain's support for the Iraq war, saying it was coordinated with the Democratic candidates' campaigns. The RNC also asserted that the spot misrepresents McCain's comment about troop occupation in Iraq for 100 years.

"Clearly, this ad is just another attempt by the DNC to mischaracterize and distort Senator McCain’s positions and statements," Duncan said in a statement. "It is unquestionable that the DNC is deliberately misleading the American people about what Senator McCain actually said. I hope that any network would consider their responsibility to protect the American people from deliberately false and misleading content."

I think it is hilarious that Republicans are whining about McCain being taken out of context.

Here is the full quote:

Voter: President Bush has talked about us staying in Iraq for fifty years--

McCain: Maybe a 100. We've been in South Korea...we've been in Japan for 60 years, we've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That'd be fine with me, so long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. Then it's fine with me, I hope it would be fine with you.

In the full context, John McCain clearly states that he is happy being in Iraq for 100 years. He tosses in a qualifier about casualty rates, but clearly he is happy with a long term presence in Iraq. The ad truthfully presents McCain's cavalier approach to staying in Iraq for 100 years.

Sorry John, but being in Iraq for 100 years is not fine with us no matter how many people are getting killed. This ad is 100% accurate, which explains why the RNC is going out of its way to threaten lawsuits and intimidate the media. The more people see this, the more McCain's support will crater.

Howard Dean responded quite well:

"We simply don't believe the American people want to stay in Iraq for 100 years whether it's as a peacekeeping force or at war," [Dean] said. "... Sen. McCain said what he said he said -- we should be in Iraq for 100 years. I think that was a very foolish position to take."

As for the RNC's threats to sue, Dean said, "Let them do it. I understand the RNC thinks it's illegal to criticize John McCain."

This was McCain's "macaca" moment, this was his "I voted for it before I voted against it", this was his "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe." And Dems are gonna remind voters of that until election day. And by the way, even Fox News will be running this ad.