Did McCain 'Really ' Just Do That?

[DogPoundPup]

This is the lead on a story just out over the Reuters wire ...

Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Friday that his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, is likely to be in Iraq over the weekend.

The Obama campaign has tried to cloak the Illinois senator's trip in some measure of secrecy for security reasons. The White House, State Department and Pentagon do not announce senior officials' visits to Iraq in advance.

"I believe that either today or tomorrow -- and I'm not privy to his schedule -- Sen. Obama will be landing in Iraq with some other senators" who make up a congressional delegation, McCain told a campaign fund-raising luncheon.

The Reuters piece hints at it. But if Obama is going to be in Iraq this weekend, this is a major breach on McCain's part. As a knowledgeable insider notes ...

If it is true that Obama is going to Iraq this weekend, it is a very serious mistake for McCain to have disclosed it publically. Even for run-of-the-mill CODELs the military gives guidance like, "Please strongly discourage Congressional offices from issuing press releases prior to their trips which mention their intent to travel to the AOR and/or the dates of that travel or their scheduled meetings. Such releases are a serious compromise to OPSEC." If Obama is going to Iraq this weekend, I can not begin to imagine how much this is complicating the security planning for the trip.

It's known that Obama is leaving on his foreign trip this weekend and the Journal OpEd page this morning said that Obama could arrive in Iraq "as early as this weekend." And with a slew of reporters in tow, it's not exactly highly classified information. But there is a reason definite information about these sorts of trips aren't released in advance.

Hypothetically, maybe McCain was just guessing. But even so it would still be a serious lapse of judgment on his part.

We're seeing what more we can find out.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/204672.php

[berni_mccoy]

1. Kind of like when Geraldo was painting Combat Maps in the Sand during the Invasion

McCain KNOWS Better and should be punished for this.

[mr_hat]

3. He forgot. It's plausible...

[Spiffarino]

4. He's a dipshit

That's more plausible.

[damntexdem]

23. It doesn't matter why -- he simply cannot be trusted with anything.

Although the way does matter in the question of criminal intent.

[Spiffarino]

29. Not the house key, not the remote, not the blender...

...and especially not America.

[tbyg52]

24. If this is the kind of thing he forgets

he's got no business being President.

[salguine]

30. If he did it on purpose, he's a douchebag, and should never

be allowed near the Oval Office. If it was a slip-up, he's a moron and should never be allowed near the Oval Office.

[Hieronymus]

31. I don't think that''s good enough. Loose lips and all that.

[JuniperLea]

12. Bingo...

He needs severely reprimanded for this. He of all people, the guy who tells us he knows how to win a war... he just proved he does NOT!!

[Monty__]

16. Or the SNL skit during the Gulf War

where a US General (I think it was Kevin Nealon) was giving a press conference and a guy kept standing up and saying "I'm ____ from the Baghdad Times, where are your troops and can I go count them".

[Ian David]

27. "Are there any secret passwords or phrases you will be using?" n/t

[NatBurner]

2. i swear, he's fucking beetle bailey

way to go, war hero

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Even Zero couldn't screw up like this guy.

[ellacott]

13. Beetle Bailey

That's funny. That was one of my favorite comic strips. :)

[DJ13]

5. So he's proving he doesnt have the judgement to be CinC

What an idiot!

[Raine1967]

6. What he very well may have done

is put this senatorial delagation in danger.

So either he is suffering from dementia, or he did it on purpose.

He SHOULD know better, I am leaning towards on purpose.

[Ian David]

7. I'm leaning toward him doing it on purpose as well. Not NECESSARILY to endanger him...

... but to force him to change his schedule and inconvenience him.

Either way, there really DOES need to be an OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.

[elehhhhna]

10. Of course he said it on purpose. Why else woudl he bring it up?

[windbreeze]

26. wasn't he the one that challenged Obama to take a trip to Iraq...

and now he outs exactly when the trip is taking place...??? yeah, on purpose sure feels like a fit to me..wb

[PinkyisBlue]

32. But things are going so well in Iraq now, the surge is working.

I know this because my president and Mr McCain have told me so. Mr Obama will be in no danger, Iraq is much safer than it was before the surge.

:sarcasm:

On a more serious note, when I have heard McCain talking about Obama going to Iraq, he always says that Obama needs to talk to General Petraes to get a true account of how things are going. McCain is trying to promote General Petraes as THE expert of events on the ground in Iraq. So if Obama says anything contradictory to what Bushbot Petraes says, McCain will say, "Well, that's not the way General Petraes sees it."

[Ian David]

8. What is the penalty for disclosing secret personnel movements to the enemy during time of war? n/t

[kevinmc]

9. To McCain It’s only McCain's security that matters, not Barack Obama’s .. n/t

[Danger Mouse]

14. You son of a bitch McCain...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYxAtZl24VY

[tishaLA]

15. St John McCain strikes again

[katandmoon]

17. Not to minimize McCain's idiocy but why did Reuters put out the story?

I think they bear some responsibility here too.

[ellacott]

19. Good point

They should share in the blame too.

[TexasObserver]

McCain is old, befuddled and confused. This is why he can't be president.

Well, that and his sucking Bush's ass the past four years.

[Inuca]

18. Come on...

He could have kept his mouth shut for decorum's sake, but with the media reporting from Baghdad and everybody saying that he will be in Israel or Jordan (forgot which) on Monday it does not take much guessing to assume that he will be in Iraq/Afghanistan over the week-end. Give the old guy a break.

[opihimoimoi]

20. NOT FIT to be Presinent in all categories....espec sound judgment

[Robeson]

21. People who are senile, aren't known for good judgment.

[Warren Stupidity]

22. Crash McCaint: idiocy you can depend on!

What a freaking tool he is.

[npincus]

25. anything to fuck up his trip...

[TheKentuckian]

28. McCain's a fool

I'd vote for the real Bush 3rd term over McCain's high level incompetence. I'm most taken back by how slimy McCain is. He's just another scumbag, through and through.