Update - McCain Camp: al Qaeda endorsement is reverse psychology attempt to encourage an Obama win

[sabra]

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/10/22/mccain-camp-takes-on-terrorists-preferences/?mod=googlenews_wsj

John McCain’s campaign held a conference call with reporters Wednesday with the dubious label: “Terrorists’ Preferences.”

The Republican nominee’s staff was reacting to a story in the Washington Post that suggested members of al Qaeda endorsed McCain’s candidacy. The story was formed around postings on the Web site al-Hesba, which opined that McCain would continue the “failing march” of President George W. Bush.

McCain’s top foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann trashed the Post report repeatedly, suggesting that it was a bold claim backed by thin evidence.

Former CIA director Jim Woolsey suggested that the support was a sort of reverse psychology—that by endorsing McCain the terrorist group would encourage voters to support Barack Obama.

All week, the GOP campaign has hit on the Democratic candidate’s inexperience and played up McCain’s foreign policy experience. At a rally on Tuesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close friend of McCain’s, offered a similar sentiment. “You wish America harm and he gets to be the next commander-in-chief, you better watch what you do,” Graham said.

[ErinBerin84]

1. of course he would say that.

It's pretty disgusting for them to even give the terrorists a platform. And why is anything a former CIA agent says supposed to be credible? Yeah, those terrorists are really afraid of that badass McCain...I'm sure they're shaking in their boots...

[justiceischeap]

2. We all should have known this is how they'd play this

Their entire campaign has been about up is down, left is right, good is bad, right is wrong.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. So they DID endorse Bush in 2004. Nice to have it confirmed

[LiberalAndProud]

4. McCain needs to let this one go by.

I do not care an iota what al Qaeda thinks of my presidential choices. The more he talks about this, the more al Qaeda has a voice in my election. McCain needs to tell al Qaeda to sit down and shut up.

[CatBO]

5. To be fair, they had NO OTHER CHOICE but to say that

It's the first thing they've done that sounds like they want to win a campaign.

It's a desperate attempt, to be sure, but Al Qaeda has backed McCain into a corner with this endorsement. Guess how he'd handle it if he were President?

[jenmito]

6. Yet when bin Laden claimed Iraq is the central front on the war on terror, THAT was accurate

according to McCain, as well as when Hamas supposedly endorsed Obama. Can't have it both ways, McCain!

[ErinBerin84]

7. this also reminds me

of how McCain said earlier in the year "Any decrease in violence in Iraq is bc of me and the surge!" and later said "But I wouldn't be surprised if there was more violence in Iraq leading up to the election...you know, because they don't want me to win." You could make any situation into a win win if you wanted to. And wasn't this the same CIA person who connected 9/11 to Iraq?

[jenmito]

8. And if they "endorsed" OBAMA, I'm SURE McCain would've had the same response.

:sarcasm:

[mvd]

14. Right on!

I for one am on guard for more "announcements" between now and election day.

[jenmito]

15. If McCain sticks with their line, Obama should make an ad with clips of McCain SAYING those things!

Just more hypocrisy from him!

[Democat]

9. Except they didn't say that in 2004!

Duh!

Now they want Bin Laden to endorse them?

Someone in the press needs to ask them, "So, is it possible that Ayers was only befriending Obama because he actually prefers McCain?"

:rofl:

[scheming daemons]

10. So why wasn't it reverse psychology when Hamas "endorsed" Obama?

Hypocrits.

[ErinBerin84]

11. exactly.

The McCain camp themselves pushed the hamas thing, the Obama camp never mentioned the endorsement of McCain....sick to make the terrorists feel like they have power in this election...you just know that they are hoping for a terror attack over in the Mccain camp.

[SurfingAtWork]

12. Ha! I totally called it

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7558666&mesg_id=7558776

[Thrill]

13. LMAO. Reverse Psychology. If they endorsed Obama it would be see see "They want him"