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June 20, 2005

McCain Making Sense?

Hugh Hewitt makes a fair point about the political effect of Senator John McCain's moderation on his chances to be the Republican nominee for president in 2008:

Durbin is the subject on every Sunday talk show with John McCain predicting an apology from Durbin this week. Senator McCain's mild handling of a gross slander on the American military is another step backward in his campaign for the GOP nomination --even though post "judges-deal," his support among GOP primary voters is already low. It is tough to fall off a floor.

I wish McCain had been a bit tougher on Durbin. But no, he reserved the harsh criticism for the Bush administration.

Normally, I think McCain's criticism of the administration is guided by his resentment at Bush for winning in 2000 and by his obsessive need to be loved by the national media. Regardless of the reasons behind the criticism, though, I think he makes a good point in his recent 'Meet the Press' appearance.

Sen. John McCain disagreed Sunday with Vice President Dick Cheney's assertion that the insurgency in Iraq is in its "last throes," and called on the Bush administration to stop telling Americans victory is around the corner.

"What I think we should do," McCain told NBC's "Meet the Press," "is wait until we achieve the successes, then celebrate them, rather than predict them. Because too often that prediction is not proven to be true."

While there is reason for optimism in Iraq, I think the administration has not been effective in communicating the difficulties we still face in that country.

The terrorists are obviously lasting longer than the Bush administration thought they would, and I think it's time for the president to acknowledge the reality of the situation on the ground. Instead of constantly saying "we're winning" and predicting the end of the insurgency, the president should admit the fight is a hard one, but that we will be there until the end.

I do believe that, slowly, we are making progress in Iraq. But I agree with Senator McCain - the president and vice president should not be constantly saying success is just around the corner. Eventually, if the violence continues, people are going to stop listening. I only hope they haven't already.

Posted by slublog at June 20, 2005 12:00 AM

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Posted by: Mario Dennis at February 7, 2011 05:32 AM