He's fundamentally wrong about basic facts of the Iraq war. This isn't a gaffe like mixing up names or borders. He is flat out wrong about history.
And CBS edited out his error from their interview so as not to make him seem so inept.
From the transcript of the CBS interview:
Couric: Senator McCain, Sen. Obama says, while the increased number of U.S. troops contributed to increased security in Iraq, he also credits the Sunni awakening and the Shiite government going after militias. And says that there might have been improved security even without the surge. What’s your response to that?
McCain: I don’t know how you respond to something that is such a false depiction of what actually happened. Colonel McFarlane (phonetic) was contacted by one of the major Sunni sheiks. Because of the surge we were able to go out and protect that sheik and others. And it began the Anbar awakening. I mean, that’s just a matter of history. Thanks to General Petraeus, our leadership, and the sacrifice of brave young Americans. I mean, to deny that their sacrifice didn’t make possible the success of the surge in Iraq, I think, does a great disservice to young men and women who are serving and have sacrificed.
They were out there. They were protecting these sheiks. We had the Anbar awakening. We now have a government that’s effective. We have a legal system that’s working, although poorly. And we have progress on all fronts, including an incredible measure of security for the people of Iraq. There will still be attacks. Al Qaeda’s not defeated. But the progress has been immense. And to not recognize that, and why it happened, and how it happened, I think is really quite a commentary.
Couric: A commentary on what?
McCain: That Sen. Obama does not understand the challenges we face. And … not understand the need for the surge. And the fact that he did not understand that, and still denies that it has succeeded, I think the American people will make their judgment.
First, the facts, because McCain has his completely wrong: the Sunni Awakening began in 2006, long before the surge or this alleged phonecall (more on this here). So, in other words, the great foreign policy expert, in the course of saying Obama doesn’t understand history, gets his irrevocably wrong (and, by the way, it goes to the heart of his justification for the surge).
But here’s the juice, via DKos commenter on this post:
McCain’s response didn’t survive the cutting room floor, but
Couric’s question did; and
CBS replaced McCain’s incorrect response with one he gave to another question.
Like I said, I rarely get this upset about press stories, because the press is pathetic on a daily basis.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/action-time-katie-couric-and-cbs/
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