McCain to Stake Bid On Need to Win in Iraq (WaPo p.A1)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/06/AR2007040602202_pf.html

McCain to Stake Bid On Need to Win in Iraq

By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, April 7, 2007; A01

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will launch a high-profile effort next week to convince Americans that the Iraq war is winnable, embracing the unpopular conflict with renewed vigor as he attempts to reignite his stalling bid for the presidency.

With the Virginia Military Institute as a backdrop, McCain plans to argue in a speech on Wednesday that victory in Iraq is essential to American security and that President Bush's war machine is finally getting on track after four years, aides and advisers said.

McCain's rosy assessment of safety on Iraq's streets after his recent visit to a Baghdad marketplace was mocked by many, prompting him to tell a television reporter that he "misspoke" and now regrets the comments. But, in the interview to be broadcast tomorrow, the senator sticks by his defense of the overall war effort, predicting that failure in Iraq would be "catastrophic."

It is a gamble at a critical time for the former front-runner for the Republican nomination, the political equivalent of a "double-down" in blackjack, as one person close to the campaign put it. A candidate once seen as the almost inevitable winner, McCain is struggling in the polls and this week placed dead last in fundraising among the three top Republican and three top Democratic contenders.
...

[babylonsister]

1. Ole Weathervane McCain appears conflicted to me. First he apologizes

for painting such a rosy picture (AFTER he does the 60 Minutes gig) of Iraq, but still maintains it's winnable. He's definitely in the minority; good luck with that, McCain; or not.

[havocmom]

2. How are they defining 'win'?

Hell, at this point, how do they even define 'mission'?

[Tatiana]

3. The man is clearly insane. No wonder why he wants to hug the likes of Bush. n/t

[FredStembottom]

4. Good. This is such a bad idea for a campaign...

...that Mccain will finish his fade away even sooner.

:thumbsup:

Hillary next?

[BeyondGeography]

5. Weird...I'm starting to think he's losing his mind

[Nite Owl]

6. The GOP debates should be

very interesting. Will the others be forced to agree with him or will they have to say the war was wrong and is unwinnable? McCain could have them all forced to get into the middle of this now. They will have to defend the administration policies or agree with the dems to get out.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. Yes it's interesting.. I don't see how McCain's slavish devotion to Bush's war distinguishes

him from his primary opponents at this point... In fact aside from name recognition factors, I'm not sure how they distinguish from each other as far as policy goes. I fully expect Giuliani to say and do whatever is needed to "get well" with the religious right on gays and abortion.