spin?

[low_delta]

McCain and some other lawmakers recently went to Iraq.

The Arizona Republican, who is one of the war's most outspoken supporters, became testy when pressed about his recent remarks that there are areas of Baghdad where Americans can travel safely.

"I just came from one," he said, referring to his trip to the outdoor market, which required a heavy military escort. "I've been here many times over the years. Never have I been able to drive from the airport. Never have I been able to go out into the city as I was today."

McCain further emphasized that his previous remarks did not mean the fight to secure Baghdad was over, but rather, that "things are better and there are encouraging signs."

The senator was joined on the trip by Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Reps. Rick Renzi of Arizona and Mike Pence of Indiana.

Graham, who was on his sixth trip to Iraq, said his past visits have required more security than Sunday's trip.

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander there, was so confident in the security situation that he told the lawmakers they could remove their helmets "at our discretion," Pence said. They retained their body armor, he said.

So... you can travel safely if you're wearing body armor. That's good to know.

Oh, and have 100 troops with you, attack helicopters overhead, and posted snipers. So is McCain lying about it being safe, or is that just spin?

CNN
NYT

• At a news conference shortly after their outing, Mr. McCain, an Arizona Republican, and his three Congressional colleagues described Shorja as a safe, bustling place full of hopeful and warmly welcoming Iraqis — “like a normal outdoor market in Indiana in the summertime,” offered Representative Mike Pence, an Indiana Republican who was a member of the delegation.
  
  
• “This area here is very dangerous,” continued Mr. Youssef, who lost his shop in the February attack. “They cannot secure it.”
  
  
• “The most deeply moving thing for me was to mix and mingle unfettered,” Mr. Pence said.
  
  
• Mr. McCain was asked about a comment he made on a radio program in which he said that he could walk freely through certain areas of Baghdad.
  
  
• “Every time the government announces anything — that the electricity is good or the water supply is good — the insurgents come to attack it immediately,” said Abu Samer, 49, who would give only his nickname out of concern for his safety.
  
  But even though he was fearful of a revenge attack, he said, he could not afford to stay away from the market. This was his livelihood. “We can never anticipate when they will attack,” he said, his voice heavy with gloomy resignation. “This is not a new worry.”

Comments

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

I think McCain is cruising for some shrapnel so he can corner the sympathy vote...

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Just in case the POW sympathy wore off after Bush's smear campaign, a few years ago?

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

Push-polling + the race card may work in South Carolina, but the only thing McCain has to fear is that he is no longer taken seriously. Who's going to believe anything he says about Iraq, now that he's made such foolhardy claims about safety in Baghdad? He said those things the same week that 4 Americans were killed IN THE GREEN ZONE!!! So, 20% of all our casualties last week in Iraq died in the most secure and carefully defended plot of land on the planet.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Who's going to believe anything he says about Iraq? The people who haven't heard the whole story. The people who want to believe. And McCain seemed to speak a little more carefully than Mr. Pence did. Pence sounded plain idiotic, but McCain spoke of how things were better than they have been. That's what his supporters will zero in on - "things are better and there are encouraging signs." They'll hear a message that is very plausible, and they'll come away with the positive feelings of that message. And they'll gloss over his remarks about how the area is safe. Selective hearing.

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness for institutionalized education because as I heard this information this morning, I thought of the Potemkin Village. This was while NPR was quoting a person who said that the market McCain went to was completely barricaded on both sides and that everyone there was wearing flack jackets under their clothes.

mda tells me that the leftie internet buzz is saying that McCain jumped the shark with this. I don't know--I just know it is sad and absurd.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I don't think he's jumped the shark, just because he's not losing a whole lot of his supporters over this. I imagine his base is still strong. He's probably lost a good deal of the swing vote, which was his strong suit in the first place.

This isn't going to change anyone's mind about the war. But it might change someone's mind about the integrity or even intelligence of their elected leaders.

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I just want to pummel these people.

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

I've heard that all you have to do is drive your rig to McCain country to bring on the Biblical weather... He might just get the message if God's thunderbolts rain down on him when he sspouts stupid propaganda...

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

[emschin.livejournal.com]

This is so typical of Republican thinking. Bear with me a minute while I make a connection.

Rich, protected people speak scornfully of the plight of the poor. People with the best health insurance avoid letting it be available to some who need it most. They are protected, so they assume everyone is.

He was protected by extreme measures so he says that it wasn't dangerous.
I'm with Dev--I want to pummel them!