CNN

To Jon from Pittsburgh.

I'll go further than you. Saying that "the surge is having some success in some areas" does not imply: '...Therefore let us stay longer and bring in even more American troops to widen our success'.

Let us not forget the the borders configuration in the whole region was done by Churchill in 1945. He just pulled a ruler from the drawer, placed it upon a map of the the region and drew straight lines–and voila', new nations were created!!! Talking about idiocy!

And one more thing...a few years ago, referring to Near East peace policy and border drawing President Bush enunciated the doctrine of the need to "recognize the situation on the ground". I ask: 'why in heaven should the same doctrine not apply to Iraq now'?

Weathervane McCain,

Go away!

Look, John McCain is a fine person, well with foibles like the rest of us. BUT, he seems to be slipping in his ability to understand obvious nuances to the Clinton statement. I understood her statement very well when I took the trouble to read the sentence disputed by McCain. Of course, one would need to read it in its entirety and not crop it as McCain has no doubt done. I like McCain but he seems to be having problems. He allowed the Bush smear machine to undermine his run for the White House with that disgusting dirty trick about his adopted daughter. Now it seems he stoops to anything just to finally get the illusive presidency for himself.

Thank You Steve in Arizona! When McCain first ran for President my husband kept saying positive things about him – until I brought up the savings and loan scandal. I'm glad McCain's past hasn't disappeared.

This is so well stated and represents my feelings as well, it's worth putting in here again....

The back-n-forth bantering about Iraq is ridiculous as is the repeated 'we have to support our troops' statement. The facts dictate that all of that is just political rhetoric for attention and distraction. When we admit the war was falsely justified as part of a private agenda to benefit special interests and a select few, when we acknowledge that it doesn't matter if the surge works or doesn't when the Iraqi politicians simply continue their irresponsible infighting, then we can understand that our troops and our financial support are being used without benefit to us or even to the Iraqi people. It is all just politics gone bad and individuals using their offices and government resources for personal gain. To support that is criminal – bring the troops home!

Bring the troops home. I don't support any candidate that voted to give Bush authority for this manipulated war. If I could see what was going on, why couldn't they? I never supported the war from the very beginning. Go Obama!

All I can say is McCain is not in tune with reality. It is becoming more apparent that these republicans are pushing a dangerously divisive neo-con, racist, isolationist, war-mongering ideology. McCain is a joke.

Mc Cain never flip flop on Irak! He supported a faling policy for 6 years, and still believe the war can be won. At least Hillary realize she was wrong ,and redefine her position on Irak. Mr Mc Cain just admit it that you and your buddies in the Republican Party were dead wrong on Irak.LOL

Let me see–what's worse: (1) a candidate being called a flip-flopper for reassessing a fluid situation as new facts come in; or (2) a President mindlessly holding tightly to a doomed and ill-conceived policy irrespective of the changing facts? In some places, we would call the first "learning." In most places, we would call the latter "insanity."

Of course, Bush was the tru flip-flopper. He wanted tax breaks because the economy he inherited was strong, then it went weak. He then wanted tax breaks to help the ailing economy. He wanted war with (in?) Iraq first because of WMD, then because Saddam was a "bad guy," then because we wanted a democratic Iraq, and finally because we can't afford to leave a weakened Iraq. One who holds to the same outcome but changes their justifications is as much of a flip-flopper.

Its OK to flip flop when you were WRONG in the first place

I actually agree with McCain on this point. (and that doesn't happen too often!) Hillary says what she needs to say to garner votes...and with whatever way the political wind is blowing at that moment.

Hillary and Mitt Romney should run as a team. They wouldn't know if they were coming or going.

spinstopper .. ever post a response to a post of yours that gets shredded?

I didn't think so!

When did reassessing a situation when new information comes to light and commenting on it, even when it is a view opposite the one you would normally have, become waffling?
Kerry didn't waffle, nor did any of the other members of Congress who voted to grant war powers to Bush. They were voting on the information provided by the CIA and the White House about our imminent perial from Iraq's WMD. They changed their minds when the lies were revealed.

Somebody tell John McKerry that his time has passed. He's selling played-out, tired old Goldwater politics, and guess what John? Nobody is buying. That ship sailed and sunk when you sold out by campaigning for Bush in 2004 and defending his obviously failed policies ever since. Go home!

Same argument used against Kerry. Boring.

Go home, John.

You know... I just had a grand illusion – just suppose Hillary sucked up her pride and decided to run as Baraks VP after he wins the first primaries – Hillary could bring in the women and when they beat Rudy in the general by a landslide, Hillary could learn about leadership, creative problem solving and the new politics of authenticity at the feet of the master Barak Obama while Bill travels the world as the good will diplomat he already is !

I know what your thinking – boy that Reidy is really trippen man!

Hillary's remarks were far from "praise" in my book. What is worse: a politician who follows a failed foreign policy or adapts with the times and changes strategies and opinions?

Does everyone else forget that McCain was one of the Keating Five? We in Arizona haven't.

For John McKerry to say anyone is flip-flopping is a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black.

Poor John, and to think I would have been happy to vote for him. Alas his time has passed.

Hillary really hasn't flip-flopped. John is splitting hairs here. Hillary is in favor of a stepped organized withdrawal from Iraq.

Acknowledging gains made militarily by the surge does not contradict the fact that the Iraqi government has made little or no headway in stepping forward and taking control of their own country. One is exclusive from the other. U.S. troops could make great gains in Iraq but if the government isn't going to step forward and take control of their own country what good is it?

I still won't vote for Hillary but John is wrong in his assessment.

Oh no! Please don't tell me they are going to start with the "flip-flop" term again. We had enough of that in the last election.

Too little too late.

Too many innocent folks are dead and gone and are not coming back.

He and the other neocons are to blame.

jack jett
http://www.yabbadabbahubbado.com

The back-n-forth bantering about Iraq is ridiculous as is the repeated 'we have to support our troops' statement. The facts dictate that all of that is just political rhetoric for attention and distraction. When we admit the war was falsely justified as part of a private agenda to benefit special interests and a select few, when we acknowledge that it doesn't matter if the surge works or doesn't when the Iraqi politicians simply continue their irresponsible infighting, then we can understand that our troops and our financial support are being used without benefit to us or even to the Iraqi people. It is all just politics gone bad and individuals using their offices and government resources for personal gain. To support that is criminal – bring the troops home!

Think of it, the Dems want out of Iraq, fine. They want the political process to work, fine. They want our soldiers back, fine.
How come nobody says what will happen? Currently we are making small head way securing areas and maintaining those areas. Reps from both sides say there needs to be more political involement, but nobody is putting forth a plan to have our troops back here, stabalize over there and help push through the political process. If the Dems have this sure fire answer then why not say it. If we have no troops to help maintain some level of peace and we cannot rely on the Iraq's to maintain this level how in the world does anyone expect the new Iraqi gov. to be able to solidify their countrymen without anylevel of peace?
If the Dems are so darn sure they can make the political process over there work let them go over and start doing it.

Senator McKain needs to get on Mapquest and find directions to the REAL WORLD!

mcCain is such a sad old man go home to your nursing home...You are typicial republician out of touch

It is not "flip-flopping" to recognize the fine work being done by our military in a horrible situation. They have done, and I believe will continue to do, everything that is asked of them. What they cannot do is effect political change in Iraq. There is no military solution, so without Iraqi political will, there is NO solution. And now, we have been there so long, helicopters fall out of the sky for mechanical reasons. This is one of the most visible examples that the heart of our military will long outlast their resources. They want to succeed – their mission has to be rephrased so they can. Bring them home, safely.

Iraq War is the flop; McCain is the flop
It’s either change your mind when things go wrong or continue down the wrong path.
Is Iraq safer now? Are there more terrorists in Iraq? How is the world safer without Saddam?

In defense of the label “flip-flop”, I think we need to distinguish between subtle differences in interpretation (Clinton on the surge), honest changes of position (Edward on his war vote) and deliberate pandering for votes by saying all things to all people (Romney on pretty much everything).

I agree that “flip-flop” is an overused term for everything but beach sandals, but in Governor Romney’s case the shoe fits.

It will always be an issue because people don't elect people to pander to everyone, they elect them to be steadfast in the face of adversity and to make the tough decisions. Making tough decisions means being able to take the facts and make a decision. Not the ability to say something different to everyone and hope none of them realize how full of crap they are...

Then again most politicians are full of crap so were all screwed anyways since politicians always know best and we should just shut up and follow their lead....

McCain has no chance of winning the primary. None. Zero. Nada. Zilch.

"I’m disappointed that Senator McCain is playing politics with this issue. It’s not like him."

You know, you are right, it is MUCH more like Hillary to play politics with the lives of our troops as well as the American citizens as a whole.

"McCain is a brilliant strategist. He left the White House with a new mission..to undermine Clinton and prevent her election. Notice, so far that's all he's gone. Now that he is an ordinary citizen, should he not be held accountable for his shady dealings/white collar crimes?"

What??? Methinks you meant Karl Rove.

"So can we please focus on what each politician is going to do to make my life better than it was 7 years ago?"

That is the epitome of what has become this country today. Instead of making your own life better, its the govts job now. Pathetic

If being labeled a "flip-flopper" continues to be THE mortal sin in American Politics then we're closer to Orwell's "Animal Farm" & "1984" than I feared. By invoking that mantra, John McCain has lowered himself another notch as a statesman/non-politician.

i dont think Hillary can be able to lead us as the president may be as the vice president.

Senator Clinton’s position has been consistent and correct: There have been some military successes in Iraq, particularly in Al Anbar province. But there is no possibility of a military solution to a political problem. All the surges in the world won’t force the Sunni, Shiite and Kurd factions to form a viable government. That’s up to them. And until that happens, our troops are stuck in the middle of someone else’s civil war.

I’m disappointed that Senator McCain is playing politics with this issue. It’s not like him.

I support John McCain wholeheartedly, but this crosses a bright line. Hillary Clinton had faint praise for the surge on Monday, but as she said – it was much too late to do what the original generals wanted to do.

John, if you are listening, please take the time to respond to the full intent of your candidates' messages. THAT wins elections.

Is her flip-flopping surprising? All her answers are predictable: just take a poll. When the poll changes, it is not "her mistake" of changing her positions.

So now apparently EVERYONE running for president is a flip flopper on one issue or another, and its the flip floppers calling each other out on it. So two things are apparent – evolving opinions and positions as circumstances change have no place in politics [which they should], and the flip flopper accusing strategy is NOT going to work and we're tired of it all ready [lets leave it back where it belongs - the 2004 race]. So can we please focus on what each politician is going to do to make my life better than it was 7 years ago?

McCain is a brilliant strategist. He left the White House with a new mission..to undermine Clinton and prevent her election. Notice, so far that's all he's gone. Now that he is an ordinary citizen, should he not be held accountable for his shady dealings/white collar crimes?

Hillary will tell you whatever you want to hear to get your vote. Ever bought a used car?

Hillary is trying to satisfy both the far-left liberal Dems she needs to win the primaries, and the conservative Dems she needs to win a general election. She has no choice but to ping-pong her comments between those two positions.

More troubling is the response to her quasi-positive comment about surge progress in Iraq from the rest of the Democrats. That response has been completely about not acknowledging any progress, regardless if it is actually happening, because the Dem strategy is to paint the war/surge a failure and then pull the troops.

The Dems approved Petraeus and his surge plan, and now are calling it a failure in spite of progress and before the agreed reporting milestone.

Hillary would probably have the most realistic approach for handling the war, but her party will have none of it.

Get a life McCain. No flip-flop from Hillary on this. Stop taking words out of context and be honest – as hard as that is for politicians. What she said was that the surge was working in providing security is certain areas of Iraq, disagree? She also said that the political disagreements are not going to be solved militarily, disagree? Stick to the issues at hand and stay clear of the politics – the way the old McCain used to do things.

A pre-911 mentality is what Hillary wants to bring America back to..

Look! It's another John Kerry.