November 11, 2007
Posted: November 11th, 2007 12:05 PM ET

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona.

(CNN)–GOP White House hopeful John McCain says the indictment of former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik raises questions about the judgment in character of fellow rival, and former Kerik boss, Rudy Giuliani.

Speaking on 'Fox News Sunday,' McCain said he was not suggesting the former New York mayor knew of any wrongdoing on Kerik's part, "but I would hope that it would have been taken into consideration by Rudy that Mr. Kerik went over to Iraq, was assigned the task force of the Iraqi police, obviouslyleft after a short period of time, and the Iraqi police effort was in total collapse," the Arizona senator said.

Kerik served as an advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in 2003, and was tasked with helping oversee the training of the Iraqi police force.

McCain also sought to highlight his national security credentials, over his rivals for the Gop nomination. "I am friends with Rudy Giuliani. I respect him," McCain said. "But the fact is that I'm the only one of the top three [GOP candidates] with any national security experience. Any. I've been involved in national security issues for the last 20 years. I was in the military for 22 years before that. I know these issues. I was involved in them ranging from the Cuban missile crisis to the issues we face today. That's what my qualifications are, and I think they're certainly - it's well to point out that neither Governor Romney nor Mayor Giuliani have any national security experience."

McCain also expressed disbelief over Christian conservative leader Pat Robertson's endorsement earlier in the week of Giuliani. "I'm not often rendered speechless. I certainly was at this event," he said. "I'm still surprised by it, and I will continue to be surprised by it for probably as long as I live."

McCain received the endorsement of former GOP candidate, Senator Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, this past week.

Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com

– CNN Political Desk Editor Jamie Crawford

Filed under: John McCain • Mitt Romney • Race to '08 • Rudy Giuliani


HONEST PERSON,LA   November 12th, 2007 8:12 pm ET

SO WHAT, WE DIE WHAT DA HELL ARE YOU A COWARD. WE FIGHT TO THE END. PROTECT OUR GRANDKIDS. WAKE UP BUDDY.THIS IS OUR WAR SO JOIN IT OR LEAVE IT. WHY PEOPLE SO SCARED OF WAR? WW2 VETS TURNING IN GRAVES. DANG!

marquis   November 12th, 2007 1:23 pm ET

McCain= more war in Iraq and a new war with Iran- that one won't be a slam dunk though. Millions will die- Iranian and American.

Bob,nevada   November 11th, 2007 8:45 pm ET

Sit down and shut up!

Brendan H., San Antonio, TX   November 11th, 2007 8:32 pm ET

McCain couldn't protect himself in South Carolina in 2000, and you think he can protect the rest of us from a physical attack?!

I DON'T!!!

Karen,ny   November 11th, 2007 6:52 pm ET

Jack..oh you wrote the book.

Chris, Pensacola FL   November 11th, 2007 6:41 pm ET

And I like bacon! Where's the pudding?

ne,pa.   November 11th, 2007 6:36 pm ET

McCain,

You're a war monger.

You're weak on border security.

You have anger issues which don't mix with being Commander in Chief!

Just to name a few!

I wouldn't even consider you!

Bill W, Coatesville, PA   November 11th, 2007 6:17 pm ET

Remind me again, please, John McCain – Where do you stand on securing the border? Didn't you vote against it again and again? And haven't you backed Bush on EVERYTHING, including selling our ports to Dubai?

So exactly how are you "the toughest on security"? I'd say you're one of the weakest.

Jayson, Beale AFB, CA   November 11th, 2007 5:02 pm ET

Sorry Mr McCain but: weak on border security=weak on national defense. Just because you finally "saw the light" is not going to change the voters opinion on your stance on promoting weak border security

Daniel, NY   November 11th, 2007 4:11 pm ET

A new national general election poll released today finds McCain the strongest candidate versus Hillary. link

EE   November 11th, 2007 3:55 pm ET

Im not only surprised at Pat Robertson endorsement of Guliani but radomly afraid the amageddon is near.

This is a man who preaches salvation on TV everyday but endorses a man who supports the murdering on babies.

Im terrified!

JD Rugby ND   November 11th, 2007 3:43 pm ET

McCain is yet another of the war-monger candidates (Guiliani, Clinton, Romney, Obama, Thompson) who will do nothing to end Bush's war of terror in Iraq. He, along with the others, vow to maintain the status quo so defense contractors can continue to profit from violence and death of Americans and Iraqis. Think about that, Americans, before you cast your votes.

Dorothy Wright, anaheim, CA   November 11th, 2007 2:44 pm ET

Though the war is unpopular, the fact is we need someone in office who has experience. I believe Mr. McCain is the man for the whitehouse. I am surprised as well at Pat Robertson's endorsement of Mr. Giuilani.

Valiant Kost   November 11th, 2007 2:25 pm ET

ATTENTION ALL HUMANS:

The Fear of our National Security that is being placed in front of our faces on every news channel by the people with high intrests is all an illusion. ALL created to generate public support for their false cause. Remember the Lusitania? The Ship that was sent into the original World War I war-zone despite German Warning that by doing so they would most likely be torpedoed. The ship went anyway and in turn was sunk. After that the United States was all for War. This happend due to Woodrow Wilson being elected with the dirty money of banks wanting to issue a FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM; completly independent from the United States Government and EXACTLY THE SAME REASON THAT WE DECLARED INDEPENDENCE from England. Wilson regretted this decision, for he essentially sold us ALL into Slavery. If you dont know about this incedent please learn. Money for War sold at intrest to create debt. Debt=Slavery. Almost all of our Income Tax(unconstitutional) goes to pay the intrest on worthless paper not even backed by gold.

FDR, from a long family of bankers, knew the dirty secrets of the banks and their involvment with Black Tuesday and welcomed it. With war comes new jobs and with another Lusitania(Pearl Harbor). Now the high intrest groups could send us into yet another War. More money needed for War= more debt at the cost of American Lives.

Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin. Proven to be a Lie only to have the Southeast Asia Resolution passed. This in turn led to Involvment in Vietnam... prolonged involvment never meant to end.... for $$$. Not to fight communists, but the perceved "Bad Guys." 61,191(source wikipedia) of our BROTHERS died as a result.

9/11 is no different than these previous incedents; STAGED to build public intrest and fear. It makes me sick that we as a people cannot see or do not care WHO IS BEHIND THE CURTIAN. How many more of us are they going to kill to reach their agenda? How much more fear will we let these PUBLIC SERVANTS pipe through a television telling us WHO we should destroy because they are a threat. In a One World Nation, questions like these will dub you as a Terrorist of the State.

Please AMERICA! Do not let us get into another War. Fight these Forces to end this greed driven war for The Elite that we fought our Revolution against.

We need to realize that we are more alike than different, and WE CAN live together without fear.

Call me whatever you want but there are forces working against us and when the day comes that the Dept. of Homeland Security breaks down your door(as the Gestapo did), arrests you without knowing your charges, detained indeffinently without consult of a lawyer, and legal torture; you MY FELLOW AMERICANS are now welcomed to the NEW WORLD ORDER.

SICK. SICK. $ICK!

TO AZ   November 11th, 2007 2:12 pm ET

Sen.McCain, I think your a good Sen.
But sorry your not presidential material. So my vote is for Ron Paul

T. Tim, Lodi, WI   November 11th, 2007 1:30 pm ET

I used to respect McCain until he sang "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran...bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran..." [to the tune of the Beach Boys' Barbara Ann song]. With this type of flippant humor regarding bombing coming from an ex-POW and W's joke about looking for WMD under the couch, I wonder about the sanity of people elected to such high offices in the US. Then to justify it, McCain chided the questioner and said something like, "Lighten up." With minds like these who needs enemies?

Comments have been closed for this article

subscribe RSS Icon
About The Ticker

The latest political news from CNN's Best Political Team, with campaign coverage, 24-7. Sign up for our twice daily Ticker emails. Got a news tip or feedback? For complete political coverage, bookmark CNNPolitics.com.

CNN=Politics Screensaver

CNN=Politics ScreensaverTap into the power of The Situation Room. Download this powerful new tool that keeps you posted on the latest political news from the campaign trail.
Download (4.1 MB, PC only)

twitter
Categories
Powered by WordPress.com VIP