Many conservatives love to hate McCain because of him being a so called 'maverick.'

His maverick status leads me to wonder… did he fight for the North or the South?

Isn't he supposed to be distancing himself from Bush?

Mr McCain - who should be blamed? Hillary? Gomer Pyle? The Cat in the Hat? If he didn't approve of that banner or speech, don't you think he could have said pull it down and not said those words? McCain - I'm not sure but maybe you've been sniffing too much glue as you try to keep your campaign glued together these days.

Senator McCain,

I am really not stupid. Why do you make stupid statements about mission accomplished? For common people, we recognize when something IS or IS NOT accomplished in our daily lives and apply the same litmus test to the government. The president, and your partner, staged true drama about an untrue status in Iraq. Bush has to live with it and so do you. "Out of harm's way" by the way, means what?

The buck stops with Bush.

Why isn't the DNC making ads about all these comments and airing them country wide? Howard DEAN - WAKE UP!!

How about blaming him for "major combat operations are over?!"

Peter S.
Georgia

Sounds like McCain is trying to set up his future defense strategy.

How does this statement (don't blame Bush) reconcile with his comments about Obama and Wright?

Bush is quick to claim credit when something good happens but is a master at ducking blame when things go bad. Bush has had enablers, like John McCain, his whole life. Well, this King , or spoiled frat brat, truly has no clothes.

Now, the Republicans are blaming each other I'd much rather see THAT in the news.

Mission accompished is the US no longer having the need to be in Iraq. The sooner we are out, the better. If McCain is unwilling to get us out then hopefully a Deomcrat will.

ok mccain, we'll play your game. say others gave bush conflicting information…. he's the commander in chief , he should have read the reports, investigated, got other opinions, used his brains and made smart decisions.

is that asking too much. apparently so. Bush is responsible for over 4000 american soldiers death. countless innocent iraq's death. he had people tortured and kill during interrogation.

if he didn't know he should have. but idiots like you and Hillary supported and his dumb decisions. you and hillary are just as much responsible for those lost lives as bush is. that is why i could never support or believe anything that proceeds out of your mouth.

Wow, McCain really doesn't want to win in November, does he?

And this is an example of exactly why, when this race is narrowed to being just between McCain and Obama, Obama will be able to soundly win the Presidency.

Whatever happened to the concept 'the buck stops here'? Of course he's to blame!

You mean it won't even be accomplished in "100 Years"?

What a monumental blunder!

Who do you blame then? He was after all the President.

This guy is nuts! There's plenty of blame to go around, and he needs to share it along with "W".

If Bush can't stand in front of banner to express the truth. Then the war was fought because of a lie.

The American people were told:
The mission in Iraq has been accomplished, major combat operations in Iraq are over, democracy in Iraq is well established, the insurgency is in its death throes, the Iraqi people will greet us as liberators, Iraq is capable of defending itself. All of the above statements are false. Again, Bush has done nothing but lie to and mislead the American people since the day he took office. Now we have this pasty old man McCain who want to be the next President, following in Bush's footsteps. Go back to Arizona, McCain.

If he didn't want it seen, why didn't he have it taken down.

JUST ANOTHER LIE!!!!

"The Man of the Moment". John McCain.. If there ever was a Redeemer… John McCain. Can.

I DO hold Bush responsible for everything done and said on his behalf by his own administration's spokesmen … how can he take credit for things that may have gone right on his watch if he's not man enough to accept the blame for his adminstration's many many failures? The man has never been successful at any job he has held in his lifetime … he is a worthless human being and just another ugly stain on American presidential history! MCCain is simply not credible when it comes to the speaking the 'truth' and he would make for a lousy leader!!

McSame,, please do America a favor and retire to a condo in Miami Beach or something……Your day has come and gone, a long time ago…

Trying to re-write history…Mr.McSAME

look McCain is not so annoying and irritating as Hillary but at the same time he has the least interest in the american people. He has to be told by other people to start talking about the economy, come on this is ridiculous. First of all, the Bush GOPs don't even know that there is a recession and they only care about themselves. And the rich get richer!! Please America don't vote for another BUshie.

Oh yeah it wasn't Bush's fault… we all know he's been lead by the hand through this presidency. Remember, at the beginning he could barely string a sentence together. To be honest I'm suprised the US is in as good shape as it is, and thats saying something.

Bottom line the Buck stops at the top! If they want some of the responcibility to trickle down, as well, then so be it. He should be impeached, and along with his cronies get locked away for things they have done.

Wow - don't blame Bush for Mission Accomplished?!?!

The last time that I checked Bush was the president when this idiotic statement and banner was made. who are we to blame John? This is why I am not too worried about the general election - the more the public will truly see just how out of touch with reality McCain really is.

Democrats '08

I like McCain better then Obama. At least we know McCain loves this country with all its warts.

"responsibility should rest with elected officials who made statements at the time that “were contradicted by the facts on the ground.”

Statements like "Mission Accomplished"?

McCain is a joke!

FIrst he his for Bush, then he is against him. He is against the tax cut, then he is for it. He is for campaign reform, then he violates his own law. Does he even know that he did the day before? Obama is going to make mince meat out of him.

Mabe McCain should read the speech or watch the video of the speech by Bushie on that day.

He declared victory.

Bushie said he was going to invade Iraq BEFORE he was appointed president on three different occasion on camera. He used 9/11 as an excuse.

Don't blame the president, blame his subordinates??
So if McCain wins we should always blame the subordinates for everything gone wrong, not the commander in chief.

Any body but McBush.. McSane. and McBilliary…. LOL

So now this whole "Mission Accomplished" victory speech blunder is all Sec. Rumsfeld's fault?

How convient to make him the fall guy. Did Rumsfeld advise him to put on the flight suit as well?

Please…give us a break John.

OK. We won't blame Bush - we'll blame you and Hillary!

Making comments like these just shows he's too old. So when he says stupid things in the future like Bush has in the past are we supposed to look the other way?

"Go back to Arizona, McCain"
- Ehhh, no, thank you!!
McCain should just quitely retire and continue spending his wife multi-million fortune.

That' s exactely the reason why you can't get elected as BUSH as MC you guys just playing with Amecans as if we were children.OBAMA08

Why would this Dinosaur defend Bush….Thank God the Dems. only have McCain to contend with in November, he's self destructive, any other Republican would be giving us a run for our money the way Hillary is tearing this party apart!

Nuclear Warfare?? Do's anyone know an Alternative for Iraq.
2003 could have been just that, if Iraq had been ignored. Israel! Will be there, long after Iran, become's another "Mission Accomplished"..

I blame you too McSame!

Standing up for Bush doesn't make McCain look very smart. Why don't we hold a lottery to elect the next Prez.? I'm not sure we can do much worse. All the candidates look like bad jokes. Vote for Cheech and Chong because we need some serious medication.

Wow. We shouldn't blame the president for saying "mission accoplished" out of his mouth? And, he stood in front of that banner in a Air Force bomber jacket. Neither he nor his administration never thought to check those statements against actual on the ground facts?

He was happy as a pig in slop to put on the jacket and stand with real soldiers and look impressive. He has been a happy puppet of Dick Cheney for the past 7 years! He's done nothing but continue to lie to the American public and the world (Keep in mind that alligience to him ultimately got Tony Blair removed from office!), as well as keep American soldiers in battle.

The sad part is that John McCain (and his Straight Talk Express) won't stand up and admit that GW has led us all down a disaterous path. I respect his service to this country, but I have absolutely no intention on voting for him!

Obama '08

Oh give me a break! The President isn't responsible for his actions? For his appointing the other idiots who are also responsible? Call this man McBush or McSame, but don't call him our future president. We've had enough! 264 days to go and Bush is a private citizen and can continue to be the idiot we all expect him to be.

PROOF POSITIVE—McCAIN = BUSH 3RD TERM!

McCain has a point given that he was just reporting what he was told by the commanders. Of course he should have been far more specific about which mission he was referring to.

That said, what an incredibly idiotic thing for McCain to say politically.

Doug R.- -Precisely my man!

Oh, Then there's that other little thing- -WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE 9 BILLION $ THAT IS STILL MISSING IN IRAQ

It amazes me how ignorant some are.
War is a war and no one said it will be easy and pretty.
Most of you don’t even have an idea of the culture and complications that we
have to face in Iraq. You can’t always be on the defense, some time you must be on the offensive to stay a head of the
terrorists. The technology is advancing for everyone including the terrorist. So you must take different measures.
Al-Qaida said American’s don’t have the stomach to finish this war.
Democrats are playing right into there hands.
I am sure Obama and Hillary know we can’t just pull out of Iraq but they just say it to score political points.
Call me old fashion but I don’t appreciated when politicians play politics with our National Security.
This is not about Bush this is what we must face in the 21st century.
Open your eyes people.

Americans will NEVER be "out of harms' way" so long as we remain in Iraq. Our proud military (and the war-profiteers who supply them) will be a target for extremists so long as we are in that country.

I suppose we could wall ourselves inside an impregnable fortress in the middle of a wilderness within Iraq and never come out, but what will that accomplish?

Bush was the incompetent that appointed all the incompetents.

Making excuses for the most unpopular president in modern history isn't a bright way to get elected. The only people McCain can fool are the 28%ers who nodded in agreement when Bush said "We'll stay the course" and then nodded in agreement again when Bush said "We've never been stay the course".

birds of the same fether

With the McCain as the presumptive nominee from one of our two major political parties, I weep for our nation.

keep making excuses for your illegal war!you should all be arrested for misleading the american people,into supporting this war!mccain,bush,cheney,clinton,rumsfeld,and the rest of you may be in legal trouble,after this election,for occupying iraq for oil and profits.ron paul and obama are the only candidates without blood on their hands.

Word on the street here in DC is that a very large contingent of uncommitted superdelegates have already decided to go with Obama. This daily trickling of superdelegates throwing their support behind Obama is part of a plan to end the nomination next Tuesday.

More are going to commit each day, then Monday or early Tuesday, a substantial number will make their announcement supporting Obama all at once.

Rumor is that the majority of the remaining superdelegates are involved. We'll see next week.

Maybe Bush shouldn't have grandstanded by flying onto the aircraft carrier. McCain and Bush are one and the same. Either knows how to fight a war. We should have concentrated on Afghanistan and Bin Laden–not Iraq.

Bush and McCain took their eye off the ball.

That Mission Accomplished banner will forever haunt Bush.

Is the "Songbird", "Kitten5″, "MccainFeingold", "MIA/POW's nightmare", "Airbus best friend ", ….. out of touch with the american people and the reality OR does he think we are stupid OR does he think we already forgot OR IS HE A MORON?

Check Amazon's best sellet book: The Revolution A Manifesto if you are interested in the Truth!

Someone please give Mr. McCain a copy of the US Constitution - ahem…Secretary of State is NOT an ELECTED position.

Mr. McCain is factually correct on one issue - the blame belongs to any number of elected officials - inlcuding Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, and the cheerleaders in Congress (including Mr. McCain) who gave them un-monitored free reign to launch a war with no reliable intelligence, no solid execution plan, and no exit strategy.

WOW!!! Will this guy EVER get his head out of Bushs Arse????

this is ridiculous!!! does mccain think we are dumb idiots?!?!

like did Bush HIMSELF not give a speech that VERY same day pretty much saying mission accomplished!!!!

are we to believe that a mysterious banner had the ENTIRE nation fooled?!?!? So then why did Bush not refute the banner? he had 5 years to do so!!!

Did bush himself not say we would only be in there 90 days?!?!

people are DYING, our children are dying, and McCain is talking about a BANNER?!?!?1

McCain, you are a FOOL, and you are not fit to lead this nation!!!!

And Why not, Senator McShame?

He was the one who pulled rank with Executive Privileges by saying "The Buck Stops Here", instead of allowing congress to take objective views and discuss going to war. He and the 'Team" he selected made it Anti-American to oppose his position. And as always old politics made you and Clinton vote for the war.

McShame, I believe we should change your name to McBush and not even list you on the Presidential Ballot in November.

I am just waiting for that repressed anger of yours to lash out against Rumsfield.

Bush got us into this mess with his first speech 'Axis of Evil' , after that statement HIs Mission was accomplished….. He got us into a War in order to make himself the infamous worst President this country has ever had.

In addition, his statement "You either for us or against us" alienated us from allies.
If you want to get elected follow the polls and 'RUN FOREST RUN"

In truth, I feel a bitter since of relief that he is leaving.. Why becasue Hillary or Barack will have to unravel this mess and it is going to be a nightmare!

After reading all these comments, i am of the Opinion that re-electing George Bush was the biggest mistake in history.
Another Republican will probably do the same thing, and the war will continue to go on, for who knows how long.
Obama is an "Empty Suit" talking about change, but never says what change.
I believe Hillary can make a difference in the WHITE HOUSE, and I am for her 100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will debate everyone of you on this.
I know how they can change your life, my life was changed because of
radicals that we are fighting now.
It is very easy to sit behind your computer and bash all decision makers.
Your personal hate for Bush must not overshadow your support for democracy in middle east.
Why not put all this effort in supporting the troops and their mission. If you are so for change,
why not stand behind the troops and the president to finish this job once and for all.
Stop hiding behind rhetoric’s of politicians and come together and defeat this enemy radical Islam.

McCain & Bush…

The Buck Stops… THERE!

Nothing is Bush's fault… It is all the fault of us electing him… Just blame the majority of Americans and the wrong mindset we have as how our president should be. Just CHANGE the mindset and make sure we don't make the mistake again.

Mission Accomplished! American's not only voted for him once but
twice.We should have pulled our men out that day. Why didn't we.I want to know what was the purpose of staying? Oil? Please no more Republicans. Please! 4,000 Soldiers, thousounds seriously wounded, a country destroyed, and millions of Iragis dead. Are not we a great nation?. We want to be a great nation once again.

I was a Kerry supporter. I am now and Obama supporter. A Clinton
in the White House to "make deals" with selling our jobs for "personal
pocket change. What will stop Bill Clinton from continuing taking
millions from Dubai and Columbia. His contact people will be right
in front of his nose. And Hillary will look the other way and deny.\

Women, Racists, they are selling your jobs. If you vote for Hillary,
you are ultimately voting against your family because Hillary cannot
accomplish a thing. She is too busy catering to both sides and the
lobbyist. Nothing will change.

At least you will have a nation to weep for. If obama is elected, there will be no nation to weep for. This will be the beginning of the end.
The New Roman empire will be destroyed from within.

Maybe that is our destiny. The Republic of Texas will rise again.

Who you want us to blame? Maybe we will blame you McCain.

Here we go again with the MCCAIN-BUSH policy.

WE will be in IRAQ fo 100 YEARS.

"JUST YOU WAIT"

For anyone who wants to speak negatively about Senator McCain, go for it, though PLEASE don't bash his patriotism/heroism in the same sentence.

Let's not forget what this Gentleman endured?

Kepp the issues seperate?

Show some respect!

There is no way this guy is going to win in November.

Nobody wants 4 more years of Bush.

Wow - we should not blame Bush for is spoken words "Mission Accomplished" but we should blame Barack for the spoken words of another person, Rev. Wright.

Come on people where is the Double standards?

McShame you are weak and you are giving Bush an outlet to blame others for his failed policies which have resulted in the deaths of over 4000 soilders and couontless Iraq civilians. At lease we now have the opportunity to vote for someone who when faced with a difficult decision to distance himself from the erroneous and flawed words spoken by someone that he has a relationship with, can do it with Presidential Leadership and Integrity

You McShame can't do that, even when you know Bush was wrong and used flawed judgement.

OBAMA 2008 and 2012!

War is historically unpredictable. i.e.., hell. To lay blame for lack of foresight within it's midst is obsurd. 5 yrs ago today, 69% of America supported the Iraq war and Bush. Who's to blame for lack of foresight??

Actually one can blame Bush, clinton and Mccain for the sign. If they hadn't authorized the war in the first place, there woulnd't of been a sign.

McLame, I thought you were different but you are more the same as Bush. What in the world, you should think before you speak McStain. You are out of touch, this black independent is looking towards the dems in november. Barrack or Hillary

Tommy Franks said he was the one who was responsible for the mission accomplished sign. It was mission accomplished for the crew of the carrier coming home. It wasn't mission accomplished for the war. Bush said we still had major operations ongoing. At the time there was no violence. The violence was created by firing the iraqi army and the baath party.

That's right we all want a Commander in Chief who isn't the commander at all, someone else is, blame it on them. That's what we'll get in John McCain, just as irresponsible as Bush.

Being a democrat myself, I still respect Senator McCain for not planning on getting out of Iraq overnight because that would be disastrous - but now for McCain to give me a feeling that he has no end in sight is more scary to me than Donal Rumsfeld being the Secretary of Defense and Cheney being our country's VP.

Hello Mr. McCain.
Maybe this is a news to you but the buck always stops with the President.
But of course, Bush was so dumb that the reality never dawned on him. Heck for him, the economy is still booming and he is winning in Iraq!

Mr McCain:

You know as well as any military leader than when it all goes to hell in a hand basked, the COMMANDER takes the heat. Or at least you SHOULD know that as a former military officer.

If you don't "get this" then you are NOT ready to be our Commander in Chief!

Retired E-7

LOL, thanks for another great perpetual war soundbite, John! We dems love it when you continue to profess your love for this illegal, inept, corrupt war. Better get cracking on how you're going to spin these statements. Mission's never gonna be accomplished….

Geez, who could have scripted the post-Bush Republican more of the same candidacy better than that? You and Joe Leiberman enjoy your life in political exile together, Maverick!

We shouldn't blame the president for things the president said. It is unfair and unpatriotic.

TO THE BLOGGER "PARIS": You said you want to debate–OK, let's debate.
–The 9/11 hijackers were not from Iraq
–Al Quaida had no significant presence in Iraq prior to our invasion
–The were no major WMD'S

Our mission will be accomplished on Jan. 20, 2009 when Barack Obama is sworn in as your next President of the United States.

Many of us have a difficult time putting Sen. McCain in a political box. He is clearly his own man, seeking to be true to himself and the country he loves. Call me idealistic, but I believe that John McCain is the American president Americans have been waiting for. They just don't know it yet.

okay what is this banner soppose to be about? what the fact they found saddam hussein? come on thats mission accomplished. no mission accomplished is when they catch bin laden

Wait, who appointed Rumsfeld again?

Oh, right. Bush.

maybe mac wants to blame charles keating.

Aren't you supposed to be distancing yourself from bush John McSame?

paris i think your are out gunned on this issue. just lay down and play dead. i was in the service, and i still wouldn't vote a republican into office. the military doesn't starve under any president no matter how dumb that president is. how many of your brother in arms had to die because of the wmd lie? how many of your brother in arms have died having their hands tied trying to find bin laden? i am not bad mouthing the people doing their duty, just the person putting them in harms way for a bunch of lies. let me make that clear i am bad mouthing GW, and anyone that voted to go into iraq.

John, you probably don't ever REMEMBER that day! you are toooo old. His mission became a different……to bring our country down. Think about, the whole world hates US, our economy is down, the gas price is up, our food is more expensive, our homes are worth NOTHING, our education is so expensive, our health care is extremetly expensive and Bush, the idiot is "dancing" everywhere? you will do the same in the White House, except of dancing, you will be sleeping, you're tooo old John!

To Allan,

LOL, you are dreaming!

First of all, Senator Clinton will wrap up the nomination (Rev. Wright made certain of that), forget about the math!

A Clinton is a Clinton, and don't ever underestimate a Clinton!

Besides, NObama, could NEVER win out over McCain!

CNN: You must be prejudiced Republicans, since you refused to publish my comment about John McCain!!! Shame on you!

"The presumptive Republican nominee said that he feels responsibility should rest with elected officials who made statements at the time that “were contradicted by the facts on the ground.”

, oh, you mean elected officials like BUSH???!!!

I guess the buck must stop somewhere else these days. I have never heard such B:S as is coming from this president and Mccain is cut from the same arrogant, self serving, out of touch with reality world.

Hey John McCain,

Do you really believe that the Captain of that carrier would do anything that was NOT approved by President Bush? If you really believe that and you are the best that the Republican Party can come up with, then either we the American people are STUPID or your party is. The worst part is that you were once a Captain yourself.

Stop lying to yourself first, then stop lying to us. No wonder you and Hillary Clinton get along so well. BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER.

Okay, Uncle Sam….just when will we know it…..when gas is $l0 a gallon or when the bombs start falling on Iran and young Americans are drafted again to handle war in the middle east that never should have happened in the first place. McCain was a hero, the operative word is WAS.

2 words…………………mission impossible

Paris said , "It is very easy to sit behind your computer and bash all decision makers. Your personal hate for Bush must not overshadow your support for democracy in middle east."

First of all the people in the Middle East DID NOT ask for democracy. The key point about democracy is when people want it, it comes to them. Secondly, most Americans support the troops. We do not support the war and want our troops returned back home. If you love the war that much why are you not over there? I was.

The old fart can not remember who he is today much less something that happened a few years back. John give it up get yourself a seat at the bingo table in Arizona and try to remember how to spell BINGO

"McCain, who has been a fierce critic of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for years…"

Can someone please provide evidence of this other than McCain's own claims?

As late as 2006, McCain refused to call for Rumsfeld's resignation, saying something along the lines of, "If the President has confidence in him (Rumsfeld), then I do as well."

The mission to get to Bagdad WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

"John McCain today said that President Bush was not to blame for the decision to speak in front of the famed “Mission Accomplished” banner aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln five years ago."

McCain is not even nominated and he is already full of excuses for Bush!

Truman had the sign on his desk that stated "the buck stops here."
Bush's sign says "don't blame me!"

GOP: party of no personal responsibility - "I don't recall" and "mistakes were made" as well as "bring it on!"

Just keep the picture of McCain hugging Bush and you have McCain all figured out. More of the same and stay the course!