McCain admits mistake in using Petraeus picture for fundraising
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/30/art.mccain.email.gi.jpg caption=" A fundraising e-mail sent to McCain supporters Thursday."]
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (CNN) - John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for president, said he was wrong to use an image of Gen. David Petraeus in fundraising material, and it "will not happen again."
His admission came hours after the Barack Obama campaign criticized an e-mail showing McCain shaking hands with the general who has been commanding U.S forces in Iraq.
It was not the first time McCain had used the picture of himself with Petraeus; it appeared on the candidate's website for several days in April before being taken down.
McCain has been hammering Obama for days over the length of time been since the Democratic front-runner last visited Iraq, mentioning Friday it was "873 days."
"I have visited Iraq on many occasions because I think the most vital decision that any president of the United States can make has got to be about the security of this nation and the lives of the young Americans who are serving," McCain said in an e-mail to supporters sent Thursday afternoon.
Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently took the unusual step of admonishing all members of the military to stay out of politics as the presidential campaign heats up.
Well, what did you expect from a warmonger?
I don't see what the problem is.... If you visit with a key leader then show the picture, what's so wrong with that? Now if you put some crazy caption under it saying the General supports X candidate and you don't know that for a fact then I would start raising an issue.
Too much nitpicking going around on both sides of the fence. Let's focus on the issues like Abortion, Taxes (Flat tax or not), Oil, Healthcare, War in Iraq, etc....
Senator McCain's only true regret is getting caught. Leave Gen. Petraeus out of this. Stand on your own merits if you can.
If I remember correctly any member of the military that permits their picture in uniform to be used for political purposes should be punished. For a former military officer (McCain) to place another service member in that position is reprehensible.
McCain said, "I have visited Iraq on many occasions because I think the most vital decision that any president of the United States can make has got to be about the security of this nation and the lives of the young Americans who are serving,"
That seemed to be worded very carefully but this statement does leave him open to my burning criticism. I must agree decisions on national security are vital and important.
However, if he truly believed that, he would be hard at work to bring our troops home from Iraq so he would not have to visit them there. I say this because IRAQ HAS NEVER POSED A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY
So what! No issue here - Got it Obama!
No need to pologize, Senator McCain.
Wow... John and his campaign just don't get it. The days of doing something unethical and then apologizing after the deed is done – are over for us (the American people). I hope his campaign was able to generate more income than it cost him in image.
It's these types things that shows John McCain's age, much more so than his spritely body.
Geez, even Rupert Murdoch says the "repulsive-can'ts" are in a world of hurt come Nov.
Tuesday evening can't get here fast enough... it's time to unite and get these S*O*B's out.
And who says its a mistake. Mcain has been in Washington for too long and is already too compromised. It wont be a surprise if he looses by a landslide. You heard it from me first.
I AM A LIFELONG DEMOCRAT BUT I WILL VOTE FOR MCCAIN + $10 GAS + 100 MORE YEARS IN IRAQ + NO HEALTHCARE + OVERTURNING OF ROE VS WADE EVEN THOUGH OBAMA AND HILLARY'S POLICY'S ARE NEAR IDENTICAL….
BECAUSE…
BECAUSE…
BECAUSE…???
OBAMA SUPPORTERS ARE MEAN!
I DONT CARE THAT HILLARY LIED, SLUNG MUD, FLIP FLOPPED, PLAYED THE RACE AND GENDER CARDS. I DONT CARE THAT SHE CANT BEAT MCCAIN IF SHE CANT EVEN BEAT A ROOKIE BLACK MAN. I DONT CARE THAT SHE RAN HER CAMPAIGN INTO $20 MILLION DEBT. I DONT CARE ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO THE PARTY'S UNITY. I DONT CARE FL AND MI BROKE PARTY RULES. I DONT CARE ABOUT THOSE WHO DIDNT VOTE IN FL AND MI. I DONT CARE THAT HILLARY INITIALLY AGREED TO FL MI DISQUALIFICATION. I DONT CARE ABOUT THE CAUCUS STATE VOTERS. I DONT CARE THAT HILLARY TRAILS IN EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY. OBAMA STOLE THE VOTE! IF HILLARY IS NOT NOMINATED I WILL VOTE FOR MCCAIN….BECAUSE OBAMA SUPPORTERS ARE MEAN!
THAT'LL TEACH YOU!
(end sacrasm)
wow you mean JM makes mistakes??? as in Obama isnt entitled to make any??? who is not ready for prime time here...!
this the guy americans wanna vote for!! remember!! u make ur bed,u "LIE" in it.
Number of times George w Bush visited Iraq before invading them: 0
I am a Republican and I supporting Sen Obama.
ha yeah right! It was quite the opposite...intentional without question.
John –
After misusing the photo in April ... why did you repeat the error in May?
Where was your judgement on this?
Mc Cain only knows war and that is what he is running on, he knows nothing about the economy or how people who are not multi-million heirs, such as he and his "Beer Heiress" wife live. Regular people don't own eight homes and have access to hundreds of millions of dollars like the McCains.
By the way I am very suspicious of Mc Cain, why does he want to get Barack to Iraq so badly? I don't trust McCain and I think he has alterior motives in wanting Barack to go to Iraq.
So much for ethics.
The old fool will do anything that in his sick mind will generate votes. Someone needs to tell him that America is tired of this illegal war and will not be fooled again. There are many issues facing our nation and the only thing that McCain talks about is war. What is his problem?
Watch and learn. No equivocation. No evasiveness. He just admitted he made a mistake. That, Barry, is how it's done in the big leagues.
McCain isn't and never was George W. Bush, and Obama with all his equivocation and evasiveness is no John McCain.
If Obama gets the nomination, his only chance of winning the general election is to learn a few things about character and integrity from John McCain
Obama, please exit the race so that you can save yourself from a humiliating defeat in Nov and so that Hillary Clinton can run a serious campaign against McCain.
HILLARY CLINTON '08
Bush III. Do something that you know is wrong and then hammer away at your opponent for not doing the same thing. No wonder the Clinton followers like him so much.
Very sad that Obama wants to goto Iran before Iraq... very very sad... and btw... please America send susan to canada...
I am watching DNC digging in by shifting positions from day to day.
Why can't DNC stick to the rules everyone agreed in the beginning?
Although I am an Independent, I don't want to see the Dem party implode, either. Then we will return to two party system, Republicans and Independents. We need at least three parties to stay healthy.
Admiral Mullen has given military personnel the best advice yet. Some Generals may throw there support to a nominee in hopes of gaining the highest position within the military once the nominee is elected.
Once again Sen. McCain shows why he is the only great man in the race.
Americans for McCain '08
Is this that lack of judgement we've been hearing about from McCain towards others?
The Dirty Republicans are at it again. Anything to win an election.