Rep. Wilson calls Obama 'frighteningly inexperienced'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/22/art.wilson.ap.jpg caption="Rep. Heather Wilson, a surrogate for John McCain, called Obama 'frighteningly inexperienced.'"]
(CNN) - A leading surrogate for John McCain called Barack Obama "frighteningly inexperienced" Tuesday, the latest effort from the Arizona senator's presidential campaign to step up its criticism of the Democratic presidential candidate while he travels abroad.
Speaking on a conference call with reporters, Rep. Heather Wilson, R-New Mexico, sharply criticized Obama and his presidential campaign for suggesting the Iraqi government had endorsed his timetable for withdrawal from the war-torn country.
"He's not listening to the whole of what the Iraqi government was saying - he's hearing what he wanted to hear and what he thought would help him politically, which get backs to Senator Obama as a candidate for the presidency," Wilson said. "He has his finger in the wind, trying to figure out which way the wind is blowing, and he is not leading.
"He is no way sophisticated enough, I don't think - I mean he is frighteningly inexperienced when it comes to international affairs and national security policy," she added. "And he heard what he wanted to hear from the Iraqi government, without any context around it, and took that simple message and decided it helped him politically. That's the antitheses of what we should expect from a president of the United States."
Listen: Wilson slams Obama on conference call (15:15)
Wilson's comments come after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was quoted in German newspaper appearing to suggest he supported Obama's 16-month timetable for withdrawal from the country. Top Obama foreign policy adviser Susan Rice said the campaign welcomed the comments, though Maliki's office letter dialed back from them.
Speaking on the same conference call as Wilson, McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann said the Iraqi government has made clear any timetable should be tied to conditions on the ground.
"There have been a number of statements from the prime minister and others about the hope that combat forces can be withdrawn by the end of 2010, but I will also point out the government has made clear in a variety of ways that that is based on an expectation of the continued improvement of the security situation and the continuing improvement in the capability of Iraqi security forces to provide for their own security,"
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and what does she know? just repeating the same ignorance that the fluke mc c is saying without telling the american people how is he going to solve the other more important issues of the day?....like HOW IS HE GOING to pay for the wars he wants to get in?
ask Ms. Wilson to tellus WHAT WARS has mc c has won as he said it the other day, WON? what a freaking LIE
The repugs are either frightened or trying to frighten. How sad they are. Like sacred little children who want company.
I'm confident that Rep. Wilson cast her vote for GW Bush the first time, despite him having even less international (or even national) experience than Obama has.
Hypocrites.
McCain is a warmonger, and so are his cronies. Without the war they have nothing to discuss since they think the economy is doing fine.
THE MCSAME TEAM JUST KEEPS SHOVING OUT PATHETIC ATTEMPTS TO TAKE DOWN OBAMA. HOW SAD!!
Spin, spin, spin. Anything to avoid the realities of the situation, Sen. McCain? We are not an imperialistic nation. To remain in Iraq when they don't want us because of a paternalistic "we know better than you" attitude is an occupation!
Right!
Obama is an arrogant, obfuscating, power-hungry, egomaniac with a single priority of political expediency. He has no core principles, no moral center and no judgment.
He was against the surge but won't admit he was wrong even when he now sees its success!
He is against drilling... even though the country and economists are for it...!
Let the slobbering media have their American Idol. Let him join the ridiculous talking heads! 🙁
But, vote for the American hero, Senator John McCain! 🙂
MCCAIN IS OLD OUT OF TOUCH AND INCOMPETENT. CAN THIS GUY TIE HIS OWN SHOE.
OBAMA.......08
"Rep. Wilson calls Obama 'frighteningly inexperienced'"
In other words, in a blinding flash of the obvious, Rep Wilson calls water "wet."
They only thing the GOP has to offer is fear.
cnn,attack piece on obama all day,what to balance the "media bias" huh?mccain is just a jealous old man.i will be voting democrat this year after being a repub for 30years.mccain can take that to the bank.
Please tell me all
was Kennedy more experienced when he became president at age 44?
just curious and uninformed. I know he commanded a PT boat in the war. what else?
Thanks.
Iraq/Pakistan border?!?!? I think stuff like that coming out of John McCain's mouth is frighteningly stupid. He should really take a geography lesson.
SO WE SHOULD BE SCARED OF HIM........... AND SAFE WITH MCCAIN....... O.............K........... SO JOKING ABOUT BOMBING ANOTHER COUNTRY SURE DOES SOUND LIKE EXPERIENCE TO ME............MCCAIN IS "frighteningly" OUT OF TOUCH.........
BARACK THE VOTE PEOPLE. 🙂
There's that typical fear mongering the Republicans are so good at. They are running so scared of Obama, it's 'frightening" What the Obama supporters find frightenting is McSame age. Now THAT'S frightening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All the so-called "experienced" leaders are the morons that led us to the debacles of Vietnam and Iraq. Remember, Obama spoke out clearly against the Iraq invasion–that is the judgement we need now.
See what I mean! Scary. Voting for Cynthia McKinney is the best way to keep America safe.. McCain and Obama are DANGEROUS. People, vote smart, vote liberal, vote McKinney/Clemente 08
Iraq/Pakistan border?!?!? I think stuff like that coming out of John McCain's mouth is frighteningly stupid. He should really take a geography lesson.
Fear monger!
Here we go again. Barack said they were going to make you afraid of him. I hope that this rhetoric is taken for what it is, fearmongering.
And what is your point? George Bush has screwed this country so bad that even my dog could do a better job! McCain and crew spend more time attacking Obama then they do tackling issues.
Rep Wilson
The only thing that we to fear is you.
Shes right! HILLARY FOR VP OR HILLARY 2012
The Republicans are parsing words. We all heard what The Iraqi Prime Minister said and Obama interpretation is accurate. McCain is not going win new converts by repeating the same inaccurate accusations against Obama over and over again. The American people are not as easily fooled as in the past by simple repetition of lies.
And who is the unknown person? CNN you are not being biased at all. I have monitored your tickers and comments for some time now and noticed that your abstracts often take jabs at Obama. In your wording you never give him credit for accomplishing much of anything. He is always attempting to do something. Similar to your earlier comments of whether he is hurting the african american community "Could an Obama Victory Hurt Black America?". We're on to you and your suggestive abstracts. I thougth Fox was the Spin network.