Bad Experience

John McCain brags that he know how to lead. His exchange with June 11, 2003 interview with Neil Cavuto questions the Maverick's claims.

NEIL CAVUTO (host): Senator -- after a conflict means after the conflict, and many argue the conflict isn't over.

McCAIN: Well, then why was there a banner that said mission accomplished on the aircraft carrier?

Look, the -- I have said a long time that reconstruction of Iraq would be a long, long, difficult process, but the conflict -- the major conflict is over, the regime change has been accomplished, and it's very appropriate. In two weeks, General Franks is going to come before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and we're going to have his overall assessment of the conflict. I think that's entirely appropriate because we'll be -- we'll be taking up the needs of the Defense Department and the men and women in the military on the Armed Services Committee.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel has not endorsed a presidential candidate. That and Hagel's accompanying Obama on an international trip says much about what Hagel thinks about McCain's foreign policy skills. Hagel told CNN that experience is not the deciding factor.

“Each candidate has strengths and weaknesses, and experience does matter,” Hagel said. “But what matters more in my opinion is character and judgment. And judgment meaning who is it that you bring around, who is it that you listen to? Can you make the right decisions for the right reasons on behalf of your country and the world?”

Hagel went on to say, "I think John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic.'"

McCain recently denounced Obama's 16 month timetable and endorsed Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki's 16 month timetable. This is the same timetable that Nouri al-Maliki and Obama agreed upon. McCain then denied he endorsed al-Maliki's timetable. In the same interview, McCain told Wolf Blitzer that al-Maliki doesn't want a timetable. I'm not making this up.

BLITZER: Why do you think (al-Makiki) said 16 months is basically a pretty good timetable?

MCCAIN: He said it's a pretty good timetable based on conditions on-the-ground. I think it's a pretty good timetable.

Blitzer asked what if al-Maliki asked President McCain to withdraw troops.

MCCAIN: He won't.

BLITZER: How do you know?

MCCAIN: He won't.

McCain was positive about "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED." Now he knows what goes on in the mind of the Iraqi Prime Minister.



Update: Hagel has another comment pointed at McCain.

"Quit talking about, 'Did the surge work or not work,' or, 'Did you vote for this or support this,'" Hagel said Thursday on a conference call with reporters.

"Get out of that. We're done with that. How are we going to project forward?" the Nebraska senator said. "What are we going to do for the next four years to protect the interest of America and our allies and restructure a new order in the world. ... That's what America needs to hear from these two candidates. And that's where I am."