When Mike Cooper of the NYT’s Caucus blog has it already?
In a speech he plans to deliver in Concord, N.H., Mr. McCain, who just returned from Iraq last week, plans to cast the 2008 presidential election as a referendum on the war in Iraq – a risky stance, given polls that show the war is increasingly unpopular.
“In November, 2008 the American people will decide with their votes how and where this war will be fought or if it will be fought at all,” Mr. McCain plans to say, according to excerpts of the speech obtained from the campaign.
“I have told you how I intend to fight this war,” he plans to say. “Other candidates will argue for a different course. Democratic candidates for President will argue for the course of cutting our losses and withdrawing from the threat in the vain hope it will not follow us here. I cannot join them in such wishful and very dangerous thinking. Peace at any price is an illusion and its costs are always more tragic than the sacrifices victory requires. I will stand where I stand today and trust you to give me a fair hearing. There is too much at stake in this election for any candidate to do less.”
I’ll say this about John McCain: He’s a brilliant strategist! Must be that military background. Following a week where seemingly everyone in his campaign quit, was fired, or got caught soliciting gay sex, John McCain did not quaver. No, he looked (or is about to look) straight into the cameras and told the American people he’s all for a massively unpopular war.
I tell you, he doesn’t need aides, he’s so savvy.
