Ignoring McCain's inconsistent statements, Blitzer did not challenge Gov. Crist's defense of comparison of Iraq and South Korea
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SUMMARY: On The Situation Room, Wolf Blitzer left unchallenged Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's claim that "what Senator [John] McCain talks about" when he said he advocated a long-term military presence in Iraq is "to make sure that those who have lost their lives, that their lives were not lost in vain. I mean, we still maintain troop presence in South Korea." In fact, McCain has made inconsistent statements on the subject of a troop presence in Iraq modeled on South Korea, which Blitzer did not note.
On the April 23 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer asked Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) to respond to a clip of Sen. Hillary Clinton stating, "Senator [John] McCain says he wants to leave troops in Iraq for up to 100 years." Crist replied, "Well, what Senator McCain talks about is continuing to have a presence, to make sure that those who have lost their lives, that their lives were not lost in vain. I mean we still maintain troop presence in South Korea." However, Blitzer failed to challenge Crist's analogy by pointing to McCain's own inconsistent statements on the subject.
As Media Matters for America noted, on the November 27, 2007, edition of PBS' Charlie Rose, McCain was asked by Rose if South Korea "is an analogy of where Iraq might be ... in terms of an American presence over the next, say, 20, 25 years, that we will have a significant amount of troops there." McCain replied, "I don't think so." Rose then asked: "Even if there are no casualties?" McCain replied, "No. But I can see an American presence for a while. But eventually I think because of the nature of the society in Iraq and the religious aspects of it that America eventually withdraws."
By contrast, during a January 3, 2008, town hall meeting in Derry, New Hampshire, a participant said to McCain: "President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years -- ." McCain interjected: "Maybe a hundred. We've been in South Korea; we've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That'd be fine with me as long as Americans -- as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, then it's fine with me. I hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al Qaeda is training, recruiting, and equipping, and motivating people every single day."
As Media Matters has documented, the media have frequently reported on McCain's January 3 remarks without noting his inconsistency on the need for a Korea-like troop presence in Iraq.
From the April 23 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
BLITZER: Now, here's the attack that Hillary Clinton has been making directly against John McCain in many of her stump speeches. I'll play it for you.
CLINTON [video clip]: My opponent, Senator Obama, said that Senator McCain would be a better president than George Bush. Well, with all due respect, Senator McCain says he wants to leave troops in Iraq for up to 100 years. Is that better than George Bush? I don't think so.
BLITZER: All right. You want to respond to that?
CRIST: Well, what Senator McCain talks about is continuing to have a presence to make sure that those who have lost their lives, that their lives were not lost in vain. I mean, we still maintain troop presence in South Korea. It's important, I think, that the American people understand what Senator McCain is talking about and why he believes it's so important to maintain freedom, to make sure that these hard-fought battles, that we don't just cut and run, if you will, and make sure that we protect and preserve the freedom that has been fought so hard for by some of the bravest people in the history of America -- those young, you know, men and women that are serving in our military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
BLITZER: And we are -- we're out of time. But a quick final question: Any discussions, if you want to share with us, between you and him on your being a potential vice presidential running mate?
This is troubling for me with regard to McCain's position on this. I believe he was right back in 2007 when he said due to the religious nature of the region, we need to eventually withdraw, completely. Now he apparently believes that we do need to maintain a presence there.
Iraq is totally different, and should not be analogized to other regions of the world who do not have the same religious presence.
McCain, and his defenders, need to explain what his position is now and why he changed. I would very much like to know.