ghemminger
09-13-2007, 03:03 PM
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/13/america/NA-POL-US-McCain-Iraq-2008.php
The Associated PressPublished: September 13, 2007
WASHINGTON: Gen. David Petraeus' high-profile report on Iraq is pumping new life into Sen. John McCain's U.S. presidential bid, his backers say, making the Republican lawmaker appear prescient and courageous on the political campaign's most vital issue.
Whether the new dynamic in Iraq can salvage McCain's troubled campaign is far from certain. But he is wooing voters with a sense of momentum not seen since he drastically reduced his staff and spending two months ago.
Senators say McCain, more than any other presidential hopeful, benefited from Petraeus' claim that the seven-month-old troop escalation in Iraq was mostly a success and has helped stabilize key parts of the country.
From the war's start, McCain argued for more troops and was Congress' most prominent defender of the increase that President George W. Bush announced in January.
This week, McCain launched a "No Surrender" tour of the early voting state of Iowa with a clear "I-told-you-so message." His allies hope it will give him a new edge over Republican rivals, including Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney.
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"The difference between them and John is that John said it before anybody else, took the heat for saying it, and without him, there would have been no surge," Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, said in an interview Wednesday.
"Now John is center-stage next week beating back political efforts to undercut the surge," said Graham, a longtime McCain supporter. "He will be standing with generals in the field against would-be political generals."
McCain's staunch support of the war could hurt him with independent voters in a general election. But for now, he is focused on die-hard Republicans.
In those circles, support for Bush and the war still runs fairly high, and McCain's prominent role in this week's congressional testimony by Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker could not be matched by his main rivals.
Democratic voters overwhelmingly say the Iraq war a mistake, but 69 percent of Republicans support it, according to a recent AP-Ipsos poll. Similar divisions were found when respondents were asked about the success of the troop increase and the likelihood that history will judge the war a success.
The Associated PressPublished: September 13, 2007
WASHINGTON: Gen. David Petraeus' high-profile report on Iraq is pumping new life into Sen. John McCain's U.S. presidential bid, his backers say, making the Republican lawmaker appear prescient and courageous on the political campaign's most vital issue.
Whether the new dynamic in Iraq can salvage McCain's troubled campaign is far from certain. But he is wooing voters with a sense of momentum not seen since he drastically reduced his staff and spending two months ago.
Senators say McCain, more than any other presidential hopeful, benefited from Petraeus' claim that the seven-month-old troop escalation in Iraq was mostly a success and has helped stabilize key parts of the country.
From the war's start, McCain argued for more troops and was Congress' most prominent defender of the increase that President George W. Bush announced in January.
This week, McCain launched a "No Surrender" tour of the early voting state of Iowa with a clear "I-told-you-so message." His allies hope it will give him a new edge over Republican rivals, including Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney.
Today in Americas
University fences in Berkeley protesters
Bush to sell limited Iraq pullout as middle way
Panel urges World bank to change antigraft plan
"The difference between them and John is that John said it before anybody else, took the heat for saying it, and without him, there would have been no surge," Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, said in an interview Wednesday.
"Now John is center-stage next week beating back political efforts to undercut the surge," said Graham, a longtime McCain supporter. "He will be standing with generals in the field against would-be political generals."
McCain's staunch support of the war could hurt him with independent voters in a general election. But for now, he is focused on die-hard Republicans.
In those circles, support for Bush and the war still runs fairly high, and McCain's prominent role in this week's congressional testimony by Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker could not be matched by his main rivals.
Democratic voters overwhelmingly say the Iraq war a mistake, but 69 percent of Republicans support it, according to a recent AP-Ipsos poll. Similar divisions were found when respondents were asked about the success of the troop increase and the likelihood that history will judge the war a success.