McCain - The One year Anniversary of "Without Precondition"

One year ago today, Barack Obama said he would personally meet with the leaders of Iran and other rogue nations "without precondition." Such unconditional presidential summits would undermine the multilateral diplomacy now underway. This one-year anniversary is even more significant given that Barack Obama is in Israel which is threatened and attacked by Hamas and Hezbollah, terrorist groups backed by Iran. Please find below background on Barack Obama's support for unconditionally holding presidential summits with foreign dictators and state sponsors of terrorism.

At A July 2007 Democratic Debate, Barack Obama Announced He Would Personally Meet With Leaders Of Iran, North Korea, Syria And Other Hostile Nations "Without Precondition." QUESTION: "[W]ould you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?"... OBAMA: "I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration - is ridiculous." (CNN/YouTube Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Charleston, SC, 7/23/07)

· Watch Barack Obama Say "I Would" Meet Unconditionally With Leaders Of Iran, North Korea, Syria, And Other Nations

· At A September 2007 Press Conference, Barack Obama Confirmed That He Would Meet Specifically With Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Question: "Senator, you've said before that you'd meet with President Ahmadinejad ..." Obama: "Uh huh." Question: "Would you still meet with him today?" Obama: "Yeah, nothing's changed with respect to my belief that strong countries and strong presidents talk to their enemies and talk to their adversaries. I find many of President Ahmadinejad's statements odious and I've said that repeatedly. And I think that we have to recognize that there are a lot of rogue nations in the world that don't have American interests at heart. But what I also believe is that, as John F. Kennedy said, we should never negotiate out of fear but we should never fear to negotiate." (Sen. Barack Obama, Press Conference, New York, NY, 9/24/07)

Barack Obama's Campaign Website: "Obama Is The Only Major Candidate Who Supports Tough, Direct Presidential Diplomacy With Iran Without Preconditions." "Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress." (Obama Campaign Website, http://www.barac kobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/, Accessed 5/15/08)

· LINK: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/

America's European Allies Have Voiced Concern About Barack Obama's Pledge To Meet With President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Without Precondition:

The Washington Post: European Officials "Increasingly Concerned That Sen. Barack Obama's Campaign Pledge To Begin Direct Talks ... Could Potentially Rupture U.S. Relations With Key European Allies." "European officials are increasingly concerned that Sen. Barack Obama's campaign pledge to begin direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program without preconditions could potentially rupture U.S. relations with key European allies early in a potential Obama administration." (Glenn Kessler, "Europe Fears Obama Might Undercut Progress With Iran," The Washington Post, 6/22/08)

Barack Obama's Pledge Is Contrary To Four UN Security Council Resolutions Demanding Iran Stop Enriching Uranium As A Precondition. "The U.N. Security Council has passed four resolutions demanding that Iran stop enriching uranium, each time highlighting the offer of financial and diplomatic incentives from a European-led coalition if Tehran suspends enrichment, a route to producing fuel for nuclear weapons. But Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has said he would make such suspension a topic for discussion with Iran, rather than a precondition for any negotiations to take place." (Glenn Kessler, "Europe Fears Obama Might Undercut Progress With Iran," The Washington Post, 6/22/08)

· European Officials "Wary Of Giving Up A Demand That Has Been So Enshrined In UN Resolutions." "European officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said they are wary of giving up a demand that has been so enshrined in U.N. resolutions, particularly without any corresponding concessions by Iran." (Glenn Kessler, "Europe Fears Obama Might Undercut Progress With Iran," The Washington Post, 6/22/08)

· Obama Adviser Philip Gordon: European Officials "Uncomfortable With Giving Up Precondition Of Uranium Enrichment Right Now. "Still, Philip H. Gordon, a Europe expert at the Brookings Institution who has advised the Obama campaign, acknowledged that European officials 'are uncomfortable with giving up the precondition of uranium enrichment right now.'" (Glenn Kessler, "Europe Fears Obama Might Undercut Progress With Iran," The Washington Post, 6/22/08)

· International Institute For Strategic Studies' Francois Heisbourg: "Dropping a unanimous Security Council condition would simply be interpreted by Iran and America's allies as unconditional surrender, and America's friends would view this as confirmation of America's basic unreliability. ... A hell of a way to start a presidential term." (Glenn Kessler, "Europe Fears Obama Might Undercut Progress With Iran," The Washington Post, 6/22/08)

The Washington Post: European Officials Say Precondition "Is A European Concept." "European officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be seen as interfering with U.S. politics, said the demand that Iran first suspend its uranium enrichment is a European concept, not something forced on them by the Bush administration." (Glenn Kessler, "Europe Fears Obama Might Undercut Progress With Iran," The Washington Post, 6/22/08)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Has Called For The Destruction Of The U.S. And Israel:

Ahmadinejad Said A World Without America "Surely Can Be Achieved." "The Iranian Students News Agency published a speech by Mr. Ahmadinejad at the World Without Zionism conference last October in which he cited the disappearance of three regimes - the shah's in Iran, Saddam Hussein's in Iraq, and the Soviet Union - as precursors for the destruction of America and Israel. 'Is it possible for us to witness a world without America and Zionism? ... This slogan and this goal are attainable, and surely can be achieved,' he said." (Steven Stalinsky, Op-Ed, "Ahmadinejad's Bully Pulpit," The New York Sun, 9/20/06)

Ahmadinejad Recently Referred To Israel As A "Stinking Corpse" And Said It Was "On Its Way To Annihilation." "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Israel a 'stinking corpse' that was doomed to fail, and warned countries that they would 'burn in the fire of their people's hatred' if they helped Israel, the news agency IRNA reported. 'Today the reason for Zionist regime's existence is questioned, and this regime is on its way to annihilation,' he said in a speech on the 60th anniversary of the Jewish state." (Nazila Fathi, "Iran: A Hate Note On Israel's Birthday," The New York Times, 5/9/08)

· "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Said ... That Israel Is Dying And That Its 60th Anniversary Celebrations Are An Attempt To Prevent Its 'Annihilation.'" (Ali Akbar Dareini, "Ahmadinejad Says Israel Doomed," The Associated Press, 5/14/08)

· Ahmadinejad Previously Said Israel Should Be Wiped Off The Map And Denied That The Holocaust Occurred. "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said in the past he wants to wipe Israel off the map and dismissed the Holocaust as a myth." (Nick Wadhams, "Israel: No Greater Threat To World's Values Than The Leaders Of Iran," The Associated Press, 9/21/06)

McCain - Barack Obama's Jerusalem Backtrack

Today, as Barack Obama prepared to travel to Israel, he told CBS' Katie Couric that he had never backtracked on the status of Jerusalem. Please find below a statement from Randy Scheunemann, McCain 2008 Senior Foreign Policy Adviser:

"Barack Obama claimed his position that Jerusalem should remain the 'undivided capital' of Israel and his subsequent backtracking 'was no shift in policy' but that he just 'phrased it poorly.' Yet he had stated this policy position before, and presumably at least some of his 300 foreign policy advisers worked on drafting and vetting his speech to AIPAC. Barack Obama's various positions and unconvincing explanations cannot give Israelis or Americans much comfort about his ability to understand and explain, much less lead, on complicated diplomatic issues."

Today, As He Prepared To Travel To Israel, Barack Obama Claimed He Had Never Backtracked On The Status Of Jerusalem.

Barack Obama: "There Was No Shift In Policy Or Backtracking In Policy" Concerning The Status Of Jerusalem.

CBS's Katie Couric: "You said not too long ago that Jerusalem should remain undivided. And then you backtracked on that statement. Does that play into the argument that some believe that someone more experienced would not have made that kind of mistake?"

Obama: "Well, if you look at what happened, there was no shift in policy or backtracking in policy. We just had phrased it poorly in the speech. That has happened and will happen to every politician. You're not always gonna hit your mark in terms of how you phrase your policies. But my policy hasn't changed, and it's been very consistent. It's the same policy that Bill Clinton has put forward, and that says that Jerusalem will be the capital of Israel, that we shouldn't divide it by barbed wire, but that, ultimately that is a final status issue that has to be resolved between the Palestinians and the Israelis." (CBS, Barack Obama Interview With Katie Couric, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/22/eveningnews/main4283623.shtml, 7/22/08)

Yet, After Saying At The Annual AIPAC Policy Conference In June 2008 That Jerusalem Should Be "Undivided," Barack Obama Has Since Backtracked.

At The Annual AIPAC Policy Conference, Barack Obama Says Clearly That Jerusalem Should Be The "Undivided" Capital Of Israel. Obama: "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At The Annual AIPAC Policy Conference, Arlington, VA, 6/4/08)

· One Day After The AIPAC Conference, Barack Obama Said The Future Of Jerusalem Would Have To Be Negotiated By Israel And The Palestinians. CNN's Candy Crowley: "I want to ask you about something you said in AIPAC yesterday. You said that Jerusalem must remain undivided. Do Palestinians have no claim to Jerusalem in the future?" Obama: "Well, obviously, it's going to be up to the parties to negotiate a range of these issues." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 6/5/08)

· "Facing Criticism From Palestinians, Sen. Barack Obama Acknowledged Today That The Status Of Jerusalem Will Need To Be Negotiated In Future Peace Talks, Amending A Statement Earlier In The Week That Jerusalem 'Must Remain Undivided.'" (Glenn Kessler, "Obama Clarifies Remarks On Jerusalem," The Washington Post's "The Trail" Blog, www.washingtonpost.com, 6/5/08)

Barack Obama Actually Has A Record Of Saying Jerusalem Should Be "Undivided".

In An American Jewish Committee Election Questionnaire, Barack Obama Said "Jerusalem Will Remain Israel's Capital, And No One Should Want Or Expect It To Be Re-Divided." "The United States cannot dictate the terms of a final status agreement. We should support the parties as they negotiate these difficult issues, but they will have to reach agreements that they can live with. In general terms, clearly Israel must emerge in a final status agreement with secure borders. Jerusalem will remain Israel's capital, and no one should want or expect it to be re-divided." ("Barack Obama Responses," American Jewish Committee, http://www.ajc.org/site/c.ijITI2PHKoG/b.3878133/, Accessed 7/22/08)

In A 2000 Position Paper, Barack Obama Stated That "Jerusalem Should Remain United And Should Be Recognized As Israel's Capital." "Third, he addressed the issue in 2000 in a position paper on Israel as part of his unsuccessful congressional campaign that year. In that paper, he stated, 'Jerusalem should remain united and should be recognized as Israel's capital.'" (Rick Richman, "Obama's Redivided Jerusalem," New York Sun, 7/16/08)

Israeli Papers Have Noticed:

Jerusalem Post: "Obama Backtracks On An Undivided J'Lem"
("Obama Backtracks On An Undivided J'Lem," The Jerusalem Post, 7/15/08)

Jewish Telegraphic Agency: "Obama Backtracks On Undivided Jerusalem."
("Obama Backtracks On Undivided Jerusalem," Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 7/13/08)

John McCain On Barack Obama's Changing Position On The Status Of Jerusalem

QUESTION: "What's your position on whether Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of Israel and what's your reaction to Senator Obama's remarks on that subject this week?"

JOHN MCCAIN: "I can't react to every comment that Senator Obama makes, because it probably will change as it did on sitting down and talking unconditionally with Ahmadinejad and other dictators. But the point is, Jerusalem is undivided. Jerusalem is the capital. And we should move our embassy to Jerusalem before anything else happens. The subject of Jerusalem itself will be addressed in negotiations by the Israeli government and people."

Watch John McCain Address Senator Obama's Changing Position On Jerusalem

John McCain On Everglades Restoration And The Water Bill

JOHN MCCAIN: "I'm glad that Senator Feingold and I worked together on that, and I'm glad that Senator McCaskill, who is one of the national co-chairs of the Obama campaign agreed and voted with me. And I'm disappointed again that Senator Obama became a part of the same old system as he did, not only authorizing pork barrel projects, but seeking additional earmarks, which he has to the tune of tens of millions of dollars in the short time that he's been a member of the United States Senate. So they don't get it. They don't get it that the American people are fed up. They're fed up with the waste of their dollars and the out of control spending that's going to come to a halt when I'm President of the United States. My response is: They don't get it. And we spent trillions, trillions that have exceeded our budget and the American peop le unfortunately, future generations are gonna pay."

Watch John McCain On Everglades Restoration

Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL): John McCain Was Right To Vote Against Pork-Barrel Spending

MSNBC'S CONTESSA BREWER: "Congressman, here you are from Florida, I know that Senator McCain voted against an Everglades restoration measure, something that, for instance, Governor Charlie Crist from your state strongly supports. Was that a mistake do you think?"

REP. PUTNAM: "I want to correct that. He voted against the Water Resources Development Act, which is a hodgepodge of every water project across America, including the Everglades. Senator McCain has been an ally to restore the treasure that is the Florida Everglades. But that's an example of wasteful Washington spending, where the House number came back at one place, the Senate number was higher than that, and the so-called Conference compromise was higher than the two of them. There's really no explanation for that other than dropped earmarks put in at the last second. That's why Senator McCain voted against it, and that's why I voted against it."

Watch Rep. Putnam Discuss The Water Bill And Pork-Barrel Spending

STATEMENT BY JOHN MCCAIN ON THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAEL'S FOUNDING

U.S. Senator John McCain today (May 8, 2008) issued the following statement on the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding:

"I join all Americans in offering my heartiest congratulations to the Israeli people on the 60th anniversary of their state's founding. When President Harry Truman recognized the new State of Israel 60 years ago, he formalized a deep and enduring relationship between two great peoples. In so doing, President Truman undoubtedly knew that the Jewish state would face great challenges in its early years, and he signaled American partnership in the face of these threats.

"Yet those tests were not confined to the early years after Israel's independence. Challenges to Israel have perhaps been the norm, rather than the exception, and its people have been tested in the crucible of conflict time and again. Those threats continue, and it is incumbent upon all free people to stand by Israel in her defense of our common values and ideals. Survival in the face of these enduring trials would be impressive; flourishing would seem out of the question. Yet Israel has thrived, and her people have built a nation that is an inspiration to all those who cherish freedom.

"The close and enduring U.S.- Israel relationship has thrived as well, and I am proud to support the vital ties between our two countries. Our bond will be of great importance in order to continually fulfill that aspiration sounded so eloquently in the HaTikva: 'to be a free nation.' As Israelis celebrate 60 years of independence, let no one doubt that, while the challenges will continue, Israel will survive and it will flourish. There will always be an Israel, and there will always be a vital bond between our two peoples."