John McCain
Town Hall Meeting
Bedford, NH 12/07/07
TRANSCRIPTION
QUESTIONER: "[...] I read a poll today that 60%, I believe of military families don't believe that the Iraq war justifies the cost. How do you expect to justify the sort of tough talk that you give about Iran, especially in light of the NIE findings that they've suspended their nuclear weapons program?
JOHN MCCAIN: First of all, I always like it when they start a fact is presented as a fact. I don't accept that or believe it. In all due respect, ma'am, I know the military.
"I hear from them by the thousands. I know that I just came back from spending Thanksgiving with them in Iraq so I categorically reject that assertion and I will not accept [indiscernible over applause]. I know these young people are workin' and that are serving and I'll tell you they know they're succeeding. They know they're succeeding.
"So, I know that for a fact. So you and I just have a difference of opinion and I'll respect yours."
QUESTIONER: It was a poll that was taken.
MCCAIN: "I don't care if it's a banana. I don't believe it. Okay? And I will not believe it.
I know them too well. I have spent too many years in the military and associated with the military and so we just have a disagreement with the poll. Okay?
"As far as Iran is concerned, I'm glad that the news may be that Iran has stopped the weaponization part of their nuclear efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. They have not stopped their enrichment part. Let's suppose that there has been some change and I want to look under the hood and see what intelligence there was that caused this change in the NIE.
"Following the facts as I know them, the Iranians are still committed to the extinction of the state of Israel and that's their government policy. The Iranians are still exporting the most lethal explosive devices across the Iraqi border and into Iraq and killing brave, young Americans and Iran is still supporting terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. So, if they want to communicate with us and we want to communicate with them, fine. We all have blackberries. It's fine.
"The fact is that Iran has to go through significantly more changes in their policy, their attitude and their behavior before I am ready to embrace them. Although, as I've said all along I would pursue diplomatic and trade and other efforts before I would ever initiate a military action. I still believe that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons because of the threat that they are on the region [...]."
QUESTIONER: As a member of a former serving military member who served overseas, a captain of the navy, to say that people don't believe that is sort of to take. The costs have been enormous--not only for everybody in this room, but especially for the family members who have served overseas.
MCCAIN: I think I'm familiar with that.
QUESTIONER: Absolutely. And so to say that they just don't--especially when polls tell us they do--they don't believe that this war is justified the costs I just don't understand how you'd go about justifying the costs of a future war in another very hard, difficult place [...].
MCCAIN: [...] Nobody hates war more than the veteran [...]. There are worse things than war, unfortunately and we found that out in the rise of Hitler [...].
LABEL: JM NH 12-7 (JC#29) ACEGH - ClipA
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that's how John McCain wins debates: 'i reject that fact'
anvadv 3 years ago