"That's not too important"

Edit on 6/13 to correct an error regarding financial reporting dates...

John McCain, in an unusually honest moment, admitted that he believes that it's "not too important" when or if the our troops are brought home from Iraq.

In an interview on Wednesday's Today Show on NBC, host Matt Lauer asked McCain if he knew when the troops would come home.

His response?

No, but that's not too important. What's important is the casualties in Iraq.

He went on to rationalize his statement by conflating his intent to permanently deploy American troops in Iraq with the permanent presence of troops in South Korea, Japan, and Germany, and the relatively low levels of casualties in those places (relative to the meatgrinder in Iraq, anyway).

What he conveniently forgot to mention is that in those countries U.S. troops have served as a stabilizing influence in countries that have either attacked us in the past (Japan, Germany) and are now allies, or have been threatened or attacked by others and needed a continuing protective presence (South Korea, Germany again).

He also conveniently forgot to mention that Iraq never attacked the U.S., or that the biggest outside threat to Iraq is, well, *us.*

To use a sports metaphor, McCain served up a batting practice fastball to the Democrats today, one that Democrats ranging from Sens. Harry Reid, John Kerry and Joe Biden in D.C. and all the way to wiseass bloggers from McCain's home state are taking turns hitting out of the park.

As an aside, this past weekend, two of the big guns for the AZ Republicans, McCain and Jon Kyl (R-Big Pharma), held a fundraiser for embattled CD3 Congressman John Shadegg (coverage here), rumored to be a successful one. We should find out in a month or so - the next FEC report is due in by July 15.

Wonder how many of the donors that McCain roped in for his friend Shadegg have ties to defense contractors, Big Oil, or others who are profiting from the Iraq Forever War?

I suppose we'll just have to wait until July. Of course, if that number is accurate, Shadegg and company will start crowing, and soon - they need good news to rally the faithful around Shadegg in the face of the ever-stronger challenge from Democratic candidate Bob Lord.

Baltimore Sun coverage here.

Daily Voice coverage here.

Later!