Pouncing
The Dems are pouncing on John McCain for his earlier remark -- offered in an interview with Matt Lauer on "Today" -- that it's "not too important" when troops come home from Iraq.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued this statement: "Senator McCain is wrong. One of the most important questions in this campaign is when and how Senator McCain would bring our troops home from Iraq. Senator McCain stubbornly refuses to acknowledge that the American people do not want our brave troops in Iraq for 100 years under any circumstances. They want a president who will end the war responsibly."
Sen. John Kerry and Susan Rice, Barack Obama's foreign policy adviser, held a conference call with reporters. Kerry called McCain's comment "out of touch and inconsistent” with the concerns of American families whose loved ones are serving in Iraq. Kerry, a Vietnam vet who has worked closely with McCain on POW/MIA issues, said he had a message for his friend: "It is important when they can come home. It is important when we can revitalize our military.”
Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid:
"McCain's statement today that withdrawing troops doesn't matter is a crystal clear indicator that he just doesn't get the grave national-security consequences of staying the course -- Osama bin Laden is freely plotting attacks, our efforts in Afghanistan are undermanned, and our military readiness has been dangerously diminished. We need a smart change in strategy to make America more secure, not a commitment to indefinitely keep our troops in an intractable civil war."
The actual question and comment:
"Do you now have a better estimate of when American forces can come home from Iraq?"
"No, but that's not too important."
He says later that Gen. Petraeus will have a better estimate in July.
On the whole, not the "sky is falling" kind of comment some seem to have heard. It's just Dem talking points that are being repeated here.