Posted by Jed Lewison on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 2:03 PM Pacific

Of timetables and flip-flops

Today:

BLITZER: Why do you think [Maliki] said that 16 months is basically a pretty good timetable?

MCCAIN: He said it's a pretty good timetable based on conditions on the ground. I think it's a pretty good timetable, as we should -- or horizons for withdrawal. But they have to be based on conditions on the ground.

May 16:

MCCAIN: For him [Obama] to talk about dates for withdrawal, which basically is surrender in Iraq after we're succeeding so well is, I think, really inexcusable.

So would it be fair to conclude from this that in McCain's own terms, he would rather a lose a war than lose an election?

Update (3:23PM): In funny bit of understatement, NBC's First Read notes that McCain's embrace of a 16-month timetable is something he "probably never would have said a week ago."

And here's video:

Of timetables and flip-flops

Today:

BLITZER: Why do you think [Maliki] said that 16 months is basically a pretty good timetable?

MCCAIN: He said it's a pretty good timetable based on conditions on the ground. I think it's a pretty good timetable, as we should -- or horizons for withdrawal. But they have to be based on conditions on the ground.

May 16:

MCCAIN: For him [Obama] to talk about dates for withdrawal, which basically is surrender in Iraq after we're succeeding so well is, I think, really inexcusable.

So would it be fair to conclude from this that in McCain's own terms, he would rather a lose a war than lose an election?

Update (3:23PM): In funny bit of understatement, NBC's First Read notes that McCain's embrace of a 16-month timetable is something he "probably never would have said a week ago."

And here's video:

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