WRIGHT: Charlie Gibson sat down today with Senator Obama in Jerusalem and, as you can imagine, they talked a lot about the Middle East peace process. How would that initiative look different in a McCain administration than it would in an Obama administration?
MCCAIN: Well, I don't know -- again, as with many other cases, Senator Obama one day said he would have an undivided Jerusalem, and then said something else. So it's not clear to me what his policy is.
My policy in support for the state of Israel has been very consistent. I have visited there many, many times. I know the leaders; I know the situation very well. I would be personally engaged in the efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement between the state of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
This is a highest priority. I've been involved in these issues for many, many years. I know how to move forward with a peaceful resolution of a terrible situation, which is now exacerbated by the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons.
Where to begin? First of all, he begins a discussion of what HIS vision for an Israeli/Palestinian peace conflict would look like by hitting Obama for an alleged flip-flop. Ooooo-kay.
Then we move to his vision - or his substitute for his vision which is that he's been to Israel many times and knows the leaders. Well, I've been to Israel 32 times in my life (seriously) and you can't name my vision for bringing about Middle East Peace. He then says he'll be personally engaged. Okay, that's something.
Finally, the last paragraph. Hard to know what to make of this:
I know how to move forward with a peaceful resolution of a terrible situation.
My God!!! He has the secret to Middle East peace! Why has he been holding it back for so long?! Trust me, Israelis and Palestinians could have used his magic formula a loooong time ago.
Once again, McCain says "I know" how to do something, without explaining what exactly that entails. It's the "trust me" model. Then he immediately pivots to Iran, which is something he clearly likes to talk about since it raises the prospect of another war.
The whole tone of this response reveals the fundamental flaw of the McCain campaign: there is no positive vision for his own presidency, it is entirely made up of (a) attacking Obama, and (b) a sense of shock that anyone would want details from McCain on how he would govern since he has so many years of experience and personal virtue.
There is a lot more in the interview you should check out, including his really convoluted response to his now infamous surge time-line error.
But what I will still take away from this is that John McCain has a secret, magical plan to bring peace to the Middle East. You could have let us in on the secret awhile ago Johnny!
CROSS-POSTED AT STRATEGY '08
Comments are closed on this story.