No Hamas Endorsement for McCain

[Brad Marston]

On this morning’s Blogger Call, Senator McCain said he is not expecting an endorsement from Hamas. In response to a question by Jennifer Rubin regarding the endorsement of Senator Obama by Hamas, McCain said he would be “Hamas’ worst nightmare.” He then went on to differentiate himself further from Obama by pointing out that that he would not sit down for face to face talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad while Iran was increasing shipments of explosives and weapons to Iraq “to kill young American servicemen and women.

Michael Goldfarb of The Weekly Standard has more on this and Obama Campaign Manager David Axelrod being “flattered” by the comments by Hamas.

Both Goldfarb and Jim Geraghty asked McCain about the NCGOP television ad. Pointing out that he has no control over the NCGOP while conceding he has “influence” over the RNC, he can’t force them to pull the ad. However, in line with the tone of his campaign and the tone of this call, he wants the discussion to be about issues and the real differences between him and Senators Obama and Clinton (The latter’s name came up little in the 20+ minute call.)

Cross-posted from McCain Now Blog.

I also have my take on a different aspect of the Blogger Call over at McCainVictory08.

[James Carder]

Read'em and weep, is all I can say.
Obama can have Hamas.
Because you can bet that the American people and I, want neither.

[Brad Marston]

Couldn't agree more Jim. McCain even remarked that he was surprised the people and the press weren't discussing this more.

[James Carder]

I think John's strategy with Obama right now is a matter of 'timing'.

I think we ought to wait before going too much on the offensive until we see where the Democrats actually end up between now and summer...who their Vice Presidential pick is, etc.

What we should be doing right now is taking notes, putting all our little tidbits in our 'war chest' and be waiting for the optimum moment to strike back at the Democrats.

Let's wait and see what happens.

I think that we have enough on them already to defeat whichever candidate comes out on top.

I consider Obama to be the 'weaker' of the two.

And, who wants Bill Clinton back in the White House?

Can you imagine having that guy slinking around the hallways behind your back?

My wife shook his hand the other day in Bend, Oregon. (She is Vietnamese and thinks it's 'good luck' to shake the hand of a famous person.)

Now, every time I see Hillary on TV, I'm looking for Bill...

Maybe silly...BUT, CAN ANYONE BLAME ME!?

It's funny how an experience like this reveals a thread of truth about Bill Clinton's character that many of us abhor.

Then, when I tell my wife how I now look for Bill Clinton whenever I see Hillary on TV, she says "I'm being silly.

[Brad Marston]

James, I am enough of a cynic or political realist not to imagine that is precisely what the McCain campaign is doing. We know John is a fighter...I think he is just picking his battles wisely.