McCain for "Mission Accomplished" propaganda before he was against it

by smintheus
DailyKos
Fri May 02, 2008

On the fifth anniversary of George Bush's aircraft-carrier extravaganza, John McCain claimed that in spring of 2003 he rejected the administration's "mission accomplished" boasts as mere propaganda. He now says he thought those boasts were contradicted by the facts and "wrong".

"To state the obvious, I thought it was wrong at the time. I thought phrases like ‘a few dead-enders,’ ‘last throes,’ all of those comments contributed over time to the frustration and sorrow of Americans because those statements and comments did not comport with the facts on the ground...and I think that history will judge me that I thought it was wrong and I knew what was right."

Asked if Bush bore responsibility for the placement of the "Mission Accomplished" banner posted above him at the speech, McCain took a big picture approach.

"Do I blame him for that specific banner? I have no knowledge of that. I can’t blame him for that. But I do, do say statements were made-’a few dead-enders,’ ‘last throes’...(that) were contradicted by the facts on the ground."

(More flip-flops follow:)