WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate John McCain admitted on Saturday it can be difficult at times to be proud of the United States.
“I’ll admit to you … that it’s tough in some respects,” McCain said when asked by a questioner at a town hall meeting how to be proud of the country.
“We have not always done things right and we mismanaged the war in Iraq very badly for nearly four years.”
McCain’s wife, Cindy, pounced on Michelle Obama, the wife of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, for saying in February that she was proud of her country “for the first time in my adult life.”
The Arizona senator said it was important for the United States to be more humble and inclusive.
“I think we can be proud of America because of what we’ve achieved and accomplished in this world,” he said.
“What we have to do is tell our friends around the world that we will be proud of America because of what we’re going to do.”
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton (McCain speaks during a town hall meeting at Federal Hall in New York on June 12).
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The Supreme court judges were right.
- Posted by SamCould John Mccain be alive today if he was not fairly treated as a POW (enemy)in Asia?
How can the same Mccain who was fairly treated as a POW (enemy) in Asia and who is now running to be the president of USA wish for inhumane treatment of prisoners (enemies) of USA?
These prisoners are criminals but they should be tried and sentenced. The universal law says do on to others what you will love them to do on to you or better, do on to others what they did to you.
Is Mccain just some kind of wicked person? We christains should think well before voting for this John Mccain. What I see in his presidency is Blood. Bloody streets all over the world. The universal law says love your enemies but also be wise in your dealings with people who hate you.
I cannot vote for someone whose best word is WAR and who demonstrate hatred towards fellow human being.
The only way the USA can get back their respect and acceptence in the world community is by impeaching the mass murderers Bush and Cheny and Rumsfield - or drag them to Hague to face the World court on charges of crime against humanity. There is no other way. No one is above the law. Most American people are very honest,law abiding and generous people. Why should a couple of terrorists like Bush, Cheny and Rumsfield ruin the good name of the great USA…
- Posted by yousufJeff, you are totally wrong when you say America is supporting Apartheid in Palestine.
The Israelis want nothing more than to achieve peace with the Palestinians. Israel is always negotiating with Fatah, who, just like Israel, support the two States, Palestine and Israel living side by side.
However, ISRAEL IS STAYING PUT FOREVER, and will NOT agree to being intimidated by Hamas, who do not recognise Israel’s God given right to exist.
What one must take into account here, is that Israel has been around for thousands of years, and will NEVER be DRIVEN OUT BY HAMAS.
As soon as Hamas recognises Israel’s right to exist,
as soon as Hamas stops fring deadly rockets at Israel,
the sooner the peace proccess has a chance to get off the ground.
Remember, it is peacethat has to get off the ground, NOT ROCKETS.
- Posted by magdalenIf you all are really concerned about being proud to be an American, then why not for Ron Paul. Forget about the other two so called candidates an really get someone in office that will do things, according to the U.S.Constitution, that our founding fathers gave us. Think about voting in the box that says other. Otherwise be a lemming an go for another term of lies, deceit, an downright abuse of the Constitution. RON PAUL for a real American we can be proud of.
- Posted by andrewJFK, RFK, MLK, Emmitt Till, ‘68 DNC, Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, Slavery, Jim Crow, 2000 election, mass racism that fails to ever let up. Some legacy, USA.
- Posted by aliotaTake the McCain-Bush Challenge and see if you can tell the difference: http://www.bush-mccainchallenge.com/
- Posted by Scott SmithI totally agree Mr. John McCain his comments, because look what America done to Iraq; after five years of illusion and death, the Iraqis are still left without a state, security, institutions, jobs or services. They are suffering from destitution, despotism, anxiety, displacement and death free of charge.
- Posted by Mo aliThe human history is based on sacrifices of few (USA, Japan, China, India, Russia). It does not mean that a proud nation should not introspect. Questioning policy of government and a war does not mean questioning the brave men and women. It is a debate about policy. Our veterans are national heros and need to be treated with respect. But a debate on policies is needed for the welfare of all.
- Posted by Al SitaWe have had the most evil foreign policy since WWII. We have helped displace millions of Palestinians from their homes & keep supporting this apartheid. We have caused turmoil in the Middle East by supporting Shah Iranian shiites against the Iraqi sunnis & then changing beds & arming the Saddam Iraqis against the Iranian’s. Repeat this multiple times in the current Iraq civil war. We have caused turmoil in South America & supported dictatorships throughout the world. We say we want democracy in the M.E. but are scared to death when democracy doesnt give the outcome we want (i.e. Gaza, Saudi royals). Explain to me again why we should be proud? We have caused a lot of turmoil & we need a straight talker & non denier like Ron Paul or we will be known as imperialists in the history books forever.
- Posted by JeffJohn and Cindy McCain would rather die, than EVER, EVER say “For the first time in my life I am proud to be an American”
Has obama ever fought for America ever in his life?
- Posted by magdalenHas Michelle?
What did John McCain, the Vietnam VETERAN, actually do in Vietnam ? He got shot by a North Vietnamese and spent 5 years in their under water prisons !
- Posted by yousufChallenging waters? Oh yea! McCain will take us
- Posted by Sammydeeper and deeper into a mess. Obama will use his
head, what we have now is a empty headed President
and McCain will be the same.
I happen not to see one’s skin color. That is just
how I was raised. It is the character and heart
of a person that matters most. Bush and McCain
have neither.
MLK Jr. pleaded “Judge by character, not by the color of one’s skin” McCain has proven character. Obama is an empty designer suit, a Hollywood look with an alarming lack of concern for the defense against terrorism coming back to America. Obama has a JFK charisma, but McCain mirrors JFK words and deeds. Obama’s promises a rudderless ship headed for disaster, McCain offers experienced mariner skills to guide our country through challenging waters.
- Posted by Jim WarrickBush and McCain are not I repeat are not real patriots.
You don’t take our military into a war on LIES and DECEIT
them and the AmericaN people. McCain who wants to keep
us in Iraq for 100 years.
I will say a million times, our brave men and women
deserve so much from us and especially the people
running this great country. Neither one of them have
any respect for life at all. IMPEACH BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!
DO NOT VOTE FOR MCCAIN WHO WILL ONLY TAKE US INTO MORE CHAOS.
We should be proud of America, but not our LEADERS
WHO HAVE LED US DONW A HORRIBLE PATH!!
IMPEACH, IMPEACH, IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Posted by SammyDid he forget that he paraded his wife in front of cameras to say,.,Yes I have always been proud of America (The country which has given me millions so I dont have to go out and work as hard than you other miserable people and
TAKE PHOTO SHOOTS FOR VOUGE OUTSIDE OF MY OCEAN SIDE HOME IN CALIFORNIA…
I BET YOU ARE PROUD…HAVE YOU EVER FACED A DAY OF SCRUTINY IN YOUR LIFE…I SURE YOU HAVENT…BLONDES PEOPLE WITH BLUE EYES GENERALLY DONT
- Posted by TonyaI think Laura Bush put Michelle Obama’s remark about being [being proud of America] to rest. Mrs. Bush felt Mrs. Obama meant “more” proud so we should leave it there. Mrs. Obama is not running for president folks and Mrs. Bush advised Michelle to be very careful about what she says publically. Advice from one first lady to another? Perhaps. I feel Laura Bush showed how classy she is by defending Mrs. Obama. Thanks, Laura, for rising above it all!
- Posted by TangitoMcCain made gaffe. Funny and ironic, but understandable in response to a question. Michelle Obama made a gaffe,one poorly worded sentence that has been blown out of proportion and no one including Reuters bothers to print her explanation when it is brought up - so much for the “liberal media”, Mrs Obama also said,
“What I was clearly talking about was that I’m proud in how Americans are engaging in the political process,” she said.
“For the first time in my lifetime, I’m seeing people rolling up their sleeves in a way that I haven’t seen and really trying to figure this out — and that’s the source of pride that I was talking about,” she added.
When asked if she had always been proud of her country, she replied “absolutely.” “Barack and I, our stories wouldn’t be possible, if it weren’t for fundamental belief and pride in this country and what it stands for.”
My family has served in the U.S. military for four generations, none of us has taken offense at McCain or Michelle’s gaffes.
- Posted by Ryan ReynoldsMcCains courage seems to have gone AWOL some time ago. Don’t bother telling me what a courageous person he is, I too served in Viet Nam and saw real courage and McCain isn’t displaying it, to Americans or the World.
If he needs a time to claim he wasn’t proud of America, perhaps he should list when America turned their backs on the Vietnamese and let millions in Southeast Asia die at the hands of Communism.
I’m afraid we are down to the two most worthless candidates for president in history!
- Posted by LewWatersWhen the “straw chewing regular folks,” such as the poster above named “Yell” can’t place the responsibility on a candidate such as Senator McCain to succumb to the cult of personality that has risen within the 28% of blinded supporters around the faux conservative leadership of Bush and his minions, they blame the media. Get a firm grip folks. The last 7 years has been a farce perpetrated upon the entire world never seen previously in the annals of the U.S. Get over it. Bush in his zeal for a legacy as a “Great War President” and political party partisan gain has instead turned out to have been the worst president ever. True conservative Republicans suach as Reagan, Goldwater and Eisenhower, and yes, even Ricard M. Nixon are collectively rolling over in their graves. How far the great party has fallen…
US Navy Veteran
- Posted by Jean Q. PubliqueJohn is articulating a fundamental truth about our history. There are a great many actions that have been taken by the U.S. Gov’t which are in direct contrast to the Constitutional charter. Genocide, Slavery, Civil Rights, support for 3rd world dictators, etc.
There is no doubt that our nation has contributed greatly to the affluence and freedom of the world, however it is a show of strength for McCain to make this acknowledgment because one of the greatest impediments to the healthy growth and development of our young people is the duality and guilt that accompanies a history of such inhumane actions silhouetted against the perfection of those eternal words ‘We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal’. Young people feel guilt and shame for a history in which our ‘forefathers’ betrayed many of the values for which they stood. Thus, for our leadership to accurately chart a course in which our young people feel not shame for our nations sketchy history, but remorse for the blind actions of misguided Americans, and when they begin to understand the context in which those shameful actions took place, then a great shift will occur. Once that happens the talents and energies of our young people can be fully directed towards confronting the most challenging issues that our nations faces, energy independence, radical islam, ecological desecration, poverty, education, health care, etc. and the first step is to recognize our past failings. We owe it to ourselves, the world, and to God to do better.
- Posted by Objktv