Transcript for Aug. 20

MR. GREGORY: Let me ask you another point on the prospect of civil war.  This is what the chairman of the Armed Services Committee said a few weeks ago on this possibility. “The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said that Congress might need to pass a new resolution to authorize the continued use of U.S. military force in Iraq if a civil war breaks out in that country. John Warner, from Virginia, said U.S. forces have completed the main mission Congress authorized them to perform: toppling Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. If a civil war erupts between Shiite and Sunni Muslims in Iraq, he said, U.S. forces may be ill-trained to handle it, and Congress might have to reconsider and potentially approve a new mission for the U.S. military.” Do you agree with that?

SEN. McCAIN: Well, first of all, I have the greatest respect and affection for John Warner, a dear friend. I think if civil war breaks out—and by the way, I do not believe that we’re there yet. I agree with the Joint Chiefs that it’s a possibility, not a probability. We can fix it. But if a civil war breaks out, we’ve got a lot more problems than a congressional resolution.

MR. GREGORY: But do you agree that that would be, basically a new day in Iraq, and raise new questions about whether our military should be committed to, to arbitrate that kind of conflict?

SEN. McCAIN: I think it would put us in a very difficult situation. But I am confident that the Congress and the president and the American people would come together and make a decision based on whether we can still beneficially affect the situation. And again, that depends on the nature of what, what, of what happens. But I’m not ready to contemplate that.

MR. GREGORY: You agree this is a critical moment in Iraq?

SEN. McCAIN: I agree it’s a critical time, yes.

MR. GREGORY: Do you, do you have confidence in the president and his national security team to lead the war at this stage?

SEN. McCAIN: I do. I do. I have confidence in the president and I believe that he is well aware of the severity of the situation.

MR. GREGORY: Despite all the misjudgments you think have been made?

SEN. McCAIN: Yes.

MR. GREGORY: Why, why would you still support a group that you think has, has been so flawed?

SEN. McCAIN: Because serious mistakes have been made in every war. General MacArthur, our greatest general, told Harry Truman, “Don’t worry, those Chinese won’t come across the Yalu.” There are mistakes are made in war, that’s why we try to avoid them. And this is an elected president. I think he’s led our nation very capably.

MR. GREGORY: You’ve made a political point of reaching out to independent voters, to some conservative Democrats. What would you say to someone who’s adamantly opposed to this war and the president’s handling of it, who would question why they should support you given your backing of the war and this team?

SEN. McCAIN: Well, first of all, I would say this is a very tough situation.  I do believe that the consequences of failure would be catastrophic. If we set a date for withdrawal then these militias would just lie low until we left. We cannot afford to lose. Should be chaos—there would be chaos in the region. And by the way, it’s time that other Arab nations in the region that are making unprecedented oil profits start trying to help the Iraqis reconstruct their country. It’s about time they stood up.

MR. GREGORY: Are you concerned that you’re effectively too close to the Bush policy on Iraq?

SEN. McCAIN: No. I’ve got to do what’s right for the country. And this is—this is really one of the most preeminent national security challenges we’ve faced in the post-Cold War era. We all know that. I’ve got to do what’s right.

MR. GREGORY: Let me show you something that you said about public support for the war back last year in November. Put it on our screen. “If we can’t retain the support of the American people, we will have lost this war as soundly as if our forces were defeated on the battlefield.” As you well know, public opinion has turned sharply against the war. Sixty percent, according to recent polls, say the war in Iraq has not been worth it. Has this government lost the people?

SEN. McCAIN: I don’t think so, in this respect. Most of the Americans, when you’re asked, “Do you want to set a date for withdrawal,” say no. Of course they’re frustrated. All of us are frustrated. I’ve expressed my frustrations to you this morning. But they are not ready to face the consequences of failure by setting a date certain for withdrawal, and I believe that, that they are largely, although frustrated, recognize the consequences of failure.

MR. GREGORY: There has certainly been a growing body of public opinion as well as conservative opinion in the media that has turned against the president in this war. This is what the editor of the conservative National Review wrote, comparing the war in Iraq to Vietnam—we’ll put it on our screen—from this week. “In Iraq, as in Vietnam, we face a vicious insurgency that has worn down the will of the American public. In Iraq, as in Vietnam, we have failed to cut off the enemy from re-supply. In Iraq, as in Vietnam, we have had ever-shifting military strategies. In Iraq, as in Vietnam, we have had trouble building effective, clean governmental institutions in the soil of an alien culture. Most importantly, in Iraq, as in Vietnam, we face the prospect of defeat.” You were in Vietnam. Is this Vietnam?

SEN. McCAIN: I don’t think so. In Vietnam there was a government that never had support of the people. It was a sort of a revolving door. There were massive re-supplies coming in from Russia and China. They had very—other significant differences.

I believe that this government still probably has—this freely-elected government probably still has the support of most of the people in Iraq. And there are areas of Iraq that are well under government control. But it’s—I—we risk failure in Iraq, but I don’t believe that we have reached nearly that point yet. I think we can still salvage it.

MR. GREGORY: Let me turn to the subject of politics and how the wider war on terror has been a factor. After his Democratic primary loss, Senator Joe Lieberman said the following about Ned Lamont, his opponent there. This is how The Washington Post reported it. “Campaigning in Connecticut, Sen.  Joseph Lieberman ... said the antiwar views of primary winner Ned Lamont would be ‘taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England.’” Do you agree with Senator Lieberman that someone who calls for troop withdrawal from Iraq by a date certain is emboldening the terrorists?

SEN. McCAIN: I don’t think so. I think we should respect each other’s views and have a respectful dialogue and discussion. I certainly disagree with those who want to set the date certain. I like to say that Joe Lieberman puts his country ahead of his party, he’s a liberal Democrat, but I happen to have the greatest respect and appreciation for him.

MR. GREGORY: Do you think that Allen Schlesinger, who is the Republican opponent in Connecticut, should win? Do you support him?

SEN. McCAIN: I support him. I support the Republican nominee.

MR. GREGORY: Will you campaign for him?

SEN. McCAIN: I don’t think that probably is in the calendar.

MR. GREGORY: Why not?

SEN. McCAIN: We have—I have—my priorities generally are set by the, our folks at the RNC and the campaign committees, and they have a pretty clear line-up of people that I’m going to be campaign for.

MR. GREGORY: But...

SEN. McCAIN: And I, look, look, look, look...

MR. GREGORY: The party has made a judgement at this point to stay out of this race, not support Schlesinger?

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