McCain: All Americans back Georgia in struggle

Both McCain, Obama call for pressuring Russia to withdraw from neighbor

Mary Altaffer / AP

Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center, received a standing ovation during a town hall meeting, Tuesday, in York, Pa., where he told the crowd of his call to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, saying, "I know I speak for every American when I said to him, today, we are all Georgians."

Video

McCain: Russia should withdraw from Georgia
Aug. 11: In a statement, Republican presidential candidate John McCain urged the U.S. and its allies to condemn Russia and call for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia.

NBC News Web Extra

AFP - Getty Images	Road to the nomination NBC's Meredith Vieira looks at Sen. John McCain's path to the Republican presidential nomination.
	Cartoons: McCain MSNBC.com's editorial cartoonists weigh in on John McCain's candidacy.
AP file	Slide show: A legacy of service From naval aviator to senator, John McCain’s life has centered on service.

Slide show

Image: Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama

Race for the presidency
The trips, the speeches, and the moments of Decision ’08. A look at the campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain.

more photos

updated 2:25 p.m. ET Aug. 12, 2008

YORK, Pa. - Republican presidential candidate John McCain phoned Georgia's president Tuesday to tell him all Americans back his country's efforts to thwart military attacks from Russia.

McCain told more than 2,000 voters in York, Pa., that he spoke Tuesday morning with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to make sure he knows "that the thoughts, prayers and support of the American people are with that great little nation as it struggles today" for independence.

"I told him that I know I speak for every American when I said to him, today, we are all Georgians," McCain said to loud applause. He said Saakashvili asked him to express his thanks to Americans.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

McCain said Moscow is using "violence against Georgia to send a signal" to "any country that chooses to associate with the West." Russian leaders, he said, must realize they risk "the benefits they enjoy from being part of the civilized world."

Both McCain and his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, have called for a multi-pronged diplomatic approach to pressure Russia to withdraw from Georgia, a former republic of the Soviet Union. Georgia has been trying to keep the pro-Moscow province of South Ossetia from breaking away.

Obama, who is vacationing in Hawaii, said in a statement Tuesday: "Now is the time for action not just words. It is past time for the Russian government to immediately sign and implement a cease-fire. Russia must halt its violation of Georgian airspace and withdraw its ground forces from Georgia, with international monitors to verify that these obligations are met."

McCain concedes, urges unity with Obama
McCain joins Fey to joke on 'SNL'
John McCain still has a shot
Subscribe to McCain headlines -
Obama elected 44th president
Obama campaign head gets big book deal
Tears of joy, dancing in streets over Obama win
Subscribe to Obama headlines -