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John McCain’s selling point during the election campaign was that he had the experience on foreign policy to be able to deal with Iran and Korea. Remember that? Obama was portrayed as the naive, know-nothing young liberal who lacked the credentials to enter the ring with those who wished the country harm. The electorate was told that America’s security would be in jeopardy should they choose to elect an “empty suit” as commander in chief.

Republican’s have been all over Obama in the way he has dealt with the Iranian election crisis claiming he has not been tough enough.  Leading the pack in denouncing Obama has been McCain who has been all over the news saying stuff like…

The United States should support the Iranian people “in their struggle against an oppressive, repressive regime.  Iran should not be subjected to four more years of [President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad and the radical Muslim clerics.”

The idiocy of this approach could not be clearer.  But don’t take my word for it.  Here’s what some prominent conservatives have been saying…

Pat Buchanan

“My view is that it was very, very irresponsible for John McCain to say some of the things he said so early. It was very hot-headed in my judgment. It was impulsive. Can you imagine if the crowds in the streets suddenly were told, ‘Look, the Americans are with us. They’re behind us 100 percent. Let’s try to overthrow the regime,’ and then they were cut down by these Revolutionary Guard and their thugs? I think we would bear moral responsibility for having done that, and it would be a disaster. … I think they’ve done the right thing.”

Peggy Noonan

“To insist the American president, in the first days of the rebellion, insert the American government into the drama was shortsighted and mischievous. The ayatollahs were only too eager to demonize the demonstrators as mindless lackeys of the Great Satan Cowboy Uncle Sam, or whatever they call us this week. John McCain and others went quite crazy insisting President Obama declare whose side America was on, as if the world doesn’t know whose side America is on. ‘In the cause of freedom, America cannot be neutral,’ said Rep. Mike Pence. Who says it’s neutral?” Noonan continued: “This was Aggressive Political Solipsism at work: Always exploit events to show you love freedom more than the other guy, always make someone else’s delicate drama your excuse for a thumping curtain speech.”

Republican strategist Karen Hanretty

“I’m one of the Republicans who does not agree with John McCain on this. I think the president is taking a very nuanced approach to this. I think that that is a very wise thing for him to do. Look, this is the Iranians’ revolution. America, like it or not, is not very popular in the Middle East.”

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‘We don’t want to be the foil for, you know, the opposition in Iran.’ “

McCain is not president, not now, not ever…and you can count your lucky stars and the smarts of Americans for that one.

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