The claim:
John McCain “has threatened extinction for North Korea and sung songs about bombing Iran.” — Barack Obama on Friday
The fact:
McCain’s “extinction” claim dates back to 1994, when he appeared on “This Week With David Brinkley” to discuss the problems with North Korea refusing to allow inspection of nuclear facilities. McCain said, “I don’t know, but I know what they understand, and that is the threat of extinction.” There’s no mistaking the point, but it was said once in 1994.
The basis for the Iran statement is something McCain said at a 2007 campaign appearance held at a VFW hall in South Carolina. McCain was asked how long the U.S. would put up with Iran “blowing up people.”
“That old Beach Boys song, ‘Bomb Iran,’ ” McCain said, apparently referencing the Beach Boys’ 1965 single “Barbara Ann.” The audience laughed, then McCain sang softly, “Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb. Anyway . . .” McCain said later it was a joke. “When veterans are together, veterans joke,” he said. “And I was with veterans and we were joking. And, if somebody can’t understand that, my answer is, please get a life.”
In the end, Obama is right that McCain said both things. But since the Obama claim was a discussion of what “a president” should or shouldn’t say publicly, we don’t give full weight to the 14-year-old tough-talking remarks of a senator who hadn’t declared himself a candidate for the presidency.
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