McCain Campaign Calls Romney An Armchair Quarterback

New Hampshire Presidential Watch: McCain Campaign Calls Romney An 'Armchair Quarterback" - Reprint from http://nh2008.blogspot.com

U.S. Senator John McCain's New Hampshire Vice Chair, former Congressman Chuck Douglas (R-NH), today issued the following statement:

"In today's Union Leader, Governor Romney suggested that he is the most qualified candidate to be President and that the Iraq war will not be 'the big, dividing issue in '08.' He also said that 'Come the fall of '08, for all of Hillary's rhetoric, she's not going to be demanding a dramatically different course in Iraq than the Republican nominee will.' For Gov. Romney to suggest that he is uniquely qualified to be commander in chief is like saying that he should replace Tom Brady because he has watched Patriot football games. Governor Romney is naive if he believes that Senator Clinton or the Democrats' position on the Iraq war will not be 'dramatically different' from Republicans next year. The Democrats and Senator Clinton have consistently advocated for a deadline for defeat in Iraq. Governor Romney fails to realize the importance of the new strategy in Iraq or that winning in Iraq is critical to the entire region and the war against Islamic extremists and that failure in Iraq strengthens Iran. Governor Romney should realize that 'armchair quarterbacking' doesn't work on Sunday and it won't work in the Oval Office.

"John McCain is uniquely qualified to be the next commander in chief from day one. He was the only candidate for President who recognized that the strategy being employed in Iraq in 2003 was flawed and called for the present strategy that is showing real, not apparent, progress on the ground against our enemies. John McCain wants our troops to come home in victory and with honor. He understands the importance of victory in Iraq and the consequences of failure to the region, to the war against Islamic extremism, and to the security of our nation."

***UPDATE: Romney spokesman Kevin Madden responded:

"The McCain campaign wins the weakest analogy of the week award for that one. Same old talking points, no new ideas."