McCain uses Hamas in new fundraising drive

Sen. John McCain

The WND interview heard 'round the world in which a top Hamas official praised Sen. Barack Obama was again used yesterday as a fundraising tool by Sen. John McCain.

"John McCain believes we need change in America, but not the kind of change that wins kind words from Hamas, surrenders in Iraq, or will hold unconditional talks with Iranian president Ahmadinejad," read a mass-circulation e-mail by campaign manager Rick Davis.

"If you agree, please support our campaign for John McCain to become your next president by making a donation of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, or up to the legal limit of $2,300," the e-mail concluded.

It was the third time in recent weeks the McCain campaign utilized Hamas comments in fundraising materials.

The campaign was referencing an interview conducted by WND's Aaron Klein and WABC Radio's John Batchelor in which Hamas' chief political adviser in the Gaza Strip, Ahmed Yousef, said he "hopes" Obama becomes president.

Yousef also compared Obama to President John F. Kennedy.

"We like Mr. Obama, and we hope that he will win the elections," said Yousef. "I hope Mr. Obama and the Democrats will change the political discourse. ... I do believe [Obama] is like John Kennedy, a great man with a great principal. And he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community, but not with humiliation and arrogance," Yousef said, speaking from Gaza.

Yousef volunteered his statements about Obama in response to a question inquiring whether he was surprised the Illinois senator and other presidential candidates criticized Jimmy Carter's recent meetings with Hamas.

Yousef's comments have become a top theme in the presidential campaign, with Sen. John McCain and Obama repeatedly trading barbs over them.

Last week, Obama took some heat for saying he understood why Hamas would endorse him.

"It's conceivable that there are those in the Arab world who say to themselves, 'This is a guy who spent some time in the Muslim world, has a middle name of Hussein and appears more worldly and has called for talks with people, and so he's not going to be engaging in the same sort of cowboy diplomacy as George Bush,'" Obama told the Atlantic magazine in response to a question about Yousef's comments.

"That's a perfectly legitimate perception as long as they're not confused about my unyielding support for Israel's security," the Illinois senator said.

McCain has been using the Hamas comments to blast Obama as soft on terrorism.

Obama supporters fired back by digging up an interview from 2006 in which McCain said the U.S. would eventually need to deal with Hamas.

"They're the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another, and I understand why this administration and previous administrations had such antipathy toward Hamas because of their dedication to violence and the things that they not only espouse but practice. ... But it's a new reality in the Middle East. I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and decent future, that they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that," McCain said.

McCain was speaking two years ago on Sky News to former Clinton State Department official James Rubin, who had asked whether the U.S. should work with Hamas, which that year won Palestinian legislative elections.

In response to claims of hypocrisy, McCain told reporters this weekend: "I made it very clear, at that time, before and after, that we will not negotiate with terrorist organizations, that Hamas would have to abandon their terrorism, their advocacy to the extermination of the state of Israel, and be willing to negotiate in a way that recognizes the right of the state of Israel and abandons their terrorist position and advocacy."

McCain contended Obama wants to "sit down and negotiate with a government exporting most lethal devices used against soldiers. He wants to sit down face to face with a government that is very clear about developing nuclear weapons. ... They are sponsors of terrorist organizations. That's a huge difference in my opinion. And I'll let the American people decide whether that's a significant difference or not. I believe it is."

To interview Aaron Klein, contact M. Sliwa Public Relations by e-mail, or call 973-272-2861 or 212-202-4453.