Yesterday, Senator Kerry appeared on Fox News Sunday where he was interviewed by host Chris Wallace. Much of the questioning revolved around the inconsistent views that Senator John McCain has been making about the long term prospects of American troops in Iraq. Senator Kerry pointed out that John McCain had said one thing in August of 2007 on the Charlie Rose Show, a nationally syndicated PBS TV interview show, and another thing on that same show in November of 2007.

Chris Wallace questioned Senator Kerry about his views on comments that Senator McCain had made about staying in Iraq for 100 years. Wallace contended that the comments were meant in support of a position that would leave troops in Iraq in non-combat roles and would be similar to the US presence for several decades in places like Japan, Germany and South Korea. Yet, as Senator Kerry pointed out, John McCain has been very inconsistent in his views on that. In the first interview with Charlie Rose in August, 2007, McCain had argued in favor of the presence on US troops in Iraq in a Korea model.

Chris Wallace disagreed yesterday with Senator Kerry and tried to establish that Senator McCain had been consistent in his view that Iraq could be stabilized and a US force could be there for an indefinite period of time. Senator Kerry asked that Wallace review the transcript and see that Senator McCain had changed his mind on Iraq, bouncing from a pro Korea model to a view against it and now back to a pro-Korea model.

This excerpt is from the 4/6/08 Fox News Show transcript:

KERRY: Absolutely I disagree, Chris, and if you go back and look at what he said on the Charlie Rose show four months ago, he was asked by Charlie Rose — he put it in the context of no casualties.

And he said, “Well, do you think you can you do that in Iraq?” And John McCain said, “No, you can’t do it in Iraq because of the culture and religion.” He got it right then. He’s getting it wrong now.

Think Progress has a transcript of the John McCain interview from Nov. 2007 at their website.

ROSE: Do you think that this — Korea, South Korea is an analogy of where Iraq might be, not in terms of their economic success but in terms of an American presence over the next, say, 20, 25 years, that we will have a significant amount of troops there?

MCCAIN: I don’t think so.

ROSE: Even if there are no casualties?

MCCAIN: No. But I can see an American presence for a while. But eventually I think because of the nature of the society in Iraq and the religious aspects of it that America eventually withdraws.

The November 2007 interview on The Charlie Rose show had Senator McCain ruling out that type of long term US presence because it wouldn’t work given the religious and cultural atmosphere in Iraq now. Think Progress has a link to the video of this interview up on their site as well.

John McCain has been an inconsistent voice on Iraq. He has bounced from one position to another and has changed his mind several times on what the US troops presence should be and if the US should start to think about a draw-down of forces. Chris Wallace and Fox News may wish that Senator McCain was consistent, but the transcript and video shows a Republican nominee who is all over the map on Iraq.