McCain Reprises Failed Debate Strategy: "I Don't Think The President Quite Understands" The Situation In Iran

During his press conference yesterday, President Obama was asked whether he was affected by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) calling his response to Iran "timid and weak." Obama laughed off the question, saying, "What do you think?" and adding that "only I'm the president of the United States." Last night, McCain appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" and continued his criticism, specifically questioning Obama's understanding of the situation:

I'm not sure the president still appreciates that with a regime that is illegitimate, that beats and kills its citizens on the streets of its cities, that your fundamental relationship is very -- makes it very difficult to do any serious negotiations. I don't think the president quite understands that, but I appreciate his words today. [...]

And so there's quite a bit more we can do, Larry. And, again, you cannot really seriously negotiate with a country while they're beating and killing their citizens in the streets of the cities. And I'm not sure the president quite gets that.

McCain's comments are reminiscent of the presidential debate last September, when McCain repeatedly insisted that Obama "doesn't understand" matters of foreign policy:

- "I'm afraid Senator Obama doesn't understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy."

- "And, yes, Senator Obama calls for more troops, but what he doesn't understand, it's got to be a new strategy"

- "I don't think that Senator Obama understands that there was a failed state in Pakistan when Musharraf came to power."

- "...that will have a calamitous effect in Afghanistan and American national security interests in the region. Senator Obama doesn't seem to understand there is a connected [sic] between the two."

- "What Senator Obama doesn't seem to understand [is] that if without precondition you sit down across the table from someone..."

- "He doesn't understand that Russia committed serious aggression against Georgia."

- "Senator Obama still doesn't quite understand -- or doesn't get it -- that if we fail in Iraq, it encourages al Qaeda."

The public didn't buy McCain's accusations then and there's no reason they should now. While McCain aggressively pushes for sanctions and "other measures" against Iran, foreign policy experts agree that Obama has taken the right approach.  Even former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who McCain recently called "the smartest man in the world," said Obama "has handled this well."