In debate, McCain misidentified Petraeus as Joint Chiefs chairman

[Punditty]

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/1477992-joint-chiefs

During Tuesday night’s presidential debate in Nashville, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) made what could arguably be considered the most serious verbal gaffe to date by the McCain-Palin campaign when he misidentified Gen. David Petraeus as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In fact, Adm. Michael Mullen has held that position since Oct. 1, 2007. Petraeus recently concluded his 20-month tenure as commander of the Multi-National Forces - Iraq (MNF-I) and will become the next commander of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) at the end of October. Petraeus has never been Joint Chiefs chairman.

full report at:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/1477992-joint-chiefs

[minionofmidas]

Harmless.

[??????????]

And Joe Biden thinks a crippled guy can walk.

[JSojourner]

Nothing to see here. 

Seriously, these kinds of mistakes are made by everyone -- in and out of politics.  There's only a problem if a candidate repeats the mistake.

I'll give you a Democratic example.  Bill Richardson, on the primary stump, kept referring to Russia as "The U.S.S.R." and "The Soviet Union".  Of course, he knew better.  He was U.N. Ambassador after the Iron Curtain fell.  But he didn't make the mistake once.  He made it over and over again.  To me, that betrayed an undisciplined mind at work (or not). 

So if McCain keeps on referring to Petreus as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs...or if he continues to confuse Sunni and Shi'ia...then we have a problem.  But a simple, isolated case of mis-speaking is hardly worth noting.

[??????????]

I'll give you a Democratic example.  Bill Richardson, on the primary stump, kept referring to Russia as "The U.S.S.R." and "The Soviet Union". 

How was he incorrect?