Washington (CNN) – Sen. John McCain, who earlier this week leveled harsh criticism at President Barack Obama for what he said was the politicization of the killing of Osama bin Laden, said Tuesday he did not believe the president's trip to Afghanistan was a political move. "Well I think it's a good thing," McCain said when asked about the president's surprise trip to Afghanistan. "I think it's always good when the president goes to where our young men and women are in harm's way and I think that many of us who have been involved in Afghanistan are very involved in the strategic partnership agreement, which I'm sure he will be talking about, and we think that the agreement is good and we obviously would like to know the details."
On Sunday, McCain slammed Obama for turning the one year anniversary of the raid that killed the al Qaeda chief into a "cheap political attack ad."
McCain issued a statement Sunday asserting: "No one disputes that the President deserves credit for ordering the raid, but to politicize it in this way is the height of hypocrisy."
McCain, who was pitted against Obama in the 2008 presidential race, is a top surrogate for the likely GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Republicans including Romney claim Obama is using the anniversary of bin Laden's death to gain political points ahead of November's general election.
On Tuesday, McCain said the president's Afghanistan visit did not constitute "spiking the football."
"No, I don't see it as that," McCain said. "And I wish the president would explain more often to the American people why Afghanistan is important, that Afghanistan not return to a base for attacks on America."
McCain did say it was "regrettable" Obama hasn't given a major address on Afghanistan since June 2011, when he announced plans for troop withdrawal from the country.
"The American people need to know why sacrifices are being made, and they are being made, and in my view the president really has been remiss in not talking to the American people and our young people are in harm's way," McCain said.
ROTFL ....
