McCain rewrites history. The surge even affected events 6 months before it was decided on. (Updated)

I'm not sure this is the breathless story that some on the left are painting it, but it is pretty notable that in the McCain interview with CBS that he credited the Sunni "awakening" to the surge even though it clearly began 6 months before. (Olberman report, Democracy Arsenal, DailyKos diarist)

Maybe this is truly a historical mistake and a true misunderstanding, but I think it's as interesting as a political mistake. McCain under intense political pressure over the shifts in Iraq politics is floundering about, trying to claim all credit for "the surge."

"The surge" is really the only thing he has left to run on. He has no other "popular" policies to run on.

The press has widely accepted McCain's claim of entire self credit for "the surge." McCain presents it as if the whole thing was all his product, when really he was just an outspoken Senator in support. Yes he was loudly for it, but, really, he was just a small part in getting it done.

Later: CNN actually picked up the gaffe story. Also AP.

Check out the very ugly, blunt response from Tucker Bounds, McCain campaign spokesman,

"Democrats can debate whether the Awakening would have survived without the surge, or whether the Shiite militias would have unilaterally disarmed without US troops and our Iraqi allies disarming them by force, but that is a transparent effort to minimize the role of our commanders and our troops in defeating the enemy, because to credit them would be to disparage the judgment of Barack Obama and praise the leadership of John McCain," Bounds also said.

"If Barack Obama had had his way, the Sheiks who started the Awakening would have been murdered at the hands of al Qaeda, and US forces would have already left Iraq in defeat," he added.

And, Mr. Townhall, Mr. "happy banterer with the press," has just canceled his one scheduled McCain press conference of the week.

But I thought he was whining about media coverage......