Obama was all over the television today in a speech telling his audience that John McCain was guilty of what he accused Obama of doing.

Jamie Rubin referenced an old McCain interview he claimed showed that McCain would be softer on Hamas than Obama would be and Obama ran with it.

Surprise, surprise -- not true. Rubin left out a bit of the interview in his account. Here is the video of the exchange:

I thought it was clear enough from the edited portion Rubin did quote that McCain was not talking about taking the kind of stance on Iran that Obama did. McCain's statement, "They're the government and sooner or later we're going to have to deal with them in one way or another," is not the same as what Obama has said and even posted on his own website about talking to Iran "without preconditions." The full excerpt makes it absolutely clear that McCain would only do so after Hamas had met certain conditions.

Jamie Rubin: "Do you think that American diplomats should be operating the way they have been in the past, in working with the Palestinian government if Hamas is in now charge?"

Sen. John McCain: "They're the government and sooner or later we're going to have to deal with them in one way or another, and I understand why this administration and previous administrations had such antipathy towards Hamas is because of their dedication to violence and the things they not only espouse but practice, so, but it's a new reality in the Middle East. And I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and a decent future then they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that."

Rubin: "So should the United States be dealing with that new reality through normal diplomatic contacts to get the job done for the United States?"

Sen. McCain: "I think the United States should take a step back, see what they do when they form their government, see what their policies are, and see the ways that we can engage with them, and if there aren't any, there may be a hiatus. But I think part of the relationship is going to be dictated by how Hamas acts, not how the United States acts."

If there is any doubt that what Obama said about dealing with Iran, refer also to his answer in a debate in July:

In Monday's debate from Charleston, S.C., Obama was asked by a questioner via YouTube if he would be willing to meet--without precondition--in the first year of his presidency with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea.

"I would," he responded.

Update: Redstate is asking readers to contact the Washington Post to demand a retraction of Rubin's story. They provide contact info and more specifics in this post.

Update II: Rubin spins the part of the interview he had left out and complains that McCain and Bush are questioning Democrats' patriotism. We all know what it means when they trot out that line. Seriously, this is going to be a very long six months.