McCain Response from Spokesman Brian Rogers

“On April 13, senior Hamas political advisor Ahmed Yousef said, ‘We don't mind -- actually we like Mr. Obama. We hope he will (win) the election and I do believe he is like John Kennedy, great man with great principle, and he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community but not with domination and arrogance.'

“This is a legitimate issue for the American people to think about. The reason for Hamas' praise of Senator Obama's foreign policy is his commitment to meet unconditionally with Iran -- a nation whose president denies the Holocaust, threatens to wipe Israel off the map, funds terrorists and sends weapons to Iraq to kill American soldiers. Senator Obama's positions present a radical departure from the longstanding bipartisan consensus for isolating rogue regimes like Iran and North Korea.

“It is not only responsible to raise these critical issues in this election, but it would be the height of irresponsibility not to have this discussion with the American people.”

--McCain spokesman Brian Rogers