[sandgk]

His speech is a huge walk back from his earlier statements to attract the Republican base during the primaries - most notably in his tiff with Romney.

When asked about McCain's claim while speaking with reporters in Lutz, a clearly irked Romney said McCain was being "dishonest."
"To say that I have a specific date is simply wrong and is dishonest, and he should apologize," Romney argued.
"That is not the case. I've never said that," Romney said emphatically, arguing McCain was "trying desperately to change the topic from the economy and trying to get back to Iraq. But to say something that's not accurate is simply wrong and he knows better." McCain was in no mood to apologize. At a Sun City, campaigning stop later in the day, he said Romney is the one who should apologize.
"Gov. Romney last April said he believed we should set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. My friend, when he suggested that, Gen. [David] Petraeus's new [surge] strategy in Iraq was just beginning," McCain said.
"Now I understand that Gov. Romney has changed his position again as he has on several other issues. But my friends, I was there. He said that he wanted a timetable for withdrawal. That would have meant disaster. That would have meant that al Qaeda would not be telling the world that they defeated the United States of America," he said.

Ironically, given MCCain's 2013 specific prediction, Romney's error in McCain's view was that Mitt had actually hinted at withdrawal by a date that would not even be disclosed.