November 26, 2006
DIGGING INTO McCAIN....The redoubtable Matt Welch does the unconscionable today: he writes an op-ed for the LA Times in which he examines John McCain's actual views on the issues. He's not impressed:
McCain, it turns out, wants to restore your faith in the U.S. government by any means necessary, even if that requires thousands of more military deaths, national service for civilians and federal micromanaging of innumerable private transactions. He'll kick down the doors of boardroom and bedroom, mixing Democrats' nanny-state regulations with the GOP's red-meat paternalism in a dangerous brew of government activism.
....If his issues line up with yours, and if you're not overly concerned by an activist federal government, McCain can be a great and sympathetic ally. But chances are he will eventually see a grave national threat in what you consider harmless, or he'll prescribe a remedy that you consider unconscionable. Nowhere is that more evident than in his ideas about the Iraq war.
McCain has been banging the drum from nearly Day One to put more boots on the ground in Iraq. "There are a lot of things that we can do to salvage this," he said on "Meet the Press" on Nov. 12, "but they all require the presence of additional troops." McCain is more inclined to start wars and increase troop levels than George W. Bush or Bill Clinton. He has supported every U.S. military intervention of the last two decades, urged both presidents to rattle their sabers louder over North Korea and Iran, lamented the Pentagon's failure to intervene in Darfur and Rwanda and supported a general policy of "rogue state rollback."
Hear hear. This doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves, but despite his soothing speaking style McCain may literally be in the 99% percentile of hawkishness. That is, he may be more hawkish than every single one of his fellow senators. Some "centrist."
McCain has been the focus of some moderately bad press lately because of his notable lack of straight talk ever since he got serious about running for president in 2008: pandering to Jerry Falwell, switching his views on Roe v. Wade, caving in on the torture bill, and abandoning his long-held views on campaign finance reform. And that's all well and good. He deserves to get beaten up for this stuff the same as ordinary mortals do.
But his flip-flops get a lot of attention mainly because they're easy to find and satisfying to point out. Actually looking past his occasionally "maverick" views is far more important, and it reveals a man who has seemingly learned nothing from the Iraq debacle and who is decidedly out of step with the views of at least two-thirds of the country. I suspect that many people find him more palatable than George Bush because he has consistent principles and a working intellect, but those principles are consistently dangerous and misguided. He might not bumble into disasters the way Bush has, but a deliberate and well planned disaster is every bit as bad as the Bushian kind.
Bottom line: If you think Bill Kristol and Charles Krauthammer would make good foreign policy advisors, then McCain is your man. However, if you're not insane, that prospect will scare the hell out of you. As it should.
—Kevin Drum 1:27 PM
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McCain is a charming, charismatic hypocrite who's time has passed. He looks old, and he's a clumsy panderer. It would take a broken field, multi candidate situation for him to have even a chance of getting by the bulk of the base, which can't stand him. It's not merely dislike, it's intense disdain.
And in the general election, should he somehow miraculously make it, Iraq will be an albatross. He looks like The Past. Not a good place to be.
Mr. Crooked Talk, your time was 1996 or 2000. Give it up already.
Posted by: Franklin Delano Sinatra on November 26, 2006 at 1:32 PM | PERMALINK
As long as the Media continue to fellate him, you evil baby-butchers won't retake the White House!
Posted by: Al's Mommy on November 26, 2006 at 1:37 PM | PERMALINK
Just keep rolling out the Hug Photo, folks.
Posted by: Kenji on November 26, 2006 at 1:38 PM | PERMALINK
>>However, if you're not insane, that prospect will scare the hell out of you. As it should.
Damn right it scares me. Guy's one hundred percent off his rocker.
'During the past 30 years, per capita gross domestic product has about doubled, yet about four Americans in five are actually worse off. All the growth went to the top, mostly to the top 1 percent.' - Robert Kuttner - 'The Ameican Prospect
Posted by: CFShep on November 26, 2006 at 1:39 PM | PERMALINK
Consistent principles?
Kevin, did you read the piece you quoted? His only consistent principle is to shoot what irks him.
Posted by: Jeffrey Davis on November 26, 2006 at 1:40 PM | PERMALINK
Speaking of the media fellating McCain, did y'all see the Media Matters compilation of gushing on the Chris Matthews Show? Al's Mommy is right: as long as the media love him -- and boy, do they still love him -- he's likely to be our next president:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200611200001
Posted by: pdp on November 26, 2006 at 1:45 PM | PERMALINK
Since retired general Shinseki was probably right about troop levels before we invaded, I wonder what he's thinking now.
Posted by: ferd on November 26, 2006 at 1:48 PM | PERMALINK
Let the games begin! I've been waiting for you guys to show your panic about McCain's appeal -- and Kevin comes through with this flapping and jibbering post... Perhaps McCain's signature issue is not so unpopular [or "insane"] as you imagine with the incomprehending great unwashed. I would propose that the broad consensus in this country is that America is not the evil empire, beating up on poor widdie Saddam, but rather that we are the good guys and should have [should still?] used different tactics in this war. McCain connects with a much broader cross-section of the general public than GWB [or Hillary, or even Obama]; he could have explained the purpose and the need for this conflict over the heads of the petulant MSM. He would have been smart enough to take us into this war with more support as well. I disagree with him on a lot of issues: McCain-Feingold, the Gang of 14...but I think he's an honest man trying to do his best in a dishonest profession. I just don't see any other politician that connects with so many people that way, and if he stays healthy you are right to start attacking him now.
Posted by: minion on November 26, 2006 at 1:53 PM | PERMALINK
From the link, McCain's main governmental inspiration is Teddy Roosevelt ..great... isn't that Dubya's favorite president, as well? If it isn't he should be. Mark Twain, who met TR twice, judged that he was"clearly insane," If McCain becomes president we may expect a continuation of TR/Bush preemptive war policies.. great men indeed!
Posted by: Steve Crickmore on November 26, 2006 at 1:56 PM | PERMALINK
Our liberal media loved McCain when he was criticizing other Republicans. Criticism of pubbies is what our media sees as "straight talk."
Once McCain became the likely Republican Presidential candidate, it was inevitable that the media would turn on him. This article was just the opening salvo.
Posted by: ex-liberal on November 26, 2006 at 2:12 PM | PERMALINK
McCain is an unstable personality who has trouble containing his temper. Any smart Democratic nominee would slaughter him in a debate.
The fucker's cuckoo for cocoa puffs.
Posted by: Lyndon W. Bush on November 26, 2006 at 2:22 PM | PERMALINK
Issues? What the hell do issues like war, abortion, and civil rights have to do with anything when you have image and favorable press coverage?
Look at McCain's favorability numbers. He'd have a fighting chance for the dem nomination.
All: 59%
Democrats: 57%
Republicans: 64%
Independents: 59%
Conservative Reps: 69%
Liberal Dems: 61%
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/PollVault/story?id=1694406
Posted by: toast on November 26, 2006 at 2:29 PM | PERMALINK
Yes, McCain is a right wing, status quo war mongerer. And yes, there are plenty of Democrats out there who still think he's some kind of libertarian, maverick politician (Kerry, anybody?)
Anyone who thinks McCain is some kind of improvement over GWB needs to stay out of William Buckley's stash.
Posted by: smedleybutler on November 26, 2006 at 2:31 PM | PERMALINK
Too old, mentally unbalanced, cancer-riddled, a phony war "hero" and the biggest waffler in history. All things considered, possibly the most undesirable presidential candidate since the Republican's last one.
This geriatric fool is the best America has to offer??? Sheesh!
Posted by: The Conservative Deflator on November 26, 2006 at 2:36 PM | PERMALINK
x-librul: "Once McCain became the likely Republican Presidential candidate, it was inevitable that the media would turn on him."
Yeah, those conservatives just can't catch a break from the powerful media. Fellate any Guckerts lately?
Posted by: Kenji on November 26, 2006 at 2:36 PM | PERMALINK
But ... but ... but ... Marshall Wittmann says McCain's got a Secret Plan to Win in Iraq Through National Greatness.
You'll lose your membership in the Responsible Progressives Club for such nutroots heresy. And the Death of The West is sure to follow.
Posted by: Roger Ailes on November 26, 2006 at 2:39 PM | PERMALINK
My understanding is that McCain was always pro-life (or anti-abortion, if you prefer). Is there any support for the claim that he has flip-flopped on this issue?
Posted by: y81 on November 26, 2006 at 2:59 PM | PERMALINK
Bottom line: If you think Bill Kristol and Charles Krauthammer would make good foreign policy advisors, then McCain is your man. However, if you're not insane, that prospect will scare the hell out of you. As it should.
Yeah, we sane people should let George McGovern run our foreign policy.
Posted by: dnc on November 26, 2006 at 3:07 PM | PERMALINK
My understanding is that McCain was always pro-life (or anti-abortion, if you prefer). Is there any support for the claim that he has flip-flopped on this issue?
Yes, the flip was a little more nuanced. He used to support a federal ban on abortion. He now thinks abortion should be left up to the states. The new wording polls better and keeps women from turning from him en masse.
Posted by: toast on November 26, 2006 at 3:09 PM | PERMALINK
Kenji: Yeah, those conservatives just can't catch a break from the powerful media. Fellate any Guckerts lately?
Kenji -- Are you referring to the Guckert who is the publisher the New York Times? Or the one who does political analysis for CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, Time and Newsweek? No, you bring up one unknown conservative affiliated with some chickenshit magazine that nobody ever reads. That's supposed to prove that the media isn't liberal? I think not.
Posted by: ex-liberal on November 26, 2006 at 3:15 PM | PERMALINK
My understanding is that McCain was always pro-life (or anti-abortion, if you prefer). Is there any support for the claim that he has flip-flopped on this issue?
You're right; the difference was that in the past he didn't make a big deal out of it. I forget his exact statements, but he believed (correctly, in my view) that abortion rights was not important enough of an issue to waste the federal government's time on. And he was generally uninterested in demagoguing culture war issues to win over the Christian Right, who he believed (also correctly) were a bunch of nuts who were damaging the party.
McCain has never pretended to social liberalism, but social issues were never his focus and he was much more of a pluralist in the past, so his conservative views either went unnoticed or didn't bug people. (I doubt he'd push social conservatism once in office either - but who cares? his other views are worse.)
a phony war "hero"
I've never heard anyone question his war record - care to explain? One could fairly argue that being shot down and imprisoned during an imperialist war isn't heroism, but he refused to abuse his father's position to get an early release from a POW camp where he was tortured. Can anyone here honestly say they'd do the same? Bush sure couldn't.
I respect McCain's bravery and mental fortitude. Even more worthy of respect was James Stockdale, Perot's VP candidate and Medal of Honor winner, who was held for even longer than McCain and mutilated and nearly killed himself to avoid being used for Communist propaganda. Stockdale would have been a terrible VP, and McCain an even worse president. Their war records are pretty irrelevant to that. Bush was a total pussy during the war and that didn't stop him from acting like a badass junta leader.
Posted by: Nat on November 26, 2006 at 3:17 PM | PERMALINK
x-Lib:
"No, you bring up one unknown conservative affiliated with some chickenshit magazine that nobody ever reads."
Yeah, an "unknown" (aka Jeff Gannon. hmm, sound familiar?) whom Dear Leader repeatedly chose as a sounding board so he wouldn't have to look Helen Thomas in the eye.
90 percent of all outlets have given this pathetic excuse for a president a free pass and you can fart in the wind all you want about the big, bad media. It will be you left with the smell while the rest of us figure out how to clean up the horrible mess your hero has left behind.
Anyway, McCain sucks on the issues, and it doesn't matter how many messengers you bootlickers try to preemptively kill.
Posted by: Kenji on November 26, 2006 at 3:31 PM | PERMALINK
Never mind, maybe it's not a flip flop if he's always been all over the place.
1999: certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.
2006: I’m a federalist. Just as I believe that the issue of gay marriage should be decided by the states, so do I believe that we would be better off by having Roe v. Wade return to the states. And I don’t believe the Supreme Court should be legislating in the way that they did on Roe v. Wade.
2006: STEPHANOPOULOS: You’re for a constitutional amendment banning abortion, with some exceptions for life and rape and incest? MCCAIN: Rape, incest and the life of the mother. Yes.
2000: when asked Wednesday what he would do if his 15-year-old daughter Meghan became pregnant and wanted an abortion, said it would be a "family decision." "The final decision would be made by Meghan with our advice and counsel," McCain said, speaking of himself and his wife Cindy. "Obviously I would encourage her to bring, to know that baby would be brought up in a warm and loving family, but the final decision would be made by Meghan with our advice and counsel."
2000: McCain describes himself as a "pro-life" candidate and says he favors a ban on abortion except in the case of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother.
Posted by: toast on November 26, 2006 at 3:37 PM | PERMALINK
I'm so scared of McCain!! He's such a maverick!! The press is trusted by everyone, and they love him, so therefore he's a lock!!! And he looks so young and vibrant!! Sob.
Posted by: Truth Teller on November 26, 2006 at 4:10 PM | PERMALINK
I remember when Bob Dole was appreciated for his folksy humor, just as Mccain is today. But Dole's wit limped along in '96, just as McCain's limps along today.
It'll take a lot of convincing to demonstrate to me that McCain can make it to the White House. With Iraq in meltdown and a 2007 recession ahead, he's offering nothing substantive that can even carry him through the primaries currently.
Hagel's the GOP frontrunner of the top four I hear mentioned most often (McCain, Giuiliani and Romney being the others).
Posted by: Kevin Hayden on November 26, 2006 at 4:25 PM | PERMALINK
Somebody's being sarcastic...
Posted by: Kenji on November 26, 2006 at 4:25 PM | PERMALINK
Kevin - You keep repeating the lie that "McCain pandered to Jerry Falwell."
I remember your post after McCain spoke at Liberty University. You offered no specific example of McCain "pandering." As I remember your post, your main complaint was that McCain didn't bash Falwell or put him in his place.
Sorry but that doesn't constitute "pandering."
Posted by: Frequency Kenneth on November 26, 2006 at 4:30 PM | PERMALINK
The fact that the trolls are now pro-McCain tells an objective mind all it needs to know. Look, the man is a sell-out. And they love him for it.
Posted by: Sparko on November 26, 2006 at 4:37 PM | PERMALINK
McCain will get killed on the war issue. It's the one thing that hurts him among Independents - and it does nothing to soothe the angst of the GOP base. The war will be worse in 2008 than it is now. And it is a catastrophic failure right now. McCain has called for a pittance of 20,000 more troops to go to Iraq. Does anybody really believe that a mere 20,000 troops will turn the tides in our favor? McCain only uses this number because that's all that we have available sans Charlie Rangel's draft. I don't think McCain believes 20,000 troops will make a difference. He only supports it out of "honor."
If, somehow, the war disappears as an issue by 2008 - say, we completely withdraw and Iraq falls into an internal genocide off the evening news - McCain could serve as the Reaganite military revival candidate. But I suspect the country will want a few more years of non-interventionism before returning to neo-conservatism. The country wasn't ready for Reagan in 1976, after all.
Posted by: Elrod on November 26, 2006 at 4:39 PM | PERMALINK
I remember your post after McCain spoke at Liberty University. You offered no specific example of McCain "pandering."
Associating with Falwell voluntarily is prima facie evidence of either a) buying into Falwell's brand of insane reactionary Christalibanity or b) pandering to those who do.
I assume that Kevin was merely granting McCain the benefit of the doubt.
Posted by: Wilbur on November 26, 2006 at 4:49 PM | PERMALINK
American Voters love politicians with Charisma.
We reject the statemen that know our natural enemy
in favor of the candidate with 'Stage Presence'.
Global Offensive Jihad is the Reality. The on-coming Nuclear War is not to be discussed until
it is too late.
The Madrassa are pumping out the next generation of Suicide Bombers. Should we ignore them? If there are no Infidel close by, Shia & Sunni enjoy
blowing up the other fellow's Mosque.
Read a History post, if you need a refresher! reb
Snake Hunters
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com
Posted by: r.benn on November 26, 2006 at 4:54 PM | PERMALINK
Honor is not a bad thing. Twenty thousand troops would be more than enough if they had the rules of engagmement that I would authorize. First I would go through all the Sunni areas like the wrath of God. Then and only then, it would be time for the Shiite militias. That would probably lead right into a war with Iran, which may take Rangel's draft but not if we do enough carpet bombing.
Finally, it would be time to turn West and take out Syria. It would be fun watching the assassination planners and the friends of terrorism scurry on to jetliners leaving Damascus as our armored columns race through An Bahr province at them. We need good photos of all of them as they pass through airline terminals on arrival somewhere.
Posted by: Mike Cook on November 26, 2006 at 4:56 PM | PERMALINK
Yeah, McCain and Lieberman, they both just couldn't tell Bush NO. Bush might as well have kissed them both.
BUT McCain is still going to run for president? On what, the military draft? Is that how McCain is planning on winning the Whitehouse?
Most voters want OUT of Iraq, NOT more into it, McCain will simply have to make shit up in the end - you know, flip-flop, lie just like Bush, or, just like John Kerry.
McCain is NOT some centrist, mind you, it's that McCain was suppose to be a "straight shooter". But he is been quite dishonest of late, and his more military boots in Iraq won't fly as a campaign issue, so just like George W. Bush, McCain will simply have to make shit up - flip-flop, to even been consider a contender. McCain is more of ablunder the Howard Dean ever dream of being. It's worse the Dean saying he was "the left wing of Democratic Party", hell even Bush ran his campaign as a moderate, so I wonder, does this make McCain verifiably obtuse. In short why vote for McCain, when we could just keep 31% poll count Dubya in office, because McCain is the exact same thing.
The bumber sticker for McCain would be: "McCain, just another Bush for 08".
Posted by: Cheryl on November 26, 2006 at 5:00 PM | PERMALINK
Yeah, we sane people should let George McGovern run our foreign policy
With pleasure! Exactly what foreign policy issues has he been, you know, wrong about?
Posted by: Mooser on November 26, 2006 at 5:04 PM | PERMALINK
Off topic but I have to wonder what Kevin Drum thinks of his governator, because Arnold was on Meet the Press today.
Tim Russert call Arnold Schwarzenegger a "girlyman" and Arnold just laughed it off.
Arnold has embraced the liberal viewpoint so completely, why does he call himself a Republican anymore?
Posted by: Cheryl on November 26, 2006 at 5:45 PM | PERMALINK
I am struck by liberals' eagerness to demonize on demand. It's not enough to disagree with policies; those on the other side must be demons. Robert Bork. Clarence Thomas. Senator Tower. Reagan. Bush. Cheney. Gingrich. Rumsfeld. DeLay. Ashcroft. John Bolton. And, now it's time to add McCain to the list.
When I was a liberal, we libs cared about issues, such as promoting democracy and promoting the betterment of the downtrodden. Today's libs oppose the spreading of democracy, because Demon Bush supports it. They've more-or-less abandoned efforts to better the downtrodden, preferring to give them a gift of the fruits of betterment, but withhold the betterment.
An example of my latter point is liberals' love for racial preferences, but their unconcern about African-Americans lagging 3 to 4 years behind in school, on average.
In fact, some libs probably oppose trying to help African American students catch up, because that was Bush's goal in No-Child-Left-Behind. Many libs automatically oppose anything Bush supports.
Posted by: ex-liberal on November 26, 2006 at 6:07 PM | PERMALINK
Arnold has embraced the liberal viewpoint so completely, why does he call himself a Republican anymore?
Because he still believes in corporate welfare. Because he still believes that bonds are not tax increases, that they are somehow free money. Because, at bottom, he's not a grownup about the issues we face. That's what makes him a Republican.
Posted by: craigie on November 26, 2006 at 6:07 PM | PERMALINK
Many libs automatically oppose anything Bush supports.
That's certainly true for me. But only after watching the man-child get every single decision of his presidency 180 degrees wrong. I'm not prejudiced against Bush - I've seen the evidence that he's a dangerous moron.
Posted by: craigie on November 26, 2006 at 6:10 PM | PERMALINK
Bottom line; the top 1% like McCain.
Posted by: artemus on November 26, 2006 at 6:14 PM | PERMALINK
I wonder why Andrew Sullivan has such a man-crush on McCain then.
Posted by: Bernard on November 26, 2006 at 6:15 PM | PERMALINK
Mooser at 5;04 pm
Well said.
Posted by: Erroll on November 26, 2006 at 6:19 PM | PERMALINK
Kevin: "If you think Bill Kristol and Charles Krauthammer would make good foreign policy advisors, then McCain is your man."
Krauthammer -- now that's a good name for a shameless warhawk. If McCain could somehow find a Guderian, Rommel and Kesselring, he's really have something there. I'm not quite sure what that would be, but it would certainly be something.
Posted by: Donald from Hawaii on November 26, 2006 at 6:29 PM | PERMALINK
Another McCain flip-flop: He voted against Bush's huge tax cuts that are set to expire in 2010. But now says he favors extending them, even with our enormous deficits and debt, because by not extending them it's a tax INCREASE. And McCain says he opposes tax increases. That should be enough to get him the nomination. When it all comes down to it, opposing taxes is far and away the only thing Repubs REALLY care about. The other stuff is all talk.
Posted by: rover on November 26, 2006 at 6:38 PM | PERMALINK
minion: "[McCain] would have been smart enough to take us into this war with more support as well."
And just look at what this type of futile exercise in dick-swinging foreign policy has gotten us -- stuck in a quagmire with no good viable options left, and isolated in world opinion.
The true measure of a superpower is its willingness to show patience and restraint in the face of real or perceived provocation. Therefore, I'd much rather prefer a president who'd be smart enough to stay out of the swamp in the first place.
Posted by: Donald from Hawaii on November 26, 2006 at 6:40 PM | PERMALINK
Therefore, I'd much rather prefer a president who'd be smart enough to stay out of the swamp in the first place.
Oh come on Don - everyone knows that the only serious foreign policy is one that requires bombing every brown person under the sun. And then after that, bombing the Canadians.
Posted by: craigie on November 26, 2006 at 6:59 PM | PERMALINK
ex-liberal: "I am struck by liberals' eagerness to demonize on demand."
Speaking of demonizing, do ever bother to review even a few of the vile things what you've written about liberals and Democrats in the past on this post? You're simply unbelievable.
I don't think that you're anymore a true conservative today than you were a real liberal back in the day. Rather, you're what might be politely called a political "frontrunner" -- that is, an opportunist who's far more interested in being on what you perceive to be the winning side than about standing for what's right and wrong.
And judging by the last election, you've obviously backed the wrong horse. And there's an all-purpose, non-denominational label for that -- "loser".
Posted by: Donald from Hawaii on November 26, 2006 at 6:59 PM | PERMALINK
I taught my son not to lie.
Kevin should never have said McCain "pandered" to Jerry Falwell.
Lying is not right. Kevin, I am ashamed of you.
Posted by: Kevin Drum's mother on November 26, 2006 at 7:13 PM | PERMALINK
Donald,
Even Kevin, in one of his lucid intervals, has pointed out that the war could have gone much better with a better CinC. I think war with Saddam was inevitable, but a better leader would have been more adroit at making Saddam fire the first shot [or send the first July martyr], would have exposed the corruption of our opposition in the UN, and would have sent enough troops in the first place, even if it endangered his tax cuts. That's why we unreconstructed neocons still support McCain over Bush.
Posted by: minion on November 26, 2006 at 7:32 PM | PERMALINK
McCain is a terrorist.
He flew over Vietnam willfully... dropping explosives and poison on civilians and flora.
When the Viet Congs got lucky and shot him down with a spray of their riffles... he was shocked that the gooks didn't treat him as a "decent" man according to Geneva war conventions.
"I'm and American pilot and I have a right to drop poison on your fields and napalm on your children... and if get captured I have a right to be treated humanely. After all... I am American White male."
Poor fuck.
He never could understand why the Vietnamese regarded him as an evil white nigger.
And worse yet...
He never will understand.
I reiterate:
McCain is a terrorist...
He is no different than Osama bin Laden (or any of a thousand thousand thousand other "war heroes.")
He will make a great president...
Posted by: ROTFLMLiberalAO on November 26, 2006 at 7:37 PM | PERMALINK
I haven't been here for a few days. Jeffery hasn't posted on this thread. Has he been banned?
Posted by: wishful thinking on November 26, 2006 at 7:55 PM | PERMALINK
Maybe the MSM will allow itself to find and follow a "White Knight" who is a Democrat this time?
Posted by: Neil' on November 26, 2006 at 8:31 PM | PERMALINK
People are forgetting that McCain was the preferred candidate of the Weekly Standard and the entire neocon crowd. He was endorsed by NY Post over Bush during the primaries.
Unfortunately the journalism elite seems to be infatuated with him and will do all they can to sell him to the country as a moderate, reasonable, straight talking candidate.
Posted by: Nan on November 26, 2006 at 8:51 PM | PERMALINK
And then after that, bombing the Canadians.
Oh. Now you tell me. Do you know how hard it is to dig a shelter when the ground's frozen?
Jeffery hasn't posted on this thread. Has he been banned?
Kevin told him he has to use a woman's name next time and he's having a snit.
Posted by: exasperanto on November 26, 2006 at 8:55 PM | PERMALINK
"MCCAIN: Rape, incest and the life of the mother. Yes."
Yet another flip flop. McCain supported the South Dakota ban which did not make an exception for rape, incest, life of the mother.
Posted by: Nan on November 26, 2006 at 8:59 PM | PERMALINK
Lying isn't right.
Kevin doesn't like McCain or Falwell. Fine. But he shouldn't lie about them.
Posted by: Kevin Drum's father on November 26, 2006 at 9:16 PM | PERMALINK
If the few tens of thousands of dollars spent on covering bar tabs and buying shrimp for the Boys (and Girls) on the Bus in 2000 delivers the White House, it will be the greatest ROI since Peter Minuit bought Manhattan.
Posted by: Davis X. Machina on November 26, 2006 at 9:18 PM | PERMALINK
McCain is a panderer to the Religious Right. Appearing at "Liberty" University alone is indeed sufficient proof of this.
To pretend that Ayatollah Falwell deserves to be taken seriously at all as a voice in the national debate is evidence enough for this, whether McCain pandered to Falwell personally or not.
Posted by: Mithrandir on November 26, 2006 at 9:24 PM | PERMALINK
ABC Network announces,Johnny McCain starring in a new Series,"A Maverick In Me".Watch The Season Premier on A B C starting in Feb 2008.The Network announced Today this is a new concept for T V,"a fresh and Moderate program for everyonre except Conservatives and Republicans.It will be an Inneractive Show of only Johnnies views.The Producers are telling us that Mr.McCain will be on his best behavior until someone ask him a Question. ABC has promised to use the former "bleep" man of Howard Stern to avoid an R rating.Other precautions will be taken such as an Audience Secure Viewing area.The Senator will be required to wear a Shock Collar as well as Ankle Bracelets.The Shows Taping will take place in a 8x8 room without Air Conditioning.Sponsor line ups will include Tylenol,Tampax,The America Psyciatric Society,American Bar Association and The A C L U. ABC expects reveue dollars to be Less than any other aired program in the Time Slot,but were afraid to not Produce the Show.ABC has promised Guest Stars including Hillary Rohdam Rohdam,Nacny Pelosi,Walter Crotchnike,Howard Dean,Allen Colmes aka Spock,Barackus Ohbombus and The Gang of 14,a Polka Band formerly called, The Judiciary Throat Slicers. Sen.Maverick has made no comments about the Program.Also The Maverick that is in Sen.McCain has not been Named. But a former page from the set of Hump Back Mountain has been seen in The Mavericks Office.
Posted by: Glyn Lockhart on November 26, 2006 at 9:34 PM | PERMALINK
Many libs automatically oppose anything Bush supports.
Yeah, I guess we should feel guilty for not taking seriously the disjointed mumblings of a petty, warped, mean-spirited fool whose judgment is so consistently wrong that I still can't believe we're not living in some sort of existentialist farce. Even ignorant savages apparently deserve a serious hearing if they wear expensive suits and don't attack the staff.
Posted by: latts on November 26, 2006 at 10:44 PM | PERMALINK
In a sure sign that the jockeying for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination is underway, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney fired the opening salvo against Republican front-runner John McCain. But in calling McCain "disingenuous," Romney also offered the first pot-calls-kettle-black moment of the '08 campaign.
For the details, see:
"Romney Attacks McCain; Pot Calls Kettle Black."
Posted by: AngryOne on November 27, 2006 at 12:35 AM | PERMALINK
Һемме адем занидинла еркин, иззет-һөрмет ве һоқуқта бапбаравер болуп туғулған. Улар еқилге ве вийдан'ға иге һемде бир-бириге қэриндашлиқ мунасивитиге хас роһ билен билен муамил қилиши кэрек.
Posted by: Grumpy Old Man on November 27, 2006 at 4:51 AM | PERMALINK
If the war is still on in 2008, then there isn't a Reoublican in the country who can win election. John McCain just knows he's getting too old to wait for another two term president to, so he's taking his last best chance and going for it anyway.
Posted by: Soullite on November 27, 2006 at 11:04 AM | PERMALINK
Not only is McCain calling for sending more of America's children to Iraq, an unpopular position, he is starting to look very bad on television. American's propably would vote for a crazy man calling for more war, but not for a sickly looking one.
Posted by: Hostile on November 27, 2006 at 11:35 AM | PERMALINK
In case it hasn't already been said: If Bush can win, anyone can win.
Posted by: Michael Buchanan on November 27, 2006 at 11:41 AM | PERMALINK
In the 2000 presidential campaign McCain called for U.S. foreign policy to aggressively destabilize rogue regimes.
How's McCain's foreign policy working out?
McCain is a no shit kook on foreign policy. As U.S. Senator that's bad, but not catastrophic. As POTUS it's a disaster waiting to happen.
Posted by: Carl Nyberg on November 27, 2006 at 12:06 PM | PERMALINK
I know it's a trivial issue, many orders of magnitude less significant than such things as Iraq and the economy, but nonetheless I cannot forgive McCain for the way he's crusaded to put the Ultimate Fighting Championship out of business.
Posted by: Peter on November 27, 2006 at 12:11 PM | PERMALINK
http://www.loudobbs4president.com/
Posted by: callahan on November 27, 2006 at 12:12 PM | PERMALINK
Has anyone ever asked him "how many more"? I have heard him repeatedly state he would send more troops but I have yet to hear anyone ask him the most obvious follow up.
Posted by: Layne on November 27, 2006 at 1:26 PM | PERMALINK
Peter,
I cannot forgive McCain for the way he's crusaded to put the Ultimate Fighting Championship out of business.
Not that I doubt this, but do you have any citations for this? thanks in advance.
Posted by: Edo on November 27, 2006 at 4:16 PM | PERMALINK
I read a long time ago that McCain was the favorite of the PNAC boys in 2000. That ought to say enough about him for anyone.
Posted by: markg8 on November 27, 2006 at 4:22 PM | PERMALINK
…their unconcern about African-Americans lagging 3 to 4 years behind in school, on average. …that was Bush's goal in No-Child-Left-Behind…ex-liberal at 6:07 PM
Democrats, unlike Republicans, are deeply concerned about the inequalities in the American education system. They supported the NCLB program, only Bush reneged on fully funding it. This and many other cases of Bush betrayal, rank partisanship and outright lies have soured the American public, not just Democrats, on Bush and his "policies."You really should stop calling yourself an ex- something you never were. You're as dishonest as your Dear Leader.
Posted by: Mike on November 27, 2006 at 10:08 PM | PERMALINK