Editore"s Note
Tilting at Windmills

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October 7, 2008

WE'RE ALL TREASONOUS NOW.... Fifteen months ago, Barack Obama, addressing U.S. policy in Afghanistan, said, "We've got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous pressure over there." A few Republicans raised a fuss, but Obama's comments were fair and accurate, and the issue dropped.

This week, the McCain campaign is trying to manufacture a new controversy over the old flap, with Sarah Palin going so far as to insist that the remarks from 2007 are somehow anti-military. Her bogus accusations led one of her supporters today to accuse Obama of "treason."

As it turns out, if concern for foreign civilian casualties is "dishonorable," as a McCain campaign ad argued yesterday, then there's a lot of dishonor to go around.

John McCain in 2000 said because of tactical decisions U.S. troops were put in the position of killing civilians in Kosovo -- something awfully similar to the comments he's now attacking Barack Obama for.

During a Republican primary debate in 2000 McCain called the Clinton strategy in Kosovo "obscene" because it forced troops into using tactics that meant civilians were going to get killed.

"In the most obscene chapter in recent American history is the conduct of the Kosovo conflict when the president of the United States refused to prepare for ground operations, refused to have air power used effectively because he wanted them flying -- he had them flying at 15,000 feet where they killed innocent civilians because they were dropping bombs from such -- in high altitude."

That is almost exactly what Barack Obama said last year about U.S. troops in Afghanistan, when he said the U.S. strategy has led to air strikes rather than controlling the ground -- a remark that McCain, in a new ad announced this week, calls "dishonorable."

Those remarks sure are awfully similar. I can only assume, then, that McCain will be denouncing himself any minute now.

Steve Benen 3:05 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (21)
 
Comments

Well, probably not McCain himself. It's more likely that he'll get Palin to denounce him.

Posted by: Matt on October 7, 2008 at 3:06 PM | PERMALINK

' McCain denouncing himself any minute now..'

Oh.. to denounce himself, he needs perhaps a few hours or a couple of more books.

Kari

Posted by: Kari on October 7, 2008 at 3:06 PM | PERMALINK

Come on, Steve. That John McCain is so-o-o-o last election!

Posted by: chrenson on October 7, 2008 at 3:11 PM | PERMALINK

McCain is now alienating everyone but his rabid base... for his own sake, he better hope he doesnt get elected -

Posted by: christAlmighty on October 7, 2008 at 3:12 PM | PERMALINK

What a collection of incompetent old fucks. Still haven't figured out the "Google" thing have they. It goes like this : Everything you ever said all the time 24 hours a day. For every statement you attribute to Obama there will be a corollary for somthing you said , you dodering old goat.

Posted by: John R on October 7, 2008 at 3:12 PM | PERMALINK

I can only assume, then, that McCain will be denouncing himself any minute now.

Johhny McMaverick: I don't think I need lessons in honor from a carpetbagger from the socialist state of Vermont!

Posted by: Danp on October 7, 2008 at 3:14 PM | PERMALINK

I think by november 2nd the campaign will be distilled to "I was a POW and he wasn't" since that is the only thing that can't get thrown back in McCain's face in a properly executed "I know you are, what am I?" sort of fashion.

Posted by: Jeff on October 7, 2008 at 3:19 PM | PERMALINK

This just proves that the Washington Times is a liberal conspiracy.

Posted by: Ross Best on October 7, 2008 at 3:28 PM | PERMALINK

Given that we are discussing John McCain, I find the notion of him denouncing himself similar to something I might see on an episode of the Simpsons---where he rips himself in half from top to bottom, with each half bloodily denouncing the other until they both collapse on the floor.

Bullwinkle Barbie, of course, will not denounce John McCain; her tactic is to climb into an airplane and shoot from the air....

Posted by: Steve on October 7, 2008 at 3:29 PM | PERMALINK

So the Washington Times is now against McCain? If McCain keeps this up he'll start loosing FOX before Election Day. After Election Day...

Posted by: stefan on October 7, 2008 at 3:31 PM | PERMALINK

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the description that McCain used about bombing pretty much exactly what he was doing in Vietnam?

Posted by: Gandalf on October 7, 2008 at 3:42 PM | PERMALINK

DESPICABLE - yes, the word in all caps is the level to which the McCain campaign has descended.

Not one decent word over the past seven days. Sleight of hand and twist of truth are the two pillars of this McCain campaign. He and she deserve not the residence of our beloved WH.

A vote for McCain is a vote for fascism! -Kevo

Posted by: kevo on October 7, 2008 at 3:57 PM | PERMALINK

The statute of limitation on GOP speak is zero minus 0 hours since they are totally about tomorrow.

Posted by: lou on October 7, 2008 at 3:57 PM | PERMALINK

Oh, but Kosovo was DIFFERENT. You see, at that time Clinton was President. Opposing his policies reflexively and challenging his moral authority as commander in chief was considered a patriotic act.

Posted by: T-Rex on October 7, 2008 at 3:58 PM | PERMALINK

I think that Obama will win, but the tone of the Repub campaign and the ugly, lynch-mob sort of responses from the crowds , makes me wonder what will happen when the Dems take over the whole Federal apparatus.

I fully expect the Repubs in the Senate to be obstructionist as usual, and I really hope that the Dems will force real filibusters to expose who is gumming up the works.

But of more concern is the possibility that there are a legion of Eric-Rudolph, McVeigh types out there to create as much chaos as they can out of a combination of blind hatred, racism, and frustration.

It is in times of great economic distress that extremists thrive. Those conditions existed in Italy in the early 20s and in Germany during the Great Depression --- and at that time such movements were not unknown here...the resurgent Klan, the Silver Shirts (thugs that terrorized union men in my home town of Detroit) Father Charles Coughlin (another Detroit-based homegrown fascist)and others.

Even if we win on Nov. 5, there will be much to do.

Posted by: jrosen on October 7, 2008 at 4:17 PM | PERMALINK

Must read:

The Palins' un-American activities
By David Talbot
Salon.com
October 7, 2008

Excerpt:

"My government is my worst enemy. I'm going to fight them with any means at hand."

This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right? Imagine what Sarah Palin is going to do with this incendiary quote as she tears into Barack Obama this week.

Only one problem. The quote is from Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American who founded the Alaska Independence Party. Inconveniently for Palin, that's the very same secessionist party that her husband, Todd, belonged to for seven years and that she sent a shout-out to as Alaska governor earlier this year. ("Keep up the good work," Palin told AIP members. "And God bless you.")

AIP chairwoman Lynette Clark told me recently that Sarah Palin is her kind of gal. "She's Alaskan to the bone ... she sounds just like Joe Vogler."

Posted by: SecularAnimist on October 7, 2008 at 4:33 PM | PERMALINK

America is watching the beauty Queen, Sarah Palin display her very real self as citizen and political model as the Republican Party lead “Creep-a-zoid”.

Any one that listens to Sarah Palin’s constant rant about Obama, Biden or the Democratic party and cheers to the Clepto Republican reasoning she spews, is on the edge of Cyclothimia disorder. When Papa Bush said America is headed for a “New World Oder” he ignored the Karol Rove’s effect and this neo-con’s love for stealing the electorates tax dollars. America is in first gear Reagan economics. Whats worse is the Neo-Con followers and supporters like it too. They cheer and applaud at cutting taxes while cheering in scaring America to give their party trillion dollar Federal Reserve checks. Likely to Party hard. And we thought Katrina was nuts.

And more over these Republican Neo-Cons will jack anything they can get their hands on. Including their own swantz, all the while watching Sarah wink and smile. It was just wild to hear Olbermann describe that young Republican analyst from the National Review Magazine, implying he masturbated while watching Sarah on television. Is Olbermann implying and is Palin backing him up, yes Ladies and Gentlemen we now have Neo-Con Porno-Politics’ brought to by the beauty queen of the Republican Creep-a-zoid show coming to a gas light club rally near you. Your gas pipeline comes later like that solution the credit crisis will take a little time. I think they need time to pack up and get out of dodge. Ms. Dole did.

Seriously though all this stuff about Obama and radicals is so, oh, oh ooo. Sheesh, compared to the decades long relationship Bush has with the Bin laden family, the primer financiers of Wahabbi Arab radical Islam here in America and around the world is truly hidden for so long. Just last night Hannity was in a rant about Obama. My goodness, Obama has not been live on the planet long enough to begin to approach the corrosive corruption this Bush family has with the Bin laden Family. For me, the obvious is there; Bush, McCain, and Palin and the entire followers, especially those Liberty University Evangelists are America’s New World Order Creep-a-zoid’s. The real economic jam will likely happen when they all get fired after the election.

Could you just see Sarah Palin on the back porch talking to Putin. “Look it buster you’re a commie and not allowed here, rear your head some were else or I am going to get out my Remington and blast it off. Sorry our friendship is over till this election is over I don’t want America to think I am a commie friend.” Who is a radical? Anyone, anytime they feel they should be. The interesting thing Ayers perhaps he was way before his time. Ayers knew Government was screwed up way back when, now even McCain admits it is screwed up and corrupt. So, for me Hannity is blowing a lot of hot air and so is Palin.

Posted by: Megalomania on October 7, 2008 at 4:49 PM | PERMALINK

Gandalf, (post at 3:42)
I was thinking exactly the same thing. McCain was a bomber pilot, he wasn't "Maverick" more like "Jester" - and it turns my stomach to think showing concern for civilian casualties could possibly be considered dishonorable. Concern is not only the decent human response; strategically, avoiding such casualties is the wisest course of action (see Chalmers Johnson's "Blowback").

McCain/Palin prove day-in and day-out with words and actions that they are neither decent nor wise.
They may be good politicians (as if this alone qualifies them to lead), but they are, at best, average people.

We deserve better than average.

Posted by: jeffreyleonard on October 7, 2008 at 4:56 PM | PERMALINK

This is the same thing McCain has done with The Surge™. McCain says that Obama's judgment must be poor, since Obama doubted the surge.

But McCain spoke in the senate last year, giving three reasons why he was "frankly doubtful" that The Surge™ could work, including that he had no faith in the general leading it.

Once again, McCain blames his own failings (failings in his own eyes) on his opponent.

McCain is weaker than Bush.
.

Posted by: Grand Moff Texan on October 7, 2008 at 5:00 PM | PERMALINK

I like to think I have been treasonous from day one.

Posted by: Brojo on October 7, 2008 at 6:49 PM | PERMALINK

"Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the description that McCain used about bombing pretty much exactly what he was doing in Vietnam? Posted by: Gandalf

It is also exactly what his Dad was doing after John the Third was captured, bombing North Vietnam with B-52's for God's sake. McCain was at least flying a tactical bomber.

Hypocrite, they name is Republican.

Posted by: Lance on October 7, 2008 at 8:53 PM | PERMALINK




 

 
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