Forget the temper; do we really want a president (much less a senator) who sings songs about bombing other nations and killing people?

dan @ 1:

Forget the temper; do we really want a president (much less a senator) who sings songs about bombing other nations and killing people?

You call that singing? ;)

Alert the media, folks... an ornery old geezer cusses a lot. Why is this news?

Do we really need to focus on this b.s.?

"Now, it’s worth noting that when George W. Bush’s conservative allies launched a smear campaign against McCain in 2000’s South Carolina primary, one of the more tasteless attacks argued that McCain, after years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, had developed mental problems, and was insufficiently stable. Those smears were obviously offensive and disgusting, and have no place in the discourse."

Then why even mention it? Leave the backhanded smears to Faux News; you're better than that.

The problem with putting mean old men in office is that with the end so near, they often act like they have nothing to lose and don't mind taking the rest of us with them.

;)

Grampa will not be president, no matter what people say.

His temper is legendary, and that little Iran ditty he sang will haunt him forever.

Go away, Grampa. You are toast.

Yes, we need to focus on McCain. Cuz Romney won't be there at the end.

Maybe we can get Rove to relive some of his favorite pranks. Worked for shrub.

If he wasn't good enough for them in 2000 why is he good enough for them now is what I would like to know ? I lost any respect I might have had for him when he endorsed Bush in 2004 after they wiped the floor with him in 2000

100 more years in Iraq - enough said...

Fine, go with the "McCain can't control his temper" strategy but then that means no more whining the next time the rightwing nuts try to dismiss any opposition to bush as just more "angry" democrats. cuts both ways. How bout focusing on what a lame-ass candidate he is because of....call me crazy here....McCain's lame policies and his sham "straight-talk". how bout hammering his complete inauthenicity, his complete lack of conviction. focus on his anger all you want but by doing this you give up your right to cry when Hannity, Limbaugh et al, talk about how angry Hillary sounds when she'son the campaign in the fall, assuming she beats obama. Because you know thats coming.

Just saying...

http://www.dymaxionweb.com/kulturedrome/Crypt%20Keeper.jpg

if y'all haven't noticed... Republicans admire these behaviors and characteristics in their leaders.

Perhaps not the best thing to harp on, as his anger might be spun to make it seem like he somehow has a backbone (which it doesn't indicate at all).

I'm no McCain fan and there's plenty to attack him with, chiefly his propensity for lying and talking out of both sides of his mouth, but these f-bombs make me kind of like him more. It's hilarious.

We can't go there. We're the angry party, remember?

And instead of running away from cries of 'they're angry!' - we should be embracing it.

I belong to the George Carlin / Lewis Black school of anger. We need to be more angry.

Why doesn't temperment have a place in the discourse on this presidential campaign? Temperment is an issue among candidates for judge. Why not among candidates for president? Do you want someone in the White House with his hand on the nuke button who can't control his temper and would nuke another country without careful consideration? I am tired of aggression. We are no longer in the age of the cowboy. Can we enter the 21st century and at least try to be a further evolved country? What I want is an intelligent person who will think before acting. That isn't McCain, obviously.

Remember the letter he wrote to Obama a couple of years ago?

I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I’m embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won’t make the same mistake again.

Right up to his twenties, he remained a strikingly violent man, "ready to fight at the drop of a hat", according to his biographer Robert Timberg. This rage seems to be at the core of his personality: describing his own childhood, McCain has written: "At the smallest provocation I would go off into a mad frenzy, and then suddenly crash to the floor unconscious. When I got angry I held my breath until I blacked out."

From an article titled, "Don't be fooled by the myth of John McCain"

The Fat Lady Sings @ 16:

Now, it’s worth noting that when George W. Bush’s conservative allies launched a smear campaign against McCain in 2000’s South Carolina primary, one of the more tasteless attacks argued that McCain, after years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, had developed mental problems, and was insufficiently stable. Those smears were obviously offensive and disgusting, and have no place in the discourse

.
Why bring it up at all if you claim (rightly) that the charges were offensive and disgusting. Your conduct in doing so is as vile as the original authors of the smear.

Physically threatening??? A guy who cant lift his arms abve his head due to injuries suffered as a POW is physically threatening?

Gimme a break. You know the term "Swiftboating" is thrown around alot, but frankly, candidates are now "boated" whenever they become threatening to others that would disagree with them.

McCain by the far right and radio shows
Obama by Billary
Billary by the right
Left coast rappers by right coast rappers.....

Somewhere, sometime, everyone who looks to jump into front runner status seems to get zapped with one label or another that either isnt true, or is an exageration of their original views.

As one who sees himself as a moderate, I welcome a McCain candidacy. Not because I agree with everything the man says or does, which I dont, but becasue he is willing to reach across the aisle to get things done....and has done so in the past. I think Obama can be viewed by the same light. More liberal, but one willing to work with others.

This country needs another Clinton in the Whitehouse like it needs another Bush. McCain and Obama? I'd much rather see McCain, but I can live with Obama. Hillary I simply couldnt stomach.

My prediction, for what it's worth....

McCain wins the nomination and chooses Huckabee to VP simply to appease the right.
Obama wins the nomination and chooses Bill Richardson because he can fill the foreign policy gap Obama clearly has.

Winner? Pick 'em....

No matter who wins, they ought to make Biden the Sec. of State.

Let's be kind to this man. He spent years being abused at the hands of skilled tormentors. He was physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually tortured. He was malnourished and forced to exist under the most inhumane conditions imaginable.

That said, who the hell believes that sort of prolonged abuse doesn't result in long term disability? Why hasn't this man accepted the grateful accolades of a nation and retired to a private life justifiably deserved by those who have served their nation honorably (even if the cause was totally dishonorable.)

Of course this man is mentally unstable and his behavior unpredictable and frequently abhorrent. If most of us had undergone that sort of abuse we'd be in much worse shape at his age.

The question for me is what freakin' idiots told McCain that running for president is a good idea? And what *&^%$ fools want this man running our country. I just don't get it!!!

Richard @ 35:

The Fat Lady Sings @ 16:

Now, it’s worth noting that when George W. Bush’s conservative allies launched a smear campaign against McCain in 2000’s South Carolina primary, one of the more tasteless attacks argued that McCain, after years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, had developed mental problems, and was insufficiently stable. Those smears were obviously offensive and disgusting, and have no place in the discourse

.
Why bring it up at all if you claim (rightly) that the charges were offensive and disgusting. Your conduct in doing so is as vile as the original authors of the smear.

Although it should go without saying, because everyone knew the stories were likely to be untrue or exaggerrated, and now it's being trotted out like common knowledge.

Left&Left @ 42:

Is that old fool on the toilet or is he reminiscing his days at the Hanoi Hilton?

That is by far one of the most classless comments I have ever read here.

Go wash your mouth out and apologize to a vet....

Michael Smith @ 12:

bns @ 5:

Do we really need to focus on this b.s.?

bns, I respectfully think that we do need to focus on this point. A big part of being president of this country is diplomacy. If he is going to get angry whenever a foreign leader disagrees with him we will end up seeing the U.S. more isolated than it currently. The problem with this line of criticism is that there are likely some Americans that want a president that they consider to be "ballsy" and "aggressive." Of course, we have had that for the last eight years and see how that has worked out...

Bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran.

yes, a big portion of being president is diplomacy and it's also a huge element of being a Senator. His "temper" obviously hasn't been enough to railroad his Congressional career nor has it been enough to prevent McCain from pushing through bipartisan legislation. Focusing on smear-tactic personality politics like this is not the direction that needs to be pursued to get actual issues addressed.
Too many people assume that the President truly acts alone in his diplomatic efforts.

35 Richard

Way to tu quoque yourself, chum.

Did Roman ducks go around saying tu quoque, tu quoque, tu quoque?

"bomb Iran" says enough for me!

Now, it’s worth noting that when George W. Bush’s conservative allies launched a smear campaign against McCain in 2000’s South Carolina primary, one of the more tasteless attacks argued that McCain, after years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, had developed mental problems, and was insufficiently stable. Those smears were obviously offensive and disgusting, and have no place in the discourse.

But this is a different question entirely

With all respect... no it's not a different question entirely. I'm always embarrassed when I find left-of-center people descending into what might be called knee-jerk namby-pambyism. It would seem that John McCain has a temper problem - it is also a fact that the man was held in captivity that involved psychological and physical torture for five years and a half years. If half of the story of how he conducted himself is true I admire him and I'm sorry to think that I wouldn't hold up the way he did under those conditions. However, only a religious mystic would come out of that experience without having some scars. And it really doesn't seem that implausible that McCain's rotten temper may be related to post-traumatic stress. I'm sorry for what the man went through, I admire the way he held out, but yes, the experience very likely left him deeply scarred and no, I don't want a deeply scarred man in the White House. I'm not suggesting that a sleazy Bush-style whispering campaign is in order here - it wouldn't work from the left because "real Americans" are so deeply suspicious of the fact that the left doesn't blindly follow authority. So whoever the candidate is isn't going to be able to bring this stuff up. That doesn't mean it couldn't be true. Lets stay in touch with reality.

Medford Tim @ 20:

Somebody feels physically threatened by a 71 year old who can't get his arm above the shoulder? Is that more telling about McCain or the person who feels threatened?

That was my first thought. He can't even put a suit jacket on. He has to have someone help him into it. That kind of frailty will come out in the campaign.

And to Susan Shaf: I think Bob Dole lost because he let his handlers change him, making him drop his caustic humor. Given that these people run for months, we would have gotten used to the barbed wit. Same thing happened with Gore. The best thing these candidates could do is just be themselves. The voters can figure them out.
That's why I'm looking forward to an Obama-McCain contest. Young, inspiring black guy vs. old dispiriting white dude. Bring it on.

Proposed campaign commercial:

Open with McCain singing "Bomb Iran."

Cut to 1964 LBJ spot with little girl pulling petals off daisies (5, 4, 3, 2. . . mushroom cloud.)

"In your heart you know Hil's right."

bns @ 52:

Jay @ 50:

ysbaddaden @ 48:

Interesting that both congressmen mention in the squib above concerning mccan't's temper are both publicans.

Methinks a mccain nomination could literally split their party in half.

You know, being a Republican, this may surprise you but I dont think that would be such a bad thing. If that meant sending the evangelicals wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, i'd light the match to get that started. Sure, if would weaken the Republican Party for a while, but it may just make some remember what the party initially stood to represent.

All the more reason why more parties are needed. Democrats don't need to start catering to the evangelicals either if they're to leave the Republican fold...

A more likely scenario is the Evangelicals forming their own party, leaving the Republicans for good, allowing conservative Dems to move over the right side of the line a bit. Come on, it wasnt for the Bush's, Falwells, and Robertson's of the party, you dont think a guy like Webb or the new Montana Senator (name escapes me) wouldnt be Republicans? Hell, these days if it wasnt for some of the, what I consider, fringe elements of the Democratic Party, I'd probably vote Dem.

So in the end you have a small Evangelical party and two moderately sized Democrat and Republican Parties.

Connecting all of the political relationships dots...

Bush and NeoCons in Defense have access to all of McCains Navy files
|
McCain Hugs Bush
|
Rudy Quits Presidentital Race
|
McCain gets Rudys support
|
Rudy got Attorney General Mukasey support
|
Attorney General Mukasey is still debating if torture is legal
|
Mukasey has made campaign contributions to Giuliani for president and Joe Lieberman for Senate
|
Mukasey also heard the trial of Jose Padilla
|
Mukasey is connected Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
|
Mukasey also was the judge in the Larry Silverstein and WTC insurance case. 7 billion dollars
|
Mukasey is close to homeland security secretary Micheal Chertoff
|
Mukasey's son, Marc Mukasey, was assigned by Giuliani's campaign to block Kerik's legal defense team from interviewing witnesses

more analysis in progress...

Jay @ 43:

Left&Left @ 42:

Is that old fool on the toilet or is he reminiscing his days at the Hanoi Hilton?

That is by far one of the most classless comments I have ever read here.

Go wash your mouth out and apologize to a vet....

As a veteran I say, yeah wash your mouth out, with tequilla and a beer chaser.

I thought it was funny.

Dhalgren @ 28:

Gore and Kerry lost because they didn't get pissed. Howard Dean had it right all along. Get mad, people, get mad!

I have no need to; I have a subscription.

I hate the "angry" narrative when it's used against Democrats.

I've seen bogus "angry" accusations used against John Edwards, Al Franken, and Mike Hatch (who ran for MN governor in 2006.)

I don't want us to use it.

Richard @ 35:

The Fat Lady Sings @ 16:

Now, it’s worth noting that when George W. Bush’s conservative allies launched a smear campaign against McCain in 2000’s South Carolina primary, one of the more tasteless attacks argued that McCain, after years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, had developed mental problems, and was insufficiently stable. Those smears were obviously offensive and disgusting, and have no place in the discourse

Why bring it up at all if you claim (rightly) that the charges were offensive and disgusting. Your conduct in doing so is as vile as the original authors of the smear.

Although it should go without saying, because everyone knew the stories were likely to be untrue or exaggerrated, and now it’s being trotted out like common knowledge.

In case you all didn't notice - I'm not the one who "brought it up" in the first place. Steve Benen brought it up in the original post - you know, what we are all currently commenting on? And just how was I supposed to refer to it to make my point? Say I thought the hmmm hmmm by hmmm hmmm over hmmm hmmm was beyond the pale?

jesse @ 46:

McCain campaign slogans

He's All The Rage
Tempermental. Senile. Now.

These two are keepers! Thanks for the laugh, Jesse.

Medford Tim @ 69:

jesse @ 46:

McCain campaign slogans

He's All The Rage
Tempermental. Senile. Now.

These two are keepers! Thanks for the laugh, Jesse.

Don't forget "Fewer Jobs, More Wars: McCain 2008"

All this talk about controlling his temper. I hope he can control his bladder.

Just read McCains bio at Wikipedia. He was a lousy soldier and graduated at 5th from the bottom at Annapolis. It only mentions his children from his first marriage in passing. Why do we never hear about them? We know about Rudy and his kids and we know all about Mitt's brave soldiering sons risking their lives in the war on terror by driving a bus through Iowa but we only hear about McCains younger children because of the war in Iraq. Just curious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_mccain

David Flores @ 8:

I say that Anything George W. Bush and his people said about McCain in 2000 is fair game for repetition, given that Bush is an honorable man and a patriot and would never lie to the American people.

Tee, hee, hee!

This could be framed thusly: "Now, I don't believe this is true, but in 2000 Our Leader said that Senator McCain ...etc." Take a play from Shrub's playbook.

Stewie Griffen @ 76:

Nicole Belle @ 72:

subatomicdog @ 70:

"Now, it’s worth noting that when George W. Bush’s conservative allies launched a smear campaign against McCain in 2000’s South Carolina primary, one of the more tasteless attacks argued that McCain, after years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, had developed mental problems, and was insufficiently stable. Those smears were obviously offensive and disgusting, and have no place in the discourse."

- This paragraph is just great and speaks for itself. Great example of how C&L is going downhill. Got turned on to you for being different but now you are just another Fox News apparently....so few places to go now to get decent info.....

Could you explain, subatomicdog? I'm obviously not Steve, but I'm curious what you found offensive.

I'll let subatomicdog speak for him/herself, but in my post at 7, I was trying to make the point that smears that are "obviously offensive and disgusting, and have no place in the discourse" are generally not "worth noting."

I agree that McCain's temper is a legitimate issue. I just don't think that should be an excuse to re-air unsubstantiated smears that have been leveled against him in the past, even if the smears are characterized as offensive and disgusting. It reeks of something Karl Rove would do.

While I agree with that one hundred %, I'd like to add to it. Call it beauty is in the eye of the beholder....call it history is written by the winners....call it plain and simple hypocrisy.....this site is no less inclined to do a smear job on someone if it's in their best interest then is Redstate or any of the fringe group sites that are out there. Same idea applies to them. When someone else is doing it, it's smear, but when you yourself are doing it, it's just payback, or its leveling the playing field, or its whatever silly metaphor you'd like to use.

One of my favorite quotes of all time...
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" -Ghandi

J.A. Dp, Lakewood, CO @ 80:

McCain has used his "war hero" status since he entered politics. But why is he any more of a hero than any other American who placed their life in harms way in service to their country? Unlike 50,000+ other Americans, he came home from Vietnam alive.

Do just the tiniest bit of research and you'll find the answer to that.

I think John McCain has underlying psychosis regarding Viet Nam.

I think he is mad because he missed the war and wanted to fly and scrafe and deliver his Agent Orange and was held back in prison..

where he was tortured unmercifully and never got to knock it with the babes.

So I think he has magical thinking that he will never get old (he's a geezer already)

and he wants to get even with all those torturers by waging ENDLESS WAR

where he can work out his psychosis

for which the V.A. never treated him.

He is a dangerous man.

biff @ 19:

Fine, go with the "McCain can't control his temper" strategy but then that means no more whining the next time the rightwing nuts try to dismiss any opposition to bush as just more "angry" democrats. cuts both ways. How bout focusing on what a lame-ass candidate he is because of....call me crazy here....McCain's lame policies and his sham "straight-talk". how bout hammering his complete inauthenicity, his complete lack of conviction. focus on his anger all you want but by doing this you give up your right to cry when Hannity, Limbaugh et al, talk about how angry Hillary sounds when she'son the campaign in the fall, assuming she beats obama. Because you know thats coming.

And if we play nice, no attacks will be forthcoming? Have you been watching the last 20 years?

Sorry to be so 'tasteless', but after watching McCain answer questions in Florida, when he was so obviously confused, to the point that LIEbercain had to step in and declare that it didn't matter how the candidate answers the questions, but how well he can 'reach across the aisle' and work with Congress, I couldn't help but feel that this man does NOT possess the physical health to not only continue his campaign, but also to handle the stresses of the Presidency. His voice sounds shaky (I realize he's exhausted), and he sometimes appears to be 'not all there'. Being slightly psychic, I am predicting that Senator McCain will not be able to physically withstand a gruesome campaign as the Republican nominee. Sorry to focus on his physical abilities, but will add that if he is truly 'temperamental', in a negative sense, then he's fighting against his own true nature, which takes a definite toll on anyone's energy level. If he does persist, then I'd say that a volcanic blowup will certainly occur, much to his detriment as a Presidential candidate.

Hell yeah, it's relevant. So is his age.

We've had eight years of an irresponsible frat boy. We don't need four (or more) years of Crazy Angry Grandpa. Instead, we need a real leader to undo the damage done by Bush the Lesser and to bring this nation together after so many years of acrimonius division.

I know that McCain survived a living hell as a POW. I know that he suffered more than most of us can even imagine. I respect McCain for overcoming such a horrible experience. But that, in itself, does not qualify him or anyone else to be president. Being the POTUS has got to be the most stressful job on the planet. Look at what eight years in office did to Clinton. Hell, even Dubya looks 1,000 years older than when he ran in 2000. Can someone who has a known issue with controlling his temper and someone who is known for flying off at the handle really be able to survive under the pressures of the Oval Office?

The next president will have lots of fences to mend and lots of making up to do with the rest of the world. Can someone like McCain do this? I don't think so.

He looks like he's shitting out a Lieberman in that picture

CalGeorge @ 64:

He's intolerant of dissent and intolerant of criticism, turning to sarcasm whenever his positions are assailed.

In short, he's a jerk.

In other words, he's my boss. Another Vietnam vet who berates his staff behind closed doors for any perceived slight (real or imagined) but the general public loves him. This is NOT the kind of person I want elected President of the United States. As if the "how will you beat the b*tch?" episode about HRC and his squeamishness about "gay" and "military" being used in the same sentence weren't bad enough. Who cares if he can't raise his arms? I'm more worried about the raised voice every time he doesn't get his way. What's he going to do when some country disagrees with the U.S.? Tell them to f*ck off and bomb them?? It's no different than my boss threatening to fire people all the time. What will it accomplish other than more problems?

get used to this picture ,now that youve decided to be loosers , everytime you go to your motor vehicle branch, your post office , your court house, your va clinic , you will be able to enjoy this picture , and have one of your highways named after him, a local street ,an airport, an office building , and five new wars , give it up for the new gipper!

Shmee @ 96:

i met Mccain once on a NYC sidewalk while on vacation with my wife. i was smiling and was going to shake his hand.
he then looked terrified of me and retreated as though i were about to assault him.
my wife then called him an @$$hole and he all but ran away.
i was just puzzled.
ironically, i later learned that he was leaving Rockafeller Center where he had just done an episode of the Conan O'brien show promoting his new book about courage.
i would say he definitely has psychological issues, irregardless of any aforementioned smear campaign.

maby he just need to take a well earned dump!

and for those of you late to the party...here you go http://static1.firedoglake.com/1/files//2008/01/mccain_bush.jpg

he's 72 years old now, that would make him 81 years old if he was in office for two terms!

Who want's grandpa john manning the guns at that age, let alone anyone else...heck when ronnie raygun was 81, he didn't even recognize his wife, let alone know how to control his bodily functions.

I don't think mccain is the ideal candidate for such an important job.

Think about this... with a nuke button in one hand and his penis in the other President McDumbFuck (try not to picture or imagine that) will be dumb if not dumber than W....all I can say is "good luck America" .... this erection... oooops, I mean this election will pit the Christians Zealot's in this country against the more progressive thinkers among us. We can only hope that some Zealots will take there faith to heart and be more peaceful loving people and cast there votes as such. JCB

FreedomOfInformationAct @ 98:

and the rest of his neocon neanderthals wake up to the smell of crushing defeat, at the hands of Americans taking their country back.

Yeah, we took things back in 2006. Those Dems in Congress are really watching our backs now!

Face it, we're just share croppers in this land. A limited number of big fat white guys own this county. Just sit down, shut up and let the MIC do their thing, and nobody gets rounded up. By the way, the Dems are in on the goof. I can't see how 2008 will change anything.

stella @ 108:

After reading most of the comments here.... it is VERY obvious!! that the majority of
Americans are tired of the lies, delusion, and out and out treason of this present administration!
Elect another GOPER like McMadDogMcCain. and we will be worse than we are now.
STOP AND THINK!!!!

yeah keep hillary away from the button!

oh come on!
you just took a snapshot of john mccain doing his impression of boris karloff in corridors of blood!
cheap
shot!