Countdown: All Aboard The Double Talk Express!
By Nicole Belle Monday Jun 30, 2008 11:00am
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John McCain has flip-flopped on so many subjects that he would feel quite at home in my toddler's tumbling class. Keith Olbermann recounts McCain's flip-floppery on Political reform, Immigration, Gay marriage, Abortion, Nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Military actions against rogue states, Negotiating with Kim Jong Il, Negotiating with Castro, Negotiating with terrorists (acceptable in 2002 when Powell went to Syria. In 2006, McCain said sooner or later we'll talk to Hamas, not appropriate now), Unilateral action against suspected terrorists in Pakistan (Confused leadership with Obama, not with Bush) Warrantless wiretapping, Torturing Detainees, Indefinitely holding detainees, Iraq War, Tax cuts for the rich, Estate tax, Privatizing Social Security, Balanced budget, Windfall profits tax, Offshore drilling, Bush fundraisers, Jerry Falwell, Pastor John Hagee, MLK Jr. holiday, South Africa divestment, the confederate flag, and alternatives to evolution being taught at school
Feeling dizzy yet?
Transcripts below the fold:
This weekend, Senator John McCain said, quote, "This election is about trust and trusting people's word. And unfortunately, apparently on several items Senator Obama's word cannot be trusted."
In our third story tonight, judging candidates based on their consistency.
You see where I'm going with this.
The signing of the GI Bill, not the only time Senator McCain was against something, before he was for it -- or vice versa -- or both.
You may want to get pencil and paper and write all these down.
On political reform, McCain last January opposed a grassroots-lobbying bill he once supported. In 2006 the New York Sun reported that his presidential ambitions led McCain to reverse his support of a campaign-finance bill... called McCain-Feingold.
Last October, he said he would vote against the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act... that he co-sponsored. Then he said he would vote against an immigration bill that he introduced.
In 2006, he said on Hardball, quote, "I think that gay marriage should be allowed." Then, after the commercial break, he added, "I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal."
On abortion... 1999, publicly supporting Roe v. Wade... privately opposing it, in a letter to the National Right to Life Committee. The 2000 debates... he would change the GOP platform to permit exceptions for rape, incest, the life of the mother. May, 2008... no, he won't, ABCNews.com reports.
Storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain? Flip.
Military action against rogue states? Flip.
Negotiating with Kim Jong Il... not acceptable, until President Bush did it.
With Fidel Castro, acceptable in 2000... not 2008.
With terrorists? Appropriate when Colin Powell went to Syria... and in 2006, when McCain said "sooner or later" we'll talk to Hamas. Not appropriate now.
Unilateral action against suspected terrorists in Pakistan? "Confused leadership" when Obama suggested it... not when Bush did it.
Warrantless wiretaps? Six months ago, presidents had to obey the law. Not any more.
Torture detainees? No way... except for the CIA.
Hold them indefinitely? Wrong in 2003. Right in 2008.
The Iraq War? "The right course," 2004. "Stay the course," 2005. Today, McCain's always been a Rumsfeld critic.
Tax cuts for the rich? In 2001 he could not "in good conscience" support them. Now he can.
The estate tax? 2006: "I agree with President Roosevelt"--who created it. 2008: "most unfair."
This month, not for privatizing Social Security, never has been. 2004, doesn't see how benefits will last without it.
In February, promised a balanced budget in four years. By April... make it eight years.
In May, "glad to look...at the windfall profits tax." By June, "that was Jimmy Carter's big idea."
2000, no new off-shore drilling. Last month, "would take years to develop." This month, "very helpful in the short term."
The Bush fund-raisers McCain called "coyotes," breaking the law in 2000... by 2006 were co-chairing McCain fundraisers.
Buddy Jerry Falwell... an "agent of intolerance" in 2000.
The Reverend Hagee... In, then out, in this year alone.
In 1983, opposed Martin Luther King Day. Today, not so much.
1986, opposed South African divestment. This month praised it.
And in 2000, defended South Carolina's Confederate Flag... "a symbol of heritage." Two years later, McCain calling it, quote, "an act of political cowardice" not to say the flag should come down. Quote: "Everybody said, 'Oh, look out, you can't win in South Carolina if you say that.'"
McCain's campaign says his positions evolve.
Ironically, in 2005, McCain said alternatives to evolution should be taught in school... Evolving the opposite position he took in 2000.
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There are 2 double talk expresses now.
One driven by McCain, the other by Obama.
Either we are fucked.
I'm glad someone with a large audience keeps reminding the voters about McCain's flip/flops on MOST of the key issues.
Flip Flop Express!
I'm less concerned about McCain's flip-flops than Obama's.
NO, there are THREE double talkers, McCain, Obama and, after his flip-flop on the FISA extension and telecom immunity made AFTER Obama said he agreed with it, Olbermann. I don't even bother to download his videos here any more.
marko @ 1:
Eh, I'll take the hard fucking over of Obama over the S&M fucking over McPapen would bring, but meh, there's nothing to really choose from, here.
Race the two "double talk expresses" for pinks! The winner gets the Presidency! AND a big shiny tool box!
I thought we weren't supposed to talk about McCain because one time he was riding in an airplane that got shot down. I thought that "experience" trumped his many many changes of mind.
Bud @ 4:
I'm concerned that both their flip-flops are flipping right.
who's olberman to judge on flip flops after that pathetic FISA sellout of the 4th amendment.
when are you ppl gonna stop watching cable news and get with the program?
Not that I'm against force-feeding these lying, sacks of human waste, conservatives their own pig manure, but are we certain that this isn't just an act of someone merely "changing his mind"?
Eh, I’ll take the hard fucking over of Obama over the S&M fucking over McPapen would bring, but meh, there’s nothing to really choose from, here.
They'll both fuck us...barry might try foreplay and use lube, whereas Bombin'Johnnie'
ll just cowboy up and start humpin...
But they'll BOTH fuck us
marko @ 1:
No. YOU are fucked if you honestly want to convince anyone that Obama is even remotely the flip flopped McOld is.
Bud @ 4:
Of course you are...troll.
seriously @ 10:
First, he's a taxpayer. That gives him as much of a right to judge these assholes as anyone else does.
Second, Olbermann did rant against the FISA sellout.
To equate the frequency of McCranky flip flops to Obama's is a joke.
Left&Left @ 13:
Listen child...there is one party with two factions, either way we lose. And you know what, congress will be right there to keep feeding the war, keep eroding our rights, keep killing and imprisoning and torturing.
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything. Just look around you.
This is the beginning of the end.
Maybe I'm just cranky because I've had a lousy day so far, but I wish the term "flip-flop" had never been uttered. It's such a frivolous term for such an important act.
why is any1 thats not a democratic cheerleader labeled a troll?
this aint sport teams missing a field goal we're talkin about
its the fuckin constitution and theyre both gonna shit on it.
SNAP OUT OF THE LEFT/RIGHT PARADIGM
AND JOIN THE REALITY BASED PEOPLE OF THE EARTH
seriously @ 19:
And then what happens after we all join? Do we get t-shirts?
we get our country back
seriously @ 19:
friend, there are fascists and there's everybody else. me? i'm with the non-fascists...the 'everybody else'...how about you?
It's interesting, now that Obama has started to state his true positions Americablog has gone blank. That vicious asswipe John Arovosis is probably sitting in the corner babbling to himself. "Oh my god! He's harder right than Hillary." "What have I done!"
Either way they're flipping us off.
pissed off patricia @ 20:
I do hope not Snorg's.
pissed off patricia @ 20:
I volunteer to hose down the women.
marko @ 17:
No, you listen Mr. Doomsday, there is no way in HELL your consistently negative ass will convince me or anyone with a mind of their own that McStupid won't be four more years of absolute pure misery. I'm angry at Obama too, but McDumb and Obama equally bad? LOL.
marko @ 1:
How many McGrampa points have you earned today, shillary?
marko @ 17:
Move then. Seriously, get the f**k out of the country [Deleted-Sitemonitor]. You won't be missed either way.
marko @ 17:
If that's true, why are you still posting here, instead of cowering in a corner with your blanky, waiting for the mushroom clouds?
In McSame's defense, sucking up to the GOP elitists ; far righ-twing, religeous, radical , fundementalist extremists ; centrists ; Ronald Reagan Democrats ; conservatives and NEO-conservatives is not an easy task. Appeasing all these groups requires daily and sometimes HOURLY flip-flops. McSame is doing a heckuva job in this regard and, he is conveniently using senility as a perfect excuse for it all !
A brilliant campaign strategery if you ask me.
Calling Keith Olbermann a journalist is like calling Joseph Goebbels a journalist. It is illegal for political parties to control networks in this country; it is time the FCC revoke MSNBC's broadcast license. If necessary, yank all of GE's broadcast licenses.
I wonder if Mccain knows if he's running for president from week to week.
woody, tokin librul @ 12:
Indeed. However, I still have no doubt that as bad as the Dems are, they'll be a helluva lot better than four more years of Bushism. Bush is our Brezhnev, hopefully Obama will be able to do reform without the US collapsing from the internal rot like happened to the USSR under Gorbachev. The termites have weakened the foundation under the years of the American Brezhnevs. Now we need somebody who can be a bit better than Gorbachev to fix this.
John A Tandlich @ 32:
KO is on for only ONE hour on MSNBC.
try again bud.
Let's all sing the Flipper McCain song!
"And we know Flipper, Flipper,
Faster than lightning,
No one you see,
Is slipperier than he,
And we know Flipper,
Lives in a world full of wonder,
Flying thereunder,
Under the sea . . . ."
John A Tandlich @ 32:
Your silence about Fox Noise, and every single repukelican/Jesus Freak network is deafening!
John A Tandlich @ 32:
Will you pathetic losers be visiting this site until November? Goebbels=Olbermann? Are you O'Racist's son?
John A Tandlich @ 32:
He's not a journalist. He is an editorialist, and as such, is paid to give his opinion.
Joseph Goebbels and his boss, Prescott Bush's pal Adolph Hitler, would have cummed in their pants if they had Fox Snooze during their reign of terror.
McCain is a LIAR, HYPOCRITE and PANDERER. And he always will be.
Period. End-of-story.
amy @ 41:
and EXCLAMATION POINT!
Fanon @ 39:
KO's rise in the ratings must be reaching deep into Fox's dwindling audience 'cause KO is being targeted by the Right Wing Smear Machine as if he were the Democratic nominee.
The GOP is just not a comfortable party right now.
Rise in the ratings??? Are you fucking serious??? BSNBC is being creamed by Fox News. Why do you think Microsoft wants out of its partnership with the National barack Channel???
John A Tandlich @ 32:
HaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Oh man, that was rich.
John A Tandlich @ 32:
SO WHAT ABOUT FUX?
eh, johnny?
The Exotic Chico Hussein Escuela @ 40:
the perfect tense is the same as the present.
Just trying to help.
:<[)
woody, tokin librul @ 12:
I'll take the lube, thanks.
Well, now that I am convinced of the future of the country, I'll get back to work so I can keep my job, so I can afford the gas to keep coming back to work. Seriously, in this line of work, I'll take the lube.
John A Tandlich @ 32:
Now that's an unfair comparison. For one thing, Goebbels was self-loathing, and more propagandistic even in the days of the Kaisers than Olbermann could be in his wildest dreams. Goebbels had no more training in journalism than Olbermann does. He did have a doctorate: in literature. Literature degrees don't make you a journalist any more than going to a garage makes a person a car. Olbermann also has the benefit of being much more open about being liberal than many Fox News "anchors" are about being conservative. Goebbels deceived himself in thinking he was an impartial recorder whereas Olbermann doesn't bother, which makes him heads above Goebbels and the Fox News people. If you're going to try to smear people, at least try to be semi-accurate.
Bud @ 4:
I more concerned about McCain for several reason.
1. He wants to continue the bush lawbreaking (and law re-writing).
2. He seems perfectly fine with killing people for profit (another bush practice).
3. War profiteering? He's all for it.
4. He's too damn OLD.
5. He regularly seems to change his mind in ways that harms the people and their rights (another bush practice).
6. He seems to just love torture these days. So what if most of those people are innocent? Doesn't matter to him. I have the feeling that ever since he was tortured as a POW, he just can't wait to dish it out to others. He doesn't care who.
7. The idea of shipping people to secret prisons, where they can be tortured, AND not have legal representation? That's fascism right there. McCain seems all for it.
8. Too angry and crazy.
9. Half the time I think he doesn't really understands what he's talking about.I can see that he's just a puppet who's told what to say.
10. Fox 'news' seems to love him theses days. Now I KNOW he's a crook.
marko @ 1:
And thank God we don't even need to worry about the election being stolen by Diebold and the other private corporations Congress gave our voting machines to.
No matter which candidate "wins" corporate America stays in control of the money (Federal Reserve Bank), the media and the monopolies.
As usual, whether it's McCain or Obama "they" will win and the American people and the rest of the planet will lose.
But...but...but...he's a war HERO
/sarcasm off
The Exotic Chico Hussein Escuela @ 40:
No, that's wrong as well. A bunch of blunderers like the Fox News bunch wouldn't have lived in Hitler's Germany. Their sheer incompetence would have ensured their being weeded out and being replaced by people who would be better able to speak without looking ridiculous. And the Nazis did have a version of Fox News, they had absolute sovereignty over the media. One of Hitler's favorite people was a movie director. People tend to forget that fascism and Nazism were heavily dependent on modern technology.
woody, tokin librul @ 12:
GAH! Thanks for mental picture!
It's silly that some people's websites have "Day's left of Bush in office" countdown counters. Bush is actually much MUCH better than McCain will be. McCain will be such a horrible president that the Bush presidency will be looked back upon as the Good Old days. At least Bush isn't senile. The reason McCain will win is his campaign will be that : ***JOHN MCCAIN'S SELLING POINT IS THAT HE IS FLEXIBLE. The silly democrats can say "Flip Flop" until they are Blue in the face. The fact is John McCain has shown that he's the mature candidate by being willing to adjust as he receives more information and as the world changes. ***
It will get him within a few points of Barack right before the election. Then the Repubs will game the election with all their dirty tricks they used in 2000 and 2004 and some new ones.
The reaction of most Americans will be, "I can't fucking believe this ! I'm moving to Canada ! Change the channel ! The game is about to start. Give me another beer, will ya."
General_Rennenkampf @ 52:
Yes indeed General...and the Nazis especially were very proud of themselves...hence all the footage on History Channel.
liberalNmoderation @ 55:
Speaking of the history channel...
when are they ever going to do a good program on Charlemagne? Guy was responsible for the conversion of most of Europe by the sword. Another thing they oughta have on there is the Alexander Nevsky incident where he faced off the first German invasion of Russia before the rise of the Tsars.
All aboard the Flip Flop Express..... next stop....more wars , death, debt and Rescumlican lies.
John A Tandlich @ 32:
Yeah, and while we're at it, lets just arrest KO and shut that guy up forever. right,Col. Klink?
Epinnoia @ 51:
That "war hero"(?) shit is all this old, broken down, ill tempered, lying, pandering, Bush salad tossing, womanizing, dumb, war loving fool has got. He really thinks the country owes his crazy wrinkled ass something because he couldn't fly a plane, got arrested and tortured.
SO WHEN WILL KEITH OLBERMAN OR CHRIS MATTHEWS HAVE FORMER WEAPONS INSPECTOR SCOTT RITTER ON HIS PROGRAM TO DISCUSS WHAT HAS BEEN ENDLESSLY REPEATED ABOUT IRAN?
http://www.inteldaily.com/?c=173&a=7254
Scott Ritter: Iran Not Pursuing Nuclear Weapon, But U.S. Determined to Attack
By Jason Leopold
PDF version
(The Intelligence Daily) -- In 2002, Scott Ritter, the former Chief United Nations Weapons Inspector In Iraq, publicly accused the Bush administration of lying to Congress and the public about assertions that Iraq was hiding a chemical and biological weapons arsenal.
WHEN WILL THEY HAVE IAEA'S MR. EL BARADEI ON TO TALK ABOUT IRAN? JOSEPH CIRINCIONE
WHEN WILL CONGRESS HOLD HEARINGS ON WHAT IS BEING CLAIMED ABOUT IRAN. AFTER THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION ATTACKS?
Bud @ 23:
Obama reminds me of Clinton back in the early 90's. The Democrats were kinda headed down a progressive road then the "Democratic Leadership Council" was born with Clinton as their chosen one. Obama is a younger Bill Clinton with a really great tan.
Just a puppet on a string of corporate America.
We need a revolution at the ballot box (no electronic counting) with a candidate who has no strings running down his/her back. My preference would be any one who is not a Republican or Democrat.
Where's Max Headroom when we need him? Or Pat Paulson? Or Howdy Freakin' Doody? (I actually think I'd trust Howdy's string pullers more than McCain's or Obama's....think Lieberman...GAG.)
I would vote for Pissed off Patricia over Obama or McCain! At least I feel she's someone I can TRUST.
You ever hear of the Nine Worthies? They were popular subjects for Medieval Art, and everyone martial.
The Pagans had their Hector, Alexander, Caesar
The Jews had their David, Josuha, Judas Maccabeus
And the Christofascists had their Arthur, Charlemagne, and Godfrey of Bouillon.
People have no idea how many Europeans were slaughtered under Charlies conversion by the sword, and chronicles bragged about Godfrey riding into the holy land, having slaughtered the Jews, and his horse practically wading in blood up to the fetlocks (although he was ostensibly there to free it from the Islamic forces, but you know, same ol' same ol')
Numinous @ 49:
But I'm not voting for McCain. It's getting harder for this Hillary supporter to vote for Obama.
62 was directed at the General.
Is Olbermann preparing a rant on THIS outrage tonight?
Obama to expand Bush's faith based programs
[[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080701/ap_on_el_pr/obama_faith_8;_ylt=AnuqedliuzblM4PQ5YbdN5YE1vAI
…Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, criticized Obama's proposed expansion of a program he said has undermined civil rights and civil liberties.
"I am disappointed that any presidential candidate would want to continue a failed policy of the Bush administration," he said. "It ought to be shut down, not continued."
…Obama proposes to elevate the program to a "moral center" of his administration, by renaming it the Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and changing training from occasional huge conferences to empowering larger religious charities to mentor smaller ones in their communities.]]
Obama will likely continue Bush's strategy in Iraq by keeping his Secretary of Defense in place, supports Bush's FISA position and now this.
"Double Talk", indeed.
Prepare yourselves for Bush's Third Term no matter who wins in November. The Democrats who voted for Obama in the primaries have been hoodwinked.
I, for one, would like to learn more about this notion that McCain was allowed to leave, but then refused.
It doesn't smell right to me. It doesn't seem like the North Vietnamese would have ASKED whether he wanted to leave. They would likely have just TOLD him he was leaving.
Put it in today's reference -- some terrorist down at Gitmo saying to his captors "No, no -- I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with my men."
What do you think the US response would be? It surely wouldn't be "Sure thing. Go back to your cell."
56 General_Rennenkampf
I was drawing a blank on Alexander Nevsky, although I recognized the name.
It was one of my favorite movies by Sergei Eisenstein.
He wasn't to direct another movie for about a dozen years, because the Communist officials took offense at it. I'm not sure if it was because it was seen as pro-Tsar, or because of the prevalence of Christians symbols, although it was clear the Roman Catholic Germans were the bad-guys, and the Eastern Orthodox Russians the Good Guys.
(Although now that I think of it maybe they should be called Russian Orthodox since it wasn't until the 17th century they made corrections to be more like the Greek Orthodox, thus causing a splinter called the Old Believers.)
The interesting thing about the pre World War II years is how much blond (or light brown haired) hereoes were presented, whether they were American, British, German or even Russian.
The lone real stand out was Humphrey Bogart with his hound dog face in Casablanca.
Can we please leave the sexual political metaphors to the Rude Pundit? I'm tryin' to eat my lunch here!
Like a fish bouncing and flopping around gasping for air, thus is the McCain Campaign gasping.
At least he didn't flip-flop on types of women to marry... they're both blondes, but he did flip-flop on his first marriage.
Larson @ 61:
Thanks, I guess
McCain is not a Flip Flopper.
McCain is not a Flip Flopper, for he does not believe in flipping or flopping his point of view. McCain is our ultimate American hero, who continually tunes his message to his targeted audience. That does not constitute a flip-flop. It is about knowing who your audience is, and review and tune the message to the audience liking. It is not a flip-flop. It is a matter of good judgement, a good character that every President should and must have. It is a matter of massaging the message to the public. It is not a flip-flop.
It is about having an independent mind who perenially flips his point of view. Wait, that sounds bad. It is about being an independent maverick.
So not Flip Flop, no, no, no! Just MAVERICK period, yes independent MAVERICK, yes, yes, yes !
McCain is an independent Maverick.
Now, you the media, print that statement, MAVERICK = McCain, over and over again, until it reach saturation of 200%.
StirFry @ 58:
No shit! What about every single asshat on Fox News?
Methinks John A Tandlich is either a troll, or a fucking moron! Though the two aren't mutually exclusive.
Fox News IS GOPTV JOHN!
You are a fucking dumbass.
General_Rennenkampf @ 56:
I saw a documentary on Charlemagne, but it was on History International...I think...or BBC...(been awhile since I had digital cable, and I sure miss it)
Alexander Nevsky...I don't recall that name....been a REALLY long time since my World History classes...I actually miss those too.
Epinnoia @ 66:
One possible explanation is that the North Vietnamese were more civil than the folks at Gitmo. Could they be any less so?
ysbaddaden @ 67:
liberalNmoderation @ 74:
ysbaddaden @ 62:
@Ysbaddaden:
Charlemagne was one of the nastier characters Christianity has ever produced, he's mostly responsible for a lot of the tragedies of Western Europe.
@ Both of you:
Alexander Nevsky was a Russian Orthodox prince of Ninzhy Novgorod who defeated the Crusading Knights for the first time in European history. At the time, beating the knights with footsoldiers would be like swordsmen besting a US platoon with tanks, M16s and airplanes. Nevsky's actions spelled the doom of the era of the knight in warfare. And that he was an Orthodox that pwned the Catholics only makes it better.
76 General_Rennenkampf
Alexander Nevsky sounds like a Vladislaus Dracula, only the latter wasn't entirely successful.
To clarify Dracula fought off the invading Turkish army, but the victory was short-lived
Sort of like him.
But like the English believe about Arthur
The Romanians traditionally believed that Dracula would return when his country needed him.
ysbaddaden @ 77:
Nevsky could have punked Drack's candy ass in a fight between them, but then it's always been that way between Scythians and Dacians.
There is only one issue that is important, Do the people have anymore power anymore or are elections going to be fixed again and again.
I watch and very much appreciate KO but I have noticed that as of late he seems to be getting a little "full of himself." Please, Keith, don't let your success go to your head. We need you around to keep others in check. Don't fall victim to what destroys so many promising careers - an unchecked big ego. IMHO.
Anyone else not like Kenny's new office space. Better view but it makes him look cramped and boxed in.
Wherever the wind blows, lets nick name him "Windy" McCain- the name "flip flop" will just bring up john Kerry in the Republicans minds, it has been imprinted. The republicans only remember sound bites, so we need to re name McCain something memorable and meaning constanly changing, like the weather......any ideas?
General_Rennenkampf @ 76:
Sweeeeet! Thanks General!
I loves me some history lessons!
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