This Week: McCain takes talking points, mixes and serves. But does it make sense? Does Stephanopoulos care?
By Nicole Belle Saturday Jul 26, 2008 1:15pm
Download | play 
Download | play (h/t Heather)
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain obviously thinks he's hit the jackpot of talking points that hurt Barack Obama, because he's only used them 3,298 times this week (my personal guesstimate--YMMV) at various events. Logic and reality be damned, McCain claims victory, honor and success for his position while predicting dire failure for Obama's, even though he said that Obama's 16 month withdrawal sounded like a "pretty good timetable" but it's also bad because of conditions on the ground. It's conditions on the ground, damnit! Try as I might, I have yet to find where Obama has ever said it's an unconditional withdrawal except for the media's dutiful regurgitating of the McCain campaign's talking point. Curious, that.
Watch how McCain forces a smile to cover his frustration in trying to paint himself as a "victor" and distinct from Obama's policies while Stephanopoulos plays semantic games.
I'm telling you, it's just a matter of time before McCain blows his top.
Transcripts below the fold
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: Senator Obama was in London this morning, and he was responding to your comments from yesterday when you said that 16 months might be a pretty good timetable in Iraq.
He said, "We're pleased to see that there's been some convergence around proposals we've been making for a year-and-a-half."
SEN JOHN MCCAIN: That's really good. Look, it's not a timetable, as I said. I was asked, how does that sound? Anything sounds good to me, but...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you never used the word before.
MCCAIN: ... you know, the point is...
STEPHANOPOULOS: You made a point of never using...
MCCAIN: ... I never...
STEPHANOPOULOS: ... the word before.
MCCAIN: Look, I have always said, and I said then, it's the conditions on the ground. If Senator Obama had had his way, we'd have been out last March, and we'd been out in defeat and chaos, and probably had to come back again because of Iranian influence.
It's conditions on the ground -- the way that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, the way that General Petraeus has said -- conditions on the ground, so that the Iraqi government can have control, can have the sufficient security, so that we don't have to come back. Senator Obama said that if his date didn't work, we may have to come back.
We're not coming home in victory. We're coming home in victory.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But it does seem...
MCCAIN: But it is a -- it is not a date. I want to make it very clear to you, it is not a date. It's conditions on the ground.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you shouldn't have used the word timetable.
MCCAIN: Pardon me?
STEPHANOPOULOS: You shouldn't have used the word timetable.
MCCAIN: I didn't use the word timetable. That I did -- if I did...
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, it's a pretty good timetable.
MCCAIN: Oh, well, look. Anything is a good timetable that is dictated by conditions on the ground. Anything is good.
But the timetable is dictated, not by a artificial date, but by the conditions on the ground, the conditions of security.
And by the way, our ambassador to Iraq basically said we have succeeded. We have succeeded in this strategy.
Now, look. Senator Obama doesn't understand. He doesn't understand what's at stake here. And he chose to take a political path that would have helped him get the nomination of his party.
I took a path that I knew was unpopular, because I knew we had to win in Iraq. And we are winning in Iraq.
And if we'd done what Senator Obama wanted done, it would have been chaos, genocide, increased Iranian influence, perhaps al Qaeda establishing a base again.
Now we have a stable ally in the region, and it is not based on any date.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But it does seem like...
MCCAIN: I like six months, three months, two months. I like yesterday. I like yesterday, OK? That seems really good to me. But the fact is, the conditions on the ground...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But what's the difference between...
MCCAIN: ... have not dictated it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: ... your positions now?
Login or Register to post comments.
FIRST...
"We woulda been out last March."
And that's a bad thing, because??
Everytime he said "Conditions on the ground" I took a shot....
Boy am I hammered!
My my he is such a condescending prick.
Republicans will NEVER agree to bring troops home. They will talk about it to win elections but it will never happen with them in power.
Foreign trip gives Obama initial bump in the polls
http://www.americablog.com/2008/07/foreign-trip-gives-obama-initial-bump...
Now this is the sort of interviewing that Stephanopolous is good at, when he actually does it. then there are times when he covers for McCain or even uses GOP talking points as fact and sometimes doesnt follow up. but here he did and very well indeed. gotta like that squirming McCain. imagine him thinking...'...who does this pansy Steph poofster think he is. questioning me about anything? i should have him taken care of...'
I would love to see him finally blow up on TV. That would sell tickets. Also there would be no way that the MSM would be able to cover it up like CBS did before. BTW, what ever happened to that? Did it just fade away, forgotten,or never heard by the sheeple in our ADD nation.
We've turned so many corners in Iraq, I'm getting dizzy.
_________________________________________________________
5 eric Says: Foreign trip gives Obama initial bump in the polls
http://www.americablog.com/200.....-bump.html
___________________________________________________________
Is that anything like the dance we we're doing in the '70's?
I prefer bump-and-grind.
He's just angry, desperate, alone. What with the "World- head over heals- in love with" Obama getting warm receptions all over, this is all poor McAncient can muster (luckily the MSM is on his side). The only way he can win is:
1. Obama does something REALLY dumb (not gunna happen) or something "happens" to him (as Clinton put it so "elegantly").
2. MSM just keeps pandering to McFlipflop and b/c the bulk of Americans are "low-information" voters (unlike most of the posters on this web site), they will make a voting mistake that is obviously WRONG (just like they did with Dubya).
3. The vote is rigged ^^.
Rick P. @ 9:
you are right. they phrase things in such a way like: Obama has to be careful not to screw things up, or say something that will get turned around.
its the press who are framing the situation like this. and it feeds right into the GOPs attack machine. its no wonder the coverage of Obama is so biased toward the negative. they want him to fail it seems. if McCain wins and this country goes further down the crapper the MSM is all to blame for rejecting Obama.
McCain is a trainwreck in slow motion and dieseling horribly at every turn from green screens to cheese aisles like some pitiful attention whore.
I thought of Dole who actually was a ground grunt in the unglamorous Italian front during World War Two. The guy took mortar hits in ground combat and I don't recall him ever making such a big deal of his far more impressive service record.
We know what happened to Dole and McCain is like a faded shadow by comparison. I think gramps will have some sort of breakdown over the summer no matter how much coddling he gets from looter class media courtiers.
buzzflash.com
There is No Separation Between the NRA and Religion When It Comes to Shootings in Houses of God:
Man opens fire in West Knoxville Church, six victims. Guns and God and Bitter. Hmmm, who nailed that one?
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/jul/27/church-shooting-leaves-several-...
the job of the SCUM (SoCalledUnbiasedMedia) is to keep it close enough to steal...
One of the advantages of being a dumb ass idiotic politician is, that when they see they are wrong, and making no sense, they don't give a change to their interlocutor to interject with any comment. They on keep on babling stupidity until everybody else around get dizzy. Bush is an expert in that area with: "Please, let me finish, please." God! Can't stand the mofo!
Nicole, do you realized you asked us to watch the clip and watch McCain smile? That's kinda mean. ;)
If george had pushed just a little longer I think he would have had brain goo all over his shirt. McCain clearly was getting pissy.
I have to laugh when he says that Sen. Obama doesn't understand. But the guy with the magical plan and who will follow bin laden to the gates of hell does?
Rick P. @ 9:
...............................................................
Is it at all possible for Bush to refuse to leave office ?? That's a serious question....because I wonder if he might be able to call off elections if there's another major terrorist attack on U.S. soil....or declare an Obama victory as illegitimate.
OK, I'm a little confused...
"We're not coming home in victory. We're coming home in victory."
Is this a new shortcut for the McCain campaign? State both positions/opinions at once so you can't be accused of "flip-flopping" later? Saves time by not having to change your position! Or maybe it's just a transcription error. Maybe Van has the right idea and its time for a drink!
pissed off patricia @ 15:
yeah that is an arrogant smile isnt it? hes sitting there smugly thinking how dare anyone question him about anything relating to military or national security matters. after all, in his mind this is playing, im John McCain. and its as simple as that. anyone who questions me is a traitor.
ysbaddaden @ 8:
I believe that dance we were doing was called the hustle. Which is what the repubs have been doing to us.
It truly saddens me that, as many stupid mistakes as McCain has made, he's only 6% behind Obama.
Hallelujah! Senator McCain declares that we've won. That means conditions on the ground no longer require the presence of American troops. Doesn't it?
do not believe the national polls. they are not right. obama, if anything, is farther ahead. historically when the country is at a bad time like this the party that holds Prez position doesnt retain it. for they are looked at, rightly or wrongly, as the cause of all the ills. in Ws case, rightly. the Dems will get more seats in congress and Obama will win. i guarantee it. i have no idea how, but i feel it.
chaos...
genocide...
blah blah blah...
Grandpa is angry yet non-committal this morning. Ssshhhh... its almost time for his nap.
His smile is really creepy and it comes and goes at inappropriate times...and he has a glinty little look in his eye ....the thing is- he does quite look all there, and when you watch it and read the transcript it is like the Katie Couric Interview- he is having a hard time actually following the thread of the Questions- so he is just spewing his OWN Magical Talking points....
pissed off patricia @ 15:
I have to laugh when he says that Sen. Obama doesn't understand. But the guy with the magical plan and who will follow bin laden to the gates of hell does?
Don't forget McDense also said that President Shrub magically caused gas prices to fall just by words alone. Then canceled his press conferences so that could blow over.
Bananaphone @ 20:
See, e.g., mine at #13...It's be half that on election day...
Bananaphone @ 20:
Don't believe the pools, they are for the most part conducted and broadcast by those who have a financial interest in a close race. The father away from mainstream media you get, the more lopsided the poll results become.
Aside from that, this doesn't even qualify as news. I've come to expect considerably more from C&L, at least a major gaffe or something that one can smirk at. This is not even fodder ...
Oh, man. I thought McCane was gonna lose it. His facial expressions told the story, along with the stress in his voice. I was rooting for George. He almost got him.
Wonder if there are wagers among the press folks about when he'll blow. We'll need to send our love to the winner. It would be awfully fun to see Maddow interview him.
Rick P. @ 9:
I've been called out here recently for being a negative nelly on this, but this blanket assumption of an Obama victory here really makes me nervous. In the real world, the one outside of these self-congratulatory comment strings, McCain is seen as a perfectly legitimate, reasonable choice for president and is only behind by 6% in the latest polls. The fact that it's this close, even after Obama's triumphs in Europe and with all the structural advantages the democrats possess, should be really worrisome. I know it is to me.
I still think McCain has a very good shot. Look for a new narrative to be pushed by the MSM, namely that McCain's mumble/minivan campaign is actually a sign of 'authenticity,' that all the gaffes and screwups and flip-flops really show that McCain is for real, unlike the overscripted rock-star-diva Obama.
I'm anticipating a major piece in one of the slick magazines soon, say Esquire or Vanity Fair, on McCain as David to Obama's Goliath.
Was it before or after the interview that McCain fed george some yummy barbecue? Did george bring some donuts with sprinkles for McCain?
mcBush wanted to stay their 100 years as long as there was no casualties.
no casualties is conditions on the ground but he was wanting to stay anyways....he is getting out of what he said many times before.
breakspear @ 22:
About those polls - wouldn't you say it could be possible that poll numbers for McCain are being inflated by the MSM periodically, to make it look like a closer race? That would guarantee a much more exciting story line and more viewers.
sulphurdunn @ 21:
Lovely observation. Too bad Stephaopolouse couldn't make it.
N - I - C - O - L - E !!!!!!!!!
PLEASE fix the spelling!!! It is Stephanopoulos, NOT Stephanopolis...
Respect.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gretchen @ 32:
yes that is an excellent observation. they are prone to doing that, and i wouldnt be surprised if they are doing it. after all it does affect their bottom line. keep it closer and make it more interesting than it might be. the press is complicit.
Loo Hoo. @ 28:
If he blows up, seriously, and the circumstances are optimal, they'll edit it so you'll never know...
The job of the press is to make it a race, keep it close, keep it jiggy! They made MILLIONS on the Dem Debates...Fuuking MILLIONS!!! Lagniappe: the horse-race language makes it easier to sell the eventual theft, when it comes, because you've always got the statistical ambiguity dodge...
"We're winning, the strategy was a success, and Obama has the IQ of the sausage I had at Schimdt's because he won't admit that it's all because of the surge. Now let's stay for a few more years."
If. Conditions. Say. You. Can. Not. Leave. Then. Was. The. Surge. Really. That. Successful?
btw, how are things ACTUALLY going in Iraq? I haven't heard any news recently outside of what McCain sycophants are parroting.
John Doheny @ 29:
i share your feelings but know this: this McCain isnt the same as the real straighttalker in 2000. that one wouldnt vote for this version at all. this McCain has sold his principles down the river in order to win the presidency that he so arrogantly thinks he deserves. change doesnt embody an elderly man whos main accomplishments are from the last century. it just doesnt. he doesnt get it but the american people do. and this november they finally will. we deserve to be a better country and well see that we are made of better stuff. these GOPers are finished.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/109105/Gallup-Daily-Obama-There-Europe-Effect...
Gallup daily tracking is now 49:40 in favor of Obama ... I wonder if all the "he should be up by more" talk will stop ... hmmm ... or will it now switch over to "he should be breaking 50" talk.
I agree that he may snap at some point because he can't keep his facts straight on ANY issue.
I think this age thing is a bigger factor than many people believe. McCain is playing fast and loose with the facts and his campaign can't put a teleprompter or note cards in front of him because he sounds horrible with them and think when he speaks from his mind it makes him look authentic.
I wish the debates would've started yesterday because McCain will be switching positions from debate-to-debate and get caught on it.
What the doddering old fool means is that the conditions on the ground that are required before we can leave is that the ground be wet from a major rainfall.
Nobody has responded to my sincere question at message #16. So I take it that everyone thinks it's absolutely impossible for Bush to cancel the election even in the case of another 9/11 (?)
What exactly are we "winning" in Iraq -- besides the obvious oil leases and no-bid contracts?
It certainly ain't hearts & minds.
Don Rumsfeld hater @ 43:
that is a good question. i dont really know. but i imagine he doesnt have that power. nor would he want to postpone an election this important, since it would look political. and with the way hes behaved it would be political. no one with any sense should ever trust Bush again.
I wonder what the GOP would do if that happened. He just goes crazy on a reporter, or ever better a voter at some town hall.
this reveals what obama is getting at as far as the mcSurge
http://www.veracifier.com/episode/TPM_20080723
I got to agree with Breakspear, President Bush cancelling the election would be unprecedented due to a terrorist event but I doubt it would happen given his current approval ratings. I am pretty sure there would be a revolt of some kind.
How come we don't hear Couric, Williams, and Chuck to ask McCain 20 times if he was wrong about the disaster in Iraq. Our former ally Saddam was no threat, he was in a hole! He had no WMD, no ties to Al Qaeda, no ties to nine eleven. When asked Republicans always say it was the right thing to do. B.S. it was. The world will be better off without Bush in Power. What is up with McCain's NASTY campaign???
McCain surrogate's blog calls Obama a "fraud" backed by a "pack of goons"
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0708/McCain_surrogates_blog_calls...
Are there any educated, racial, thoughtful people out there that really believe that Barack Obama can eliminate the world of nuclear weapons?
McGrunpy says that Obama does not understand Iraq. My friends, I'm here to tell you that McSoiledunderpants (he's scared shitless) does not know Iraq.
The thing about McCain, Lieberman and Bush is they will never be able to solve the war because they do not understand it. They do not understand the players. Lieberman says Al Qaeda would be in control of Iraq today? That is just STUPID!!! The Iraqis will kick their sorry butts out (no matter what McCain and his best buddy forever thinks) in a matter of hours after the U.S. leaves. The Iraqis hate Al Qaeda as much as they hate the U.S. for invading. You can bet your bottom $ that no Iraqi will be told what to do by some Al Qaeda nut who all of Iraq hate. McCain (and it looks like Lieberman as well) does not even know who Al Qaeda is. Obviously the same is true with Bush. All you will see of Al Qaeda is the dust they kick up as they run for Afghanistan. Iraq will kick Al Qaeda out just like they will do to the Iranians, "Thanks for the help. Now get the hell out." They don’t get the dynamics of country being invade by foreign powers. What would happen if the U.S. pulled out of Iraq immediately? What would happen next? This is what would happen - The Shia tell Iran "Thanks for the help, now leave. Get out of our country." That is the part the neocon war mongers can't seem to understand. Everybody says that Iran will take over Iraq. Or they will have so much influence that Iraq will essentially become part of Iran. Well that will NOT happen. Iraq is Iraq. They don't want to be told what to do by Iran. Just like they don’t want to be told what to do by the U.S. Remember when Saddam invaded Kuwait, Saudi Arabia let the U.S. stage in their country to throw Saddam out of Kuwait. And Egypt helped the coalition in that war. Both those countries are Sunni. Saddam was Sunni. In fact Egypt harbored an exiled Saddam many years ago but Egypt helped throw Saddam out of Kuwait. Being from the same sect did not help Saddam. Saddam didn't listen to Saudi Arabia when it came to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia is Sunni like Saddam. Saudi Arabia let the coalition stage in Saudi Arabia to attack Saddam, a Sunni. Why would Iraq listen to any other country, i.e. Iran or Syria or anybody else? Why would they let Iran tell them what to do? So you see that just because part of Iraq and Iran are the same sect you cannot assume that Iraqi Shia will let Iranian Shia tell them what to do. The Iraqis are only letting Iran help them because Iraq wants the U.S. out!
McCain's temper was on edge during question and answers outside a restaurant last week, apparently from a grudge over an unfavorable article.
http://tinyurl.com/5ra22s
I'm happy to see K O on countdown repeat what some of us '' conspiracy '' types have been saying, and that is the point of the war in Iraq (WOT) is to have a war in Iraq. (I inserted WOT as it can easily apply)
edit:
http://tinyurl.com/6hhavp
remember this 35 second video.....again mccain before talked about staying
iraq 50...100 yrs.like bush as long as there are NO casualties....if was going to stay their now changing tune. No casualties is are conditions on the ground....he is changing his tune suttle to people that don't listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFknKVjuyNk
I'm starting to find this guy unwatchable.
He's wound up tighter than the center of a golf ball and is so obviously insincere it's bile inducing.
Just a total arsehole.
pissed off patricia @ 15:
POP: You are "right on"....I cannot and have not watched ANY of bush's televised
appearances for well over a year, and now I must put McLamebrain in that same
category....Makes me want to up-chuck, so best that I don't watch such an embicles.
I will just rely upon others to give me their version in order to avoid becoming sick
because I'm not sure my medical health plan covers that kind of illness...being pre-existing.
All that coming from the guy who made these stupid statements.
Well, it's common knowledge and has been reported in the media that Al Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran. That's well known. And it's unfortunate." -before correcting himself by saying Iran was training "extremists," not Al Qaeda
"I will conduct a respectful debate. Now, it will be dispirited -- it will be spirited -- because there are stark differences. I am a proud conservative, liberal Republica-- conservative Republican...Hello? Easy there."
"Make it a hundred...That would be fine with me." -to a questioner who asked if he supported President Bush's vision for keeping U.S. troops in Iraq for 50 years
"I'm going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated."
"The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should. I've got Greenspan's book."
"It's not social issues I care about."
"F**k you! I know more about this than anyone else in the room." --to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), during a testy exchange about immigration legislation
"There are neighborhoods in Baghdad where you and I could walk through those neighborhoods today." --prior to visiting a Baghdad market while being flanked by 22 soldiers, 10 armored Humvees, and two Apache attack helicopters
"You know that old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran? Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran." (Watch video clip)
"I had something picked out for you, too - a little IED (improvised explosive device) to put on your desk." --to Jon Stewart
"Americans are very frustrated, and they have every right to be. We've wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives." --on the Iraq war
"I think I'd just commit suicide." --in October 2006, on the prospects of the Democrats taking back the Senate in the November election
"No, I'm calling you a f*cking jerk." --to fellow Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, when Grassley asked "Are you calling me stupid?"
"Only an a**hole would put together a budget like this ... I wouldn't call you an a**hole unless you really were an a**hole." --to Budget Committee Chairman and fellow Repulican Sen. Pete Domenici, during a Senate budget hearing
"I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I'd rather have the clean government."
"I am sure that Senator Clinton would make a good President. I have no doubt that Senator Clinton would make a good President."
"I said, 'The nice thing about Alzheimer's is you get to hide your own Easter eggs.'"
"Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly? Because Janet Reno is her father." --at a 1998 Republican fundraiser
54 constituent
You used wrong spelling, and wrong form. I believe you meant to say subtly.
constituent @ 54:
...................................
Hah !! The link you provided has McCain saying OK to 100 years in Iraq. That ain't nothin' bro !! 100 years ain't shit man. Now 10,000 that's a lot of years http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=rJWoGulgbec&NR=1
ysbaddaden @ 58:
yup your correct i'm not that smart so thanks.......luckily you understood
regardless of my spelling/syntax
I like yesterday or 100 years from now! It's all about (everybody join the idiot chorus!) "the conditions on the ground"...
Now the refrain! "Senator Obama doesn't understand".
Rinse, Lather, Repeat.
If I don't see it live (at say a debate) I'm certain C&L and many others will have fresh youtube stock. I like to think of myself as above that sort of thing and I would typically prefer to shield older people from personal attack but this is war. The country can not suffer more stupidity than it already has so I truly do look forward to seeing John McCain's head explode like in the movie Scanners.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY-03vYYAjA
Well, if McCain really looks at "what is happening on the ground" he might just see that the U.S. now finds itself paying off the various ethnic groups in order to keep the violence low. If those payments dry up the violence will increase. What appears to be happening in Iraq is nothing more than a big protection racket with the U.S. being extorted for all its worth because they all know the Bush Administration and McCain need Iraq to look as good as possible.
In the same sentence McCain says the surge is working and we've won in Iraq, and then he says we can't set a timetable to leave because the conditions on the ground are not as such.
Are people really gonna vote for this guy?
Don Rumsfeld hater @ 59:
do you see what i am getting at.........NO casualties but stay anyways
hey if there is NO casualties for any length of time isn't reveal conditions on the ground.........they wanted occupation in the region...the iraqi's don't want it.....u.s. has until end of year to have an agreement with iraq or they are suppose to get out
Jesus why do these guys have to inflict themselves on everybody in the first place?
Being obscenely rich isn't enough-they have to have all the power as well.
put your hard earned money on obama
http://www.intrade.com/
I've always thought the Dems need to send some "plants" to ole OopsIMcpoopedmypants famous town hall forums and really press him hard with questions, won't take long before he loses it. Total bumbling old fool
I get the feeling that there may be a number of Republicans out there who will vote for Obama out of spite because McCain has been such an ASS HOLE to his fellow Republicans.
We must pray for spitefulness this election year!
Don Rumsfeld hater @ 16:
Rudy Giuliani sure tried doing that in New York? I wouldn't put anything past them. All the legislation is in place for martial law.
if mccain knows how to get bin laden why doesn't he notify bush about this
knowledge/plan? is he using the bin laden capture for political reasons?
Joe O. @ 62:
Correct you are. U.S. is paying the Sunnia's LARGE sums of money(as reported as
recently as Thurs. of last week in the NYT's) in order to maintain the fragile peace
I am really having a hard time accepting the "success" being touted by many in Iraq.
For instance, the NTY's article indicates that "great successes have occured, yet it
is fragile"; there is less conflict between Shiite's and Sunnia's, yet we are paying the
Sunnia's in order to maintain a peaceful atmosphere; less violance is occurring, yet
things could turn around quickly; etc." To me it seems as if the reports I have been
reading are wanting to have it both ways....Success, but conditions could easily deterioate and return to a violent situation.
Bottom Line: If, as is being reported, there is such GREAT and WONDERFUL success now occurring within Iraq, then it is time(NOW), to bring all the the troops home.
Old man yelling at the clouds.
The rightists time line is literally "whenever". Doesn't sound like the fiscally responsible conservatives to me. Sounds like people that are scared or people that are doing pretty well on budgeted money.
This old dip shit keeps saying he knows how to win wars. WTF. Tell ONE war he has ever won. He was part of getting us into this one but it has been a fiasco and there is no "wining" this war. Just by how much money we have wasted we have lost the war. I just want to know how many wars has McAsshole has won. How many has he been involved in?
Don Rumsfeld hater @ 16:
I seriously DO NOT think that Bush wants to try to go for round three. He has had enough. He is just too lazy to want to not play golf for 4 more years. All he wants to do is go back to Crawford or Paraguay whichever is safer, and drink Budweiser and eat pretzels on the front porch.
Maybe McCain should remember that you don't have to visit Iraq to know that it was a stupid idea to start off with. And having been in the military doesn't give you a free pass to play politics with the troops.
http://angryafrican.net/2008/07/27/views-on-the-weakly-news-xvi/
Don Rumsfeld hater @ 43:
This has been on my mind for a long time. I think it grows less likely each day. Also think Bush is tired of his excellent adventure and would like to get on with “replenishing the coffers.” He has suffered any number of defeats lately-the Iran NIE, SCotUS decisions, veto overturns, and even the impeachment non-hearing (held Friday).
Of course, he could just be waiting for the right moment for the ultimate coup.
That's an enormous amount of botox and restylane on display.
Careful, careful, we need to get this guy nominated! If the GOPpers dump him, we'll miss seeing him self-destruct. Can you imagine seeing him "blow up" in October... only to present the image of him with his finger on the button? (Except that's not funny.) My feeling is that the quickest way to agitate him is to quote him, and ask him to explain the obvious contradictions, and that should be as easy as hell to do, if they will do it.
I'm glad that Steph located the correct house to find McSame.
kablooie @ 68:
...as long as its not the spite of the proclinton supporters saying theyd vote for McCain before voting for the Dem nominee. i think thats foolish as there is more to lose if McCain wins than anything they can be spiteful about. this election is too important. the GOP doesnt deserve to keep the WH after shoving Bush on us for 8 yrs. simple as that.
what a fool
I think they have McCain drugged so that he won't explode. Who knows what, maybe something like Prozac or Halcyon,(yeah, I know it's off the market, but I'll bet that if the Repubs needed some to keep someone in line, they'd find a supply)
This would explain a lot of his gaffes. So would early stage Alzheimer's. Some of the drugs they are using to help lessen the affects of dementia would also help control his temperament.
Even so, he is straining at the leash these days. Someone promised him he'd be Prezinit, and he is really upset that the "Black Guy" (or a stronger variation) is kicking his ass in all of his supposed strong points.
That's where I'm putting my money...he's on drugs.
this is mccain being reactionary to obama and maliki/parliament. mccain was going to continue an occupation in this region. i read a quote by an iraqi official who said we don't want to be"eternal slaves to the americans".that's what would've happened if the u.s. continued a long occupaton ..... co-dependency....this might be what the NEOCONs wanted for iraq to be codependent. mccain said himself as long as there are no
casualties we can stay 100...10000 years the public won't care because there is no casualties. now all of a sudden it's timetable..time horizon....and obama is completely wrong and doesn't know what he is doing.
the other beef i have if mccain knows how to get bin laden tell bush and let's get him.....i'm tired of hearing about the guy. is mccain using the capture for political reasons?
katie @ 78:
I keep thinking that too. His face just keeps getting smoother and smoother!
Someone needs to ask John McCain if he lied or told the truth to his Vietnamese captors as a result of his being tortured. Did his torture provide the enemy valuable information or valuable propaganda? Did the Vietnamese use the information he gave them to defeat Americans or to deceive and misinform them? Did McCain give his torturers factual information that could be used to kill Americans or did he give them the information they wanted him to give them whether it was factual or not? I'd like to know what John McCain knows about the benefits and or drawbacks of the use of torture based on his firsthand personal experience. And I want to know why he hasn't been the leading opponent of the Bush administration's rendition and interrogation policies.
beckyboo @ 82:
Haldol and Ativan, that would explain the sluggishness in some responses like the birth control/viagra debacle!
McAnus just won Vietnam!
You know what he needs? A giant game of risk played at the old folks' bingo hall. Complimentary prune juice and adult diapers in the restroom vending machine for a quarter.
This is what McCain needs.
cg @ 37:
obummer just said this morning that things are going swimminly this morning! got to believe the obummer
Wow, that is a lot of makeup on McCain's face. There's more pancake than in my Sunday breakfast. Glad to see McCain appears to have gotten his teeth whitened, though. It was pretty scary when, during his "green screen" lime jello/cottage cheese speech, his teeth practically matched the screen.
John McAnus will only listen to General PetrAnus, political cupie doll and head of ASSCOM.
kablooie @ 87:
He needs to play some Halo and some Call Of Duty to let it out, seriously.
I could see him lose his temper a XBL headset
Ali @ 84:
Pretty soon he will look like Mitch McFacelift.
Ageism is alive and well in America! Liberals like to think they are so open minded, but when it comes to AGE the eyes slam shut. Don't criticize someone's race or gender, but AGE is acceptable?? I'm all for a 72-year-old who knows what's going on in the world. With age comes WISDOM.
Kablooie wrote:
McAnus just won Vietnam!
You know what he needs? A giant game of risk played at the old folks’ bingo hall. Complimentary prune juice and adult diapers in the restroom vending machine for a quarter.
This is what McCain needs.
i heard george ask him about the housing bill the senate passed yesterday -
he said, "i know you couldn't be there" to vote on it...
why couldn't mcLAME be there?
was that out of respect for something? or why didn't george ask "WHY didn't you vote?"
cg @ 37:
i should have said that obama was questioned by a news whore this morning and asked if the surge in iraq had worked , obama said it appears to have worked , asked would you still vote against the surge obama said yes!
Won't be long now. McFlappy is coming unglued. He's due for a major outburst when he's forced into the next corner about his fluctuating responses. First it's NOT a timetable; then it IS a timetable. Which is it? Could it be because his matinee idol, McBush, is mentioning "timetables" just this week? McCrotchety knows that McBush will throw him under the bus any time it comes down to McBush looking good or McCrazy looking good.
"The surge was a success and we're winning in Iraq, so vote for me as your President" The pathetic and sick world according to Grandpa.
swampfox @ 95:
Obama knocked 'em dead this morning. He's one articulate, intelligent, self-assured individual who runs his campaign on heart and honesty. He's leaving McImpotent behind now - wayyyyy behind.
swampfox @ 95:
It's a phony argument filled with lies and false statements like "we're winning in Iraq"....what a lie. A catch 22, and Obama knows it. No matter how he would have answered the question, he would had been criticized. Sorry, Obama's too smart for you.
osiris @ 98:
yay hell a ny moron could beat mccain!
thats any moron
Rick P. @ 9:
But Obama doesn't have to do anything dumb to have McCain's campaign, the media, and the talking heads report that he did, and then hammer on his "mistake" over and over. We're down the rabbit hole...
this was the stick thrown into mccain's spokes
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article4288108.ece?Subm...
swampfox @ 100:
Yes i agree!!! But I heard yesterday that mcwhatshisname was gaining again in the poles, which just says to me the majority of the voters in this fuckin' country are as ignorant and stupid as a box of F'n ROCKS!!!!!
Sorry for yelling, but I cannot believe the gullibility of the people of this country....."jesus h frickin' keeeriiiissst"
Whaaa? @ 104:
who could dissagree with that
constituent @ 70:
If he really does have that information he's probably saving it in case he is elected. What better way to lock in a second term than to get bin Laden? It's not about getting the terrorists - it's about getting (re)elected.
ugh.
"Barack Obama doesn't understand what's at stake..."
Isn't the next question supposed to be "What is at stake John?"
mmmm steak.
OT.
Does it look like McShme has had some botox up there in the high forehead area?
The "surge" is a "success" if it induces mass memory loss. If we forget about The Iraq occupation as a whole, with 1,000,000 dead and 4,500,000 refugees, the 300,000,000,000 price tag so far, the fact that the bar for success has been lowered to "a drop in violence". and that the surge itself had nothing to do with the improvements in Iraq, in fact, some improvements occured in spite of US presence there.
This is what McCain is using to hang his hat and listen to him whine like a baby when asked to explain what he means by "Victory".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZn6aQOO4E
when is someone going to ask him to define "victory"?
i'm not holding my breath.
Begining at 2:30 on the video, when McInsane says "And if we’d done what Senator Obama wanted done, it would have been chaos, genocide, increased Iranian influence, perhaps al Qaeda establishing a base again", the change in his voice begining with the word genocide was strange, I thought. It reminded of the Old Philosopher back in the late 50's early 60's who had a routine that began with "What's the matter friends? Life getting you down? Any other seniors out there remember that?
I can't get a handle on the "fragile victory" statement. Is that anything like "technically still a virgin"?
♫..Bangkok Bob..♫ @ 57
“Only an a**hole would put together a budget like this … I wouldn’t call you an a**hole unless you really were an a**hole.” –to Budget Committee Chairman and fellow Repulican Sen. Pete Domenici, during a Senate budget hearing.
I think McInsane might be right on that one.
Breakspear #16 #43, Don Rumsfeld hater #45:
In the summer of '04 Bush said that he might have to (illegally) postpone the election if there was another terrorist attack. I was quite worried (with every brick of martial law in place and waiting) until recently when most of the Republicans and the military leadership started distancing themselves from Bush. I think he had the power (not the authority) in '04 but not now.
The situation, I think, is not dissimilar to that of Nixon when his staff, former allies, and the military started seeing him as unstable. As noted in a 1983 article in "The Atlantic", Secretary of Defense Schlesinger:
See: (theatlantic dot com/doc/print/198308/hersh-ford)
Nicole, Good post. I don't think McCain will explode on camera during the campaign but McCain is certainly irrational and dangerous. I agree with paleo-conservative Pat Buchanan, "McCain would make Bush look like Gandhi".
Peace,
JK
You know that scene in The Lord of The Rings - the one where Frodo is in Rivendell with Bilbo and he shows him the ring? Thats sorta what I expect McCain to do at any second.
He's gonna pop his top any day.
But hey, cut him some slack. Having to continually deny reality and defend fantasy while most probably being in the first stages of senility would get REALLY FUCKING FRUSTRATING - I bet.
mcConfusion takes a daily dose of
keopectate for his wee brain deficit.
pinkobait @ 55:
My sentiments exactly. I really wanna see the Obama camp unload on this fucker.
But they won't, because, like, Obama honors and respects his heroism and service. Shite!
A perfect capsulization of McC*nt and his position(s)
anonyman @ 112:
Spot on characterization...
Why isn't anyone reporting on what was actually said at the meeting in Ramadi? The tribal leaders said they were opposed to the Sunni political parties rejoining the government. They said the Maliki government doesn't represent them.
In the Kurdish north no one is talking about how the Maliki government wants to send in troops to take over. It will force the Kurdish militia to disband meaning the Kurds will lose the sovereignty they have and want.
No one is talking about what happens when we quit paying the Sunnis who used to fight us.
The longer we stay the easier it is for Maliki to gain control without having to reconcile. If that's what we really want, oppression by the majority, then let's continue to shell out 12 billion a month for infinity. Hell, let's make Iraq the 51st state. At least that way we'll get some return for our investment.
A timeline forces the Maliki government to accomodate the other groups which is the only way you'll have a unified country. Otherwise it will be genocide and partition.
God, my head hurts following McCain. He takes you on this nonsensical, mental journey and ends up sounding like a guy on a street corner hawking bumper stickers. I can't take much more of this.
"....anything sounds good to me." Go to your bedroom, and don't come out until November 5th. And no Cyndy, either.
On 'This Week' - Did anyone pick up on McCain "I will promise that we will not only keep tax cuts low, but we will have some additional incentives for american investments and growths of jobs"
Is that a flip or a flop, or putting mouth in motion before putting brain in gear?
It still amazes me that Sen. Obama hasn't ask the question of Mr. McCain. When Sen. McCain says time and time and time again, that "we've won or we're winning,"this War, would someone please tell me what in the hell that we've won? We are in a war that has already been proved to be a huge mistake by the Bush administration. We've not put the majority of our troops in Afghanistan to fight the people who attack this country on 9/11. We've fighting a war that was a made-up mess of reports by our intelligence department and once we were in Iraq, then it's too late to get out. But, please don't address this war as a "we've won" war. In my opinion, no one has won this war, but our some of our Men and Women in uniform have given their lives for it. Once we do leave, the Iraqis will return to their same government. Why would we try to change a country's government that has been around for over 2,000 years? It's crazy and McCain makes it even more crazy.
Just listened to it 4 times. You are dead wrong. You need to take down the post before you become embarrassing troll fodder for C&L.
If we've won or we're winning this war, why oh why are we still losing our young people?
I think McCain is pretty close to senility or Alzheimer's, but he didn't say that Petraeus is the head of the Joint-Chiefs-of-Staff. He didn't say that. Don't worry, he'll screw something else up, any minute.
Little Steffie isn't real good at finishing his own questions or comments.
This was nothing more than McCain repeating his talking points over and over again. The man denies things he's said and he's seldom challenged on it.
Nope. NOT a gaffe. I went back and listened to the tapes two times. What McCain said was, "..The way that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, the way that Gen. Petraeus has said..." He was clearly using them in series, not saying that Petraeus was the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. You blew this one.
There are plenty of legitimate gaffes to hit that lying weasel over the head with.
No, my sense of the wording was that he was talking about the Joint Chiefs AND Gen. Patreaus - not one in the same. This one could backfire if you jump on it.
You all are very cruel, I think McCain will make a great president and history will........I will be back later, I am due for my daily electric shock treatment
Al
Login or Register to post comments.