An odd example of 'putting country first'
In late June, the McCain campaign was aggressively pushing the line that John McCain has taken political risks by working with Dems on important issues. Pressed for a recent example to bolster the claim, a campaign spokesperson said, “It’s fairly significant that Senator McCain worked on the immigration reform legislation while he was pursing the nomination of his party,” adding that he “reached across the aisle despite a heated primary campaign.”
And this week, as the McCain campaign began to push the line that Barack Obama doesn’t put “country first,” the same team relied on the same example. Newsweek’s Howard Fineman reported:
I asked McCain’s closest advisor and friend, Mark Salter, for an example of a time when Obama did not “put the country first.” His answer: the Senate maneuvering of immigration legislation.
In his view, Obama did big labor’s bidding by helping to kill the chances for a grand compromise on immigration reform.
“His campaign came before his country,” Salter told me in an e-mail.
In other words, if you weren’t for McCain’s deal, you didn’t put the country first.
Fineman’s right to find Salter’s argument foolish, but the argument is actually even worse than Fineman suggests: McCain wasn’t for McCain’s deal, which suggests McCain didn’t put country first, either.
To follow Salter’s logic, “putting country first” means supporting the compromise immigration package. As it happens, Obama did support the legislation, but disagreed with McCain on a vote on a specific amendment, which apparently means Obama doesn’t really love America. Or something. It’s hard to tell with these guys.
But let’s not lose sight of what McCain did here. To his credit, McCain took a risk working with Dems on a comprehensive immigration reform measure during the Republican primaries. His efforts failed — McCain couldn’t get his bill through the Senate, and his poll numbers tanked when GOP voters learned of his efforts.
But what happened next? McCain said, over and over again, that he disapproves of his own legislation. He conceded in a nationally televised debate that he wouldn’t even vote for his own bill. McCain has reiterated his opposition to the compromise he personally struck throughout the presidential campaign.
So what on earth is the McCain campaign talking about? If Obama failed to “put the country first” on immigration, doesn’t this mean McCain has completely given up on “putting the country first”?
If he invades a country it's a liberation
If he supports Bush 95% of time he's a maverick
If he fucks around on his wife he is a war hero
If he nukes Iran he is a savior
Ig he wins in November we are fooked...proper fooked!!!
OT: AP is reporting that Nancy Pelosi, on her Saturday morning talk show, is now
indicating that he is NOT opposed to "some additional offshore drilling". She is not
only a traitor, but a stupid bitch who needs to be tossed out of office on her ass
in November. Come on you Calif. people...wake and get rid of her.
Doggiebobo @ 2:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1551699720080816?feedType=RS...
Does she ever do anything that the Democrats want? Maybe I am just unrealistic when it comes to the democratic agenda?
This all fits into the theme that somehow Sen. Obama is some alien being that has some hidden agenda that he will inflict on all of us once he gets into the white house. He's not like us. We don't know enough about him. He might be a secret ________(fill in the blank with whatever frightens you) All of this shit is like a bunch of beads and Corsi's book strings them all together.
I watched Corsi this morning on Washington Journal. My husband was watching too and he said, "No one believes this stuff do they?" I said just wait and hear what the callers will say. One woman called in and thanked Corsi for writing the book because she felt she didn't know Sen. Obama or what he was all about. I turned to my husband and he was sitting there in utter disbelief.
How can these idiots keep flip-flopping on every issue and then expect us to believe them on ANYTHING! Pelosi is a disgrace to all women; we had such high hopes for her when she became the first ever woman speaker but she just couldn't live up to such high expectations. The men must be laughing behind our backs and saying they will never again let a woman do a man's job. How in hell did she get the job in the first place??? But her partner in crime Harry Reid is no better. He is such a wuss and you can almost see him shaking every time he speaks; "God please don't let me say something to upset my republican friends!"
Didn't McCain say "we are all Georgians"? No part of that sounds like Americans to me. And how is join with Georgia in fighting Russia in our best interests?
Doggiebobo @ 2:
she said she would consider it.........depending how it's packaged for instance if it included releasing oil from strategic reserves....she is just shutting up the (R)congress for now who are trying to make this a political issue for mccain at the cost of the vulnerable public. it's a counter offer move to the (R) who want it their way only.....this legislative branch has a paper thin majority and has undertaken a record number of filibuster......don't try to blame pelosi for everything there is much more to this than that
liberAL @ 5:
I too am beginning to believe that bush/et.al. in the W/H have some taped telephone
conversations of Nancy that are politically devasting, OR dirty pictures of her giving
a blow job to some Republican, OR maybe some actual photos of her receiving breast
implant, OR even maybe Nancy getting some facial botox treatments....and she fears
they will be disclosed to the public so instead of standing up, she is bending over and
giving a further blow-job and sticking it to us all. She needs to go !!
Remember all the insane photos we saw of bush when he was in China? The ones that were somewhere between funny and embarrassing as hell. Especially the one where the secret service guys were having to hold him up because either something was wrong with him or he had had one too many.
Okay, compare those pictures to these.
I don't think the McCain campaign wants to go too near this story of party before country and all that bs. The last time McCain made a similar statement about Obama being willing to lose a war to win an election, it didn't go over very well with those who heard him.
War-monger McCain has given birth to his very own war: the Georgian slaughter and invasion of South Ossetia, which started about a week ago. His buddy, Mikhail Saakashvili, President of the Republic of Georgia, is another strutting little fascist bully, cut from the same cloth as Bush.
And McCain has his advisor, who has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Saakashvili and Georgia to lobby for NATO membership and US support for his imperial adventure. Why is McCain supporting this Georgian war criminal?
Turn in to "Russia Today" television news to get a different viewpoint from that of Bush/Rice/McCain and our corrupt lying corporate media. Or visit their web site, www.russiatoday.com.
Rethugs always put party first. Always.
I agree about Reid and Pelosi. I had such low expectations for both of them, and they have gone even lower than that.
Patricia at 4....
My husband went off on one of his co-workers the other day. He went out to his car for lunch, and this guy was sitting in his car listening to LOUD "christian" radio. This is a guy who has three graduate degrees from the University of Missouri system. (they both work for the US Postal Service.) My husband couldn't help but overhear what the talk show host was saying, (which was that there was evidence that Obama was the anti-christ) and ask the guy if he could please turn it down.
The guy told him No, the pastor said it was his Christian duty to spread this news so we could avoid the apocolypse. So, my husband asked him how he could believe such an obvious load a crap, and pointed out to the guy that the Republicans have been doing their damn level best to give postal business to the private sector, where their workers make half as much as USPS employees. This guys response was that his soul was more important than his job.
Husband had to leave before he made a threat to this guys person, which is a felony.
pissed off patricia @ 9:
\
POP: Thanks for sharing....GREAT pics of Obama..
Also, there are photos of bush holding up the American flag upside down and backwards
during the Olympics;having to be told by either Laura or his daughter that he was doing
it wrong.
pissed off patricia @ 9:
Wow, thanks, p.o.p. The contrast is astonishing! I can't wait for Obama to be sworn in. I hope I live to see it.
this legislative branch/congress majority is paper thin and
have undergone a record number ofilibusters,threatened
with veto,secrecy and surprised with signing statements. this congress was handed a mess. i'm not in complete agreement about the legislative branch but i feel people here are quick to eat their own...instead of identifying the real problem....that want us to blame the legislative branch.......the reality is they don't currently have enough power....with a noncompromising (R) members.
remember obama has agreed to look at off-shore drilling also...it's to shut the (R) up.....good move for now since crude prices coming down due to possible commodities bubble.
McCain has tried so many angles since he began to campaign against Sen. Obama that he has become boring. It's just one lame accusation after another. His base, whoever they are, will never vote for Obama. The independents are independent for a reason and I don't believe they are as shallow as the media makes them out to be. If they are smart enough to not be affiliated with either party, I doubt they are dumb enough to fall for McCain's desperation moves.
Server crashing again?
Come on C&L. This kind of nitpicking parsing of both these identical candidates words is missing the big picture by a many many mile.
Less horse race nonsense B.S. and more actual issue, policy and position digging. I know its not as Brittany Spears easy...But hey, if it were easy everyone would do a good job.
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 17:
But you don't even try to do a good job. Referring to the candidates as being identical is quite a reach.
Jo @ 11:
And our so-called "leadership" doesn't?
Wake up. Pelosi, Reid, Obama, Clinton et al., have voted to fund the war, taken impeachment off the table and voted immunity for telecoms for one simple reason:
Covering their asses. Staying in power. All of em. Every F*cking One.
I know the site monitor is just about getting ready to smite me, but before that happens, please later today when you have the time, read the story that goes with the pictures of Obama. It shows what a regular, one of us, kind of guy he is. His position in the race for the president of the United States has not gone to his head. He's closer to being the anti-bush/McCain than he is to being the anti-Christ.
Thanks for not smiting me yet, site monitor, and this will be my last word on this subject, I promise.
Ron @ 18:
Ok. Explain the difference to me.
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 17:
Maybe you would feel more at home somewhere else. Obama is the candidate, get over it. And, this is not nitpicking! It is showing the hypocrisy of McSenile.
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 21:
Are you some kind of a moron, that you need an explanation? My apologizes to any mentally challenged out there.
Ron @ 18:
Hey, Ron. I think you're a thinking guy. You seem to have solid takes. Watch this and come back with your thoughts. Andrew Bacevitch on Bill Moyers last night.
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 21:
please support your identical comment start with the war and economy if you want and can continue with taxation
Ron @ 23:
Ooppps. That's not a "solid take". Try again. This time maybe with less insult and more substance.
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 24:
I watched it this morning.
John McCain should NOT be taking ANYONE to task on immigration stance since he was responsible for SHAMNESTY!
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 19:
You go with the people who have a better track record.
Jo @ 29:
you go with the candidate that hasn't been in the government his entire life(military/politics) mccain has influenced/bought by k-street. obama hasn't been their long enough to be bought/loyal to special interests. when you have time listen to the retired senator fritz hollings on bill moyer's journal. money in politics is the reality we need to accept but how much needs to change
Ron @ 27:
Here's a great quote from that interview:
ANDREW BACEVICH: Well, I may be a conservative, but I can assure you that, in November of 2006, I voted for every Democrat I could possibly come close to. And I did because the Democratic Party, speaking with one voice, at that time, said that, "Elect us. Give us power in the Congress, and we will end the Iraq War." And the American people, at that point, adamantly tired of this war, gave power to the Democrats in Congress. And they absolutely, totally, completely failed to follow through on their commitment. Now, there was a lot of posturing. But, really, the record of the Democratic Congress over the past two years has been - one in which, substantively, all they have done is to appropriate the additional money that enables President Bush to continue that war.
BILL MOYERS: And you say the promises of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi prove to be empty. Reid and Pelosi's commitment to forcing a change in policy took a backseat to their concern to protect the Democratic majority.
ANDREW BACEVICH: Could anybody disagree with that?
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 31:
No mention of the 90+ filibusters by the republicans? What's wrong with that picture?
constituent @ 30:
Right. But you assume (and its a logical assumption) that time spent in Washington matters. Don't think so. The money flows to everyone of both parties in buckets to buy influence. Obama is already bought...he just needs to get elected to be able to sell out. And he will. He raise $51 m in July alone. You think that's all grass roots web dollars? Uh huh.
POP....thanks for the pictures of Obama...I read the article. It was really a good article. I also read the comments. About what you would expect, some glowing to the point of adulation, and others completely bitter.
It is nice to see the whole article, particularly the bits about his family and honoring this mother and grandfather. At least he CAN honor his past, and not run from it, like both Mc Cain and Bush.
Ron @ 32:
And those filibusters were just fine with Pelosi/Reid. They never used their power to try and stop em. Never made it hard by forcing them to actually do a "Mr. Smith goes to Washington". Never forced the issue.
beckyboo @ 34:
Serious question...Why is any of that important?
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 33:
this is reality not the land of unicorns and candy canes.....i mean no disrespect...in politics sometimes it comes down to bought and more bought if you will. mccain is more bought....that's oil,industrial military complex and wall street to name a few want him........why because they know what they are going to get. this anti-obama has no basis. i saw that interviews on moyer's journal last night when you get a chance watch the journal with sen. fritz hollings.....too much money in washington
most people here know that. this current house/congress got stop on every move.
ideally Andrew Bacevich is correct i listened to him very closely as you know he lost his son in this war........the reality is obama was and is against this war mccain wanted it and hillary herself voted for it .
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 35:
And just when are you going to run for office? Will it be the House or the Senate you will be representing your constituents in. Step up and try to solve the problem instead of always bitching about it.
pissed off patricia @ 20:
Oh, thank God. He's just a regular guy? Ok. Whew.
Come on...Who cares if he's "one of us"? What does that matter? Its simply another distraction from the brutal reality we all face.
Obama's black/muslim/exotic.
McCain's old/evil/angry.
Edwards cheated on his wife.
Romney's a Mormon.
So what?
This from that same Bill Moyers piece:
"Beginning with the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960, "the occupant of the White House has become a combination of demigod, father figure and, inevitably, the betrayer of inflated hopes. Pope. Pop star. Scold. Scapegoat. Crisis manager. Commander in Chief. Agenda settler. Moral philosopher. Interpreter of the nation's charisma. Object of veneration. And the butt of jokes. All rolled into one."
That blueprint is not working. We can't rely on Obama or any other president to fix it for us. Especially a guy who votes to keep the power of the presidency as is (FISA vote)
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 36:
'Cause we say so. A person's character is important to us. So we talk about it. You don't have to join in or agree, that's okay by us.
Ron @ 38:
How do you know I haven't? And what are you doing besides cheerleading Obama as the fix? No really. How are you helping?
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 41:
I've been part of the political process for 40+ years. What have you done besides whine?
pissed off patricia @ 40:
Thanks. And no, I don't agree. "Character"? That's what got us into this hole in '04. Bush is "just like us". Lets have a beer, W. Ahhh. Just like us.
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 43:
Us are not the ones that voted for Bush.
Ron @ 42:
First...Why do you give a sh*t what I do. This is whine central. Crooks and Liars. That's what this forum is for. Its not the community outreach help line.
Cheerlead or whine. You don't get that? ...Really?
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 39:
you know and most of us know that money/power is the issue....obama is aware of this......obama didn't say he is going to fix it.....he is going to provide intelligent/rational leadership....it's time for democratic cycle and many intellects agree it's time.presently there are two parties. obama is the best option.....currently
this country/government is out of balance. this war was a free pass for the republicans/ some democrats and corporations.....some people here underestimate obama.....he stated early on what change meant....of course the glass is half full with many....he can't attempt to make the changes until he is in office not much before then.....what i see often is that (R) propaganda works on some democrats.
especially ones that think in the idealistic spectrum
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 45:
When you're always negative, it's whining or sniveling, however you want to define it.
[OK. So are you two going to waste your Saturday bitching at each other? Sitemonitor]
[Deleted. Thanks for not piling on-Sitemonitor]
Kool Aid-besotted Republicans always put their party ahead of country. Always.
They're slavish, obeisant, sycophantic, authoritarian and cult-like.
Dr. Britney Hussein Matt @ 49:
he he , its a good day for singing a tune ! hi lilly hi lilly hilow!
I wish I was good with photoshop, so I could change McCain's podium sign to read "Cuntry First" . Maybe finally the media inc. will address some of his many flaws.
I don't get it...
Obama disagrees with one amendment to McCain's bill and all of a sudden he's Benedict Arnold, while McCain does a huge flip-flop compared to Obama...
and that's putting the US first?
What's in the water in Washington?
Johnny2BadObamasLikeEveryOtherLyingPowerHungryPolitician @ 22:
if you ain't figured it out by now, you obviously lack the mental capacity to make such a comparison
have fun with your legos
and keep drinking that koolaide
More McCain hypocrisy.
I've heard it before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axrgFGZYFzE
Let's have some fun now:
The McCain-Nixon-Bush Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyvJVy_7LYU
Comments are closed on this entry