There are a lot of people who are fans of John McCain.
I am not one of them.
While McCain’s recent career has shown flickers of sanity, and he has occasionally pleased me by extending a middle finger to the religious right, on the big issues, he has been wrong over and over and over again. I probably would never vote for him because McCain/Feingold, but that is not his only sin. It is because of McCain’s token opposition to torture and Bush detainee policies that those policies passed, as legitimate criticisms of those policies were muted by his status as a former victim of torture. He, in essence, used his moral authority to run cover for immoral policies.
Were it not for John McCain providing cover for this administration, those policies would not be in place. Add to it the recent pandering to the religious right, and what we see is not straight talk, or principles in action. We see political expediency and shameles self promotion.
And that alone is enough reason to not vote for John McCain. Not now, not ever.
Jake
You don’t but thanks for playing Who Wants to Be the President? Here is your consolation prize: Life-long accomodations at the Newt Gingrich Home for Washed Up Political Hacks.
Andrew
I would have seriously considered voting for McCain over Gore in 2000, had that been the race. Silly me.
Kirk Spencer
I’ll give the reason I think McCain won’t win, though it’s a surprisingly minor thing.
If elected, he will become the oldest person ever elected to the office. He will be 73. Ronald Reagan, current holder of that title, was 69.
ThymeZone
Well, don’t be too hard on yourself. Those of us in Arizona know the forked-tongue lying bonesmoker pretty well, but outside of here, people saw him as the “maverick,” a theme he played on quite well, back then.
But on the national stage, people expose their true natures in the fullness of time. Look at the difference between the reality of Bush, and the candidate people thought he was in 2000.
What’s ugly is that McCain was fucked by Bush in 2000, and then as Bush’s true nature unfolded, the “maverick” sucked up to him more and more even as the stink of the Bush administration got thicker and thicker. McCain has thus revealed himself as nothing but a crass political opportunist who apparently believes in nothing in particular.
I think his bid is toast, and I really hope it is toast.
Andrew
I don’t see how Rudy “Liberal Judges for all!” Guliani and McCain can get past the theocons and true believers in the primaries. Mitt Romney actually looks a lot more reasonable to me on many issues, but I’m sure his assholiness will become apparent in due time.
ThymeZone
Yes Andrew, it’s not a good season to be a Republican.
Yet, somehow, I do not weep for them.
Tsulagi
That was the 2000 model. The only time the new and improved
Flip FlopperAdapt to Win 07 model now extends that middle finger is for the religious right. Or to use it on himself at their command.In 2000 I would have voted for him over Gore in a heartbeat. Now, he gets my middle finger permanently for the remainder of time he has left above ground.
Bubblegum Tate
Count me among those who were intrigued by McCain but now can’t stand him. Sucking up to Jerry Falwell? So long, dipshit!
norbizness
Unfortunately, he cut off that middle finger to the religious right and placed it inside of an “I’m Sorry” Hallmark Card with crying angels and gave it to Falwell.
Tsulagi
Multiple Choice Mitt the Mormon Romney for the true believers? Well, if they flock to him it would be a good laugh.
Especially among those true believers who hold that the only worthwhile amendment in the whole Constitution is number 2, the right to bear arms. They will be pleased to know Mitt is a NRA Life Member. As of about two months before announcing his candidacy. Before that, he was for waiting periods, registration, and assault weapon bans.
So if you’re for absolutely no restrictions on 2nd Amendment rights, Mitt is solidly in your corner. If you think there should be restrictions, then Mitt is your man too, just see earlier positions. Other issues important to you? No problem, he’s got them covered from all sides. Mitt Romney, the man for all seasons and all people.
Jake
Aaaah! He’s in the side bar!
Faux News
Multiple Choice Mitt is a great name! However another website is officially calling him “Mittens”. I think I like that one more. I think “Mittens” would sell quite well with the 4 to 12 year old age bracket female voter block.
Andrew
I think that the real question is what are the true believers like Darrell going to do? Their god-emperor is done gone back to Midland soon.
Back to purging scout troops, I guess.
Pb
Co-incidentally, Daily Kos has a little McCain story up as well, regarding this quote…
…and of course the inevitable outrage that should rationally follow in the right-wing blogosphere, given their earlier reaction to Obama’s similar statement… wait, did I say ‘rationally’? Heh.
Jake
“Straight and True. No matter what.”
You can’t spoof this crap. No matter what.
neil
He told reporters that he would visit Iraq before his formal announcement and that his campaign would be about “whether I have the vision, experience and knowledge to lead the nation.”
The nation of Iraq?
Zifnab
But John McCain has a black love-child out of wedlock.
See, this is why we end up with shit like Bush. Because the ‘Pubs do such an amazing job of throat-slitting the less-stinky variety until only the purest of the turds remain. I’m confident that whomever survives the Republican-American cacaus selection process will be the absolute hands-down worst choice for America. I’ll know he’s the worst because he’s the one who did the best job of backstabbing, sleaze-balling, and cock-sucking to get his spot on the ballot.
And I still predict a McCain/Lieberman third-party ballot in ’08.
Zifnab
I don’t know about that. The right-wing wackos who normally go ballistic over this shit probably won’t explode into diatribes, but they will do a bunch of head-shaking and doomsaying over the “death of the McCain candidacy”. It’s not like McTruthiness had a wide following of wingnut support to begin with.
Andrew
I would even vote Republican to prevent that from happening.
Tsulagi
That would be funny. But for those two it would make sense. I can almost see their new campaign/party name now: U.S. for McCain/Lieberman.
The Other Andrew
Though we should never underestimate the right’s ability to forsake ideology, hold their noses, and vote for whomever they’re stuck voting for (they like ideology, but they like power more), I really can’t see McCain winning. The talk-radio right absolutely hates him, and his “moderate” sheen is vanishing by the minute.
Also, regardless of his many flaws, McCain has a lot of personality, and I think the power-brokers want someone in the Reagan/Bush mold…more of a “likable” mimbo frontman that won’t be too strong-willed. Except this time, the candidates that fit that role are weak when compared to the less fundie candidates. I can see Dobson and co. getting behind someone like Huckabee and waging an insurgency against a Giuliani/Brownbeck (fundie cred!) ticket…
ThymeZone
Well, so much for your credibility, Mister Poorly Named Spoof.
Personality? McCain has fucking personality?
That’s right, and I’m the Sultan of Brunei.
The Other Andrew
Oh, and here’s why I think Giuliani is more probable than McCain–immigration. The xenophobic wing is starting to eclipse the Christianist wing, in terms of grassroots power, and McCain has more “problems” on the issue, as far as the right is concerned.
The Other Andrew
…I am not a spoof. Honest. McCain is evil and scheming, they want someone more sheep-like, a la Bush.
Marcus Wellby
I hope Romney wins the nomination if only for the pleasure of watching those who freaked over Kerry’s flip-flops suddenly see the value of “nuance”. The hypocrisy and complete lack of self-awareness makes the GOP a damned entertaining party.
Vote Republican and keep satire alive!
ThymeZone
If you say so. But …. personality?
McCain talks like a ventriloquist. His mouth and lips never move. His face is totally expressionlist, it looks like a fucking Kabuki mask that got left in the dryer and got overheated, always the same face whether he is being psuedo-serious or psuedo-friendly. Or psuedo-humorous.
Or psuedo-statesmanlike. Whatever pseudo thing he is doing at the moment.
He has the personality of a deflated volleyball.
Marcus Wellby
Haggard/Foley 2008! Meth and hairless young men for America! USA! USA! USA!
OkieByAccident
As Kirk S observed, McCain’s age could be a big issue. I read at Kos that polling suggests a majority of Americans say they wouldn’t support a candidate McCain’s age.
Unfortunately, polling also showed a sizeable percentage of our ignorant voting populace thinks McCain is in his 50’s. At 10 or so, he must have been the youngest pilot at the Hanoi Hilton. Oh well, I must just be committing some of that there fuzzy lib’rul math.
My residual respect for him was mostly based on the fact that, almost singlehandedly, he stopped the Boeing 767 AF Tanker Lease boondoggle, and the resulting investigation wound up sending an AF Undersecretary and Boeing’s CFO to prison.
But I have no respect left for the huge pander bear into which he has mutated.
Marcus Wellby
And the first democrat to even mention McCains age will be accused of ageism by every single media outlet in the country. See Cheney, Mary.
maf54
Why do I have to be veep?
I totally topped way more boys than Haggard did.
Mr Furious
You’re wrong, TZ [ducks].
McCain does have personality. And it is fluffed beyond all expectation by whoever is inteviewing / hosting him. And he can work the camera.
There is a reason why he does the Daily Show so often and kills when he’s on. He has perfected the art of appearing disenchanted with his own party and party leaders for a liberal audience. Rolling your eyes or laughing along with Stewart as he makes fun of Bush, etc…
You are too close. You saw through his game years ago. Most of the country still hasn’t. And if the media keeps helping him, they might not for some time.
Faux News
Oh Mary PUHLEAZE!
Darling, sitting on top does not make you a top.
maf54
Using them as serving trays for my pizza parties does.
AkaDad
That’s because you only have empathy for the terrorists, like most liberals.
stickler
IF? IF???
The media has decided that it loves McCain, reality and policy be damned. Of course they’ll cover up his flaws, and slobber all over him at every stop. That part of the 2008 narrative is already set in stone.
ThymeZone
Obviously, you have fallen in love with him. Understandable, I myself find the Badly Carved Pumpin look irresistable.
Tsulagi
That is totally disgusting! Typical for a liberal. Sorry, I mean conservative. Forgot that now up is down and all that.
dlw
Yeah, I’m done with McCain. No going back (well, unless it turns out he’s been suffering from a brain-tumor for the last 6 years or so).
I was concerned when he bent knee to kiss the
penisring of Falwell and speak at Bob Jones. But then he started talking the nonsense that the thing to do is put in another 100k US troops.Now the rumor is that he’s hired the Swift Boat people; people who should never be allowed to do a political campaign again.
Tsulagi
Ease up TZ, Furious is right. A lot of people do think he has personality, and interviewers including Stewart typically fawn all over him. You’re certain the majority of people easily see through the bullshit? Yeah, right. See Bush, straight-talkin Texan man of God restoring honor and integrity to the presidency. How did that turn out?
One good thing is that though he seems to have the party machine behind him, he’s fading in the popular polls to Rudy. I soooo want to see Rudy get down on bended knee and beg the Holy Trinity (Dobson, Falwell, Robertson) to knight him with their sword of Christianity. Hopefully he won’t go to the occasion in his low-cut dress.
Dug Jay
An interesting post, very much in the spirit of the recent Dean Esmay one about Islamaphobia or some such thing. Almost as silly, too.
Mike S
It was pretty sad to watch. Johnny would get all indignant and make bleating sounds against the policy. Then he would demand that legislation be passed banning some of the torture practices. Then when Bush said that he wouldn’t abide by them through his “signing statements” Johnny didn’t make a peep.
I wouldn’t vote for him against anyone.
Pb
This just gets better… McCain’s office releases an official non-apology apology for his remarks that the wingnutosphere has (not) been going crazy about.
ThymeZone
Wow, sometimes the free interpretation that goes on here is just facinating.
I said nothing about “the majority of people.” I am saying that in my opinion, which can be corroborated by simple observation, the man has the personality of a turnip.
Actually, a bad turnip. A turnip with a speech defect.
A devious turnip. A turnip that got run over by a car.
An autistic, lying cocksucker of a turnip.
So, yeah, he has personality. It’s just one that would befit a corpse that would lie to its grandmother.
les
TZ, did you mean “factinating” or “facetinating?” I read your post totally differently, depending. Oh, by the way, do I take it you don’t find St. John charismatic? I mean, he’s got that silver hair flopping limply in the wind thing goin’ on…
matt
I never really understood this strategy. If he stands up and fights, he loses the pro-torture crowd, if he buckles, he loses the anti-torture coward, but playing it like he did, he loses both crowds.
So now the right doesn’t like him because he “kind of” stood against torture, and the left doesn’t like him because he “kind of” stood against torture.
From a purely political standpoint, I can’t figure out what he’s thinking here. At this point he’s basically a politician without an constituency.
This is a lesson that democratic blogs have been harping on for years now, trying to get dems in Washington to realize that not standing strong on “hot button” issues doesn’t strengthen your appeal, it has the exact opposite effect.
ThymeZone
Both. Heh.
Hey, multitasking and typing furiously here, pardon my many typos.
Now in the year 2030, when this place finally gets the Editable Post, I can go back and fix them ….
matt
I wonder if that’s some weird Freudian shit, heh.
Mike S
It’s like the Hagel doctrine of opposing the war from the start. ‘I totally disagree with what the President wants but I won’t go against him because I don’t have any courage of my own convictions. He is the President and the leader of my cult’
Pb
Here’s the reasoning. St. John McCain stands strong against torture and gets good press in the media for his stand. Then Bush pisses all over that (while still demanding that “we don’t torture!”) and McCain doesn’t say a word against him (so as not to offend all the bushbots out there). But that’s ok, because the media won’t notice. Now, some non-brainwashed political wonk losers out there might notice these things right away, but most people don’t–like, a lot of people who vote. They just saw the good press, and no bad press. And they are often the people who end up deciding the general elections.
And to quote Stephen Colbert….
Paul L.
This should convince the Balloon Juice crowd including John C./Tim F. to support McCain.
Santorum Says Anyone But McCain
Tsulagi
Santorum, a “senior fellow” in an “Ethics and Public Policy Center?” LOL! What, is he now devoting his life to ethically eradicating man on dog sex as public policy?
You have to hand it to these guys. While they’re always clueless and it’s always unintentional, they deliver on the comedy.
The Other Steve
How interesting that Santorini couldn’t land a real job, and had to take a patronage job.
The Other Steve
Naw, he’s got Arizona. It’s the sun. It makes you crazy.
Rome Again
Yuppers!
and again…
dreggas
Lemme guess a mix of sausage and pepperoni?
Pb
Yet another wingnut welfare queen, what a shock!
ThymeZone
Yep. Reelected a gay woman governor by a landslide, and still the only state in the Union to have voted down DOMA.
Crazy, alright. How’s your fucked up state doing?
Rome Again
Almost three hours and no one wants a crack at this one, TZ.
ThymeZone
Does that make TOS my bee-yatch?
Rome Again
Perhaps, should I consult the ever knowledgeable magic eight ball?
Rome Again
Magic eight ball says “No”. I think it has to do with the spectacular job he’s doing over on the “Screw the Pooch” thread.
croatoan
He also enjoyed cake with President Bush while people were drowning in the streets of New Orleans.
The Other Steve
DOMA never even made it on the ballot.
The Other Steve
I demand at least 24 hours.
Besides, if you wait around Darrell will jump onto the thread just to make a few insults while he thinks nobody is reading.
lard lad
I see. In other words, Santorum agrees with McCain on nearly everything.
Someone should take Rick to a quiet corner of the room and gently teach him about the rhetorical stumbling block of the double negative.
Rome Again
No, no, no… he meant to do that just to confuse the hell out of people like Darrell!
jake
Better.
What the fuck? I mean I’m not El Supremo Grammar King by any means, but who the dripping shit thinks this is an acceptable way for an elected official to speak? (Sorry John)
I ain’t got hardly nuthin’ a-tall in agreement with that thar McCain feller. Now I gotta go ‘cos my favorite cow is in heat. YEeee-damn-haaaW and whoa-fucking-nellie!
Fucking stupid puppy felching bastard.
srv
At the rate McCain is going, his reputation is going to end up somewhere between Monica Lewinsky and Colin Powell.
Richard 23
Hmmm, felching on one thread, furries on another.
Back to a Darrell-derailed thread.
mclaren
The most shocking part of McCain’s descent into ignominy? The fact that a guy who was tortured almost to death by the North Vietnames turned around and _voted_ _for_ _torture_. That’s ming-boggling. If you’re tortured, how can you vote for a bill that makes torture legal???!?!?!?
mclaren
The most shocking part of McCain’s descent into ignominy? The fact that a guy who was tortured almost to death by the North Vietnames turned around and _voted_ _for_ _torture_. That’s ming-boggling. If you’re tortured, how can you vote for a bill that makes torture legal???!?!?!?