The Week That Should Have Ended McCain's Presidential Hopes
Max Bergmann
The Blogometer: 7/11: McCain's Rough Week (Or Not?)
Jul 11, 2008 ... During this past week: McCain called the most important ..... Dem consultant Jeremy Rosner analyzes McCain's campaign problems (via Daniel ...
blogometer.nationaljournal.com/
John McCain's "humor" shows disturbing patterns, questioning his presidential ability
Let’s face it; he’s a mean spirited, arrogant, egomaniacal, foul tempered, foul mouthed, War Mongering, Chauvinist Pig, Old Man with Old Ideas and attitudes in need of “Anger Management” Intervention!
There is presidential humor. Mark Russell certainly did a lot of that. And the entertainment from the White House Correspondents Dinner has been great (Stephen Colbert) and horrible (Rich Little).
Then there's presidential candidates (& presidents) and humor. And that, uh, doesn't go well.
John McCain has proven to be a particularly good example as to why presidential candidates shouldn't make jokes.
"Maybe that's a way of killing them." -- McCain said about Iranians, responding to a question about a survey that shows increased exports to Iran, particularly cigarettes.
"That old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb, bomb." - McCain to the tune of the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann."
And not while on the presidential campaign trail, there is the horrendous Chelsea Clinton joke that doesn't need repeating.
John McCain probably thinks he's funny, but he is one of the few. He might even think his "c-nt" reference about his wife's makeup was "funny" as well. (Like I just wrote Danielle in PA who wants to make a video; I suggested ending a women’s issue video with “ If my husband ever said that to me, he'd be out the door and in the poor house after my lawyers got done with him...not running for President!"
McCain may have been learning from George W. Bush, known for his "Jokes in 2004 about not finding WMDs in Iraq, despite the thousands of lost lives after going to war over the "apparent" WMDs.
And let's not forget the Ronald Reagan "classic" on August 11, 1984 when he spoke off the air before his weekly radio address:
My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.
This doesn't mean politicians can't compete in the comedy realm. You can go back to Richard Nixon's "Sock it to Me" appearance on Laugh-In. Or the recent segments with the candidates on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and the "Colbert Report."
And we certainly shouldn't judge a candidate based on a sense of humor, or lack of one. But what we have seen about McCain based on his "humor" is quite disturbing. The president of the United States, despite the current occupant, is a sensitive position where judgment and consideration are vital. And John McCain, regardless of one's politics or philosophy, clearly, wantonly does not have the sensitivity or consideration required to be commander-in-chief.
He’s not funny!
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) once said economics was not his strong suit -- and yesterday he proved it once again: McCain Gets a Third-Rail Shock 'ABSOLUTE DISGRACE' OF SOCIAL SECURITY.
The DNC held a conference call Wednesday with a panel of Social Security experts to discuss McCain's comments and views on Social Security
Also on Monday, McCain told a Vietnam veteran who questioned his voting record on veterans' issues that he has "a perfect voting record from organizations like Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion, and all the other veterans' service organizations."
He later added, "I've been endorsed in every election by all of the veterans' organizations that do that. I've been supported by them and received the highest awards from all of those organizations, so I guess they don't know something you know."
McCain's assertions were immediately disproved. The Disabled Veterans of American gave McCain a 20 out of 100 for the period from Jan 2006-Jan 2007. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association gave him a "D." The Vietnam Veterans of America show that since 2001 McCain has voted with them 9 times, against them 15 times, and has missed 8 votes on legislation they consider important.
The AFL-CIO is launching a Veterans Council and debuted TV commercials Thursday in six key battleground states (Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin) that highlight the difference between McCain's service and less-than-stellar voting record on veterans' issues.
A Vietnam Navy veteran says in one commercial, "Every vet respects John McCain's war record ... It's his record in the Senate that I have a problem with."
After appearing out of touch on Social Security and veterans' issues, McCain's top economic adviser former Sen. Phil Gramm told the Washington Times the United States is "a nation of whiners" complaining about economic troubles in what is only a "mental recession."
The comments spurred a significant backlash and prompted the McCain campaign to say "Phil Gramm's comments are not representative of John McCain's views." Though it would seem McCain, who has admitted his understanding of economics is not a strength of his, would have economic advisers such as Gramm for the very purpose of articulating his views.
McCain continued to bumble along on the Straight Talk Express Wednesday. When asked by a reporter about insurance companies that cover erectile dysfunction treatments but not birth control, McCain said, "I certainly do not want to discuss that issue."
He also admitted to not knowing whether he ever voted to require insurance companies to cover contraceptives and said he would look into it.
Reporters also questioned him about the dramatic day he missed in the Senate Wednesday, specifically the failed Republican filibuster (a result of Sen. Ted Kennedy's return) of a Medicare bill to prevent a drop-off in physician reimbursement rates. McCain said he would have voted with many Republicans in opposing cloture.
Mark Halperin of Time wrote in his Wednesday report from the Straight Talk Express: "McCain initially said he did not regret missing the Medicare vote, because the bill would have been vetoed by the president. But he then said he regrets missing any vote."
McCain was the only Senator absent from Wednesday's Medicare vote. He did not participate in a Senate vote Thursday, but also had no scheduled campaign appearance until July 15.
This certainly sounds like enough campaign turmoil for one week, but hey, it's only Thursday. Stay tuned to see who the presumptive Republican Party nominee can offend or confuse tomorrow.
Oh Shit…He’s Confused Old Man and he wants to run the world…I think not!
Think Progress » McCain, The Most Absent Member Of The Senate ...
Jul 8, 2008 ... The Democratically controlled Congress has a 5 day/week work schedule. .... By not voting McCain is part of the problem. ...
thinkprogress.org/2008/07/08/mccain-congress
Blue Mass. Group:: McCain's awful week
Jul 11, 2008 ... Check out David Corn on a week that John McCain would really like to ... Memory problems? * McCain wants to stay in Iraq for as long as it ...
www.bluemassgroup.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12168
And What The Hell Was McCain’s Health Problem…Oh Melanoma, not Alzheimer’s…OK.
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