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The John McCain Problem

By Larry Johnson on June 14, 2008 at 12:20 PM in Current Affairs

I have made it clear that I believe Barack Obama is a flawed candidate and unqualified to be President at this stage in his life. That does not mean that I therefore believe John McCain is both perfect and qualified. During the past year both McCain and Obama have created a mountain of sound-bites that show them turning rhetorical back flips. The following is but one example of what awaits McCain:

Pandering for Bush voters to win a primary may have made sense as a short-term political tactic, but it is a killer in a General Election where Bush economic and foreign policies are likely to be savaged by a majority of voters. The irony here is that McCain, before starting his run, earned the ire of Bush loyalists for pursuing policies and staking out positions not favored by Bush. No one to blame but himself.

  • HARP

    I am more interested in getting rid of Barky. Then we can worry about the R`s.

    • libby

      I second your comment. McCain is flawed but who isn’t? He’s not so flawed that he would damage this country any more than Bush has. Plus McCain is a war hero and his heart is in a better place than Bush.

      Obama on the other hand is freak! Obama needs to be stopped for the good of the country and all Americans.

      • TheViking

        Yep I agree.

        I can wait another 4 years…

        As a Democrat, waiting is what we do best…

  • http://hickeysite.blogspot.com Pat Hickey

    Larry,

    No beef with you on this one. I am solidly in the tank for John McCain – comes from the operant conditioning of my life-long loyalty as Democrat, I guess.

    I think that his campaign is getting flatter than my date to the Junior Prom.

    McCain needs to get some of the old fire stoked up – tell the right wingers to micturate up a long line of hemp and at the same time pull the tin-hats on the Obamatons more snugly around their tiny ears.

    He is too handled and too cautious. John McCain is allowing others to mark territory.

    I still say that McCain towers over Kid Hope and the entiree field that lost to him.

    Tell Fat Boy Limbaugh – ‘Hey, Rush! Lent’s over – try this beauty!

    http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2008/06/dr-steve-sauerberg-happy-flag-day.html

    • libby

      Even though McCain is not running a trail blazer of a campaign he is right up there with Obama in general election polls and the Electoral College.

      In an environment where a dog with a D next to it should get elected Obama is still not pulling ahead of McCain.

      That should tell the Dem elite about going for this idiot instead of the sure thing, Hillary.

      • McBush

        Wow a dog with D. Is that what we’re comparing O to?? Let’s remember that YOUR candidate that had a 30 point lead in Nov. of 07, overwhelmeing name recognition, more money, a former Prez campaigning for her, and most of the dem establishment backing, LOST to this dog with a D. And don’t even start with the “we was robbed” lament. IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THI CLOSE!!! So, while you’re insulting O for not having a big enough lead, remember he does have a lead and your candidate is sitting at home with crocadile tears streaming down her face waiting for Obama to tell her what to do.

        • HARP

          You must love talking about nothing. It is the only thing you know anything about.”

        • Susan1968

          Still bashing Hillary?

          I wonder why?

          Afraid those delegates will change their mind at the convention.

          Study up a Gary Hart for a lesson in flip-flopping delegates – sweetie.

          It can happen again.

        • Zeke

          Jeez, what a dick

    • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity Woman

      McCain needs to get some of the old fire stoked up – tell the right wingers to micturate up a long line of hemp and at the same time pull the tin-hats on the Obamatons more snugly around their tiny ears.

      You are so right. He needs to stop being handled and be who he was when he ran against bush. the only reason he lost was push polling. He needs to tell whomever is telling him to be ALL THINGs to ALL PEOPLE to crap in their hat. He’s being stifled. The right wing whack jobs aren’t going to vote for our left wing whack job anyhow. Given the choice, McCain will look good to them. They are probably all thinking “reparations” even as we speak. McCain needs to be his Moderate Self. Well that and vitamins. lol.

      In any event, even if they end up doing Weekend At Bernie’s with him, I will vote for him to help defeat the radical marxist crackpots who are trying, as they have done before, to hijack the party.

      • ginaswo still says no to Uhhbama

        yes Hillary really started roarin once Penn was gone and she was herself

        same for McCain, he needs to be himself and shake loose the handlers now

        Sorkin had this right:
        Let Bartlett Be Bartlett

  • Stray

    Bush put the handcuffs on us. Barack Hussein Obama will through the keys away. That much power to quick to someone so untried. That much power in the hands of a rookie? Nice message of change his ultimate lie. Sounds like Hitler to me.
    Obama’s record does not show enough experience, desire or commitment. With no clue how to undo the trespass of Bush.

    Hillary or McCain… 08

    • McBush

      Now he’s Hitler???? lol lol. Let’s just let the comparisons be done, here we go:

      Obama = Osama (Obama probable was the mastermind behind 9/11

      Obama = The Anti-Christ (After all people all over the world love him, fake prophecy, etc. etc.)

      Obama = The guy that shot your dog, killed your cat, turned you down for that job, etc. etc.

      Obama = Insert the the worst thing that happened to you, your family, the US, the World, HERE!!

      OK, I think that about covers it. Now back to fantasy island.

      • HARP

        Oh, I see you know him already !!

        • Zeke

          and all the time, I thought he wasn’t paying attention.

  • candymarl

    John McCain needs to define himself as who he is. Not try to pander to the Bush base. I don’t think he realizes that moderating his views would be a more sure path to victory than going far right.

    The Bush base is fading fast and Bush is a very unpopular President. If I were him I would ignore them and be the moderate Republican he is. But I wouldn’t hold my breath cause I think he has Mark Penn type advisers. Clueless and out of touch.

    Notice Hillary did much better when Mark Penn stepped down and she was herself. Looks like us rubes were right about that. Thing is she didn’t think we were rubes and she listened to us. Amazing how that works.

    • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity Woman

      Exactly. See my post above. Those right wing whack jobs will vote for him anyhow, before they vote for our left wing whack job.

      • ginaswo still says no to Uhhbama

        totally agree, see my post above too..

        Uhhbama by virtue of being the various people he is pretending to be, will energize the Right to come out and vote against him (the way they thought HRC would-)

        McCain needs to BE himself and let the chips fall where they may

        and let some of the millions of disenchanted disillusioned disgusted Democrats help you Senator McCain, please, we have seen the Uhhbama show firsthand, let us take part as you fend off the race card (played whenever Uhhbama falls behind), the Bush III yoke (which I think is a mistake by the Dems, Big Dawg nailed this early on, the American people just do not see McCain that way-I know I dont), and the passive aggressive master act of leaking info about yourself you know the Opposition has and then claiming they leaked it about you–that is what Uhhbama camp does…….

        be prepared and be yourself Senator and let he American people do the rest

  • http://nobho.blogspot.com/ Johnny at Work

    I agree… McCain’s flaws pale in comparison to Obambi’s.

  • DJ

    Yes, well, I think we all know if McCain wants to keep the Rep votes he has to agree with Bush on some things, I mean there are Democrats too that have agreed with him on some issues. I agree with all of you that they can say whatever they want Obama has to go, unfortunately the DNC has screwed up so much they are taking the party with it. Maybe that is good though because Pelosi, Dean, Reed, Richardson, and all those who deserted Hillary will fall right with it. The Democratic working people are not like any of those fools and shouldn’t be representing us.

    • Zeke

      “If McCain wants to keep the Rep vote?” The Republicans are historically more nationalistic than Dems. That’s been a bone of contention forever.
      They hate Obama more than anybody because of their hatred of Marxism/communism, something predictably consistent from them since the fifties.
      No matter who the Reps picked against Obama, he would have gotten nearly All their votes simply because Obama is a Marxist. Toss in that casual comment by his church, oops.. former church, that if God wasn’t on the side of Black Liberationists then they needed to kill God, and you will find most Rep’s actively against Obama.
      There is no one for them except McCain.

  • JP49

    Though I have never voted Republican in my life I will this year if Hillary is not the nominee. John McCain is a patriot, Obama is not. Period. That’s the answer we have to live with. McCain is a moderate and even if he weren’t, I would still vote for him. Obam is a truly frightening option. No American should vote for him. We also need to remember to vote out those superdelegates who supported him. The Democratic Party for now is dead. It has been taken over by Obama and his unsavory associations and now the DNC moving to a building owned by foreign Arabs and in the heart of the Chicago Mob and Obama home town. How convenient. I don’t want my information in their hands. There must be something we can do. I believe this is called subversion of government.

    • ginaswo still says no to Uhhbama

      I recall Mr. Saban helped donate MILLIONS to build the new DNC HQ in DC, he is a strong Hilry supporter and as an Israeli very concerned about the waffling Pro Palestine positions of so many of Uhhbama advisers, guess this is their answer to take their game and move it to Chicago..

      I would be having a heart attack if I were Israel right now..I dont think the GOP should be messing around and letting this get this close….

  • jwrjr

    No doubt about it. McCain is a bad choice for President. The problem is that Obama is a worse choice. If Obama is the alternative I will hold my nose and vote for McCain.

    • ginaswo still says no to Uhhbama

      agree, i mean really! we held our noses for Dukakis and Kerry, I actually like McCain and respect him which is more than I can say about those other two ….

  • http://hickeysite.blogspot.com Pat Hickey

    I believe that McCain is a genuine man and will be a great President.

    While I understand the need to shore up ‘the base’ – no I do not understand that as they have been and continue to be violently anti-McCain.

    Hannity is almost as self-absorbed a jerk as Olbermann and Malkin seems like she’d bite a Dobberman. Bone Coulter is irrelevant and Limbaugh – the Sidney Greenstreet of loudmouths like sound of his own voice.

    McCain will win because Demcrats and Independants will join with Republicans – the people who do not hear voices – and Obama will be consigned to being a political footnote.

    The great work that Larry and the crew here did in Vetting the Boy Orator from Hyde Park do great service to America.

    McCain and Joe Lieberman are models for public servants.

    • ginaswo still says no to Uhhbama

      “Limbaugh – the Sidney Greenstreet of loudmouths”

      my fave fave fave of the week!!

      BWAAAHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
      loves it!!!

      • Zeke

        Peter Lorre (Joel Cairo) to Sydney Greenstreet (Kasper Gutman):
        “You imbecile, you bloated idiot…..”

  • kat in your hat

    If it’s not Hillary, I will vote for McCain. Voting for a different candidate will not be a vote against Obama…it would not be effective enough.

    Also, I know a lot of people want to write Hillary in, but they really need to learn the rules first, because I’ve also heard that in some states, Hillary has to be registered for that, or I’ve heard that a write in vote goes to Obama since they are of the same party. That would suck–lol.
    ——————-

    McCain does need to liven up his camapaign (even though he is doing well in the polls), and he needs to have more republican women come forward to speak to the women Hillary democrats who are dissatisfied with the party. McCain should also surround himself with nice looking young repulican guys with charming personalities to represent him on TV. McCain also needs to continue to speak highly of Hillary–it works.

    PUMA!

    • ginaswo still says no to Uhhbama

      I suggested that they should have some of we Hillary supporters at his events to give him the energy we are bringing with us..and let Americans see the middle class is with McCain…

      he has the teleconference today to talk to us and address our questions, isnt that nice?? :0)

  • rjj

    He is NOT a utopian. He has NO visionary schemes for ALL of us – or for a select clique of patrons. He does NOT want Unity. He is not divisive. He has never been a member of the Delay -Gingrich axis. He may have a sense of what’s do-able.

    And he does not want the office as much as his opponent. The keys to this Unitary Executive should be given over to the one who wants it less – if not least.

    The Chicago Putsch must not pay off.

  • ritamary

    The more we find out about Obama the better McCain looks. With a Democratic-controlled Congress and a McCain presidency our constitutional system of checks and balances should come into play. A vote for McCain for pres and for down-ticket Democrats seems like the last hope to get our country out of the quagmire it is in.
    An Obama presidency and a Democratic-controlled Congress has an unlimited potential for abuse. Certainly Republican federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald would be replaced. That would be the end of any more Rezko-related investigations.

    Obama says he won’t pardon Rezko, but notice how Obama always parses words. He could just commute Rezko’s sentence like Bush did for Scooter Libby. A commutation is not a pardon, now is it? Obamalamadingdong Land resembles Bush World more and more every day.

  • NITEOWL

    McCain is weak with the far right which is 40% or more of the party. I think many of them want Obama to win because they believe he will damage the Democrats so badly. This will then energize and benefit them for years to come. I live in Idaho and McCain got less than 70% in the primary. This is one reddest states in the country, and 65% or more vote Repubulican for president. A bad indicator for McCain.

  • james

    Checks and balances didn’t do much good against Bush. Unless Bush and Cheney are impeached, even post-office, there is legal precedent for the president to have nearly unlimited authority when deemed prudent by them, and them alone.

  • tootsky

    McCain supports torture and Guantanamo, even though he once claimed he didn’t. Voting for him is voting for torture and imperialism.

  • renegade

    Every politician is “flawed”. McLOL is worse than flawed he is hawking the past without a clue to the future and it shows.

  • Xmon

    More problems for the DNC. Things are spilling over in Florida!

    http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/06/dems-delegate-t.html

  • Mr.Murder

    Huggy Bear was the nic McCain earned by channeling his inner mancrush on Dubya.

    Google “McCain” and “Huggy Bear.”

    Have gauze ready for your bleeding eyeballs….