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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:23 pm Post subject: Author of 'Citizen McCain' changes mind on McCain |
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http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13541.html
Very interesting article by author of 'Citizen McCain' who once highly admired the man. Now McCain's drastic shift has lost her.
I'll highlight the most interesting parts, and all parts that I think many centralists who once thought McCain represented them, has now lost them.
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| Having emerged, ironically, from his bitter 2000 primary fight against Bush as an immensely popular figure, he set out to be a new force in American politics. He decided to form and lead a centrist movement, believing that that was where the country was and needed leadership. |
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While McCain�s movement to the center was widely popular (if not on the right) � and he even flirted with becoming a Democrat � there�s now strong reason to question whether it was anything but a temporary, expedient tactic. (In his 2002 memoir, �Worth the Fighting For,� he wrote, revealingly, �I didn�t decide to run for president to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be president because it had become my ambition to be president. . . . In truth, I�d had the ambition for a long time.�)
When he decided to run for president in 2008, he felt he couldn�t win without the support of the right, so he adapted. |
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Other aspects of McCain, including his temperament, began to trouble me. He seemed disturbingly bellicose. He gave the Iraq war unflagging support no matter the facts. He still talks about �winning� the war, though George W. Bush gave that up some time ago. As the war became increasingly unpopular, he employed the useful technique of blaming its execution rather than recognizing the misconceptions that had led him to be one of the most enthusiastic champions of the war in the first place.
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some very smart political analysts believed from the outset that McCain could win the nomination by sticking with his old self. And they still believe that McCain won the nomination not because he gave himself over to the base but as a result of a process of elimination of inferior candidates who divided up the conservative vote, as these observers had predicted. (These people insisted on anonymity because McCain is known in Republican circles to have a long memory and a vindictive streak.)
By then I had already concluded that that there was a disturbingly erratic side of McCain�s nature. There�s a certain lack of seriousness in him. And he does not appear to be a reflective man, or very interested in domestic issues. One cannot imagine him ruminating late into the night about, say, how to educate and train Americans for the new global and technological challenges.
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Now he�s back to declaring himself a maverick, but it�s not clear what that means. If he gains the presidency, is he going to rebel against the base he�s now depending on to get him elected? (Hence his selection of running mate Sarah Palin.) Campaigns matter. If he means �shaking up the system� (which is not the same thing), opposing earmarks doesn�t cut it.
McCain�s recent conduct of his campaign � his willingness to lie repeatedly (including in his acceptance speech) and to play Russian roulette with the vice-presidency, in order to fulfill his long-held ambition � has reinforced my earlier, and growing, sense that John McCain is not a principled man.
In fact, it�s not clear who he is.
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aka Dave
Joined: 02 May 2008
Location: Down by the river
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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they liked Mccain as long as he was far behind now that he trails by only a little the media doesn't like him.
Obama is still ahead in my opinon but it is now close enough that a single turn over by Obama will allow McCain to win. |
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yawarakaijin
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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I thought the article was well written and pretty hard hitting. I just cannot fathom politicians lying so blatantly in this modern age. Yahoo, Youtube, blogs. How the hell do they think they can get away with it?
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| The legislation in question was a state Senate measure last year that aimed to update Illinois' sex education standards with 'medically accurate' information . . . 'Nobody's suggesting that kindergartners are going to be getting information about sex in the way that we think about it,' Obama said. 'If they ask a teacher 'where do babies come from,' that providing information that the fact is that it's not a stork is probably not an unhealthy thing. |
Disgusting. All the more when coming from a man who constantly espouses the virtues of honor and truth.
But that's just it isn't it. It appears that half of America wants their children to think they were dropped off by a stork and that their parents never did the nasty. I seriously wonder what this world is coming to.
In some sick, perverted way I almost hope he gets elected. It would be rather entertaing, seeing him try to run the country. Would be even better if he kicked off and you guys could have someone in power who really believes that dinosaurs and humans walked amongst each other. No country is perfect but America is just f#cked up. I think it speaks volumes about your country that this race is even close. |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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I have to agree with you. The sex education ad was a terrible ad and unfair. McCain ought to apologize for that ad. That is not a subject to play politics with.
The lipstick ad wasn't . No one knows what Obama meant by it and I think Obama is good enough with words to know what he was implying. |
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yawarakaijin
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:00 am Post subject: |
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| Agreed. |
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bacasper
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:39 am Post subject: |
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| yawarakaijin wrote: |
| I just cannot fathom politicians lying so blatantly in this modern age. |
| J. Edgar Hoover wrote: |
| "The individual is handicapped by coming face-to-face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists." |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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If you look closely the author of Citizen McCain is a liberal , she only liked McCain cause he was against Bush.
She would only like him if he became an anti war liberal. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee wrote: |
If you look closely the author of Citizen McCain is a liberal , she only liked McCain cause he was against Bush.
She would only like him if he became an anti war liberal. |
Your usage of the word 'liberal' seems to be anyone who isn't far right.
McCain is NOT a liberal, and wouldn't appeal to 'liberals'.
I don't think you'll be able to find ANY reviews that discussed her being a raging 'liberal' trying to make a 'dreaded' Republican (who was obviously a future Presidential contendor) to look good just so that Bush would look bad.
I think its safe to say she is one of the many 'middle ground' people who thought McCain would represent that middle, but has recently become disenfranchised with the fact that he certainly doesn't represent that anymore, and there is question whether he even really ever did.
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McCain is looking A LOT more like Kerry and Dole...just old guys around for a long time feeling highly deserving of the office but not offering anything to the people if they were to be elected into the position. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee wrote: |
If you look closely the author of Citizen McCain is a liberal , she only liked McCain cause he was against Bush.
She would only like him if he became an anti war liberal. |
Joo, that is a simplistic view. Many of us liked McCain in 2000 but he has changed a lot in 8 years. |
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Cornfed
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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I don't get why people insist on pretending the performance of certain comic actors is real and taking it at face value. It is as peculiar as not being able to tell the difference between and event in a movie and an event in real life. McCain is saying what he is saying because that is what his handlers are telling him to say in order to get elected (or so that people will believe the result when they rig the election, as the case may be). If they told him to say the opposite tomorrow, he would no doubt comply.
If he becomes president then, whatever line(s) of BS he has been hawking, he will simply talk more BS while rubber-stamping the policies of his corporate cronies and the elite, just like every other president. |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Tiger Beer"]
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| Your usage of the word 'liberal' seems to be anyone who isn't far right. |
Libertarian or liberal. Look at her views what republican program has she supported
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| McCain is NOT a liberal, and wouldn't appeal to 'liberals'. |
he did in 2000 cause he was against Bush. John Kerry thought of making McCain VP.
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| I don't think you'll be able to find ANY reviews that discussed her being a raging 'liberal' trying to make a 'dreaded' Republican (who was obviously a future Presidential contendor) to look good just so that Bush would look bad. |
that is why she liked him.
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| I think its safe to say she is one of the many 'middle ground' people who thought McCain would represent that middle, but has recently become disenfranchised with the fact that he certainly doesn't represent that anymore, and there is question whether he even really ever did. |
I think he still does.
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| McCain is looking A LOT more like Kerry and Dole...just old guys around for a long time feeling highly deserving of the office but not offering anything to the people if they were to be elected into the position. |
Maybe you are right but understand that McCain is running against a new and improved Dan Quayle. |
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Pink Freud
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee wrote: |
The lipstick ad wasn't . No one knows what Obama meant by it and I think Obama is good enough with words to know what he was implying. |
Blather.
Anyone with a grade-school education can figure out that the "lipstick" refers to Palin, and the "pig" to the failed policies of the Republican administration.
Don't be so obtuse. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee wrote: |
| Quote: |
| McCain is NOT a liberal, and wouldn't appeal to 'liberals'. |
he did in 2000 cause he was against Bush. John Kerry thought of making McCain VP. |
He appealed to 'moderates' not 'liberals'. Again, your definition of liberal is skewed.
Kerry's campaign also shifted so far to the right he became 'Bush Lite'. He promised to do EVERYTHING Bush was doing but thought he'd be likeable to Europeans to rebuild alliances. It was a failed strategy, and obviously with the 'Bush Lite' image he was trying to project, a guy like McCain would have appealed at that time (who seemed to be working on his 'moderate' image - wow, that has certainly changed).
If I remember correctly, McCain QUICKLY dismissed the idea of ever being on a Kerry/McCain ticket because McCain fundamentally knew he had different social interests despite a similar foreign policy interest at the time.
The other interesting similarity is Kerry was shifting all over the place trying to appeal and get votes and no one knew where he stood anymore. McCain seems to be projecting that same 'problem' now. |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Pink Freud wrote: |
| Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee wrote: |
The lipstick ad wasn't . No one knows what Obama meant by it and I think Obama is good enough with words to know what he was implying. |
Blather.
Anyone with a grade-school education can figure out that the "lipstick" refers to Palin, and the "pig" to the failed policies of the Republican administration.
Don't be so obtuse. |
well it shows Obama was refering to her with the lipstick.
a lot of people weren't sure of what Obama meant by the comment , and that it was an insult is not out of the question. It was on several news sites before McCain made into an ad in fact. |
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