I have a theory about McCain's displaced anger at President Obama.

[Texin]

I think it's personal rather than political and I don't think he's actually even self-aware enough to realize what's going inside his head. And what's more interesting, it's not even personally about Obama though he's the target of his attacks, and here's why. Back before the 2000 race, McCain was seriously Roved in South Carolina, all but destroying his chances for the party's nomination. For those that have forgotten, Rove was outed as the person behind the whisper campaign that started with questions, then leaflets about McCain's black, illegitimate daughter - who happens to be an adopted daughter from the Indian sub-continent.

Bush was viewed - even by many rethugs - as not being a serious contender for the spot up to that time and McCain was gaining momentum in the primaries until that SC incident. Bush's subsequent "wins" in '00 and '04 really knocked out any serious prospects McCain could make for POTUS because of his age and his temperment (which has gotten meaner and more cantankerous the older he's gotten). But McCain won't attack the people that really got in the way of his Presidential ambitions, so he's lashing out and displacing his anger toward the "dusky" man who ran against him and defeated his aspirations in '08. I think every time he sees President Obama, he is reminded of what Rove and his puppet did to him in SC during the campaign off 2000. I may be completely offbase, but there's simply no other legitimate reason for him to continue acting in this manner unless one simply chalks it up as bigotry.

[The Magistrate]

1. Simpler Explanation, Sir: He is Just a Racist Ass-Hole

Like most people of his background and time were and are.

His deep conviction he is superior, as a White Man, has been affronted by personal defeat by a Black Man, and further by the Black Man's recent defeat of the 'Great White Hope' McCain looked to for vindication of White Supremacy, and vicarious redemption of his own failure against the Black Man. In his bitterness over demonstration of his inferiority to a Black Man, he has descended to trying to beat up on a Black Woman, and so we are treated to the spectacle of a man who graduated at the bottom of his college class calling a Rhodes Scholar 'not very bright'....

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Correct as usual, Magistrate

[GeorgeGist]

9. Dead last in class.

[NYC Liberal]

13. In more ways than one!

[geardaddy]

11. Spot on, sir.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. Exactly! People forget that he opposed MLK federal holiday. Regardless of the reason

he gave, we all know that it was 100% about race.

[dchill]

2. "...unless one simply chalks it up as bigotry."

Which I do. To wit: "That one!"

[Texin]

4. But he didn't run his campaign against him in that manner.

For the most part, as I recall.

[Coyotl]

5. McCain is having deja vu confusion, 2008 flashbacks, and too much Obama PTSD

But all that McPales compared to the recurring nightmare:
Sitting on a porch with Sarah Palin in frigid Alaska while sipping vodka and looking at Russia all around themselves in the future U.Socialist S.A.

[Maeve]

6. Possible piece to the puzzle--leadership vaccuum

Rmoney isn't going to lead the GOP, so McCain is stepping in as the last presidential candidate and trying to regain some stature. He knows the current leadership got a beat-down this past election and thinks he might be able to come from the shadows as The Great GOP Hope.

[Sugarcoated]

10. Add to that President Obama pushing back, showing some anger and fire

and most of all, confidence. That equals 'the angry black man' to these bitter men like McCain and l'l Lindsey. Obama standing up for himself, and Susan Rice, enrages them. He should know his place, right? It's not gonna be pretty, but the President needs to show his strength and stand up to these bullies, it's time and they've pushed him too far.

[Z_California]

7. McCain's just the mouthpiece

This is a concerted effort by the GOP to lead to impeachment hearings. McCain is the guy to whom they gave the ball to lead the effort. Probably polling and focus groups led to that decision. This isn't anger, it's politics as usual. Hopefully it leads to a fillibuster-proof Senate and a Dem majority in the House in 2014.

[Sugarcoated]

12. In a way, I hope you're right

Let them continue to make asses of themselves. In fact, I'm sort of hoping the President gives Rice the job. As painful as it'll be to watch, let these old nasty jerks bully a perfectly reasonable and competent woman on national TV after Rmoney lost, in large part, on the war Republican's waged on women. Fucking let them!

[fugop]

8. Not convinced it's racism.

I actually suspect it's more a sense of entitlement than racism, with some ageism and anti-intellectualism to boot.

It was McCain's TURN, dammit! The country OWED him the presidency! How dare we give McCain's rightful place to that young smartypants Ivy League-educated upstart?

I could be wrong, and racism could be at the root of it. But I just see a pissy old man who's filled with rage over having the job we owed him being stolen away.

He's a piece of crap. To think I felt bad for him in 2000 for what Bushco did to him and his poor daughter (altho clearly it bothered him far less, as he was able to hug Bush rather than punching him in the face).