Regarding John McCain

[H2O Man]

The following two paragraphs are from Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.'s November 2, 1998 journal. I hope that DUers will appreciate what America's liberal historian was saying. More, I hope this stays "kicked" until tonight's republican debate, as I think a few recent threads have shown that we benefit from a proper analysis of the character of Senator McCain.

Schlesinger is writing about a conversation he had with his close friend, George McGovern:

"We also talked about the incident some years ago on the MacNeil-Leher show when John McCain harshly questioned McGovern's patriotism, saying something to the effect that he would still be in a Viet Cong prison camp if George had been elected in 1972. George started to reply that, if he had had his way, McCain would never have gone to Vietnam and was preparing to mention his own record as a decorated bomber pilot in the Second World War when Robin MacNeil interrupted and brought the interview to an end.

"McCain is a loose cannon. He has commendably defied his party on campaign finance, but he is also capable of bizarre behavior. Recently, speaking at a Republican dinner, he told the following so-called joke: why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? because she is the illegitimate child of Hillary Clinton and Janet Reno. This plus his reputedly wayward sex life will surely destroy his evident presidential aspirations." (Journals: 1952-2000; page 833)

These two paragraphs should remind us of several things: (a) McCain's attempts to question anyone who differs with him on their patriotism; (b) the way the corporate media enables republican lies and distortions; (c) McCain's a bully who will pick on a teen-aged girl; (d) McCain has some skeletons in his own closet.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Along these same lines, a Salon article from last year:

"McCain's political colleagues, however, know another side of the action hero -- a volatile man with a hair-trigger temper, who shouted at Sen. Ted Kennedy on the Senate floor to "shut up," called his fellow Republican senators "shithead," "fucking jerk," "asshole," and joked in 1998 at a Republican fundraiser about the teenage daughter of President Clinton, "Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly? Because Janet Reno is her father." As recently as a few months ago, McCain suddenly rushed up to a friend of mine, a prominent Washington attorney, at a social event, and threatened to beat him up because he represented a client McCain happened to dislike, and then, just as suddenly, profusely and tearfully apologized."

http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/01/18/mccain/index.html?source=search&aim=/opinion/blumenthal

[H2O Man]

2. Thank you

for adding that. It is important we recognize who our opposition really is. It's not other democrats.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Yep--he would make a terrible President.

[Me.]

10. Yep

Do any of our dems come even close to be the nutjobs the other side is offering up as leaders for this country? Let's put our fighting spirit where it needs to be.

[NoBorders]

5. Well, I agree with him on this:

called his fellow Republican senators "shithead," "fucking jerk," "asshole,"

[H2O Man]

9. Ha!

I used to respect McCain for his stance on the need for a federal boxing commissioner. I guess that makes two things I agree with him on.

[yodermon]

18. McCain is Insane.

hell, it even rhymes.

[Auntie Bush]

26. What a great bumper sticker that wold make! lol You genius!

[Red Zelda]

3. McInsane is a dangerous psycho

He is a militaristic, right-wing ghoul with a short fuse and ultimately more dangerous than Bush and just as stupid.

[robbedvoter]

6. A bit of history that needs to be preserved for GE. Thank you.

[OneGrassRoot]

11. Yes. I didn't know this. Thanks. n/t

[Me.]

7. Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran

Ever since I first heard about that joke I haven't had any respect for McCain. Aside from the fact that the joke was your typically nasty and snide republiCon fare, to make fun of a child like that, especially one who must have felt vulnerable having to grow up with the national spotlight always on her.

Have to ask: How was he sexually wayward? Philanderer? Never heard that about him before.

[bulldogge]

8. Regarding Mac

I lived in Arizona for a short time, the irony of it is that this former POW has one of the most brutal prison systems in the US right in his own state I think that should also tell you what type of guy this is.

[cobalt1999]

12. Thankfully, he won't be winning anything

After Bush, we really need someone logical and stable.

[Me.]

13. In Other Words

No repubuliCons need apply

[JuniperLea]

14. I feel so sorry for this man and what he went through in Viet Nam

I think that experience took its toll on McCain's psyche, leaving him a very, very disturbed man. I can see it clearly in his face, especially when he doesn't know the camera is on him, then the recognition sets in, and he flashes the fake smile... you can still see the pain in his eyes. The US owes him a debt for what we did to him. That being said, I'd like to see the nasty name calling here stop. I don't think it's his fault he is the way he is. That being said, DU will be DU... and we've already experienced extreme mental illness in the White House with the Bush administration. Time to put some mental health and dignity back in charge.

I'm voting Edwards. I was leaning toward him for a while now, because Kucinich doesn't have a snowball's chance to get the nomination. I don't like thinking in those terms, but the reality is what it is. And thank you, Obama and Clinton supporters. YOU are what has pushed me over the fence into the Edwards camp! You do your candidate no good whatsoever. They don't need that kind of help. The best thing you can do now is just STFU. The rest of us are no longer listening anymore anyway.

[H2O Man]

15. Good points.

I think many people respect McCain for his military experience, but do not want him in the White House. I think that any one of our three would beat him.

I also think that the ugly nature of the fighting between the Obama and Clinton camps has provided the Edwards campaign an opportunity to step up, in a manner that the corporate media had not allowed for previously.

[cobalt1999]

17. I'll never say anything hateful about McCain.

I'll never vote for him either though.

He reminds me of one crazy neighbor I used to have. The guy was nuts but he was also a glider troop on D-Day. I said that earned him a lot of slack in my book, same with McCain.

[mzmolly]

16. Indeed, and once we have an opportunity to expose him, I think we'll be ok?

:hi:

[Blackhatjack]

19. For the excellent pts you made, That is why I think Romney will be harder to beat....

The McCain closets are full of not only 'skeletons' but numerous off color, inappropriate, politically insensitive, and anti-Republican Party statements.

McCain also has 'burnt his bridges' with numerous factions within the Republican Party which are unlikely to come to his defense in the General Election.

I would prefer to run against McCain in the General Election, but I think Romney is better financed and positioned to take the nomination.

[H2O Man]

21. Are you watching

the republican debate tonight? I'm actually looking forward to it -- especially in the DU discussion threads on the debate. Hope you will be here!

[Blackhatjack]

22. Yep I will be there ... I think tonight's Debate will be significant.

IMHO I presently believe that Huckabee and Giuliani are pretty much finished. Depending on how well McCain does, this Debate could go a long way toward cementing Romney as the Nominee.

[H2O Man]

23. Right.

I think that there could be some flaring tempers and ugly outbursts.

It does look like it is coming down to Mitt vs McCain.

[Blackhatjack]

24. McCain supposedly tried to run 7 major fundraisers over the last few days...

But so far there are no indications that the McCain Campaign brought in a significant amount of money. IF that is the case, he will have a gun with few bullets to fire once the race is reduced to a one-on-one contest with Mitt.

It will also be interesting to see the campaign finance reports due for the 4th Q 2007. Some of the spending that the Romney Campaign did might surprise folks.

[H2O Man]

25. Willard Romney

has spent big bucks.

I think that the other republicans are all going to have difficulty running ads etc in February. It's interesting how most of them get along okay, but strongly resent Mitt.

There are some reports that suggest there is a growing divide on which candidate the powers behind the scenes will support. They are all seriously flawed.

[Me.]

20. Keeping The Truth About John McCain

Front and center

[Me.]

27. Moving Faster Than Rapids

:kick:

[H2O Man]

28. When you watch

the republican debate, think of this thread. There is some pretty good information on John McCain here.

[CatWoman]

29. McCain is a fucking NUT

[goodgd_yall]

30. Loose cannon

that he is. "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb-bomb, Iran" is pretty disconnected humor. Reminds me of Bush's "joke" of looking for WMD that he shared with a meeting of journalists. Hopefully, the American people will get more opportunities to hear and see this bizarre behavior and not tolerate it---but you never know.

[H2O Man]

31. We should never

underestimate the republican machine. In some ways, McCain is a less attractive candidate than Bob Dole. But their machine is going to make it a contest. And if Bloomberg runs, it could become a serious contest.

[Laurab]

32. I wish I'd seen this thread soon enough to recommend.

I'm not particularly worried about ANY of our candidates debating McCain, no matter what the polls show. I think his temper alone will do him in, plus when I've seen him on TV he is obviously losing it IMO. I also don't believe too many people want more war - I think any of our candidates, even the one I don't particularly care for, would do just fine debating McCain.