6 Other Things that Aren't "Change We Can Believe In"

[helderheid]

Seth Grahame-Smith


By now, McCain's "green speech" has been widely praised as one of the funniest half-hours of television since Arrested Development was canceled. The speech aimed to turn Obama's "Change We Can Believe In" slogan into a surprise Mac Attack by inserting the words "That's Not" at the beginning of it. As if this wasn't exciting enough, McCain proceeded to deliver the speech with all the energy and eloquence of Frankenstein on barbiturates -- pausing awkwardly after each declaration to offer a snicker and yellowed smile, as if to ask the adoring crowd of several hundred, "wasn't that capital?" It was at once painful and delightful to behold. Painful, because we have to sit through five more months of his awkward cadence. Delightful, because it's already obvious just how badly McCain's efforts to brand himself as the "change" candidate are going to fail. That is, unless THESE are the kind of changes he's talking about:

1. Excruciating Hypocrisy - McCain delivered the green speech near New Orleans, and in it, he took the Bush administration to task for their failure to respond to Katrina. Do you know where John McCain was when Katrina made landfall? He was standing on a tarmac in Arizona, receiving a birthday cake from his friend George W. Bush. That's not change we can believe in.

2. Lack of Self-Control - Having a temper is one thing. But there's a difference between blowing your stack behind closed doors and McCain's tendency to say the wrong thing in front of the wrong people. Whether it's the childish "bomb Iran" Beach Boys cover, the "100 years is fine with me" gaffe, calling his wife a "c--t" in front of reporters, threatening other legislators with violence, or that infamous Chelsea Clinton joke he made at a GOP fundraiser -- McCain has a rare talent for putting his foot in his mouth near an open mic. That's definitely not change we can believe in.

3. Lack of Support for Our Troops - McCain knows firsthand the sacrifices made by our troops and their families, yet he won't he support the G.I. Bill -- which was co-sponsored by his Republican ally, John Warner, and which would dramatically expand educational benefits for our soldiers. And why doesn't he support it? Because the benefits are so good, the military is worried that too many soldiers will leave active duty to get their degrees. So there you have it -- John McCain's policy on supporting our men and women in uniform: "They deserve the very best, just as long as it's not TOO good -- and assuming we don't have to raise taxes to pay for it." That sure as hell ain't change we can believe in.

MORE >>>>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-grahamesmith/6-other-things-that-arent_b_105505.html

[speedoo]

1. K&R. Thanks for posting this.

We have to destroy the McCain myth perpetuated by the MSM.

[Egnever]

and fucking harold ford thought it was amazing!

if Harold wasnt looked at as a tool before critiquing that speeech i sure as hell hope he is now. The thought that hillary wanted to put that fucking joke in as head of DNC over howard makes me want to vomit.

Two things happened that night on msnbc. Harold ford showed himself to be the true puke lover he is and brian williams outed himself as a republican if he hadnt done so before.

[nomorenomore08]

2. This guy has the right idea. We all need to start walloping McCain with both fists!

With all the dirt in his past (FAR more than Obama's), there's no way he can stand up to a sustained swiftboating.

[helderheid]

3. Here are the other 3

4. Coziness with Lobbyists - We all know that McCain likes to tout himself as a "maverick." But the truth is, McCain was forced to reinvent himself as a "maverick" because he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He was one of five Senators investigated for corruption in the Keating scandal of 1989, in which it was alleged that (in return for money and other favors) McCain sought to have the government ease off its investigation of savings and loan chairman Charles Keating. You'd think he would've learned from this political near-death experience, but as we saw in his snuggly friendship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman, and the recent purging of lobbyists from his campaign (there are still over 100 of them running it), he's learned nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, you're damn right that's not change we can believe in.

5. An Antiquated World View - It's not the age of McCain's body that troubles me -- it's the age of his ideas. Like George W. Bush, he operates from a belief that America is infallible, that might makes right, and that anyone who doesn't agree with us is not only wrong - but our enemy. Here at home, he believes in the same trickle down economic policies that have been failing the middle class and escalating our national debt since the early 1980's. That IS change we can believe in, but only if it's Opposites Day.

6. Cowardice - No one can ever take away the heroic truth that John McCain sat in a cell for five torturous years on behalf his country. He was a brave young man. But somewhere between Hanoi and Washington, that brave young man became an old pandering coward. For eight years, we've watched McCain suckle the teat of his political idol, George W. Bush. Especially sickening, given the fact that Bush is the same man who tried to destroy McCain's family in the 2000 primaries. The same man who went after his daughter. And yet, because it was politically convenient to do so, John McCain threw his arms around Bush and never let go. Threw his arms around a man he didn't even vote for. A man he secretly hated with a passion he scarcely knew he was capable of. To some, that merely makes John McCain a ruthless opportunist or a terrible father. In my eyes, it makes him a coward. How can a man who won't even stand up for his family stand up for our country? How can a man who was too afraid to stand his ground against a joke like Bush stand his ground against brutal dictators? My fellow Americans...

That's not change we can believe in.

[helderheid]

4. kicking and adding this (my 3 posts are up): The biggest news you HAVEN'T heard

The biggest news you HAVEN'T heard

In the excitement of the past few days, there's some news you may have missed.

John McCain and the Republican National Committee released their fundraising numbers for May, and we've got our work cut out for us.

The McCain campaign raised $21 million, which will be combined with $23.7 million raised in partnership with the Republican National Committee.

That's nearly $45 million dollars in one month -- money that will be used to attack Barack Obama and support John McCain's effort to extend the policies of George W. Bush for another four years.

We need to respond quickly and show that we are ready to take on Senator McCain in the general election.

You can help by encouraging a fellow supporter to take the next step and own a piece of this campaign.

Make a donation of $25 today and match the gift of a first-time donor. You can even choose to exchange a note with them about why you support Barack:

https://donate.barackobama.com/promise

Even more disturbing than the amount of money John McCain and the RNC have raised is the way they raised it.

They depend on donations from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs. And top officials in McCain's campaign have been asking these donors to write checks and raise money from their clients to the tune of $50,000 each.

Barack is doing things differently.

This campaign has never accepted donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs. And yesterday the Democratic National Committee announced that they will follow the same restriction.

We are going to compete in the general election the same way we have all along -- by depending on a movement of more than 1.5 million people giving only what they can afford.

Make a $25 donation now and help bring a first-time donor into this campaign:

https://donate.barackobama.com/promise

I'm sure you've heard that Hillary Clinton is suspending her campaign and announcing her support for Barack. We all owe Senator Clinton -- and her supporters -- a great deal of respect for running an incredible campaign and strengthening our party in all 50 states.

But John McCain and his allies are not missing a beat in their campaign to continue the Bush agenda.

As the presumptive nominee, John McCain had a three-month head start to build his party and raise money. But we can't afford to let him have the advantage.

For all his talk of reform, John McCain is willing to rely on huge donations from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs.

We have a historic opportunity to run a new kind of campaign and elect a new kind of leader.

Thank you for your support and for being a part of this movement,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
http://my.barackobama.com/page/contribute_c/junematch/graphic

[helderheid]

5. k

[EnviroBat]

6. All you need to know about grandpa McCain, (the drunk grandpa).

He's a fucking, stinking REPUBLICAN, and should be run into the ground face first, so we can jam a flag pole in his ass.

There, I said it, and I feel better.

[Born_A_Truman]

7. Excruciating Hypocrisy Indeed!

Disgusting! McCain is the candidate of "You're on your own!" and believes all Federal help is an earmark (unless it's something his friends want).

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/06/05/mccain-fails-to-come-clean-on-katrina-record/

Despite his claims otherwise, the reporter was correct, and McCain’s record on Katrina is not at all what he would have you believe.

McCain Voted Twice Against Establishing A Commission To Study The Response To Hurricane Katrina. < 9/14/2005, 2/2/2006>
McCain Opposed Granting Financial Relief To Those Affected By Hurricane Katrina. <9/15/2005>
McCain Voted Against Five Months of Medicaid For Hurricane Katrina Victims. <11/3/2005>
McCain Voted Against Emergency Funding Bill, Including $28 Billion for Hurricane Relief. <5/4/2006>

[NotThisTime]

8. Let us not forget the gem from this week...

While in front of AIPAC, his idea was a worldwide divestment program in regards to Iran.... this was his new idea, too bad that idea was drawn up LAST YEAR by Obama & McCain never signed on & it's still sitting waiting to be acted on, or resurrected as the case may be....

[frickaline]

9. He forgot, "creepy smiles that give us all the willies"

good stuff ^^ K&R

[helderheid]

10. LOL!

[helderheid]

11. kickety kicking

[central scrutinizer]

12. Change we can believe in

If rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is your idea of change, then McW is your guy.

[helderheid]

13. kick

[Canuckistanian]

14. K&R

I see NO change.

And for that reason, I certainly don't believe in him.

[MrSlayer]

15. "proceeded to deliver the speech with all the energy and eloquence of Frankenstein on barbituates"

Fucking classic.