Huff Post: Dems Fed Up With McCain: "Angry Old Defeated Candidate"

[Pirate Smile]

Dems Fed Up With McCain: "Angry Old Defeated Candidate"

by Sam Stein

Democrats are growing increasingly frustrated with the brash political attacks Sen. John McCain has launched against Barack Obama in the weeks since the new president took office. No one expected the Arizona Republican to be a legislative ally for this administration. But it was widely assumed that Obama's overtures to McCain in the weeks after the election would dull some of the hard feelings between the two. Now, they are realizing, it has not.

"He is bitter and really angry," Bob Shrum said of McCain in an interview on Friday. "He is angry at the press, which he thinks is unfair. He is angry at Obama and angry at the voters. He has gone from being an angry old candidate to being an angry old defeated candidate."

Indeed, during the debate over the economic stimulus package it was McCain, as often as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who spearheaded the opposition. The Arizona Republican denounced the proposal as pure pork on the Senate floor and introduced an alternative measure compromised nearly entirely of tax cuts.

On Sunday, McCain wouldn't let the fight die, even with the legislation through Congress. Appearing on CNN, he described the $787 billion measure as "generational theft" and said that the bill's authors should "start over now and sit down together."
Meanwhile, appearing on ABC's This Week, Sen. Lindsey Graham -- McCain's chief ally in the Senate -- said of the process by which the stimulus was forged: "If this is going to be bipartisanship, the country is screwed."

That two Republicans Senators who consider themselves prudent compromisers would forcefully condemn the president's top legislative priority is noteworthy in and of itself. That it comes after President Obama made overt gestures of reconciliation to both McCain and Graham raises questions as to just how long it will take for this era of to post-partisanship arrive.

Not to mention that, as other observers pointed out, McCain isn't being entirely consistent.
"During the Senate debate, 36 of the Senate Republicans voted for an alternative that would have cut taxes over the next decade by $2.5 trillion, reduced the top marginal race to 25 percent," said the Atlantic's Ron Brownstein on "Meet the Press." "For John McCain -- who voted for that alternative of a $2.5 trillion tax cut over the next decade -- to talk about generational theft, I mean, pot meet kettle."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/15/dems-growing-angry-with-m_n_167062.html

[StrongBad]

1. He's irrelevant and will be dead soon.

n/t.

[Colobo]

3. I wish the guy a short life in the Senate and a long life in general.

[StrongBad]

6. I'm not wishing him harm, but with so much poison in his heart he's digging an early grave.

[n2doc]

17. Cheney's still here

Just sayin'

[NJmaverick]

2. This is where Obama's efforts at bipartisanship pays dividends

By reaching out and even honoring the man, he was able allow people to paint him as this angry and bitter old man. Had Obama not made the guestures, it would be more difficult to make that claim and McCain's motives would be less clear.

[bluestateguy]

4. And if anybody understnad's the psyche of a losing campaign, it's Bob Shrum

Bob Shrum: the Buffalo Bills of campaigns.

[Cirque du So-What]

5. Too bad the corporate media don't reciprocate those feelings toward McAnus

During the campaign, it was amazing to me how McAnus would bad-mouth the corporate media, who would then redouble their efforts to get back in his good graces. McAnus can fucking well shit and fall back in it - and drag the whole Washington Press Corpse with him for the ride!

[tosh]

18. ROFL@ McAnus!

Never heard or thought of that moniker before but HOW PERFECT!!:rofl:

[4lbs]

7. McCain has flipflopped 2 times in the past year on one issue.

During the campaign, he talked about investment in broadband access bringing enlightment to the far reaches of the nation.

Then, during debate of the stimulus package, he bemoans spending hundreds of millions on broadband access.

Finally, after it passes, he talks about how spending on broadband will increase the knowledge and access for all.

Gee, can you please be more inconsistent, Senator McCain?

:crazy:

[fascisthunter]

8. he is angry because he is irrelevent and rejected by Americans twice!

phony whore of the wealthy class

[firedupdem]

9. Bam! It begins! Obama was nice and kind and he's bitter!

Keep it up McCain or better yet, retire and chill with Cindy. Pick one of your 13 houses and go relax okay?

[saltpoint]

10. Let's get Rick Warren's cone of silence and stuff McCain inside it permanently.

Can that be arranged?

[AZBlue]

11. He's at least making it easy for us to defeat him in 2010.

[dkf]

12. Tax cuts are generational theft.

Interesting meme.

[Vinca]

14. Except, of course, the 2 trillion for tax cuts for fat cats like the McCains. nt

[lwcon]

13. I wish Stein had mentioned that McCain is old

That's an important consideration. I'm surprised he left it out.

[biopowertoday]

24. I do not think

ageism is the way to go.

Did you mean to have your sarcasm icon on??

[Dappleganger]

15. Old, angry, rich republicans.

So what's new???

[Downtown Hound]

16. So, McCain is angry at us huh? LOL.

Never underestimate the sense of entitlement that Republicans have. They honestly feel that they have a God given right to be absolute rulers of America. Oh well, I don't envy McCain his final years. He will always know that after all his year of serving the Senate, Americans rejected him and his party.

Too bad! :noppity:

[pansypoo53219]

19. in 1999

i thought mcPOW was a shit. and he kept proving it. the topper was that cross story on NPR. he's good at faking that he is a good man.

[spanone]

20. all i can say is thank the stars he's not our fucking president

[liberalmuse]

21. I love Sam Stein.

Not only is he 10 kinds of HAWT, he knows how to use that pen of his.

[Arugula Latte]

22. I am furious.

My anger at Republicans has reached new levels in the past few weeks. Seriously, I am shaking I am so pissed off.

[NC_Nurse]

23. Haven't you heard, John? No one cares what you think.

:nopity: