Democracy Has Prevailed.

July 12, 2008

McCain Will Say Anything...

To continue Maria's recent posting on Senator McCain's obvious and shameful pandering, here's the story from Countdown:


While it was Jon Delano who did the interview (see it here), Bob Mayo has some much needed fact-checking. Up until now, McCain had identified the defensive line of the Green Bay Packers to his torturers. Mayo even writes that in the made-for-TV bio, it shows up as a Green Bay Packers story. Then the busman started googling:

McCain became a POW in 1967. The legendary Steelers defensive line that McCain appears to be referring to -- The Steel Curtain -- wasn't in place until 1971. Mean Joe Greene --the first of the front four to arrive -- didn't join the Steelers until 1969, two years after the time McCain refers to as when he was first interrogated.

In 1967, John McCain was 31 years old and the Steelers were anything but super. They'd had only eight seasons since McCain was born in which team wins outnumbered losses. In the two years before McCain was shot down, the Steelers were 2-and-12 and 5-8-and-1. Discouraged fans back then called them SOS -- the "Same Old Steelers".

Mayo has an e-mail from Paul Lindsay of the McCain camp in PA:

Hey Bob,

On background as a McCain official - It was an honest mistake. If bloggers want to make fun of him because he forgot which team he used under torture, let them.

Hope that is helpful to you,

Paul

I can't imagine it was a mistake. If you watch Delano's interview, it's all very carefully planned out. The pander enters the discussion immediately after Delano asks McCain what's the first thing he thinks of when he thinks of Pittsburgh.

On the one hand, it's a teeny-tiny story. On the other, it shows Senator John McCain as willing to say anything even lie about his POW experience in order to garner votes in Pennsylvania.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

John K: If Capt. McCain USN (Ret)forgot what team he ment while under torture shame on you lefties for mocking that point. Obama forgot how many states there are while sober and Hillary tried to embellish her fake war record. Tell me again who will say anything to anyone.

Anonymous said...

I'm fairly certain that any politician will say anything to garner votes. It's a lust for power that, if achieved, will result in some form of corruption. Just ask Mike Veon.

Anonymous said...

Saying it was an honest mistake and not just pandering makes me wonder about his fitness to be President. He is still 71 years old and looks frailer and frailer as this campaign goes.

Anonymous said...

John K: Hmm sounds like age discrimination there. Bigotry resides well within the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.

Anonymous said...

If he had simply said, "I forget," no issue would have developed.

Instead he launched a fibber to pander to a bunch of locals. And did it regarding an issue that should not be used as a canvas for campaign-related embroidery.

And because he did it so badly, he got caught. So, for a couple of days, he is the butt of some jokes.

That's roughly what it deserves. No more, no less.

Anonymous said...

McCain's age is very much an issue and it's not a matter of age discrimination.

Voters have every right to be concerned about his age considering the demands of the office and how often he forgets what bills he's voted for and what he's said in the past. I doubt very much Americans want to elect someone only to have them die in office.

And if he can't handle the rigors of the campaign, how is he going to handle the demands of the Presidency?

Even my parents, who are both close to McCain's age, feel he is too old to be President. In fact, most voters see McCain's age as a bigger problem for him than any problem they have with Obama.
I suppose your attempt to make us feel guilty about this lie by McCain might carry more weight had it actually been a case of him not recalling what he said while being tortured and not a case of him not recalling what he wrote in his autobiography, which it is.

It would also carry more weight if many of his supporters didn't also support torturing people.

But as infinonymous said, he has earned the ridicule he's getting over this.

Far more troubling are his statement that Social Security is a disgrace(he was apparently unware, despite 25 years in DC, that from day one Social Security involved current workers paying for current retirees) and his economic advisor's statement that we are a nation of "whiners" in a "mental recession." Tell that to the families trying to make ends meet.

There is a simple rule in politics when you say something stupid - say you're sorry or made a mistake and move on. But McCain has a penchant for keeping his gaffes alive by trying to explain them away.

Anonymous said...

John K: Yes it is a matter of discrimination. Same type as Jesse Jackson practicing medicine without a license. Both are discrimitory comments if made by the right. So based on the definition assigned by the left, yah you are a bigot. So much for open mindedness and judging a person by their abilities. When it comes to power, the left will sell their mother to slavery to win it, and rationalize it when they are done.

Anonymous said...

I think McCain was caught pandering to locals. I'll even give him a break and say he was caught up in the moment with all the Steeler references during his visit.

The funny thing is when this comes up in conversation, people don't see it as pandering, just old age. I afraid to say, but it looks like every gaff from McCain will be put into this category.

I'm not saying it's fair or right, just an observation. I think the "Old McCain" label is sticking in peoples minds and will be a steady theme until election day.

Anonymous said...

John K: Old McCain is a dangerous way to go. Old people vote in PA. But insult them all you want lefties. Heck you insult your minority voters.

Anonymous said...

A conservative crying about discrimination...that's too much...

It might mean something if their whole philosophy wasn't built upon the hate and villification of people who aren't like them.

My, my, my...the mighty have
fallen...

And if you were actually capable of comprehending what you read, John K., you would see that Anon 4:28 wasn't calling McCain "Old McCain" but stating the opinion that the "Old McCain" label was sticking.

Oh...but I do think I've figured out why you keep trying to bludgeon me with Star Wars...it must because in the past I euphemistically referred to the "empire" being here to stay...I'd get into why that was about the idea of an imperial Presidency/unitary executive, but that would just be wasted effort on my part and hyperbole is clearly something lost when it comes to interacting with you.

So maybe in the future you could use something by Kurosawa or John Ford or Robert Altman - I'm far more familiar with them.

Anonymous said...

John K: I say play the old age line on McCain. Most of PA voters are old. Rendell knows this. So play that discrimination card and see how many votes it gets you. Obama should come to Pittsburgh, get on the stump and yell McCain is old. LMAO If you had any guts.LOL LOL LOL

Richmond K. Turner said...

I'm certainly not in love with McCain's candidacy, for any number of reasons, but I can't -- not for the life of me -- see why *this* is the gaffe of the moment.

McCain changed the name of the professional football team that he mentions as part of a meaningless aside to an anectdote about his captivity in Vietnam. Holy shit! Stop the presses! He's lying!. Oh my Goodness, he's exploiting our Western Pa. love of the Stillers and pandering for our votes! Who could ever trust a politician who would do something like that.

And this is what, according to one of the earlier commentators, makes us think he's unfit for the Presidency?

Meanwhile, Obama -- whom I had thought to be a Democrat, and an urban one at that -- pops up this past month to tell us that he now thinks executing (mostly black male) child rapists is a pretty damn good thing and that handguns are just the right thing for densely populated, crime-ridden urban neighborhoods. And that, just for good measure, warrantless wiretapping is also an excellent idea.

And it's McCain's statement that you choose to highlight here, noting that he will "say anything" to get votes. But nary a mention of our suddenly pro-death penalty, anti-gun control, screw-the-fourth-ammendment Democratic nominee.

CB Phillips said...

Hmmm... I didn't know race or color had any bearing on whether somebody who violently rapes a child (and for which I would hope there is clear, unimpeachable evidence of the crime, which in those instances I believe is typically the case) should be sentenced to death.

Anonymous said...

McCain is making an issue of his age by his very poor performance as a candidate.

You can try to blame Democrats for making this an issue, but the fact is that a majority of Americans feel that McCain's age is more of a downside for him as a candidate than anything that's been associated with Obama.

Don't blame Democrats, John K., blame the majority of Americans that are concerned about his age. And for good reason - if he can't handle the rigors of the campaign trail, how is he going to handle the pressure of the Office of the Presidency?

But I'm sure PA's older voters are very "excited" about a candidate that called Social Security a disgrace.

If he doesn't want his age to be an issue, he needs to manage himself and his campaign better. As it stands, he's largely responsible for creating the impression that he's "too old" for the job.

I happen to think that is a valid concern for voters; my 68 year old father agrees. Voters want some stability and confidence in their President and presently McCain has given us no reason to believe he is capable of either.

If he doesn't want it to be an issue, then he needs to allay those worries.

Anonymous said...

John K: Then come on Jaywillie, run that Billboard in downtown that says Vote Obama, McCain is too old. LOL LOL You can do it. You have pride in the 9% approval of a Democratic led congress.

Anonymous said...

OMG HOW IS THIS NEWS?!?!?!? Leave it to MSNBC...I think they are going to change their call letters to O-B-A-M-A.

Delatuchi said...

it is funny that you guys make fun of a war hero/POW. How much of your time spent as a prisoner of war would you be able to accurately describe.

who cares if he made a mistake like this seriously...

i think this is just another typical way lib. Dems. try to hide there candidates weaknesses like the numerous times Sen. Obabama made mistakes while voting, pressing the wrong button... will he accidently sign a bill that will cause the price of gas to go up to 20 dollars??? and then after he signs it and the law is passed say i would like the record to show i didn't mean to sign that bill my bad i am really opposed that.

it wasnt me i didnt sign that bill, it was a member of my cabinet.