07.21.08

McCain talks about the Pakistan-Iraq border…

Posted in Election, GOP at 10:14 am by LeisureGuy

More of his expert foreign policy knowledge. Read the full, painful report here. How does one explain this continuing series of weird and wrong statements?

10 Comments »

  1. Frank said,

    21 July 2008 at 11:19 am

    I think an explanation is neither necessary nor even desired. I believe that the unrelenting parroting of a notional news story is its own reward. Enjoy, it’s a well deserved prize.

  2. LeisureGuy said,

    21 July 2008 at 11:24 am

    This latest thing just happened, so no one has harped on it. It’s yet another, though, in a string of similar gaffes.

    I think you would agree that the GOP is quick to jump on gaffes that Obama makes as well. It’s a part of the campaign process: trying to figure out these two men who are aspiring to lead the nation. McCain has repeatedly said that his foreign policy credentials are much stronger than Obama’s, yet he continues to make remarks like the one that’s the subject of this post—and Obama doesn’t. Moreover, Maliki specifically stated that he (and presumably the Iraqi government) likes Obama’s plan for Iraq—not McCain’s.

    Should we simply ignore such things? Is that your suggestion?

    I do agree with you that the GOP does not at all want an explanation put forth of the reason for the continuing gaffes from McCain.

  3. Frank said,

    21 July 2008 at 11:38 am

    I see. If it’s OK for the GOP then we should not hold ourselves to a higher standard, because it’s part of the campaign process. That makes sense.

    George Bush is stupid, that’s been proven by science, and now John McCain is getting stupid. Again, indisputably. It’s a solid idea; a strong foundation upon which we can build our campaign, again. Let’s run with it. I hope it works this time, fingers crossed.

    And if it doesn’t we can just blame those stupid red states again; they’re so stupid they don’t know what’s good for them. And they have the nerve to call us liberal elitists. Idiots.

  4. LeisureGuy said,

    21 July 2008 at 11:44 am

    Frank, I don’t get it. Are you saying that we should simply ignore McCain’s continuing series of gaffes and ignore any evidence that his “strong” foreign policy credentials may not be so strong?

    I don’t know about you, but quite a few people are trying to figure out which of the candidates will be the better president. That involves looking at and evaluating what they say and do. I’ve certainly criticized Obama (FISA vow and subsequent votes), and I feel free to criticize McCain as well.

    I don’t know where your last paragraph comes from—it certainly doesn’t reflect anything I’ve written. Is it really a reflection of your own feelings?

  5. Frank said,

    21 July 2008 at 11:57 am

    I think setting up a team to track and to publicize gaffes is (regrettably) part of the political process; it always has been, because it’s easy. The opponent does all the work, all we have to do is watch for it. But I think that taking this information and diagnosing diseases (like Alzheimer’s or dementia) is careless, and in no one’s best interests. It’s not a good fight.
    My last paragraph is just an unfortunate common view, based on the widely held ’stupid’ theme that is the topic of discussion. That we are a nation with so many stupid people living in red states that they, collectively, were enough to elect someone as dumb as George Bush, and (sarcasm now) let’s not let that happen again.
    But if it does, we’ll know who to blame.

  6. LeisureGuy said,

    21 July 2008 at 12:09 pm

    The team that tracks and publicizes gaffes is called “reporters.” They regularly report on politics, including gaffes.

    No one has made a diagnosis, but I imagine quite a few are wondering what’s going on with this. Not you, apparently, but others.

    I don’t think “blame” enters into the voting—but responsibility certainly does, and the people who voted for Bush’s second term were responsible for returning him to the White House. Or am I missing something?

  7. Frank said,

    21 July 2008 at 12:17 pm

    You seem to have made a diagnosis.

  8. LeisureGuy said,

    21 July 2008 at 12:23 pm

    Look again: I raised the question. The question occurred to me, as I imagine it has to others. You, I know, do not believe in wondering why or looking for some explanation. But I think many would like some explanation, especially since it happens again and again. I assume at some point McCain will release his medical records, and I hope the question will be addressed directly.

  9. Frank said,

    21 July 2008 at 12:32 pm

    Oh I see, you merely raised the question of your diagnosis of dementia.
    I apologize.

    You must realize that since I “do not believe in wondering why or looking for some explanation” that the differences escape me. Maybe McCain and I would keep good company.

  10. LeisureGuy said,

    21 July 2008 at 12:36 pm

    Apology accepted. And, again, it was not a diagnosis—a diagnosis would be the answer to the question that I raised. I was asking whether dementia could possibly be a factor. It is a condition that happens to some people, and it often strikes later in life. And, given the gaffes, it is something that one would wonder about, especially if one has actually encountered the disease. (An uncle, in my case.)

    I’m not sure what “difference” you’re referring to in your second paragraph—the difference between “wondering why” and “looking for some explanation”? I didn’t mean to draw a difference; I was just expressing the same thought in different words. Sorry—it is unclear. Either one would have sufficed.


Leave a Comment