Can McCain be a Change Agent?
and is he selling the change America is looking for?
The CodePink demonstrator didn’t think so but last I checked, CodePink is on the FAR left edge of the bell curve.
To Obama & his supporters:
There is more that unites us than divides us. … We are Americans and that is an association that means more to me than any other.
When we tell you we are going to change Washington and stop leaving the problems for some unluckier generation, we will keep that promise.
I don’t work for a party, I don’t work for a special interest, I don’t work for myself; I work for you.
I fought the big-spenders in both parties and the first big spending, pork-barrel bill that comes across my desk – I will veto it and you will know their names.
In the end, it matters less that you can fight. What matters most is that you are fighting for the right things.
My opponent wants to bring back the jobs of the past. We’re going to help workers who’ve lost a job that won’t come back find a job that won’t go away.
Education is the civil rights issue of this century. … what is the value of access to a failed school? We need to shake up the bureaucracy with competition; empower parents with choice; remove barriers for qualified teachers and help bad teachers find another line of work. When a school fails to meets its obligations, parents deserve a choice and I intend to give it to them.
Bold, bold, Sen. McCain. If you can deliver on that, you will change the future of this nation for the better.
We are going to stop sending billions of dollars to countries that don’t like us very much. We’ll drill new wells offshore and we’ll drill them now! (+ nuclear, solar, wind, flex-fuel and more…) We must use all resources and use all technologies to rescue our economy from the damage caused by high oil prices. It’s an ambitions plan but Americans are ambitious by nature. It’s time to show the world how Americans lead.
We face many dangerous threats in this dangerous world but I’m not afraid of them; I’m prepared for them. … I know how the military works. … I know how the world works. … I know how to secure the peace.
I’ve been an imperfect servant of my country for many years – but I’ve been her servant first, last and always – and I’ve never lived a day in good times or bad that I didn’t thank God for the privilege.
I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s…. My country saved me and I cannot forget it and I will fight for her as long as I draw breath – so help me God.
Nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.
McCain issued a resonating – truly hopeful call to fight for and serve our country. I couldn’t help but think that McCain sounded like he was talking to adults — partners in this mission of service he was talking about. When I was listening to Obama, it sounded like he was talking to broken, fearful children who needed his care, protection, and provision.
What do you think? McCain sounds like my next President.
Category: Campaigns and Elections
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You’ve got to love the GOP desire for change – from a GOP Conservative government for the last 8 years, including all but the last 2 controlling the Legislature as well.
It’s a bit odd to have the GOP calling for change – from itself…
Yes Mark. Think of a football team with a strong tradition of winning, having great sportsmanship and supporting all the players and fans that has gone on a loosing streak. (keep in mind I live in Columbus, Ohio) Sooner or later everyone says “enough” and a new coach is brought in to return the team to its former glory. Every time that happens, the new coach starts by changing things, and if he or she is to be successful, returns to the basics. When this happens there is no outcry of “no, no – let’s keep screwing up”!
John McCain is the new coach, the GOP the team, and all America will benefit!
Does that really make sense to you? Or, is it just spin to justify your continuing support for a party of broken promises, corruption and mistakes?
As one of my former Republican friends is fond of saying: if you’re still a Republican, you haven’t been paying attention.
Have many former friends?
McCain has never been a typical Republican. Look at McCain-Feingold:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200307/gitell
Then there was the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill. Yeah, the Republicans loved that one. There is also the McCain-Lieberman Gun Show bill.
McCain is no Bush clone. Independents and moderates looking for someone who has years of experience at bipartisan cooperation will find McCain much closer aligned with them than either Bush or Obama is.
Jack,
McCain wasn’t a typical republican. But then in the last couple years or so his rhetoric changed. Against Bush tax cuts, now for them. Speaking out against the religious right, now courting them. Against the use of torture, then for “enhanced interrogation techniques”. Not for overturning Roe vs Wade, now for it. He even wouldn’t back one of his signature issues of campaign finance reform in 2006 – McCain/Feingold/Shays/Meehan was suddenly missing McCain. About the only constant has been his anti-pork crusade. That and his opposition to ANWR drilling which i anticipate to last about another week or two with Palin now on the ticket.
So the question is, who will we get if we elect McCain? Will we get the maverick of yesteryear who stands up to his party, vote with his conscience, and works in a bipartisan fashion? Or will we get the solid conservative, proud Bush supporter, who the only person he can seem to relate to across the aisle is Lieberman. One appeals to the base, the other to independents. The magic is watching him trying to make people believe they are somehow one and the same person.
I think the football team analogy is apt, in this case. A football team doesn’t stand for anything but winning, really. No larger reason for existence. And if you look at McCain and his complete shift on nearly every issue of importance in that light, he seems a lot more respectable. But if you look at him more as a candidate that is supposed to represent a particular set of ideas, well, I think you’ll just have to close your eyes and hold tight to the manufactured reality of the moment.
McCain has debased himself numerous times in so many fundamental ways (could *you* hire the guy that used the mere existence of your daughter to beat you in 2008?) – there’s just nothing there anymore.
(that should have been 2000, of course.)
John McCain: An American hero, worthy to lead…
(POST WILL BE UPDATED ALL DAY WITH NEW LINKS)…
That’s ok, MB. You lefties are always stuck in the past.
MB – Come visit Columbus. The football team stands for EVERYTHING! I have lived in a number of places, including Virginia, before moving here and this is like nothing else, anywhere. So the analogy is apt, just lost on most of the country – sorry (on many levels).
Also, voting records (other than “present” – which is pretty telling) can be misleading. John McCain has voted against many bills, even those he authored, because of the pork and convolution added to them by others! I have no doubt he will fulfill his promise to veto all pork laden bills as President no matter what the title subject.
I’m not a big McCain supporter, but of the two running, he has the best chance of finding a way to cut spending and cut through the partisan crap of both sides to find sensible solutions. He actually has a record we can talk about. That record shows he sides with Republicans some times and Democrats other times.
I anticipate if he becomes President he will piss both sides off, and that is probably a good thing.
I will cede that Barack is probably going to win the pure change argument. But is it change that will actually benefit this country? I say no. Greenlighting every liberal cause he can think of, playing nice with terrorists, and radically expanding the government is not going to make us freer. All it is going to do is lead to out-of-control spending.
I think it is very funny that libs want to criticize McCain’s record, but they are not concerned about Obama’s lack of a record. Since he does not have a record, conservatives point to his radical wife, pastor and friends to try to get some idea of who this man is and what he would do. The libs then cry foul cos they do not want America to know the true Obama.
We might be better off picking some random person off the street and anointing him or her as president than we would be electing the Big O.
Did VT football stick with Marcus Vick after his detestable actions on the field, for the sake of winning? No. Did the Eagles keep T.O. for his abilities on the field? No.
Now, let’s look at Mr. Change. He abandoned his pledge to take public funding. One day, in front of a Jewish audience, he supports an undivided Jerusalem. The next day, he does not. He was against wiretapping, then he voted for it. (At least he VOTED, unlike the 130-odd times he voted “present” in the Illinois legislature.)
You want change? Then vote for Obama — he changes all the time.
See, Mark’s usual argument is “I wish Republicans would cahnge” and if they do, he then attacks them for doing so or says they aren’t
He does this on issues too. He makes an argument for something and if anyone changes their mind to agree with him, instead of saying “I am glad you agree” he attacks them and says “NO NO NO, that isn’t what you said..”
See Mark, like most liberals, are not interested in making an argument, or changing minds… Just keeoing score for his team and being against ANYTHING Republican.
If the GOP cured cancer, he would say the GOP caused it, blame Bush and then argue that the GOP only did so for votes… And then be against the cure.
Mark is a good Liberal Soldier… A cheery aye, aye and carries on. So far he has been a good follower of St. Obama… Follow, follow follow.
I would think he would LIKE to see the GOP changing and, in my mind, becoming more up to date… But if it has anything to do with Republicans, he hates it…
Hmmm… Now THAT’S a thinker!
Two good examples Jack.
The AIPAC flip was pandering, pure and simple, and Obama got caught doing it.
As for the FISA bill, overall I see it more as Obama recognizing the need to compromise with the Republicans and get something done (a good thing). However, it was foolish of him to vow to filibuster against the telecom immunity provision, he should know better. For someone skilled at the give and take needed to get things done, to take such a major point of contention off the table (especially since it made zero difference in policy going forwards) was a bad move.
However, these don’t reflect nearly the dramatic shift that McCain has made in the last year. As David Axelrod said –
Another Voice said:
How many of those failed by 1 vote, making his principled stand the cause for failure? As for me, I have no doubt that pork will quite happily live on in a McCain administration, when his principles can actually have an impact.
I heard a real funny one today on the radio. Apparently, McCain said he would support a constitutional amendment banning abortion. Obama, of course, would not support such an amendment.
Thus, if you oppose such an amendment, you should vote for McCain! Why? Because as a Senator, he could vote for such an amendment, but as President, he cannot!!
“From the Navy Times.”
A Republican speaker broke a deal between the GOP and the Navy when he publicly recognized a pair of Navy special operators at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, a Navy spokesman said, causing the sailors to violate regulations against active-duty service members participating in politics.
The speaker, Orson Swindle, pointed out two Navy SEALs in the audience wearing civilian clothes at the convention in St. Paul, Minn., as part of a salute to the fallen SEAL Master at Arms 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in April. The two SEALs, Lt. Leif Babin and Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Tom Deshazo, rose when Swindle pointed them out and asked them to stand.
But the Republicans had agreed not to identify the special operators as a condition for their being able to attend the convention,
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/09/navy_gop_seals_090408w/
Yea, the GOP only has the best interest of the country at heart…. as long as it serves their purpose.
I’ve been a military journalist for 15 years. I don’t remember how many times I’ve worked with the Seals and not once have I published a photo or given a name of a Navy SEAL at their request.
Their are bounties on their heads!
And after promising not to recognizing them while escorting the sister of one of their blood brothers who died defending our country to the GOP convention, this is their thanks.
But as long as it promotes The Party I guess it’s justifiable. I hope Orson Swindle enjoys his stay in Hell.
And somehow I’m sure McCain’s advisors all thought it was a great f*%king idea!
If that’s who you think would make a great Commander in Chief then I guess you don’t care much for the men and women who are on the front lines.
Incase you haven’t guessed I’m pretty fraking pissed off.
Swindle should resign or be fired.
Frenchy,
I agree that the Navy SEALs should not have been publicly involved in politics, but if you claim your credibility on the matter stems from being a military journalist, you might want to confer with your editor.
You insinuate that somehow John McCain had planned this because his “advisors all thought it was a great f*%king idea!” You also question his commitment to our troops, “I guess you don’t care much for the men and women who are on the front lines.” I will only deal with these two issues.
First, there is not one iota of proof to show that McCain knew about this whatsoever. How you can make that connection is beyond reason. If you know the inner-workings of the McCain campaign, please enlighten us.
Second, John McCain has consistently supported our troops; Through his words and his actions. This does not even bring into account how he faithfully served in our armed forces. He KNOWS the peril that our young men and women are facing on a daily basis.
If McCain does not care about our troops with his service record, I can only imagine how his opponent’s service at Harvard Law School and the Illinois State Senate prepared him to deal with our armed forces.
Take a step back and don’t get “frakin pissed off” about the issue, try to understand it.
Scott,
No, I admit I don’t know the inner workings of the McCain staff. But I do know how the Seal public affairs and command staff operate when it comes to public appearances. I also know that it’s not handled at the lowest level. Those Seals didn’t attend the GOP convention with out Flag approval. And those Admirals didn’t agree to it until they were assured that their Special Forces operators would not be used on national television for political purposes. The DoD got those assurances from someone high up in the GOP.
And please don’t tell me that every word and camera angle of the entire convention wasn’t scripted and reviewed by key members of McCains staff. I think we all know better, the GOP are masters at speaking with one voice (and I do mean that as a compliment).
As to McCain’s ablitity to lead as Commander in Chief….
I respect John McCain for his service to our country. But having done four deployments in the Middle East (I got back from Iraq six weeks ago) I personally think Iraq was a massive mistake, which McCain supported and still supports as a good idea.
Do I want another boss like the outgoing one? Hell no. Do I want another CO who thinks diplomacy is for pussies? Hell no.
I rather see the President talk someone to death before commiting my brothers and sisters to combat.
Frenchy,
Diplomacy is great, when it works… Do you think sitting down and rationally explaining to Osama Bin Laden that his thoughts towards the United States are not justified would have worked in 2001? Would it have done a thing? This is more of an argument about whether you see the ideas of future deterrence through diplomacy as robust ideas or not. It has not worked to this point in the Middle East, why is it going to work now?
We are not necessarily fighting forces that have the said backing of their government, and the idea of deterrence through diplomacy is not necessarily an option to someone who would rather blow their person up in a public setting to prove their point. Like it or not, we support a strong Israel, add it to the laundry list of problems that we have against us in each of those countries.
I am not a hawk, and like you the last thing I want to see is another extended conflict with our boys and girls. Yet, is there an answer to these groups besides a strong fist?
How would Barack Obama fair against an attack like September 11?
Would he talk it out with Al Qaeda?
Excellent point Scott. The answer is yes, and no.
No, you don’t bother talking to Osama, you go after him and kill him. In order to do that you go after and deny him money and logistical support. In order to do that you need to work with other world leaders. That takes diplomacy.
After 911 America had the world at our back. We could have gone to the Swiss, the Cayman Island, the UAE, all those countries that rely on banking and tell them to stop transferring funding to terrorist organizations.
The UN fully back the invasion on Afghanistan, we could have had Bin Laden with in a year and destroyed his entire organization.
Instead we devoted all our resources to Iraq for who the hell knows what reason. Now our complete military infrastructure is in shambles and Russia is about ready to reclaim as much of their old empire as they can because they know we can’t do anything about it (except use the Nuclear threat).
As for the Middle East and Isreal, fuck them. They can clean up their own mess.
Ask the Pentagon what they think is one of the greatest theats to national security and they’re not going to say extreemist with bombs, its our reliance on oil from other countries.
WE ARE AMERICA!
We could be energy independent within a decade if we were willing to suck it up and make some hard choices. But the politicos in DC (Right & Left) are completely owned by the energy industries in this country. Why else would they drop over a $100M into both the DMC and GOP conventions.
So in answer to your last questions …
How would Obama fair against an attack like 911? I don’t know. Do you know how McCain would react? Ofcourse not. Until people are tested in fire no one can predict how someone else will react.
But no matter who gets elected I hope they do the right thing.
I had to respond to my good friend SW referring to me as a “good liberal soldier”. Which is fine, not accurate, but fine.
Just to be clear, I voted for W, and his father – and once called myself a Republican. Just the facts there. I was always probably a “Reagan Democrat”, but Bush has made it clear that the GOP is no place for this man – who will happily wear the title “good liberal soldier” as I work to get the best man, and BY FAR, the best team elected this fall.
Seriously, Palin? She doesn’t even have the guts to do any interviews. It’s getting a bit embarrasing that the “savior” of the GOP doesn’t have the courage to even stand up to the media. How is she going to do when she has to face Putin down?
Maybe she’ll run and hide like you, Mark.
It’s nice to see your true woman-bashing self in print, though. We always wondered.
Politician bashing. Though, I’m not even sure that was bashing – don’t you think that anyone who wants to be VP should answer a few questions? You seemed to when Obama was running for President, was that racism on your part? Just trying to understand your perverse world view.
Hmmm, that also means when you were asking the same questions about Hillary, that must have been woman bashing in your eyes. Interesting. Not surprising, as it is quite obvious you have no soul or morality when it comes to politics – and obviously no understanding or respect for women.
Just curious – b/c I know you want to be intellectually honest… was it also Hillary bashing when Karl Rove said exactly the same thing about Hillary?