[John]McCain Derails

CBS News ^ | July 10, 2007 | Kevin Drum

[2ndDivisionVet]

I guess the Straight Talk Express is finally melting down. After returning from a trip to Iraq — something hardly likely to have lifted his spirits — John McCain apparently blew up at campaign manager Terry Nelson and chief strategist John Weaver over their out-of-control spending. In the end, he fired Nelson and Weaver then resigned: Weaver's resignation was the most surprising. He has been McCain's chief strategist and confidant for many years, playing a role as central to the Arizonan's political operations as White House senior adviser Karl Rove has played in President Bush's.

The only other person in McCain's inner circle as close to the candidate is Mark Salter, McCain's longtime top Senate aide as well as the co-author of his best-selling books and all his major speeches. Whew. So at least he still has Salter, right? Marc Ambinder reports: One Republican directly connected to today's events said that Mark Salter, McCain's long-time chief of staff and co-author of his five books, had also left the campaign payroll. But Salter will remain as an adviser.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I was just listening to Chrissy Matthews on Hardball talking about McCain. He thinks McCain backing the Iraq war is why he's losing in the polls! Almost no talk about the illegal immigrant amnesty debacle! Chrissy insulted Tom Tancredo & Duncan Hunter while slathering praise on McCain. Andrea Mitchell took pains to downplay Fred Thompson. The left sure wants us to pick Rudy McRomney!!

[rabscuttle385]

[Condor51]

Okay, so all his key people are gone and his campaign is in the toilet -- he'll always have Lindsey.

[Jaysun]

The truth is that McCain would be a better President than Mitt or Rudy. The problem is that a lot of people (including myself) hate his guts and the bones they hang on.

[cripplecreek]

Arrrr I'll have the scurvy mutineers keelhauled I will.

[xcamel]

We’ve been saying “he’s toast” for 7 weeks now...

[Afronaut]

"and the bones they hang on"

and the horse he rode in on

[colorado tanker]

McCain's support was always soft because for the last six years he's done every darn thing he could think of to alienate the conservative base. His stand on the Iraq War was about the ONLY thing the base liked!

But you'll never hear that from the MSMers.

[Gay State Conservative]

I’m completely willing to assume that McCain was fully sane on the day before he checked into the Hanoi Hilton.Who knows what might have happened to his mind (or the minds of his fellow guests) during their stay.

[Jaysun]

and the horse he rode in on

and the dust they stirred while in route.

[rocksblues]

I respect the man for what he went through in the 60's and 70's.

Then he got elected to the Senate and collaborated with JFnK on the commission and said that their were no more men left in SEA. Then he restricted free speech in America. Then he fought hard and long for amnesty for Illegal Immigrants.

Need I say more?

John your views are not America's views!

[Incorrigible]

 

Image courtesy of Registered Media

 

[bybybill]

Sen McNut is just that, but, today, on the Senate Floor, discussing the War, he was magnificent.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[FreedomNeocon]

Well yeah RUSH talked about this today too.

Its absurd to say McCain is floundering because of Iraq.

The same argument would mean that crazy ole rPaul would be the front-runner.

It isn’t the first time they floated this moronic idea... last time they somehow forgot the gang of 14 BS he pulled, or the terrorist bill of rights he pushed, or now the immigration junk he was up to, or the near weekly 'maverick' backstabbing he would routinely engage in to win favorable media and Sunday show slots over the past 4 years (not so much the past 8mths)

Their congestive dissonance knows no bounds. And I’m not trying to be smart or funny or snappy or anything when I say that. They are quite literally derranged and mentally ill, a mass psychosis if you will. Case studies and entire senior theses could be written on it.

[Rogle]

How can something be derailed when it was not on track in the first place?

[Jaysun]

Sen McNut is just that, but, today, on the Senate Floor, discussing the War, he was magnificent.

Yes he was. But it's not enough to save him. Support for the war is right and should be a given. We don't forgive bank robbers for observing the speed limit during their getaway.

[Mad_as_heck]

I agree. I have no doubt that McCain would actually be strong on national defense and some other conservative issues if he was in charge and didn't have to work with people he considers lesser beings.

Unfortunately, I can’t reach the fifty knives he has sunk into our collective backs over the last decade so I'm not in a forgiving mood...

Also, he is a loose canon who could have a Dean scream style meltdown at any point in the campaign.

[bybybill]

Some how, I can`t compare the speed limit and supporting our troops.

[AmericaUnited]

John McCain apparently blew up

I'm shocked that McInsane popped a blood vessel /s