Can the MARs Save McCain?

Human Events ^ | 10/03/2008 | Patrick J. Buchanan

[ChessExpert]

John McCain may have just let slip his last best chance to be president of the United States.

When he flew back to Washington to address the banking crisis, McCain could have seized the hottest issue in America by taking the side of his countrymen who were enraged by the Paulson Plan to bail out a power elite whose greed and stupidity had caused a financial disaster unequaled since the Crash of '29.

But rather than denounce the Bush-Paulson-Pelosi-Barney Frank plan as a rip-off of taxpayers, lacerate Obama and Co. for bedding down with the kleptocrats of Fannie Mae, and advancing his own McCain plan, McCain played the establishment man. He sought modest concessions for the Republican view, urged swift passage and left town.

[ChessExpert]

Pat Buchanan's opinion

[Perdogg]

..which is worth 0.

[Red Badger]

I don't think so.......

[olezip]

But rather than denounce the Bush-Paulson-Pelosi-Barney Frank plan as a rip-off of taxpayers, lacerate Obama and Co. for bedding down with the kleptocrats of Fannie Mae, and advancing his own McCain plan, McCain played the establishment man.

I think that McCain rightfully took the safer route this close to the election. The issues are rather complex and time-consuming to sort through, although it is clear that the cause was a backroom implementation of socialism by the Democrats. I expect all of this to come out in due time. I assume that there is an overriding problem known only to our policymakers that makes the bailout an urgent issue. In other words, I am giving a pass to McCain on this one.

[puroresu]

Pat’s right on this one. Bipartisanship always helps the ‘Rats and hurts the GOP. McCain will have to fight very hard to dig himself out from the hole he flung himself into. He should have opposed the bailout and blamed the crisis on the people who triggered it, named Dodd, Frank, Raines, Johnson, etc.

Instead, he voted for the bailout and refused to blame anyone, other than “greedy Wall Streeters”, and then stood there dumbfounded as Obama blamed him and eight years of GOP rule.

Thank God Sarah Palin did well last night. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll now have a shot at digging himself out of this hole. I can’t think of a single time in history when the GOP has “reached out” to work with the ‘Rats where it didn’t backfire on the GOP.

[Reagan Man]

McCain coming back to DC last week and placing country over politics was the right decision. Instead of standing with the House Republicans and the vast majority of Americans against the $700 billion bailout, McCain embraced it. Huge screw up. It will cost him votes.

[sickoflibs]

If McCain loses election, his unwillingness to turn this issue back on rats will be a primary cause. Suppose he opposed the bailout because of pork and deficit spending?, Suppose he asked Obama why he supports bailing out investors that make risky decisions and make money during the boom and expect taxpayers to pay during the bust? Suppose he asked if Obama NOW supports ‘trickle down’? Suppose he asked Obama why an invester bailout helps the economy when he is claiming ‘trickle up’ on his website(I link to it) , claiming tax increases and ‘tax rebates’ =welfare checks will revive the economy? Suppose he made Obama debate the bailout bill? NO , McCain caved, voted for the bill and HID like a coward during the senate debate where Obama attacked republicans for ‘trickle down’ . Pathetic, makes me sick.

[KriegerGeist]

"But rather than denounce the Bush-Paulson-Pelosi-Barney Frank plan as a rip-off of taxpayers, lacerate Obama and Co. for bedding down with the kleptocrats of Fannie Mae, and advancing his own McCain plan, McCain played the establishment man."

I have to agree with this statement. I really hoped that McCain would be the Maverick and stand with the few Senators like DeMint and House Republicans against the novel-sized-pork-filled bailout. What makes him 'for change' or 'cutting spending' or 'cutting earmarks/pork' 'reforming Washington' about any of this Fannie-Freddie bailout plan with all the crap in it for wooden arrows and bicycle riders et. al.?

[Oldpuppymax]

Pat, surely you know by now that McCain is a limp-wristed RINO, more interested in “bipartisanship” than the well being of the nation or the rights of the American people. His record of selling out and betraying the public is certainly long and clear enough. Why do you think the left picked him as the republican candidate. What...fly to Washington, fling the gauntlet in the face of the thugs who created the problem in the first place, side with the American people and change the course of the election??!! Why, that might cause hurt feelings. Or cost some of his big money supporters a few bucks. Can’t have any of that now, can we!

[ex-snook]

Pat doesn’t get it. McCain won’t oppose Bush.

[McGruff]

McCain could have seized the hottest issue in America by taking the side of his countrymen who were enraged by the Paulson Plan

Yeah Pat and then you like everyone else would have been blaming McCain and the House Republicans for the upcoming recession which looks like it will happen no matter how congress votes.

[ChessExpert]

“Pat doesn’t get it. McCain won’t oppose Bush.”

I don’t agree. I think McCain is a “maverick” and was the darling of the press, precisely because he has opposed Bush.

In this case, McCain thought the “fix was in” and the Paulson bail-out would pass quickly. He thought it had support from the President, the Senate, and Nancy Pelosi. McCain would “help” by pushing Republicans to vote yes. Pelosi scotched the deal.

Pelosi didn’t care if the bill passed or not. Pelosi, Reid, and Obama have a game plan to blame Republicans. If the economy goes to hell, they win too. FDR presided over the great depression but it never hurt the Democrats. They will never run out of people to blame.