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McCain Triangulates
PowerLine ^ | 4/25/08 | Hinderaker

Posted on 04/25/2008 9:37:21 PM PDT by pissant

John McCain is in the midst of a "Time for Action Tour," which could perhaps better be named his "Bash Bush and the Republicans Tour." First came his demand that the North Carolina Republican Party withdraw its ad criticizing Barack Obama's choice of Jeremiah Wright as a spiritual mentor. On NBC this morning, this is how McCain answered questions about the ad:

VIERA: The ad says Obama's, quote, "just too extreme for North Carolina."

Now, you have called this ad degrading, and you've asked the state party to pull it. But so far, they've refused to do that.

Why do you think they're not listening to you, a? And why do you believe they would continue to raise questions about Senator Obama's patriotism?

MCCAIN: They're not listening to me because they're out of touch with reality in the Republican Party. We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, and this kind of campaigning is unacceptable. I have said that. It will harm the Republicans' cause.

It is, however, McCain who is out of touch with reality if he thinks a Presidential candidate's closest personal and ideological associations are somehow off limits to scrutiny.

Next, McCain took up Bush-bashing. Touring New Orleans, he repeated the Democrats' view of Hurricane Katrina as, pre-eminently, a story of Bush administration incompetence. On ABC this morning, Chris Cuomo, of all people, asked McCain about his attack on President Bush:

Chris CUOMO: John McCain is taking direct aim at the Bush administration. The senator toured New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward as part of his "forgotten places" tour and sharply criticized the response to Hurricane Katrina, calling it disgraceful. He said the leadership failure after the disaster could be traced straight to the top, and he told our Claire Shipman it would not have happened on his watch. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MCCAIN: I've come here and told these people, "Never again. Never again will a disaster, either natural or manmade, be mishandled in this fashion."

It may be that the Hurricane Katrina mythology is so irrevocably fixed that McCain loses little by subscribing to it. More troubling is his willingness to bash the Bush administration's economic record, contrary to his own prior, more reasonable, statements. Once again, from NBC:

VIERA: You know, Senator, the DNC also began running an ad this week that questions your judgment when it comes to the economy. They're beating up on you, sir.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)MCCAIN: We have had a pretty good, prosperous time with low unemployment, low inflation. I think we are better off, overall.(END VIDEO CLIP)

VIERA: We're hearing that the same week that gas prices are inching up to $4 a gallon, food prices through the roof. We're seeing rice now being rationed. So, how is the average American to believe that we are better off?

MCCAIN: Well, I've said repeatedly American families are hurting in America. We're in a recession. I have plan of action and change. And it's not increases in taxes, which is -- which Senator Obama and Senator Clinton want.

VIERA: So, Senator, you do not believe we are better off, by any means, than we were eight years ago?

MCCAIN: Oh, no. No.

The fact is that, as McCain has said, we have enjoyed "a pretty good, prosperous time" during the Bush administration, with low unemployment and low inflation. While the economy is troubled at the moment, it is indeed better off, following a period of sustained growth in GDP and real compensation, than it was eight years ago, when the dot-com bubble was bursting.

It's one thing for McCain to think that he needs to distance himself from the Bush administration, but if he thinks he can win by attacking his own party and out-Bush-bashing the Democrats, he is sadly mistaken.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; dumbnuts; mccain; rino; transcript
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To: pissant
How can you 'triangulate'--when you don't have the 'base' in your pocket to start with???

And in 'so doing'--he has managed to make himself the 'bad guy'--as now we see the democratic party slamming McCain for 'only sending an email'--and not taking stronger action to stop the ad!!!

Talk about 'snatching defeat from the jaws of victory'--geeez!!!

McCain has managed to disappoint and slam his strongest supporters--while at the same time making HIMSELF the focus (and the bad guy) of the debate for not trying hard enough and succeeding to stop the ad (which, btw, there is NOTHING WRONG WITH)!!!

Unbelievable.

41 posted on 04/26/2008 4:31:49 PM PDT by stockstrader (Obama's "I HAVE AN EXCUSE" speech most certainly was "Eloquent, but Outrageous".)
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To: libstripper
"Why do you like rattlesnakes?"

Because unlike Hillary they serve a purpose.

42 posted on 04/26/2008 4:34:48 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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To: Polybius
Bon appetite. Pardon me if I don't try it anytime soon.
43 posted on 04/26/2008 4:37:30 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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To: Antonio C
Any Republican who would not vote for him and allow a Dem to take the White House is nuts./i>

Any conservative who expects a McCain administration to act conservative is nuts.


44 posted on 04/26/2008 4:44:04 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: Antonio C
I’m beginning to wonder if conservatives are real Republicans afterall.

We aren't. And never have been.

Like liberals adhere to the Democrat party because it is seen to be the party most supportive of liberal goals, conservatives have adopted the Republican party for the same reason.

But, when the Republican party becomes tepid or even openly adverse to conservative issues, shouldn't it risk losing the support of conservatives?

Sure, I'll probably vote for McCain. That doesn't mean I like it.

And if McCain and his handlers insist on continuing to insult conservatives for the next six months, it's possible I could change my mind.

By the way, are you a conservative first? Or a Republican first?

45 posted on 04/26/2008 4:53:24 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: Antonio C
Any Republican who would not vote for him and allow a Dem to take the White House is nuts.

I would like to agree with you, but every time I try to 'warm' to McCain--

he slams his strongest supporters (i.e. Cunningham, the NC Republican Party, or anyone else outraged about Obama's close association with an anti-American black racist, hate-filled bigot, or an anti-American terrorist)--

or he refuses to attack Obama for Obama's LIES about McCain 'wanting a 100 year War'--

or he tries to 'elevate' the debate by taking the so-called 'high road' (as defined by the liberal MSM).

McCain's 'gentleman campaign' will go down in history as the most civil EVER and he will be repeatedly lauded by the MSM (ad nauseum) for taking the 'high road' (while Obama continues to distort and lie),,,

as the oath of office is taken by President B. (whose middle name must NEVER be spoken according to McCain) Obama!!

46 posted on 04/26/2008 5:07:18 PM PDT by stockstrader (Obama's "I HAVE AN EXCUSE" speech most certainly was "Eloquent, but Outrageous".)
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To: blackbart.223
Au contraire. Hillary serves a very similar, hygienic purpose, to give horribly venomous bites to Obama and the DemonRats. Rattlesnakes, disgusting as they are, kill vermin and Hillary's doing the same thing.
47 posted on 04/27/2008 6:14:49 AM PDT by libstripper
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To: libstripper
"Rattlesnakes, disgusting as they are.

I don't find rattlesnakes disgusting. Hillary on the other hand I do find disgusting.

48 posted on 04/27/2008 2:19:31 PM PDT by blackbart.223 (I live in Northern Nevada. Reid doesn't represent me.)
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