Posted on 09/13/2008 8:48:08 PM PDT by chuknchez
McCain's Right ArmBy John Batchelor. posted on September 12, 2008 at 10:05 PM
September 1968
After a year of starving and abusing 32 year old John McCain, no medical attention, abandonment and isolation in a windowless cell at the North Vietnamese Potemkin Village of a prison called the Plantation, the sadistic boss of the camp, Major Bai, called "Cat" by the POWs, ordered that the torturers break the admiral's son and force him to sign a confession. It was September, 1968. John McCain's father, John S. McCain, had become admiral of the Pacific Fleet the summer before, and the son's refusal to accept early release, and give the enemy a propoganda item, had angered Hanoi. Now John McCain the son was to pay for his resistance. The torturers started by rebreaking his left arm. Then he was trussed in ropes and beaten every two or three hours. According to the definitive Naval Institute Press volume on the POWS, "Honor Bound: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973," this sadism continued for four days. He resisted and weakened. Finally he signed the confession. Forty years later, this act of courage and then retreat still bothers John McCain, and he mentioned it movingly in his acceptance speech to the Republican Convention on September 4. What also stays with John McCain is the damage to his arms. When he was released in 1973, (left, returning to US care) his right arm was two inches shorter than his left. He cannot lift his arms above his breast. He cannot comb his own hair. And he is not dexterous enough to type at a keyboard.
The Obama-Biden Campaign is in Meltdown
This meltdown explains how it is possible for the Obama-Biden campaign to issue, on the eve of Hurrican Ike that will dominate the news for twenty-four hours, the most cynical and stupid of webads that attacks John McCain for not being in the economy enough to use the internet. The webad is the worst of postures-- it is snide:
"1982, John McCain goes to Washington," an announcer says over chirpy elevator music. "Things have changed in the last 26 years, but McCain hasn't. He admits he still doesn't know how to use a computer...
Meltdown
Perhaps the webad writers were unaware of John McCain's disability (left, at the Plantation before the torture, 1968). Perhaps they skipped the detail that John McCain depends upon Cindy McCain to type his e-mail messages. Perhaps it just does not make sense, to a campaign headed by the fresh-faced forty-something David Plouffe, that there are men walking around who have been tortured and permanently disabled by the enemy. Perhaps, as I have been told by my best Democratic Party source, the Obama-Biden campaign is in meltdown, there is no single message, there is no unity, there is no vision, and so separate but equal parts with lots of cash but not much learning are just wandering off the trail. My professionals, Fund, Ververs, Charen, Avlon, Johnson, West, Crowley, McTague, Levine and Whalen will address the strange disintegration of the Obama-Biden campaign on Sunday 14. The question will be, Was 9-11-08 the day (right, the two candidates at Columbia University on Thursday 11) that the Democratic Party panicked that Obama-Biden was not working for either winning the White House nor for holding the Congress?
I hope they still have 50 more days of stupid on 'em.
poopy?
“While you’re at it, why don’t you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it?” Princess Bride
My thoughts exactly. Mr. Plouffe, please carry on...
Will Fox be the only station to actually report on this? I'm beginning to doubt it and if they do, I'm sure it will be chalked up to a gaffe.
Don't bet the farm on NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC etc to do more then a 10 second quip about the ad, if they even give it 10 seconds.
Are you sure you are on the right board when you signed up this month? Plouffe is the gift that keeps on giving to Republicans and none of us think he should step down.
That’s the script for the rebuttal ad.
Good one.
When I was very young, my father came home from work and recounted the torture of a man who had given a talk about what he experienced at the hands of the North Koreans as a POW. He was bound, tied and confined to a small cage. I don't remember all the details, but they tied him with leather or something that contracted when it dried. Just when he thought they were coming to release him, they tightened up and wet the bindings instead. Whether he had any information they wanted wasn't clear; it seemed that they were doing it just to be sadistic and that he was the enemy.
It is the sort of thing that leaves a lasting impression. I grew up knowing a lot of things a lot of people that young usually don't know without having been through the horror themselves.
I don't think we should be too exultant at the apparent current disarray in the Obama campaign and the polls. A lot can happen between now and election day.
“If McCain outshines Obama in that debate, that might be the beginning of the end for Obama. Peoples minds will start being made up.”
But isn’t Obama running against Govenor Palin?
As I understood it, Greenspan said McCain’s tax cuts wouldn’t work without spending reductions.
Obama’s camp said, “See, even Greenspan doesn’t think McCain’s tax plan is a good idea.”
To which McCain replied, “I have never suggested tax cuts without accompanying spending cuts so I am in full agreement.”
End of story. Another blunder by Obama.
I’m trying not to get too excited, I know we have a long way to go but at this point all I can say is “melt baby melt!!” :-)
The Obama-Biden Campaign is in Meltdown
Apparently the DUmmies also are in meltdown about this “can’t use a computer” attach. Hubby reads their stuff (I just can’t!), and they were beating themselves up about this. “We are so stupid.” Maybe they finally get it.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Will the questions during the debate will they be confidential? Has any candidate in the past gotten a hold of the questions before hand? If they are wearing ear pieces can someone feed B.O. answers?
“I am fairly confident that Rush, Hannity, Levin, Laura and everyone else will jump on it.”
Add Tammy Bruce to that list. Her show is very good and I find myself listening more and more often.
Anyhow, if Hannity’s heard about the ad (and how could he not have?) he’ll be like a dog with a bone.
“Apparently the DUmmies also are in meltdown”
I usually spend a few minutes there each day to scan the board and check for a pulse. they were noticeably down in the dumps today. Heheheh
Obama’s campaign is being nibbled to death by ducks, er, uh, cluster ducks.
“I am really hoping that Rush, Laura and the others pick this up on Monday. This ad has me boiling. Im ready to fight!”
Speaking of Rush, I heard him say on his Friday(Thursday?) show that this is the time of the year when any failing presidential campaign starts firing people. Start googling the words Obama and shakeup and be the first to report it on FR. :)
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