Who's insane?
Posted on 10/11/2009 8:06:41 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
This morning, in an interview with CNN's State of the Union, Sen. John McCain (RINO-Ariz.) apparently used some rather choice language to describe the fairly evident future political aspirations of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Ak.):
"Will Sarah and I - did we always agree on everything in the past? Will we in the future? No. But let's let a thousand flowers bloom. Let's come up with a winning combination next time."
—http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2360310/posts
With only a cursory glance, it appears from McCain's language that he is merely asking for a second chance -- in 2012? -- with Palin. [And, at first blush, it is easy to dismiss his words as the ravings of a senile old man.] However, as FReeper rae4palin pointed out, the phrase
“Let a thousand flowers bloom” was said by Mao to encourage dissidents to self-identify. Mao then killed them.
—http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2360310/posts?page=26#26
[Or, more precisely, as other FReepers noted, the phrase "let a thousand flowers of bloom" is a variant of a Maoist phrase "let a hundred flowers bloom." In all cases, however, the distinction between the two phrases--Maoist and McCainian--or in other words, the word "hundred" vs. the word "thousand," are irrelevant to the phrase's meaning.]
In fact, this observation was also picked up and expounded upon by other FReepers, including piytar and cripplecreek. The origin of the phrase "let a hundred flowers bloom" (i.e., the actual phrase upon which McCain's particular words were based) is...Chinese Communist Mao Zedong! As FReeper cripplecreek noted,
Let a thousand flowers bloom is a common misquotation of Chairman Mao Zedong’s “Let a hundred flowers blossom”. This slogan was used during the period of approximately six weeks in the summer of 1957 when the Chinese intelligentsia were invited to criticize the political system then obtaining in Communist China.
The full quotation, taken from a speech of Mao’s in Peking in February 1957, is:
“Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting progress in the arts and the sciences and a flourishing socialist culture in our land.”
It is sometimes suggested that the initiative was a deliberate attempt to flush out dissidents by encouraging them to show themselves as critical of the regime. Whether or not it was a deliberate trap isn’t clear but it is the case that many of those who put forward views that were unwelcome to Mao were executed.
The biggest question here is why McCain specifically elected to use a Maoist phrase in connection with Palin's fairly obvious future political aspirations. Certainly, it goes without saying that his choice of words is especially disturbing, given his time in captivity in North Vietnam. [Could it be that the late conservative activist Ted Sampley, who presciently labeled McCain as a "Manchurian candidate" nearly seventeen years ago, was right all along?] Furthermore, upon closer examination of McCain's language, especially in the context of his past actions as a noted RINO and member of the Beltway establishment, it becomes alarmingly obvious that his words constitute nothing less than a veiled threat against Palin, or i.e., the Republican establishment considers her a direct threat to the continuance of their power and will most certaintly attempt to derail her future aspirations, much as Mao encouraged Chinese intelligentsia to speak freely nearly fifty-seven years ago...before executing the ones he disagreed with.
Who's insane?
Doesn't seem like McCain has to do much to flush you out Rabs :)
It is hard to imagine that McCain thinks he could run again. He thinks he almost won, a view shared by many republicans and freepers here. He was a crappy candidate the first time. He already had the grandpa look. McCain now realizes that 2012 is the big opportunity for republicans (possibly), not 2009. 2009 was the suckers opportunity. Remember all the republicans said that Obama couldn't possibly win in 2009? till he won election day.
Replace 2009 with 2008 LOL
Isn’t it just the dufus’s way of trying to say nice things about Palin, but also say let’s have lots of possibly great candidates run in the primary and see who emerges?
I think he’s basically trying to thread the needle by not seeming ingracious to Palin, but not veering out of his RINO pen by actually encouraging her candidacy.
But he’s an idiot and it’s far better that conservatives coalesce behind a good candidate early this time—rather than let someone like him get imposed on us. Our country can’t afford making that mistake again.
McCain’s protection of ACORN and his praise of that election fraud organization, is dirt that should be run against him this election season. He is corrupt: Run his praise of ACORN all over the State. Knowing him, he probably took action to protect ACORN from “extremist” Republicans who wanted them cut off from Federal funding and election involvement due to known voter fraud.
Also, voters should be warned that will do all he can to help Obama award amnesty to all the illegals and encourage the overpopulation of the US through continued invasion.
I would point out that the phrase “let a thousand flowers bloom” has been around long before Mao’s speech. It was used for instance in Vannevar Bush’s commission report “Science, the endless frontier” which lead to the establishment of Office of Naval Research. Given the cold war winning technologies that came out of ONR, I would find it hard to think of them as a “communist front.”
“McCain is just being an idiot, which is quite believable and in character for him.”
Quite in character, I would say.
“rabs is just another Ron Paul/ Chuckie Baldwin nutter trying to tear down anyone who doesn’t toe his extremist line. He rarely posts about Obama with the hate he shows toward McCain.”
Rabs is not”just another ANYTHING, newbie. Get to know the FReepers you wish to trash first.Rabs doesn’t kowtow to any politician of any persuasion. You just stepped in a steaming pile with no Kleenex.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/29/mccain-has-kind-words-palin/
For Palin, McCain has nothing but kind words
Washington Times, The (DC) - Sunday, March 29, 2009
EXCERPT
Mr. McCain also put his former running mate in the top tier of Republicans queuing up for presidential runs in 2012 although he mentioned Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty four times, more often than anyone else.
“And, uh, who am I forgetting?” he asked. “Yeah, yeah, Mitt Romney, so many that Mike Huckabee there’s a bunch of voices out there that need to be heard,” he said, going on to urge Republicans to “let a thousand flowers bloom.”
//
http://www1.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-07012008-1556919.html
Intelligencer, The (Doylestown, PA) - Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Author: Jenna Portnoy
EXCERPT
Free enterprise with some federal dollars will plant the seeds for new technology.
“I think the way we’re going to solve these problems is to let a thousand flowers bloom ,” he said.
“McCain will nearly always be in opposition or seeking to undercut what should be a common sense approach to America’s national security (example, McCain’s amnesty debacle with our former President).
Want more? McCain was more than pleased to be honored by the likes of SEIU and ACORN (not to mention the ill-named ‘People for the American Way’), and on Feb. 20, 2006, he told those subversives in Miami that they were what “makes America special.””
Very good, MK.
B U M P
Sara, our only hope of removing McCain is if J.D. Hayworth runs against him.
Thanks FRiend, hope your week will be splendid!
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/SantaFeNorthernNM/Vote-2008-McCain-talks-border—LANL-in-N-M—visit
MCCAIN TALKS BORDER, LANL IN N.M. VISIT
Santa Fe New Mexican, The (NM) - Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Author: KATE NASH, PHOTO BY KATE NASH
VOTE 2008
Visit: McCain in Duke City for fundraiser, town hall gathering
ALBUQUERQUE — Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain said Monday that if elected he would ask Los Alamos National Laboratory to work on a “national mission” of energy independence.
“I’d like to put them to work on some additional areas of energy,” the Arizona Republican said of the weapons research laboratory, which has been facing funding cutbacks.
At the same time, though, McCain emphasized he’d keep the lab’s current mission.
“We’ve got to let 1,000 flowers bloom here,” he said. “Wind, tide, solar, nuclear, batteries that will run a car for a couple hundred miles,” McCain told New Mexico reporters during a ride through Albuquerque on his Straight Talk Express campaign bus.
(snip)
Thanks. You have a great week as well!
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Folks, if you want J.D. Hayworth to run, let him know it!
Sign up for his newsletter, and e mail him.
Was Hayworth involved in shady dealings? Just wondering if McCain has any threats to use against him.
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