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McCain Lauds Palin, Then Calls Her Irrelevant (Captain Queeg alert)
The Wall Street Journal ^ | 2009-12-06

Posted on 12/06/2009 7:57:19 PM PST by rabscuttle385

Arizona Sen. John McCain came to the defense of his former GOP running mate Sarah Palin on Sunday. But in doing so, he used an adjective that some might not consider such a compliment.

McCain was responding to a question from NBC’s David Gregory on “Meet the Press,” about whether Palin’s brand of conservatism is “what the Republican Party needs to regain power in the midterms and ultimately in 2012.” McCain responded that the former Alaska governor has “earned herself a very big place in the Republican political scene” and that he was “proud of her.”

Then came this:

“I am entertained every time I see these people attack her and attack her and attack her. She’s irrelevant, but they continue to attack her. I am so proud of her and the work that she is doing,” McCain said.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: Alaska; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: christianright; idiot; mccain; mccainantigop; mccainantipalin; mccaintruthfile; palin; queeg; rino; waronsarah
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To: rabscuttle385

You know EXACTLY what he meant. You just found an opportunity (you thought!) to attack. The comments on your thread expose the fallacy of your supposition.


61 posted on 12/06/2009 9:19:03 PM PST by REDWOOD99
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To: rabscuttle385
Now, if that wasn't what he really meant, then perhaps he should have been a bit clearer with how he delivered them.

What do you mean "if"?

Anyone who can't appreciate McCain's irony here is verging on illiteracy.

62 posted on 12/06/2009 9:26:20 PM PST by Chunga (Being A Libertarian Means Never Having To Actually Govern)
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To: Sarah Barracuda

McCain will go down in history as the guy who introduced Sarah Palin to America. Not a bad filler on a headstone.


63 posted on 12/06/2009 9:33:51 PM PST by budwiesest (It's that girl from Alaska, again.)
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To: seanrobins
McCain is simply mentally ill.

Can't believe I voted for him.

64 posted on 12/06/2009 9:36:14 PM PST by BAW (million - billion - trillion - broke.)
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To: Chunga; REDWOOD99
Anyone who can't appreciate McCain's irony here is verging on illiteracy.

Illiteracy?

Here's the direct quote:

"I am entertained every time I see these people attack her and attack her and attack her. She’s irrelevant, but they continue to attack her. I am so proud of her and the work that she is doing."

Now, if he was trying to use body language, tone of voice, etc. to convey irony, sarcasm, etc., then, I'm sorry, it doesn't come through in the printed word, which is exactly what this quote is, as published online by The Wall Street Journal. Now, since I don't have a television in my house and thus don't watch Sunday talk shows live, then I obviously won't be able to see any of McCain's body language and hear his tone of voice, irrespective of my literacy.

And this goes for redwood99, too. No, I won't know "[exactly] what he meant." All I have is the printed word as published online by The Wall Street Journal.

Now, if one of you would care to provide a link to a YouTube (or other video service) clip of McCain's appearance on "Meet The Press" today, then I will happily go watch it, and if it turns out that I am wrong, then I will readily admit it.

65 posted on 12/06/2009 9:41:46 PM PST by rabscuttle385 (Purge the RINOs! * http://restoretheconstitution.ning.com/)
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To: babygene
I think he’s trying to say that she’s not in politics and she hasn’t said she’s running.

Well he's doing a pretty poor job if he's trying to say that.

“I am entertained every time I see these people attack her and attack her and attack her. She’s irrelevant, but they continue to attack her. I am so proud of her and the work that she is doing,” McCain said.

66 posted on 12/06/2009 9:42:48 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (Life is a tragedy for those who feel, but a comedy to those who think. - Horace Walpole)
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To: rabscuttle385

The media tries to get McCain to say something bad about Palin every chance they get. He’s yet to take the bait as far as I can tell, including this instance in which he was mocking her detractors.


67 posted on 12/06/2009 9:54:32 PM PST by GLDNGUN
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To: rabscuttle385

“I am entertained every time I see these people attack her and attack her and attack her. She’s irrelevant, but they continue to attack her.”

So if say, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Hannity, or anyone on Talk Radio made sarcastic comments like this, like they do daily, would you say they really mean she is irrelevant, or would they be mocking the MSM?


68 posted on 12/06/2009 9:54:36 PM PST by RatsDawg
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To: rabscuttle385

You aren’t astute enough to be taken seriously.


69 posted on 12/06/2009 10:07:25 PM PST by Chunga (Being A Libertarian Means Never Having To Actually Govern)
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To: rabscuttle385

Eh...I think the WSJ is just stoking flames.

I despise McCain, but I don’t think he meant it like that. He was essentially throwing as others here stated their words back at them. We’ve said nearly identical phrases ourselves.

If we want to be mad at him, be mad at him suddenly wanting to be Sarah’s new BFF cause he may have a primary challenger. Rather then being consistent in support throughout.


70 posted on 12/06/2009 10:08:57 PM PST by Soul Seeker
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To: rabscuttle385

McCain was definitely quoting liberals who say Palin is “irrelevant”, but then search through every sentence she speaks to find some warped reason for an attack editorial. The Wall Street Journal is a good solid conservative publication, but they apparently misinterpreted McCain’s statement.


71 posted on 12/06/2009 10:10:00 PM PST by your local physicist (If the Canadians and Brazilians can drill for oil off their Atlantic coast, why can't we?)
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To: RatsDawg

They would most likely be quoting the MSM and mocking them, unless they were actual critics of Palin as indicated by other stuff they said. I don’t think any of the talk radio hosts are critical of Palin, although I don’t know what Savage has said about her. He tends to criticize a lot of Republicans.


72 posted on 12/06/2009 10:15:17 PM PST by your local physicist (If the Canadians and Brazilians can drill for oil off their Atlantic coast, why can't we?)
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To: rabscuttle385

Not a huge McCain fan here, but it’s very obvious from the video that he is being sarcastic about the left’s contradictory attacks on Palin. The quote didn’t make sense when I first read it, then I looked at their explanation. It seemed to make sense in that light. Saw the video and it’s really evident what he was saying.


73 posted on 12/06/2009 10:41:56 PM PST by beaversmom
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To: rabscuttle385
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74 posted on 12/06/2009 10:43:09 PM PST by Freedom2specul8 (Vote conservative....Please pray for our Troops, our Vets, our Country, Families and Friends)
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To: SmokingJoe
The Wall Street Journal should really know better than to go about causing unnecessary trouble like that.

Think this is trouble? Just wait. They'll be gunning for her like no tomorrow as they know, IF they can tarnish her image early on, they stand a better chance of defeating her in the future. Expect the best of the best in Chicago-style character assinations coming soon.

What they seem to have missed is this: she's not like yesterday's conservative, not by a long shot. They haven't met this kind of conservative before and have neither a club nor clue to defeat her. Her truth versus their lies is what lays ahead, the iceberg they can't avoid.

They sense it, they know it, and there isn't a thing they can do about it except try to diminish her. What better than to utilize RINO droppings in this effort to tarnish another Republican?

We should give thanks this season to Facebook and Alaska. Together, they have provided us with messages so timely for America in our hour of need. I don't think you can put a price on the optimism and knowledge that sanity will return as sure as the sun does after a long, Arctic winter. Mush, baby.

75 posted on 12/06/2009 10:43:25 PM PST by budwiesest (It's that girl from Alaska, again.)
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To: rabscuttle385

Context and tone, people, context and tone.

McCain’s comment was of a sarcastic/ironic nature - questioning the media’s tactic of trying on the one hand to label “our beauteous Sarah” as irrelevant, while on the other hand the same media devotes so muc savagery in ink and on-air to trying to destroying her.

If she was irrelevant, then why would they care about a thing she said or did?

If they have to attack her, it puts the lie to their “irrelevant” argument...

Which was McPain’s point - even if he articulated it (as so often) poorly.

When the media begins to give Sarah Palin the Fred Thompson/Ron Paul/Duncan Hunter treatment...

i.e. setting their collective phasers on “ignore”

Then it will be time to worry

But don’t worry folks - this is the mainstream media we’re talking about

When their brightest and best are Chrissy “squats-to-pee” Matthews, Keith “Cornell Ag grad” Olbermann, and Katie “still perky” Couric.

They aren’t intelligent enough to come up with a better strategy

A.A.C.


76 posted on 12/06/2009 11:12:53 PM PST by AmericanArchConservative (Armour on, Lances high, Swords out, Bows drawn, Shields front ... Eagles UP!)
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To: budwiesest
“They'll be gunning for her like no tomorrow as they know”

They won't.
Asa a matter of fact, the WSJ has been pretty favorable towards Sarah Palin.
She gas already written a few Op-eds in the WSJ this year, and they have promoted her book pretty well, because Murdoch owns both the WSJ abd Harper Collins, the publishers of her book.

77 posted on 12/06/2009 11:28:52 PM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: rabscuttle385

This is probably posted already but it’s getting late: I saw the clip, he was being sarcastic and a lot of people don’t seem to get it including the media.


78 posted on 12/06/2009 11:44:19 PM PST by toddausauras
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To: your local physicist
I don’t know what Savage has said about her. He tends to criticize a lot of Republicans.

He hasn't said much. Treats her the way the mainstream treats him- (insert latin word for non-entity).

At some point, I think Michael will have to be dragged- kicking and screaming, onto the Palin bandwagon when it becomes apparent she's picked up the mantle of true conservatism- which escaped the grasp he only faintedly made, reflecting his unease with assuming the responsibility of leadership. Not that I blame him, it's a huge task- especially when you already have a great gig.

His volley of criticisms at the Left has done significant damage- holes blown through their lies and masts shorn from their philosophical decks. An asset to any armada yet, one un-noticed by the major media, due possibly to the volatilaty of some of his 'loads' and their proximity to ammo stores.

Still, his flamethower broadcasts have a place in this asbestos lined liberal un-reality we've voted ourselves into. Unlike Patton who had to ride around in a Jeep to conduct a war against Nazis and socialists, all Michael has to do is flip the switch on a mic. "Checking, One, Two, Three..."

79 posted on 12/06/2009 11:48:23 PM PST by budwiesest (It's that girl from Alaska, again.)
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To: SmokingJoe
They won't.

Sorry, by 'they' I meant the left, not WSJ. My bad, thanks for the additional info on publisher relationship btw.

80 posted on 12/06/2009 11:53:25 PM PST by budwiesest (It's that girl from Alaska, again.)
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