Mother Jones - Comments for "McCain Campaign Screening Questioners?"

All the Reporters ask the same questions-why bother? I'd like one to ask McCain how much Haliburton Stock he owns, and how much the Oil Lobbies are putting into his campaign-that would get the reporter kicked out in a hurry!

Can you really blame the man for screening questions? Gaffes Happen has become the official teeshirt of the McCain campaign and they may come to regret 'whining' for more news coverage.

Politicians put their foot in their mouth on a regular basis. Sometimes it may be the result of long hours on the campaign trail, sometimes because they simply can't keep their facts straight and sometimes because they can't keep their lies straight. Sometimes it's simply because they do not understand the facts.

Couric/McCain Interview:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4284432n%22%...

Per President Bush and Col. MacFarland, the Anbar awakening was already well under way through organized efforts by the tribal leaders well before the surge began. These events took place months before the surge was even announced. Per McCain, the surge 'began' the Anbar awakening.

http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=3738

McCain also neglects the fact that although the surge helped to support an awakening already in progress, the new troops headed for Baghdad, not Anbar. He also gives little credit to the ongoing Sadr truce.

The Couric interview gets even more interesting as McCain tries to distance himself from the numerous failed Iraq policies under the Bush administration:

“McCain: The fact is we had four years of failed policy. We were losing. We were losing the war in Iraq. The consequences of failure and defeat of the United States of America in the first major conflict since 9/11 would have had devastating impacts throughout the region and the world.”

Why would McCain support a president responsible for four years of failure?

“no one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have.” [John McCain, 03/28/08)

“The fact is that I have agreed with President Bush far more than I have disagreed. And on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I’ve been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.” [John McCain, 06/19/05]

“I am proud of this president’s strategy in Iraq.” [John McCain, upon receiving endorsement from President Bush, 02/13/08]

Gaffes and old quotes are a living history of our thought processes, how well we think, what we think and when we think it. As strange as it seems, Carly doesn't understand she can't change facts:

“To say that John McCain was aligned with President Bush on the prosecution of the war in Iraq is to change history.” [Carly Fiorina, McCain Campaign Advisor, 07/13/08]

The McCain campaign should be thankful the media has let them slide on many major issues, such as his voting record on veteran health issues and successful effort to shut down all investigation into remaining POW/MIA over the protests of their families and veteran groups in order to open up trade with Vietnam (his father-in-law immediately opened up a multi-billion dollar beer industry there).

http://www.aiipowmia.com/sea/schanberg_mccain.html

McCain has been given no media coverage on the very real probability he suffers from PTSD.

“Among U.S. servicemen taken captive during the Korean War, as many as nine out of 10 survivors may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental disorders more than 35 years after their release, psychologist Patricia B. Sutker of the New Orleans Veterans Administration Medical Center and her colleagues report in the January AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY.”

Perhaps McCain should quit whining about media coverage and not look a gift horse in the mouth.

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This is not good. We need McCain's true philosophy on all the issues to make an informed decision. C'mon, John, answer the questions. If Hillary can do it, you surely can. Just answer the questions truthfully. And I think that, probably, McCain only got the Shiites and Sunnis mixed up. He knows the difference. I teach about the Muslims and get them mixed up all the time. It's easy to do. I just study the lesson real hard before I teach it so I won't mix it up to my classes. Every year.

"why not discuss how Obama and his staff refused to let two Muslim ladies in traditional garb sit behind him in a rally a few weeks ago"

1) it is off topic and an attempt to distract from the subject at hand

2) it is factually incorrect. Neither Obama nor any of his staff were involved with the regrettable decision to remove the two women. That decision was made by an overzealous local volunteer, who thought they were doing the right thing but in fact screwed up, which is why Obama apologized to the two women.

A true sign McCains' getting desparate and scared of people that will ask him a serious question. You can rest asured that anyone that may ask him of his flip flops won't be anywhere near him.

Why do you hate the military, David?

The difference between journalists like yourself and the right wing spin machine that passes for such is that they would have taken your evidence and simply stated that screening was a ongoing practice in fact.

A non denial or question not addressed is for them a "conspiracy"

“McCain aides are playing favorites and are not as enthusiastic about confronting tough questions as their boss.”

“Despite McCain's obvious fondness for talking with reporters”

Mr. corn, it is obvious to me that you believe the MSM hype and spin about McSame. His campaign is simply following the same formula that bush used. Stop blaming his campaign staff for decisions made at the very top of the dung heap by McSame himself. I seem to remember the same things being said about his campaign during the primary.

Face it, McSame is just like bush. He’ll do or say whatever it takes. And if that includes screening the town halls and the press avails, well he’ll do that too. With the help of his campaign staff not because of it.

Blaming the staff for actions of McSame is like blaming the war in Iraq on Condi rice. Though we all know they all played their dark parts in that drama. It was the top goons that are really to blame.

DC.

If you are persona non grata with the creeps you are doing something right.

I'm really looking forward to a debate between McCain and Obama. If I were McCain, I'd decline.

Bring him donuts. The kind with the sprinkles. Maybe that will work.

Dear American Voters, reporters, media. professionals, political parties, and our hon. Presidential Nominees,

Subject: Presidential Temperament

Please talk about and "Compare And Contrast" the " Presidential Temperament" of our Presidential presumptive nominees. I will also request and plead to the nominees themselves [ Hon. Senator McCain and Obama ].
Our nation has been applying this yard and stick tor the appointments and confirmation process of our Supreme Court Justices nominees.
Our Greatgrand Nation Foundations are as under:
Family, friends, fellows, faith, funds, fun, with fairness & freedom And without fear, favor, and failure.
It will be disgrace and shameful if the nominees and media will not look into this critical and crucial aspect under current challenging times and circumstances within our country and all around the Globe.

America wake up and the discuss the " Presidential Temperament" of our presumptive presidential nominee's [ Hon. Senator McCain and Obama].

Yours sincerely,
COL. A.M.Khajawall [Ret].
Disabled American Veteran
Forensic psychiatrist, Las Vegas, Nevada

Morrissey's a toady, but Matt Lewis did ask McCain a semi-difficult question at least once:

http://lonewacko.com/blog/archives/007729.html

Somehow I think that even if Corn got a chance to ask about that he'd take a pass, and even if he deigned to ask about it he wouldn't press the issue.

David, great article, and something we have been suspecting for a long time. McCain cannot answer the hard questions, so he needs to be managed by a friendly press corp. Please bring this up the next time you are on Hardball or Countdown. The people of this country need to know they are being
duped.