McCain - What a HYPOCRITE!

[mbali]

But when we talked over a drink the night before, Mr. McCain grew agitated about the television commercials sponsored by a group of Vietnam veterans who question the war record of Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic presidential nominee, and specifically his entitlement to the medals that he won. He found the advertisements "completely nauseating," Mr. McCain said. . . . Is this really the best we can do, Mr. McCain asked, almost 30 years after the fighting ended? Are we fated to go over this ground again and again, looking backward instead of forward? Won't we ever get over that war? He said he "hated the way this issue is dominating the campaign," and I thought I detected deep frustration that he had managed to do nothing about it.

"If they question Kerry's medals," he said, "they question everybody's medals. All those men who found it so hard to come home, who found so little gratitude for their sacrifices when they got here, are going to feel mistreated again. The families of the people whose names are on the monument in Washington will feel wronged, too. The painful wounds we all worked so hard to close will all be reopened. We've got to get that garbage off the air as soon as we can."
. . .
But Mr. Bush has never specifically condemned the Swift boat commercial, confining himself to a mild statement that Mr. Kerry served honorably. Mr. McCain's comments on Sunday night were so much more vehement than any I had heard him make before that I asked him whether he thought the president had acted sufficiently boldly on the issue of the commercials. Not yet, he said. In that case, would he bring the matter up again with Mr. Bush?

"Yes, I will," he said, "probably this week, but not in quite the same terms. You and I were there, and he wasn't, and he's the president of the United States, and he is entitled to be treated respectfully."


R.L. Apple, New York Times, August 31, 2004

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/31/politics/campaign/31apple.html

[ladjf]

1. I heard some of his speech last night. And he was scary!

He sounded like he was either "on something" or he's "gone around the bend".

[Bettie]

2. I used to respect him.

Disagreed with him on nearly everything, but thought that he was a man of some integrity anyway.

I was so wrong. He is a puppet just like all the rest of them.

[amber dog democrat]

3. I am coming to think ONCE a repug

always a repug. Its an ideological chasm that few ever cross.
It just tells me he is OK with all the other things the GOP promotes.
He may have some appeal, but he is NOT our friend.

[Bettie]

4. I actually never thought he was our friend, but rather...

that he was fairly honest and less inclined than most to dirty tricks and vitriolic partisanship.

Turns out I was very wrong indeed.

[amber dog democrat]

5. I am thinking being in the GOP is equavilant to a character disorder.

If they are honest and less inclined to do mischief, then .... what are we left with?
I guess its someone less evil than the chimp.

Its like choosing between Julius Ceaser and Napoleon - either one caused much suffering and harm. Only I am not comparing McCain to those folk.

He is still a dyed in the wool repug. I don't doubt he has facets that are respectable, but the greater good he serves leads to places I can never go.

I would sooner admire Huey P Long.

[Bettie]

6. I am discovering that my faith in the basic good in most people

has been sadly misplaced.

I have always tried to hold the view that most people, given the opportunity would do the right thing in the end.

I am starting to think that this is not at all true.

What ever happened to opposition, with respect?

Why is it no longer possible to respectfully disagree?

I mourn the loss of civility in our public discourse, but I am no longer willing to meekly accept their dishonesty and uncivil approach without responding to it in the strongest terms possible.

For their dishonest attacks, I give them facts;

For their uncivil and dishonorable accusation, I give them facts about their own guy and the dishonor that follows him like a bad smell.

I am so angry about all of this these days....I think I have lost the original point.

[amber dog democrat]

8. Yup

pretty is as pretty does.

Really for me it comes down to one question.

Does the ends justify the means.

If yes, then you are a repug.

[mikehiggins]

7. DUers deceived themselves, and so did Kerry

McCain is a politician, just like Giuliani and the others. If they had honor, or the best interests of the nation in their hearts they wouldn't be standing on that podium in the first place, applauding the death of thousands upon thousands, both American and Iraqi.

We have no one to blame but ourselves for the fantasy that he was anything other than what he is.

Umm, that would be a whore.