By SN
Friday August 1, 2008
A couple of months ago I asked whether
McCain is too old to be president. This week Daniel Henninger over at the
Wall Street Journal asks whether John McCain is just too stupid:
On Sunday, he said on national television that to solve Social Security “everything’s on the table,” which of course means raising payroll taxes. On July 7 in Denver he said: “Senator Obama will raise your taxes. I won’t.”
This isn’t a flip-flop. It’s a sex-change operation.
What I’m asking is, does John McCain have the mental focus, the intellectual discipline, to avoid being out-slicked by Barack Obama, if he isn’t abandoned by his own voters?
It’s not just taxes. Recently the subject came up of Al Gore’s assertion that the U.S. could get its energy solely from renewables in 10 years. Sen. McCain said: “If the vice president says it’s doable, I believe it’s doable.” What!!?? In a later interview, Mr. McCain said he hadn’t read “all the specifics” of the Gore plan and now, “I don’t think it’s doable without nuclear power.” It just sounds loopy.
There is a reason the American people the past 100 years elevated only two sitting 
senators into the White House — JFK and Warren Harding. It’s because they believe most senators, adept at compulsive compromise, have no political compass and will sell them out. Now voters have to do what they prefer not to. Yes, Sen. McCain has honor and country. Another month of illogical, impolitic remarks and Sen. McCain will erase even that. Absent a coherent message for voters, he will be one-on-one with Barack Obama in the fall. He will lose.
I don’t see the big deal about the first example on tax increases. This is the same as Obama saying he supports diplomacy without preconditions, then later adding conditions. Neither one is a flip-flop.
#31 You mean like in 2000 when Gore couldn’t even carry his home state?
They are both terrible candidates. I can’t believe that this is the best and brightest that America has available. It’s a shame really.
#34 It’s the “best” an authoritarian two party system could come up with…
#10 Mr. Fusion
In your attempt to discredit Jerry you failed to discredit his statement.
These are two fake candidates, selected for us by an elite group that runs the country, …
Re: …all indications point to a McCain supporter.
Anyone who can wade through the mainstream media quagmire and deduce the truth/reality regarding our CORPORATE NATION is most likely a Ron Paul supporter.
Well, so much for “your” quality control.
Cheer up Mr. Fusion, the Bilderbergers have ordained that the Republicans can’t win this time around. Careful, you just may get that for which you wish. Especially if Hillary becomes Obama’s VP nominee. Let’s hope for his sake and ours that Obama is not that stupid.
#29, don’t forget Obama’s 57 states. And, ever hear Obama when hit with an unexpected or unrehearsed question? Or that time when his earpiece stopped working?
These politicians are actors. They say what they’re told, rehearse what to say, and they have trouble thinking on the fly.
Great people for the next president, eh?
I’z says yesh, hez 2 stupid
yep
#25 Sorry 1979 (mistype)
As for the first, do your math. Relax I’m Canadian, so I won’t be voting in your election.
And if I was American I would have to think long and hard about who I would vote for – and I’m not sure if it would be Obama. The discussion wasn’t really biased one way or the other.
If I disagree with anything you think then I must be stupid and on the other side. Americans are so strange sometimes.
OK I thought about it – that didn’t take long.
If I was American I would vote Obama simply because of Supreme Court nominees.
Let’s face it, the campaign is OVER !!! McBush laid out his “Vision” for America – MORE OF THE SAME !!! And the people don’t want it !!! Obama has advocated for CHANGE, whethere you believe it or not !!! And the people DON’T WANT ANY MORE OF WHAT THE REPUBLICANS OFFER !!! So, look for a Democratic LANDSLIDE, with Obama winning easily, and carrying MORE DEMOCRATS INTO CONGRESS, and washing a lot of Republicans OUT !!! This will become more and more apparent after Labor Day and when people pay more attention to the Election. The Media is currently screaming about the election merely to have something other than the weather and ball scores to report !!!
#37 Stars and Bars
Thanks for enlightening mr fusion over there. The people who argue for and against both of these facades who are running are either uninformed, have the blinders on or are part of the Bilderberger machinery. While I like Ron Paul and he says the truth, I’m for “Jerry for President.”
(see the announcement on the attached website)
QB I think you meant 1980, and do your math again. I’ll give you some leeway since you’re Canadian.
Mr. Fusion
57 Islamic states blah, blah, blah……
This is actually the first time I have seen that. Boy, you are a little jumpy. I just was pointing out that both of these guys are under the gun and, at times, mis-speak. So if you are going to jump on one for mis-speaking, don’t get the eraser out for the other.
JimmyDeee
Get a can of compressed air and clean your keyboard, your CAPS LOCK key is sticky. Second thought, just speak a little closer to the keyboard. Don’t think you need to waste money on compressed air.
John, you are obviously pro-McCain. For being a cranky skeptic, I cannot see how you can support this idiot. I’m only voting for Obama because he is the lesser of two morons, but McCain has got to be dumber then Bush or a doornail. (I just insulted a doornail.)
MikeN, you’re right. The election was in 1980 and the inauguration in 1981. I never was perfect on dates, I have to stop and think about which year my kids were born. 😉
#29, Lyin’ Mike,
he claimed that Kansas tornadoes killed a whopping 10,000 people
Only you missed the next part of the story.
As the Illinois senator concluded his remarks a few minutes later, he appeared to realize his gaffe.
“There are going to be times when I get tired,” he said. “There are going to be times when I get weary. There are going to be times when I make mistakes.”
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said later that the senator meant to say “at least 10,” instead of 10,000.
He realized his error and corrected it. He didn’t flip flop.
He’s said Arkansas is closer to Kentucky than Illinois.
He was talking about culture wise. Illinois is a northern or midwest state. Kentucky is closer to Arkansas as a southern state. From the dialog it doesn’t appear that he meant distance wise.
He said the Selma march happened before he was born.
Yup. Screwed the pooch on that one.
He thought they spoke the same language in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Nope, can’t find anything saying he didn’t know that. And we do need more Arabic translators in Afghanistan for all the Al Quada we have there.
Is Barack Obama too stupid to be president?
Only by the wing nut standards. I would much prefer the honesty of someone that admits he made an error than someone who says he didn’t change his mind.
So Obama gets tired and weary, but in McCain’s case it’s because he’s old.
Regarding Arkansas, he said nearby. One would except someone of his legal history to be a little more precise. Maybe he should get a map.
I gave you the line on the translators. You don’t need them to kill them in Afghanistan. Obama just didn’t know any better.
>I would much prefer the honesty of someone that admits he made an error than someone who says he didn’t change his mind.
That applies to John Edwards not Obama.
I think the elite fix is in, one way or another, but let me explain why I’m supporting Obama, notwithstanding:
I think Obama will be more constrained in his actions than a Republican president, at this time. The core 27% has decided that if a R president says so, it is therefor legal. Though the Democrats in Congress seem to concur, their supporters do not, which explains Congress’ 9% approval rating. Thus, with Obama as president, if he tries any of this unconstitutional crap that Bush et.al. have pulled the last 8 years his base will abandon him, -and- the 27%ers will probably hate him from the beginning. The demographics will thus constrain his behavior, and might give us a chance to gracefully endure this economic catastrophe without devolving into an absolute police state, or perhaps falling into civil war.
If you elect McCain, he will not be so constrained. And with the unlimited power that Bush has accrued, combined with his imperial delusions and banking connections, get used to the feeling of your skin being on fire cause I’m sure we’ll all be feeling the pain. Or at least the pain ray.
Li, I think you’re right, but the consequence for race relations is not good. Jackie Robinson was a great player. If the first black president oversees a disaster, even if its not one of his own making, that would make him the last black to be elected.
We aren’t arguing over who should oversee the disaster. We already did that, and his name was George W. Bush. We are arguing over who should clean it up.
#52 Clean up is pretty simple. Get out of Iraq, stop spending the $ there. Tax revenue has continued to climb so paying down the debt is possible w/o extra taxes anyway (as long as you don’t increase spending).
Energy. Just get rid of gov’t interference and the cheapest possible production technologies will
get the investment $.
If solar & wind produce cheaper power then the systems will be built. If it is nuc then it will be built. With oil continuing to go up other technology will attract investment.
Li, there hasn’t been a recession yet, and I think we can expect a repeat of the Carter years for the next president. Inflation will ramp up even more, maybe even double digit interest rates.
#23.Mr. Fusion – please pull your self out of the left / right paradigm as soon as humanly possible. Minds like yours are desperatley needed. I mean that seriously.
Mike, you do realize that 3 trillion dollars in wealth in the form of home values has disappeared during the same period that dozens of major businesses have folded, all while most of our banks have fallen into technical insolvency? And now the big mortgage lenders are getting ready to transfer 5 trillion dollars in liabilities onto the taxpayers, a transfer that will just kill the credit rating of the US. And to make all of this massive deflation worse, commodities like food and fuel are going through and inflationary period, resulting in a perfect storm of lost value and rising cost of living that simply cannot be solved by normal financial means.
Sure, we haven’t gone into a recession yet, largely because they have become so adept at cooking those books (the unemployment figures are a joke at this point too). But look at the big picture; this is the sort of economic crunch that can literally destroy a nation, and no one has any good ideas how to fix it.
Stabilize the dollar. Most of the problems are from the Federal Reserve. Gold has gone from $250 an ounce(too low) to almost $1000. The inflation we’ve seen so far is minor compared to what’s coming if the dollar isn’t strengthened. The same thing happened under Carter, where Nixon left the gold standard in 1971, and Carter’s term suffered 5-10 years later. That time horizon starts in about 2009-2010 or so.
#49, Lyin’ Mike,
So Obama gets tired and weary, but in McCain’s case it’s because he’s old.
Basically. Obama will think about something and give a rational reply. Not so with McCain who will hem and haw and make something up on the fly.
Regarding Arkansas, he said nearby. One would [expect] someone of his legal history to be a little more precise. Maybe he should get a map.
If you have ever been to Kentucky you would realize that there is a vast difference compared to Illinois. Arkansas has much more tradition and culture similarities to Kentucky than does Illinois. Especially northern Illinois where Obama has lived most of his adult life. This not a slight against Kentucky, I’d live there is a heartbeat only my wife isn’t so inclined.
I gave you the line on the translators. You don’t need them to kill them in Afghanistan. Obama just didn’t know any better.
I think this one lost something in translation. I noticed that only the right wing nut blogs carried anything about this. Total idiots too. Who wants to kill translators in Afghanistan? And what the fuck does Obama not know any better?
That applies to John Edwards not Obama.
WTF !?!?! There you go with your wing nut tactics again. I just pointed out where Obama made a mistake and acknowledged it while McCain denies extreme policy changes. In your own screwed up world you want to now change the subject to something else.
Mike, you may not be retarded as someone suggested. But damn !!! Quit listening to Rush, Billo, and the wing nuts.
What is this, open mike at the comedy club?
#36, Confederate Traitor,
Best you stay with your Build-A-Bears, and twoofers, and tin hat crowd, and (Hans) Barbie dolls. Your conspiracies get laughable. Aren’t you the one who told us the Income Tax laws were unconstitutional?
#43, jerry,
Grow up. Ron Paul would destroy this country faster than what Bush has done. He would make the laissez faire of Hoover look like a picnic.
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29t