McCain: Obama Socialist? "I Don't Know"

In an interview with the Kansas City Star, John McCain says Barack Obama was labeled as having the "most extreme" record in the Senate.

"Extreme? You really think hes an extremist? I mean, he's clearly a liberal," interviewer Dave Helling asks.

"That's his voting record," McCain responds. "All I said was his voting record, and that is more to the left than the announced Socialist in the United States Senate, Bernie Sanders of Vermont."

"Do you think hes a socialist, Barack Obama?" Helling asks.

McCain responds with a with a shrug, "I don't know."

Watch the video.

Comments

[egal]

Of COURSE McCain doesn't know if Obama's a Socialist. McCain doesn't even know what a socialist IS. You know he has trouble with those s-words...Sunni, Shia, Socialist--it's all the same to him, and of course he believes Obama is a socialist fascist, because that's even possible.

[ramal]

Sadly he isn't and sadly your are a fascist.

[Janemas]

He's not even sure which party he belongs to. He thinks he's with the Confederates. He doesn't know what Socialist means.

[watchingthings]

McCain....am I still with the living? someone take my pulse. I dreamt of fire all around me..... and I had no control.

[DofG]

Let's hope that in the next few years, with the help of the Internet, that people will start challenging the conceptual falsities, and "ideological prisons" that limit our ability to think. Socialism, Marxism, Communism, and all the rest of the other "isms" are boogeyman words that people use to demonize others, with the hope that average couch-potato listener will respond, without thought, as intended!

We must always remember that in a physical universe where polarity is a necessity of design, the truth of a thing is realized by the marriage of opposites, otherwise, our five senses would be useless, our batteries wouldn't exist, and there would be no human progeny etc.

[billw8017]

Herbert Hoover wrote that there are three forces in politics: the government, business and the people. When business combines with the government, we have fascism. When the people combine with the government, we have socialism. Of course, when the people and business combine to minimize the government, we have American free enterprise. Right wing Republicans feel Social Security is a socialist program. In his last run for the Texas governorship, Bush was asked about a plank in his state party platform that recommended private accounts as a method of undermining Social Security and replied that he hadn't actually read the platform.

Socialism is NOT about the government taking over business: That is syndicalism, a theory of Paris socialists in the ninteenth century. The experience of Milwaukee was honest government directed by people of modest means. I know how self serving that sounds, but honest government as practiced by the Milwaukee socialists was a radical idea. Our police department has a reputation of rough justice, but things generally work in the city. It may be that the city is backward in some particulars because it treated social problems better in a backward era and felt less impulse to move forward again.

McCain knows whether Obama is a socialist relative to Republican theories: Clearly, he is, but it may not be politic to say so since that would show McCain's disdain for such programs as universal government assured healthcare and free public education for children.

[robin50]

So what if he is a socialist or is being labeled as one? I don't care! If that is what it takes to get us out of this mess, I'm all for it.

Why is it most members of "grand ol' party" so affraid of that word? Isn't it a rather socialist practice when taking money from tax payers to bail out unregulated financial institutions? If not, then why is it socialist to think a person should not loose their future and financial security over a medical condition? Both are redistributing wealth and resources.

This whole argument reminds me of a bumper I saw last week. I couldn't believe this guy was driving around in this small community with it and was still alive.

"If going to a church makes you a christian, does going to a garage make you a car?"

It points out the hypocrisy of labels and how foolish and meaningless they be. I wish I knew where he got the sticker!

[JKoos]

Socialism is a fairly well developed system and has been instituted throughout most of Europe. It has not been an easy sell in the US and BO will deny being a Socialist even if his platform can fairly be described as such. The core program of Socialism is nationalized health care. We are pretty much assured of getting this and it will not be pleasant, especially for the Medicare crowd who are used to unlimited, gold plated nationalized health care. Instead, they like the rest of us will be facing rationed, budget driven and less extravagant health care. Since we cannot afford to continue spending 16 percent of our GDP on health care, this is not necessarily a bad thing. It may not be as hard for BO to sell as some suggest.

[SgtLucifer]

McCain: "I Don't Know" If Obama Is A Socialist

Obama: "I Don't Know" If McCain Is An Idiot

[TovSquirrel]

Oh, that's just too funny! Socialist? LOL

[Whinger]

Has McCain finally lost all his marbles?

I don't know!

[Desdemondo]

There he goes again with his comedy . The same old McSame-Bush Jukebox flip-flopper that keeps changing his mind and can never be taken seriously - here today; there tomorrow - he is all over the place.


His attacks on Senator Obama are getting more frivolous and are now bordering on ridiculous.

Does this have anything to do with dotage or is it just a matter of his quixotic manner of dealing with issues that are important to Americans?

[majorteddy]

You old coot, you don't know anything. And if you did you'd reverse yourself the next day and fire a campaign surrogate.

[takeamericanback08]

While Bush holds the title for worse President
McCain holds the title for worse Presidential candidate.

What a lovely pair.

[mexicanamerican1948]

When McCain wins I will visit you on this Blog, If Obama were so good he would be alot higher now in the polls. The majority of voting americans are still conservative and moderate, and they still vote. Get out in the country outside the liberal certers and in the hinderlands and you will find out. People will vote on patriotism, war on terror(yes there is a war-Obama Bin Latin has not surrendered), and less taxes. They do not vote for more taxes, uncertain head of state , and a socialist govenment. Those will the points that McCain will hit regardless of this age. That is why the VP for McCain will be very important, probably Romney to focus on the economy...

[cnick]

Romney never focused on the Massachusetts economy, why do you think he would focus on the U.S. economy with any sucess??? You are not reading the state polls, take a look!!!!

[masha2008]

is providing universal healthcare and making quality education a right instead of a privilege, socialism? socialism must be a good thing then.

republicans are supposed to be christians. imitating christ to get to heaven, but what they are are selfish americans who love their money so much at the expense of the less fortunate. the republicans in washington have sold their soul to corporations such that corporations dictate policy. the automobile and airline industry dictated the policy on mass transportation. developing an extensive train system like europe would have cost the automobile industry and airline industry a lot hence the lack of a coherent mass transport system in the u.s. for a supposed first world country, the u.s. is lagging behind europe in this regard. that is why the high price of gasoline in europe is not as problematic as here in the u.s. christ is pro-poor. you are actually not following the tenets of the religion to which you supposedly adhere.

[Naithom]

You go, girl!

[JBoy]

You're confusing religion & politics. A good percentage of Republicans are not Christian, and a good percentage of Christians are not Republican. Lumping them together is a gross generalization showing extreme bias.

Christ does encourage us to help the poor...as individuals, not as a social mandate.

If you allow your life to be contolled by your government you are living in a Socialist society, which is one small step from Communism.

[AbstractImp]

So me and 300 million other Americans are supposed to follow the economic plans of a man who cannot tell whether Obama is a socialist.

[rrcn]

I think McCain is too old for all of the attention he is receiving. The right is throwing every insinuation at Obama to lure the weak minded to vote for grandpa--no facts here except the fact they are trying to divide the nation again. McCain it too old to be considered for president.