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

[Tulka2]

All my life i have seen words freeze American brains and stop all conversation.

Socialist? You mean socialism as in the "middle way" between the tyrany of either communism or U.S. style Goszilla-free-market-capializm? You mean socialism as in Denmark, the happist country in the world according to a respected poll?

Because that is a system to be most fervently hoped for.

[teembee]

Maybe Tulka2 needs to review the constitution.

[Bettysdad]

And what does the Constitution say about anything Tulka mentioned?

[deutchs]

What is your point?

[Tulka2]

Teembee...? Democracy and capitalism are not one and the same thing. The Constitution is a progressive document.

[laocoon]

Maybe you need to be specific and flesh out whatever argument you may or may not have.

[mexicanamerican1948]

Denmark military budget is tiny, is subsidized by the USA and a very small country. Very easy to be a small county, alot of fish and Oil off shore. In order to have socialism you need wealth to devide, that why it is a success. A Socialist state would work for just Marin county, I would move up their, but if a country like Cuba , it not not work. Socialism breeds laziness and not wealth builing. Socialism great for the Gulf states, USA, never ,we are too big, too poor, too lazy , Power to the people!! or it better "power to the Party members" That's how it mostly work.All you folks should read a great book" Capitalism and Freedom by MIlton Freedom. This will fill you in and required reading for all progressives or wantabes...

[Tulka2]

Where to start...?

Fish...? You think Denmark is rich because of fish? We have oil too. We started this administration as the richest and most powerful country in the world. Why are we not now?

My friend, i view socialism as a "middle way" economic system, not an ideology. There is nothing in the U.S Constitution that says we can not have the middle economic system of socialism. What we need are a few regulations. Teddy and his cousin F.D.R. had it about right.

As far as Cuba failing...? Might that not have something to do with our throwing up a economic blockade around that tiny country as if it were the Paris commune?

It fries my gibblets to hear that ordinary, hard working human beings must have a boot on their necks or they will go all "lazy". This is the real class warfare.

Milton Fredman....?! I can't go on. My bones turn to jelly. Think i'll go read some more history.

[Hare]

I got what you say overall, however I need to have you acknowledge who is lazy... first you say socialism bring laziness then you say those living on the Gulf states (Opposite of socialism) are lazy, then I conclude being lazy has nothing to do with the kind of goverment that represents the people.

[brighterside]

Please tell me where China falls in your delusional view of what a socialist country is?

You say that Socialism breeds laziness. However, the Chinese work harder and smarter than the US.

You say Socialism is not wealth building. Then answer why are Chinese buying millions of cars?

You say Socialism is only for small, gulf states. Why then is China one of the largest if not the largest Social country in the world with the highest population?

Your power to the people analogy doesn't work if you compare it to countries in China. Their economy is booming. We are borrowing money to fund our war from them. They are smarter, better educated, and work longer and harder than the US. They also have an economy that will soon eclipse our capitalist butts if you don't get ourselves into shape.

Im not a big supporter of Socialism and Communism. But your arguments are way off to say that socialism doesn't work.

And another thing. Where did you get that idea that USA is subsidizing Denmark?

[Bettysdad]

In 30 years, the Soviet Union went from a backwards agricultural monarchy, into a superpower we were told could annihilate us.

How did a bunch of lazy socialists manage that?

[scruffyandspunky]

Huh? Are you trying to be funny, or are you really that illiterate?! Milton "FREEDOM??" Keep a dictionary, encyclopedia and thesarus handy for your next post, "My friend." (Imagine that it's John McCain saying this.)

[jackt51]

This should work as well for McSame as "as far as I know (Barack isn't a muslim) did for Hillabeans!

[runnerin1]

This guy is still following the rules of Hillary, and will get the same results.

[Wilburrr]

Life has to be tough when you're a socialist Muslim....

[who38]

LOL

[IndieFire]

That was the FIRST thing that came t my mind too. Didn't his campaign team WATCH ANY of the primary to see what didn't work? Geez! Maybe he's just trying to get some attention. Hillary got a lot of attention from that stupid comment...

[ubuibi]

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

[stanjz]

So when Republican leadership says it wants small government, it means it doesn't want anyone bigger than them to make sure they treat the workforce and their families fair. Many of the larger corporations are governments unto themselves.
"Of the 100 largest economies in the world, 51 are corporations; only 49 are countries (based on a comparison of corporate sales and country GDPs)."
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=377

[ThePeacemakers]

It's socialism when taxpayer dollars are spent on the "people".
It's free market system when taxpayer dollars are spent on big corporations or go to the wealthy.

Haven't you all figured that out yet? Some of you have.

[fiberoptimist]

"Privatize the profits, socialize the losses" - Randi Rhodes

[Bettysdad]

Like Randi may have said something original.

[danoj]

No it's socialism when government takes over huge chunks of the private sector and taxes the bejebus out of people in attempt at income redistribution. Thus liberal democrats are socialists, because this is there aim and there goal. equal misery for all the Democrat party motto.

[Bettysdad]

So what parts of the private sector has our government taken over?

And since we pay the lowest taxes in the industrialized world, how is the govt taxing the bejesus out of people.

And why are people like you, who benefit from govt programs every second of their lives, so ignorant?

[BluesDogLefty]

So his record in the Senate is extreme?

So extreme "things" actually come up for votes in the Senate?

OMG---------news flash there hasn't been an actual fully functioning "left" in this country since the 1930s!

lol

[JohnnieP]

McCain probably couldn't define the words "socialist" or "socialism" if he tried.

[jackstpaul]

Amen. You said what I was just about to say in a post. One of the most abused and misused in American politics.

For that matter, I doubt that few pols--or commentators--of the liberal/conservative ilk could do so either.

[Cynth]

Like Obama supporters Warren Buffett & George Soros are "socialists," too? Just because people don't support unbridled corporate welfare & greed and taking advantage of the middle to bottom tiers doesn't mean they're socialists. And we're seeing how well things work when companies and executives are given too much social trust and free rein. Social responsibility is good for capitalism, which thrives in stability.

McCain is just playing the same tired, desperate tactic from the Republican playbook, and he risks sounding like he's campaigning in the early-mid 20th century with that line (but then again, in his mind, Czechoslovkia still exits). If he's so purely against socialism, he can stop collecting the Social Security checks he gets each month. In fact, let's stop all SS and social payouts and see how well our ailing economy fares.

[SeeDaddy]

Is John McCain an jihadist? I don't know.

[MilesTone]

He's not a socialist. "Not that I know of..."

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Translation: "If Obama doesn't supports bail-outs of big corporations, he's not my kind of capitalist."

[darthdarcy]

The Republicans and their corruption and deregulation have done more to advance some level of Socialism than any other advocates have in our entire previous history...!

Especially Phil Gramm, John McCain's Economic Guru...

[MEHRRH]

I don't know if McCain is a fascist.
He does support the Bush/Cheney administration who have begun this:
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law

Does that make McCain a fascist? You decide.

[Tulka2]

And... according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 1981 edition:

"Fascism 1. A philosophy or system of government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with an ideology of belligerent nationalism."

Yep.

[eden4barack08]

Wow, was GW's picture there as example?

[DoTheMath]

Mm hm. Don't forget those flag pins - or else.

[RAYINNJ]

Hmmm! Interesting. Here's Wikpedia on the subject - anything sound familiar?:

"Various scholars attribute different characteristics to fascism, but the following elements are usually seen as its integral parts: patriotism, nationalism, statism, militarism, totalitarianism, anti-communism, economic planning (including corporatism and autarky), populism, collectivism, autocracy and anti-liberalism (i.e., opposition to political and economic liberalism)."

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Slam dunk.

[justobserve]

McCain is not a communist, as far as I know!

[gevan]

Purdy shure he ain't a mormun, two.

[Tulka2]

Nor does he dress up in ladies underware when he wants to feel powerful.

[Tulka2]

Not that there's anything WRONG with that.

[bookthief]

would you know a communist if you see one?

[Bettysdad]

Actually, that wouldn't be all that bad.

[japobere]

He doesn't know if Obama's a socialist because he doesn't know what a socialist is. Keep in mind this is the guy that thought Czechoslovakia was still a country.