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

[JoeBlough]

He is not supose to know. He's still working on 1990's information.

[Triciann]

Words mean different things to different people. In many parts of the world (Europe for example) capitalism is synomonous to the very rich taking care of themselves and not caring about the rest. Socialism is seen as the only only way for a civilized society to function. Obviously there's a spectrum of opinion but basically this is how it's viewed.

[xoxox]

McCain probably doesn't know what a Socialist is.

[dutt]

What's the problem people? McCain can't say with certainty that Obama isn't a socialist; he can't know for sure. How can any of us really know for sure? Who among us hasn't had secret suspicions that Obama may be an islamo fascist socialist.

Ehhhhh, who am I kidding? McCain has no spine and a total disregard for honesty if he can't at least admit Obama is no socialist.

[TheOneironaut]

Oh ok!! So now he's doing that "I dont know" thing? Did he even look at the primaries!! Someone else tried that and it was the beginning of their election demise!! Not gonn a say any names...

[letsgetsmart]

Considering how wonderful capitalism and the free market system have worked out for us, maybe we should consider other ways.

[Cookie100]

I don't know if your wife is a drug addict! So what does that make you Mr. McSame

[mexicanamerican1948]

Great Answer, Do we want the socialism of Mao? with thousands in camps, or Stalin?, more thousands, or Castro?, those prisons at least have hammocks or the USSR?. Socialism has always failed as people will not work for nothing, Will you????You first . They say Raul Castro accepts immigrants, go their and tell us about the paradise..­..So why all want to come to the USA?...No, not for the Freedom, its for the Hamburgers, that's it???

[Bettysdad]

You should know that the immigrants coming here are from countries with low taxes, small governments, little if any social welfare programs, and a huge gap between the wealthy and everyone else. Countries like Mexico, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia.

You don't see swarms of Swedes, French, Danes, Canadians,Italians or Brits coming here.

Don't waste everyone's time saying you know a Dane or Canadian. I said swarms. Like Lou Dobbs swarms.

[macintoshsauce]

No economic system is pure capitalism or socialism. That is just theory - reality is a whole different ball game.

[brighterside]

LOL although I hate to admit your somewhat correct here.

The republicans or those that advocate for capitalism and a free market system like to state that in a communist society like China you can't get rich. But how do they explain that many Chinese are buying cars these days because of their new wealth and prosperity? Why is it that communist China has managed to have am etch out a 12% GNP this year while we can only muster 1% with our economy? Also, why are these very same republican leaders of ours and their rich corporate friends ship their jobs overseas to China while they constantly profess their hatred and disdain for communist and social ideals? They call themselves patriots yet they are quick to kiss up and borrow money from these so called rogue states.

They also like to advocate that a free market system is what's best for our country and that any types of regulations on trade will only hurt us. Yet, within 8 years alone during the Boosh administration, we have lost more than 5 million jobs to overseas ventures and have become the largest debtor nation in the world. In return, these very same corporation flooded our markets with cheap crap from China ever so marginalizing or forcing other corporations to close shop or also ship their operation overseas.

Yeah free trade did our country good all right. McCain plans to do more of that.

[IowaKid]

heaven help us if that happens

[Rumplestiltskin]

The free market seems to have worked pretty well here. It has produced enough weath to bribe the non-producers suffiently for quite a while. The level of whining has increased lately. heh.

[dadw5boys]

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS INTERVIEW IS SETUP JUST FOR FREE PRESS OR NOT!!!!!!!

[neocon666]

That's right: vote for the guy who's going to drive the bus straight off the cliff with everyone in it because the other guy who'll take the road around might be a "socialist" (dun-dun-DAHHH!).

[bored2tears]

Gads. As offensive as his sense of humor is, his sense of serious is even worse.

Does this superannuated slimeball even remember what a Socialist is? Did he ever know?

[lucky54]

The answer is "no" to both of your questions. He doesn't know anything that happend between Vietnam and now.... total dementia.

[artgal]

What McCain "doesnt know" could fill the Brittanica

[Badwater]

I don't know if McCain is an android.

[peterg76]

Paraphrasing Hillary Clinton: McCain is not an android. As far as I know.

[heal57]

I don't know if McCain is a valet for Cindy, or a Trekkie sent on a mission from Gene Roddenberry [same age group]?


Independent Woman for Obama '08

[Mitchell4A]

For the answer, see:
"The Twelfth Cylon Revealed"
http://msa4.wordpress.com/

Oh, and I don't think McCain even knows what a socialist is....He doesn't even know what countries are in Europe.

[springsm]

LOL! Perfect!

[tasukibeth1]

Of course he's not.


(as far as I know)

[Xgal08]

Seriously, What is wrong with being a socialist? I am registered democrat, but I consider myself a socialist. I wish people would educate themselves about what being a socialist is before they judge.

[TheOneironaut]

...because they equate socialism with the evil communists regimes from the past...and present!! Socialism isnt bad..look at China...we now OWE THEM!!

[Sabreen60]

Propaganda in this country equates S o c i a l i s m with c o m m u n i s m.

[lucky54]

I have the same wish for the last 20 years... but to educate Americans is a "hard work" nicely said. This nation is historicly forever afraid of unknown and it wont do anything to know. Is so easy to be ignorant.

[Jeff1958]

Our government is loaded with socialism. If only people would open their minds. The gov't bailout of Bear Stearns, Feddie Mac and Fannie Mae are examples of socialism. So are Social Security and our highway and roads.

[Enid]

We WORKERS ( laborers) would not have weekend off but not for Socialism.

put that in your pipe and smoke it.

[TheBlackCat]

People associate socialism with the worst examples/extremes of it. They don't look at socialist Scandanavian nations, which has the highest standard of living in the world and almost no poverty or crime. They look at Stalin and Mao, where millions were starved to death, murdered, or thrown into political prisons. Or even modern China; yeah they have a booming economy, are lifting a million people out of poverty a month, but still their government is frightening. No freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech. Huge ammounts of their own people in jail or executed for "thought crimes."


The moderate nations which have adapted a socialist system but still GREATLY value individual freedoms and economic prosperity don't make the news. And Americans aren't big on traveling and reading about other cultures, they're big on gleaming all their information from sound bites. Every other night you hear about the Chinese government doing something awful to its own citizenry. You're not going to hear "Finland; doing swell. Tonight at eleven!"

[Bettysdad]

Neither Austria, nor any Scandinavian country, or any country in Europe at all is socialist.

You can start a business, own a home or any other property should you choose.

European countries have extensive SOCIAL welfare programs to make citizens' life better.

Don't confuse Socialism with Social Welfrae Programs.

[Mikeo340]

Socialism is just an -ism in a long line of –isms (except capitalism) used to take the place of something people consider contrary to their views to even the slightest degree. I have seen people use Socialism, Fascism and Communism in the same breathe to describe the same exact thing as if they are all interchangable The typical person who tries to use the term usually has zero knowledge on the actual meaning. But really all -isms play into dog whistle politics and seem to equal non-American. It really has little or nothing to do with the actual meaning of the word. Disagree with something politically, try your hardest to label it with an –ism. The sad part is that it sometimes works… “Socialized Medicine”

[BushBites]

Someone should really ask Obama is McCain is a fascist.

Under fascism, the companies control the government, so I would think "yes."

[hip dibler]

what does that word mean to you?

what's so wrong with being social anyway?

[neocon666]

The republican party is squarly against any policy promotes individual well being. If you're not a republican koolaid-slurping jingoist, then you must be a socialist.