When "Losing One's Bearings" Is An Appropriate Campaign Attack

Back in March, the McCain campaign was apoplectic after Barack Obama, responding to claims that he had been endorsed by Hamas, accused the Senator of "losing his bearings."

"First, let us be clear about the nature of Senator Obama's attack today," McCain aide Mark Salter declared. "He used the words 'losing his bearings' intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age as an issue. This is typical of the Obama style of campaigning."

On Sunday, the McCain campaign reversed roles without any apparent sense of contradiction. Asked about claims that McCain had been tipped off to the questions of the previous night's values forum, aide Nicole Wallace accused the Obama campaign of...you guessed it...."losing its bearings."

So, if the presumptive Democratic nominee says the phrase he is dipping into the muddy waters of ageism. But, should the loss of one's bearings present itself as apt political zinger for the McCain camp it is fair use?

Of course, the implications of age and mental health are different for McCain than Obama. And, as such, there is not the intensely personal component when the charge comes from the Arizona Republican as opposed to when it is directed at him.

But this is the second time in as many weeks that the presumptive Republican nominee's aides have been caught exploiting a political double standard. As Marc Ambinder noted on Friday, McCain's camp used Factcheck.org to criticize Obama for "exaggerating a point in one of his ads," just weeks after McCain himself dismissed the accuracy police as a "website that I have no idea what they're talking about."

Comments

[chs1965]

All these negative comments on this post! Please remember that he is a POW and we cannot say anything derogatory about the Maverick-it would be un-American.

[ApolloniaCreed]

"Losing his bearings" is appropriate... only if it is TRUE!!! The fools said O had been endorsed by Hamas!!! And it's not ok to say he is losing his bearings? Talk about a smear gap!

[Phil123]

It's very simple. An "attack" is appropriate if the object is a Republican or a Conservative, whether or not what is being said is true.

However, stating a negative truth (or a direct quote from someone) is deemed an "attack" if the person that is hurt by it is a Democrat or a Liberal. (Ooops! Liberals don't like to use the "L" word anymore; it makes them sound like they're Liberals. I had meant to say "Progressives.")

If you keep these definitions in mind, then more of what you see in the MSM will make sense.

[S1m0n]

Surely we're all sophisticated enough to understand that it isn't the phrase 'lowing his bearings' that's the problem; it's the way this phrase relates to the issue of John McCain's age. Said of Obama, it does not connote anything similar; Obama is not old.

The parallel term from the McCain camp would be something like calling him a "dark horse" or "black sheep" or something similar.

[useyourbrain]

McCain is suffering from early stages of either Alsheimers or Dementia. He loses his train of thought, cannot retain facts, cannot recall that he's changed his position over and over again. McCain is the elephant in the room and the MSM is being too kind.

This is the security of our nation and we are at a turning point of either trying to correct our actions and the world's perception of us of being a dumb, stupid, ignorant, uncaring giant baby that just causes havoc.

[luvienne]

Losing his bearings or alzheimers sounds right for describing Mccain. The media helps him hide it, but the truth is out there. What does that make the people who vote for him? Or are they counting on Mccain not being fit for duty? I guess vp had better be ready on day one.

[demfriend]

Hey Mccain has lost his bearings in not just the moral compass but he has no idea where the countries are on the map and what they are called. He also has not one problem with calling out a country that has nukes, Russia. Mccain is a scare and a vile evil man willing to sell everything he is to win the oval.

[Finallyhoping]

I clearly heard John McCain say the other night that "Russia needs to learn that in the 21st Century, nations do not invade other nations!" Has he lost it? Can he possibly not have noticed that we are currently occupying another nation? (My son is there, and believe me, the Iraqis see us as occupying forces!) I'm curious that this remark didn't trigger more reaction from the media. This man is being presented as the one who is experienced and trusted on national politics, and he doesn't even seem to be aware that the rest of the world is afraid, most of all, of US!

We must start conversing with the rest of the world instead of saber-rattling and demanding that they comply with our arrogant wishes. John is not the one for this job!

[gelfling545]

Apparently the Democrats are allowed to mention that his name is John McCain and he is running for president. Nothing else permitted.

[CactusTom]

The more I see of McCain the more he begins to look like a Bush twin. Think about it. Like Bush, McCain was an academic goof-off who in his wildest dreams could never match up to his father"s abilities, but somehow thinks he is presidential timber. And, also like Bush he has mastered the art of wooing the information challenged voter, and taken refuse in the Neocon sewer of any lie is a good lie that works.

[nighttimelady]

We have had one president with Alzheimer"s we DO NOT need another. Ronald Reagan was such an accomplished actor that he made some Americans believe he was the president. McCain - no sir, no sir, no sir!! He is too old!! I do not care if MSM pundits can not say it -- I can shout it. McCain is TOO OLD!!!

[duchessdorleans]

"This is typical of the Obama style of campaigning"

Actually, if Obama were trying to insinuate McCain's age into the discussion by using vaguely suggestive language, that would be typical of the McCain style of campaigning, and I for one think he (Obama) should do it.

And why aren't people jumping up and down acusing McCain of playing the "age card?"

[Momenta]

As any freshman at the Naval Academy knows, "Losing your bearings" is a nautical reference meaning straying off course. In the way Obama used it he implied that McCain had lost his moral compass. If McCain had not graduated fifth from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy perhaps he would know that it wasn't a reference to his age, but rather to his dirty campaign tactics.

[PierreLeClerke]

John McCain is clearly the candidate of change. He has changed so completely in the past 24 months we need a retina scan to prove its really him.
John McChange, short change that is:

Shortchange the GI Bill
Shortchange a rest for our Soldiers
Shortchange the poor
Shortchange energy independence
Shortchange the American worker
Shortchange health care for you
Shortchange honest debate
Shortchange real answers to complex challenges
Shortchange Iraqi sovereignty
Shortchange integrity
Shortchange common sense

John McChange, now thats change we just can't afford!

[Ashall]

With eight republican senators not attending the republican convention in Minnesota, and with several veterans who were also republican congressmen participating in a video questioning McCain's actions as a POW and detailing his blocking the opening of Vietnam war-time records for public view, I'd say the McCain campaign needs to worry about a lot more than "bearings". If his POW events happened exactly as McCain says they did, he has nothing to worry about...but did they? I'd like to know the truth. Just whining about Obama all the time isn't going to make these issues go away.

[Tobiasism]

What video is that with repug congressmen? Post a link please.

[DickNH]

OK, I'll say it, even if the Obama campaign won't.........JOHN McCAIN has lost his MARBLES!!!