McCain On Obama, Nuclear Power Safeguards: "Blah, Blah, Blah"

During a rally in Northern Iowa University this morning, John McCain made a strange remark that only serves to cement the notion that he does not respect Barack Obama:

When I'm elected president We're going to stop spending $700 billion to buy oil from countries that don't like us very much," John McCain said at Northern Iowa University this morning.

"You know, the other night in the debate with Senator Obama, I said his eloquence is admirable, but pay attention to his words. We talk about offshore drilling and he said he would quote, consider, offshore drilling. We talked about nuclear power, well it has to be safe, environment, blah, blah, blah."

While McCain is targeting Obama's eloquence as empty words with his "blah, blah, blah" comment, it's curious why he would use safeguards for nuclear power as the vehicle for this attack. The line makes McCain seem not only callous but also dismissive of a very real concern regarding nuclear power. It recalls the moment during the third presidential debate when McCain used air quotes while discussing a woman's health as a factor in her having an abortion.

Comments

[flifishun]

I thought McCain might use the remaining days of the campaign to try and restore some of his image.
Instead, he'll go out in a blaze of stupidity. What a shame.

[DakotaMinnesota]

Exactly what I thought when I was watching the debate: "'Blah blah blah' -- Really?"

And then I heard him say it again yesterday on the stump!

This should be broadcast far and wide to show the ignorance and recklessness of the conservative philosophy. It's as careless as mocking the "health" of the woman, and it's as ignorant as passing out the tire pressure gauges to mock a perfectly sensible aspect Barack's approach to our energy crisis.

These fools cannot be trusted.

[Keith52]

McCain said he was on a Nuclear Sub and it was "safe". Hmmm. His cheek is full of cancer, he has had at least 3 bouts with cancer..... Gee I wonder how THAT happened???

[DeniseD]

And they have just been talking about leaks in the nuclear subs in the news recently. Nuclear energy is not safe!

[taddles]

Is McCain really that stupid??? Does he not remember the three mile island incident, and the Chernobyl reactor meltdown? How can he be so foolishly flippant about nuclear safety? This alone should make him un-acceptable as a president if he is not even smart enough to recognize the very real dangers of nuclear power.

[stayinsouth1981]

Those accidents and their effects don't just go away.

[DakotaMinnesota]

And what you're talking about is only the safety of the reactors themselves. The tons of waste that these reactors produce are just as dangerous, and we currently have no plan for where all of this is supposed to go. All of the waste created by our active nuke plants is being held in "temporary" locations as we search for a solution. Adding more radioactive waste to the backlog is extremely careless.

I especially don't understand why rural people would cheer McCain on about this -- they are the ones that are going to be saddled with this disposal problem, not people in the population centers.

[DeniseD]

Our next door neighbor, Nevada, has lots of nuclear dump sites and they are still voting for the Republican. Go figure.

[CrackerJacker]

The final mistake of a doomed candidate. If nothing else, something thats expected of every candidate - and if not expected we usually hear it - is that they say "I respect my opponent". He might really want to win, but every time he steps away from a chance to put his own message forward, and instead stoops to disrespecting the other ticket, he loses votes.

[GDUBinWhittier]

I saw this live and my jaw dropped. Wanting to make nuclear power safe? Blah, blah, blah. A woman's right to choose? Blah, blah, blah. Lift up the middle class? Blah, blah, blah. Provide healthcare to all citizens? Blah, blah, blah. Education? Blah, blah, blah. Anything and everything my opponent wants to do? Blah, blah, blah.

McCain's plan for America? Wish I could say "Blah, blah, blah" but I have not heard a plan yet. There are 8 days left. I'm WAITING!!!!

What a pathetic campaign.

[DeniseD]

LOL!

[wiredash]

Blah blah blah? But wait, McCain goes further...reinforces his position by saying that he has served on a carrier with nuclear weaponary on board... he goes on to say "It is absolutely safe my friends".. only problem is the guy has had cancer 4 times!!!!

[stayinsouth1981]

ONE CARRIER with nuclear power for about 5K people is NOTHING like a plant that serves a hundred thousand. The difference is the amount of by products is tremendous.

Fools!

[Maezeppa]

McCain said oh, we have nuclear reactors on submarines, no problemo. I guess safeguards are for worrywarts and sissies.

[DakotaMinnesota]

So are exit strategies...

[indups]

THESE ARE DESPERATE DAYS FOR MCCAIN. THEY WILL RESORT TO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING UGLY!

JOURNALIST THREATENED WITH ARREST AT MCCAIN CAMPAIGN FIELD OFFICE:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/27/8424/4447/771/642984

[peskime]

When John McCain speaks,
I hear crickets.
He's just so unbelievably creepy

[seenitall]

that inappropriate jack-o-lantern grinning is getting out of hand...

[IncensedinNC]

I still can't understand why the majority of people in this country think McCain would be better on foreign policy than Obama. This video should be on national television:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdJUCU1UH2w

[Tenley]

What a maverick! I say entrust him with our national security! blah blah blah

[bwilder]

McCain made a comment in his speech this morning about a family of four
making $42k a year with health insurance and how they would get a tax break.
Can someone tell me how on earth a family of four in that income bracket can
afford heal insurance? They can't. Depending on their ages and employment
it would take anywhere from 10% to 30% of their family income......

It's one more example of McCain's complete lack of understanding as
to how so many American families live and struggle in this country.
His $500 shoes would pay for some insurance for that family of four
but only for a months worth and only if the wage earner's employer
was paying for part of it.

Donate. Volunteer. Vote.
www.Obama08.com

[Deni]

No they can't afford health insurance. To cover my husband (56) and me (52) under the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool (OMIP - for those with pre-existing conditions) is $1,200 per month for 80/20 insurance. Since we made less than $25,000 last year, that's completely out of reach.

[cmp]

Your right. Deni, and that is exactly what I pay. Almost 25% of my income. And now I'm putting THOUSANDS on my credit card for dental. I can't believe how I have economized to pay off my credit cards, only to see them right back up again, to save my teeth. It is astounding that I have to pay $5000 to fix 2 teeth. And that's not the half of it. Where do these doctors and dentists get off charging these prices?

[Tenley]

I noticed during the debate itself McCain seemed to have an issue with having *safe* nuclear power and waste disposal. (Three Mile Island anyone? Chernobyl?)

[DakotaMinnesota]

Fun fact: Chernobyl is currently burning its way through planet Earth and there is nothing anybody can do about it.

The consequences of nuclear power are very substantial. Saying "blah blah blah" ends any shred of credibility McCain had with me.

[Wigelah]

Blah blah blah isn't such a great policy position. It's John McCain's position, not Obama's.