McCain to Me in 1999: Bush "As Dumb as a Stump"
As a lawyer might say (OK, I am one), I have no personal knowledge of whether John or Cindy McCain voted for George W. Bush in the 2000 election. However, now that that has been called into question by Arianna Huffington (who says no) and Huffington's truthfulness has in turn been questioned by the McCain campaign (although not yet by the McCains), I can offer the following anecdote as admissible hearsay shedding a little light on the subject:
Over the Fourth of July weekend of 1999, I had the good fortune to accompany my then fiancée (and now happily my wife) to the McCain vacation home in Sedona where she was interviewing them for a Home and Garden Television show. The interview itself was entirely apolitical, focusing on fabrics and furnishing in their lovely Oak Creek abode, topics about which I do recall the senator was less than comfortable discussing.
Always the goods hosts, the McCains also invited us to spend the day with them, including for barbeque, a favorite of John's. And as McCain flipped burgers, I could not help but ask his views about then candidate George W. Bush.
"He's as dumb as a stump," McCain offered. We then went on to discuss other matters (including Vietnam) but that quote remains seared in my memory.
So how the McCains actually voted that November is between them and their voting booth. But if John McCain did end up voting for Bush, then by his own admission he voted for a stump.
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A THEORY...
1) Bush decided to go to war because Saddam threatened his daddy. Conclusion: GWB is pathologically petty and vindictive.
2) a. In 1999, McCain called GWB "dumb as a stump". b) Sometime between then and the present, GWB gets wind of the remark.
3) McCain runs for the presidency, needs the support of the cons, especially GWB.
4) Remembering the 1999 comment and realizing the scant chance of a Republican victory in 2008, GWB heaps insults and abuse on McCain and makes him humiliate himself, jumping through various hoops and appear foolishly contradicting himself. GWB's motovation is probably just his pathological frat-boy sadism.
A CONCLUSION
1) GWB is a pathologically petty and vindictive sadist.
2) McCain is just one more victim.
and who needs a fool that would allow their self to be victimized by an idiot as president?
Thank you robotfog. Please see A COMIC STRIP IN WORDS, posted about 5:30 pm CST on 5/10. You might like it.
With all the stuff Bush has gotten away with, and provided windfalls profits for many a loyal campaign corporate contribitors without any consequences what so ever, I'd never say Bush was dumb. Plus what does that make us all, since he's gotten away with all these probable criminal actions while in office, and revoted into office. He's not dumb, but a con artist, and liar, and running the biggest scam ever attempted, and so far has been getting away with it. We need to look into a mirror for some of the responsiblity of what we've let them get away with. Maybe future action will bring justice to the criminals invovled, but trust will never be the same for this government until justice is served to all equally, and fairly, and especially towards political criminals using our government to carry out these types of crimes.
amen!
It was really"the perfect storm" first, a SCOTUS filled with loyal Republicans, then a Congress dominated by Partisan Republicans. Americans were so tired of seeing the (R) Congress working against the Executive branch - they figured that if Bush was as reasonable as he was presented by the MSM - maybe a (R) Congress, a Conservative SCOTUS working with a (R) Executive could get something done.
I voted against Bush twice for Texas Gov. & twice as President - but I can see why people were fooled in 2000. By 2004 (actually, by 2002) he had shown his true colors - everything conected with his Admin. was "secret" & loyalty (rather than competence) was the primary qualification for positions on his "team". 9 /11, the quick "victory in Iraq" - well, and some rigged voting machines - were all that kept him in office.
Our Founders tried to prevent any slide toward a Dictatorship, but they could not have imagined how powerful the Executive - as Commander-in Chief could become with the aid of a MIC of unimaginable wealth & influence, and the aquiesence of a monopolistic press.
I do believe it logical that McCain can only be described in similar terms. Has he not supported Bush in what is arguably the stupidest administration in U.S. history?
You could even make an argument for McCain escalating the stupidity. His only reason for supporting the Bush doctrine of stupidity is he has blindly voted the party line in spite of the obvious damage to the country. That though is not stupidity. It's more along the lines of treason.
Or republicanism.
Clever of Arianna and Al to bring this stuff up. McCain can't win no matter how he responds. As it is, his response has been to say he did indeed vote for Bush. Not only that, but he says he worked hard for his election and reelection. If you believe that, it shows that McCain is just a loyal Republican, which is tough to defend these days. On the other hand, if he had chosen to confirm Arianna's story, his street cred with the Republicans would have been more damaged than it already is.
Al's story also sets up McCain as damned if you do, damned if you don't. If McCain confirms Al's story, then he needs to explain why he is defending Bush's "dumb as a stump" failed policies. If McCain denies calling Bush dumb, then he denies the obvious, which brings his judgment into question.
Kudos all around. This little sideshow has been fun to watch.
Just because everybody says Bush is an idiot doesn't mean he's not an idiot.
If everybody says Bush is an idiot, then who is to say he isn't?
Right on, MajorKong
rofl... "voted for a stump..."
Too funny.
MK
stump (as in "plant part") n. : the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
stump (as in "body part") n. : the part of a limb or tooth that remains after the rest is removed
stump (as in "post") n. : (cricket) any of three upright wooden posts that form the wicket
stump (as in "dais") n. : a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
stump (as in "perplex") v. : cause to be perplexed or confounded; "This problem stumped her"
stump (as in "stomp") v. : walk heavily; "The men stomped through the snow i their heavy boots"
stump (as in "campaign") v. : travel through a district and make political speeches; "the candidate stumped the Northeast"
stump (as in "clear") v. : remove tree stumps from; "stump a field"
stump (as in "politican" ) n. GW Bush
McCain has a vacation home in Sedona? Sure glad he's not an elitist like that there Obama feller.
Just one of eight or so the poor little boy has all over the country!
Actually, stumps can't help how dumb they are. Bush is the worst president we've had, not just incompetent, but dangerous on a whole range of issues.
I agree with Gasparilla, word for word,
This is an insult to all stumps everywhere.
Stump: I protest!
Maybe this is a dumb question but how fu$%ed up does the political climate in a country have to be when a guy is forced to lie about not having VOTED for someone who is widely reguarded as the WORST PRESIDENT EVER.
???You stumped me???
McCain calling Bush dumb is the pot calling the kettle black.
Now THAT I can believe. GWBush is an ignorant mamma jamma.
O'REILLY: Did you vote for President Bush? McCAIN: Of course not. I campaigned all over this country for him.
Even though McCain says he voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, the chances are good that while he may have in 2004, it is unlikely that he did in 2000. If you recall that was the campaign where in South Carolina George Bush did a swiftboat on McCain, using his adopted child from Africa in an ad that implied he had an illegitimate child. And then there was Cindy McCain's addiction to prescription drugs that GWB ran on - anything GWB could do to get a vote. Personally, I would never have forgiven the man enough to shake his hand. And, I think McCain was being truthful when he said "of course not".
"I did not shake Baby George's hand! WE JUST HUGGED AND KISSED A LOT! Sen. Johnny McCain,REP
LISTEN UP, BABY GEORGE, THEY ARE PLAYING OUR SONG! BOMB! BOMB! BOMB! IRAN!
UP THE GOP (Grand Old Pedophiles)
Did McCain get a splinter when he bear-hugged that stump?
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