Still think John McCain is the straight talking reformer of 2000? This week, huge chunks of that facade fell away. His multi-layered lobbying problems sent the reformer chunk tumbling. His one-two rejection of agents of intolerance John "Hitler Was Doing God's Work" Hagee and Rod "Islam is Anti-Christ" Parsley, whose endorsements he actively pursued, revealed the calculation behind his faith-based outreach -- and down came the straight-talk stucco. And his refusal to join the 75 Senators who voted for the new GI Bill (or even show up for the vote), transformed his endless talk of honor, duty, sacrifice, and owing our troops a debt we can never repay into hypocritical dust. No matter who the Democrats nominate, it's increasingly clear McCain's toughest foe in 2008 will be the man he used to be.
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Precisely as it should be.
I like the bill for several reasons. The pool of applicants who have served their four years in our armed services is bound to be a good pool of dedicated individuals who will benefit not only themselves but also our education system and society as whole. That proved very true after World War II.
Also I like the idea that the incentive for going into the military is an education and not something else like low cost loans for a hummer, a lifetime pension, etc. In other words, it holds out the right incentive for those who sign up for our armed forces, thereby attracting candidates of good character and high aspirations.
And, of course, when you offer somebody a free education you can really view it as more of an investment than a gift or benefit. This benefit pays us all back.
I was shocked by McCain's broadside at Obama when Obama said he could not understand how McCain could be against the bill. Instead of explaining his position, McCain brought the dialogue down to the level of road rage in a bad part of town. That is not what I am looking for in my President.
McCain is against this because it will open the floodgates. It's giving junior enlisted an alternative to the reenlistment bonus.
He's never given a crap about those serving. They are pawns on the chessboard.
His charisma, moral authority on patriotism, and docile relationship with the press may not be enough with problems this country will face over the next four years...Bush casts an ominous shadow over the entire Republican party...many will suffer because of his favorability, which is in the basement of public opinion...Daddy just may take the t-bird away...
Ah, those Republican values.
Obama-Webb '08
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If my candidate was a too liberal, too inexperienced guy from the generations-old crooked Chicago political machine, that's what I would be telling myself too.
It's starting to settle in on some people what they are stuck with.
Robert
Thanks.
You, me, and everyone needs to take Fox News' Liz Trotta to the woodshed for saying "Well now we have what some are reading, as a suggestion, that somebody knock off Osama. Obama. Well, both, if we could."
No joke...
Look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjYpkvcmog0
And you know what if I’m right, his strategy worked. And worked brilliantly.
He is the party’s nominee. And now what’s he doing. Severing ties with all the right wing nut job ministers who endorsed him. Severing ties with all the lobbyists who gave him lots of money, not to mention use of their talents. This immigration flip flop is the latest. He has always wanted comprehensive reform and now he’s the nominee he can tell the base of the party to go pound sand.
He’s going to move alot closer to the center, maybe even to the left. Don’t be surprised if, as the election nears and Iraq shows no progress, he decides it’s time to pull chocks and get us the hell out
I was expecting you to point out that George Stephanopolous falsely claimed this morning that McCain had fired "ALL the lobbyists" from his campaign.
No fact check on ABC's political "expert"?
- But it doesn’t matter what we think — Senator McCain goes his own way,” Mr. McKinney said. “Always has and always will.” (end of article)
The NYT left this bogus statement hanging as the "last comment in the article"? McCain appears to be a VICTIM that suffered in war and now bitter. McCain's budding with Parsley and Hagee then rejecting them in public shows he is being told what to do by outside interest.
His refusal to sign the GI Bill, he "says" was to encourage more military careerist but isn't it really about less incintives to get out of the military, keep them in to fight more war, and skirt the possibility of a Draft. Again, being told what to do by interest and lobbyist. It's sad to think that McCain, doesn't care about people in the military but yet discourages them from getting out. Walter Reed anyone? What about the benefit scandal, where many veterans are having to fight for their benefits because they are being classified has have "personal" mental problems. Will the MSM every call McCain on his hypocrisy? No, because his a "Republican" war hero."
What they actually mean is, "Support the Bush/Cheney war crime family's illegal occupation of Iraq." When it comes down to really supporting the troops as human beings with needs.... Hey, where'd everybody go?...