Why We're Carrying the Brave New PAC Ad About McCain's Health

Starting Monday, The Young Turks will be carrying the ad that Brave New PAC and Democracy for America have put together on John McCain's health records on our XM satellite radio show and on our website - www.theyoungturks.com.

MSNBC pulled this ad after getting pressure from Bill O'Reilly. How does that work? If I yell at Rush Limbaugh, will he drop his advertisers? We are told that this ad is "controversial" because it brings up the issue of John McCain's health (you can watch the ad for yourself here).

Why is that controversial? Whether the man we elect will make it through the four years of his term is highly relevant to our decision making process. Especially when the person he has selected as his VP is grossly incompetent.

I really don't see the issue. Are we worried that we are being impolite to John McCain? Is it bad form to bring up the word cancer? Does it have to be whispered? Can it not be said in polite company or on-air?

If John McCain were a plumber and he was going to come into fix my sink, his health is none of my business (presuming that he gets the sink unclogged without having a health crisis). If John McCain had a health problem that is not life threatening, such as erectile dysfunction, then that is none of my business. It is not at all relevant. But if he has recurring cancer and there is some chance he cannot complete the job we are hiring him for - and that job is the most important job in the world - then his health is of tremendous relevance. It would defy logic to claim that it is not.

I don't want to hurt Senator McCain's feelings, but there are more important things on the line here. Especially because he picked an absolute imbecile as his vice presidential nominee (there I go again, hurting people's feelings). By the way, are we also not allowed to call Sarah Palin stupid because it might be impolite and make her feel bad? Yes, better to make a tremendous mistake about who we select as the leader of the free world then to hurt someone's feelings.

If Sarah Palin was ugly, it would not be relevant to the job she is seeking. If she had bad breath, we could live with it. But if she's dumb as brick and John McCain dies, we have just condemned the whole country and the world to a miserable four years because we didn't want to appear insensitive.

Have you seen the Sarah Palin interviews? Jack Cafferty of CNN summed it up best with just one word: pathetic. She has no idea what she's doing. You're goddamn right I want to know how healthy John McCain is. I'm scared enough of McCain, let alone this blank slate, uneducated, intellectually incurious, simpleton. I'm sorry, did I hurt her feelings again?

Right now, the McCain campaign is telling the press that Palin is a quick study. That's embarrassing. They are admitting that the person they've selected to be the VP nominee has to study up on foreign and domestic policy because she didn't care to learn it before she was selected. Think about a 44 year-old who is a politician and didn't care to learn anything about foreign policy before she was selected to be on a national ticket. That rivals George Bush in lack of intellectual curiosity.

She knows nothing and we're supposed to be reassured that she's a quick study? By the way, if you've seen the interviews, you know that she is in fact not at all a quick study. I can take almost any freshman out of Harvard and they would learn national policy a hell of a lot quicker than she has.

His VP nominee is busy trying to learn policy and McCain says he shouldn't have to release his health records? Are you kidding me?

We are going to run the Brave New PAC ad everyday from here on out until the rest of the media gets out of their shell and does their job. Your job isn't to be polite to the candidates, you're job is to make sure they are ready for the most important office in the world - and capable of serving their term.

Finally, I am not at all saying that people should vote against John McCain because he has cancer. All I'm saying is that it is relevant. It is a perfectly pertinent factor to consider when making the weighty decision of who to vote for. Are you voting for John McCain or are you voting for John McCain and a possibly a couple of years of Sarah Palin?

It would be grossly disingenuous to claim that question is not relevant. And that is exactly what the rest of the mass media is doing right now in the name of politeness.

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Comments

[tuttlemsm]

" Think about a 44 year-old who is a politician and didn't care to learn anything about foreign policy before she was selected to be on a national ticket."

Think about it this way. Her state is that close to Russia AND she doesn't know anything about foreign policy?

What's wrong with THIS picture?

[JohnFromColorado]

I have todisagree with you. People are discrimnated against every day because of health issues that do not affect their ability to do job. John McCain has X percent likely chance of finishing his term. Barack Obama has Y percent likely chance of finishing if first term. I would guess that Y is less than X here. However, I would not not know for sure.

The issue is X and Y are not zero and who will take over as president. Biden or Palin are the possibilities. Biden is compotent. Palin is not.

You can make your point rather than use logic that is used to discriminate against people around health issues. If statiistically person A has 3% chance of getting cancer and person B has a 1% chance, is it OK to discriminate again person A? I say no. Plus the employer does not have any knowledge of the odds. The employer hears cancer and immediately the fear factor comes in. Not with specific odds, just that it is bad and he/she will use that knowledge to think of the employee as risky.

If you are going to use McCain's age and cancer history, what percent would you use? What percent would you use for Obama?

[darcy]

I have to say, as much as I dislike McCain, I don't think his health is relevant. Anyone can get sick at any time; there is no guarantee that any person - young, old, sick, healthy - will live for four more years.

There are so many reasons not to vote for him that no one should need the health issue to cross him off.

[fpie]

It's been Republican stock and trade running nasty ads about Democrats for years. Of course those are usually lies and irrelevant. This ad about McCain's age and cancer is both true and relevavnt. The real difference (as has been pointed out) is that Democrats aren't allowed to say things like that about Republicans.
If the Republicans scream foul that just means you're doing something right. Don't give 'em hell, just tell the truth and they'll think it's hell.

[lostinNJ1]

Cenk, I love your style! ! From last week's video blog on the bailout, to this one today, you speak that thing I call common sense brilliantly. (These are the only 2 pieces of yours I have read.) I can't add any insight to what you've said- just wanted to voice my support. Go Young Turks!

[CoulterIsASuccubus]

It's pretty clear we should ask no questions at all because he's Republican. You don't dare question the Republicans. It's unpatriotic.

[ssb752]

Exactly.
Palin is, as they say around these here parts: ALL HAT, NO CATTLE.

[RickO]

I don't see much hat either.

[Anicebarbie]

Mr Uygur.

Perfect.

This is what they really mean.

1. In bad taste--we are ashamed he has cancer
2. Quick Study- she is not at all prepared
3. Pressure from Bill Riley--pressure from a "power that be" @ MSNBC
4. Controvers­ial--truth­ful
5. Shouldn't have to release his medical records--Would significantly hurt his campaign .

[Annoula]

EXACTLY RIGHT!
And by the way, his history of malignant melanoma is not the only health concern. At that age, everybody is at increased risk for many other ailments inluding (but not limited to) cardiovascular, renal, genitourinary problems, blood disorders, etc. etc. I
To put it bluntly, at his age, there's a realistic chance tha he can suffer an invalidating stroke one day or two after taking oath. And then what???
Sarah Palin will be the new leader of the free world? What a SCARY THOUGHT!
Oh..wait! I just figured out what to dress up as for HALOWEEN!
PRESIDENT PALIN!!!

[Dogger]

As I understand it, McCain can insult my intelligence by fronting an imbicile an his successor and I can't ask a few simple questions to help me evaluate the risk? I think something has already spread to his brain.

His only pretense at disclosure was a document dump conducted in a manner to evade meaningful review. Hell, no one could even tell if any documents were missing because of the numerous constraints. That's not what you do when your are fully disclosing; that's what you do when you are trying to hide something.

What is McCain hiding? A competent media would ask that question. Again, and again, and again.

[CostaDelBarto]

>By the way, are we also not allowed to call Sarah Palin stupid because it might be impolite and make her feel bad? Yes, better to make a tremendous mistake about who we select as the leader of the free world then to hurt someone's feelings.

...true enough and well said besides... but on a point of grammar/spelling... that should surely be "than to hurt someone's feelings."

[Kiwi12]

Well said Cenk!