Giant Gaffe: McCain Confuses National Guard and Army -- and Palin's Son

If you don't already do it, you really should be checking out the Anchorage Daily News site regularly, for local Palin news, editorials and op-eds, and its excellent Alaska Politics blog (special bonus Ted Stevens coverage there). Today, for example, the paper hits Palin hard in an editorial for abdicating to the McCain campaign on Troopergate.

And here's a brand-new gem on a stunning, overlooked McCain gaffe from David Hulen at the Alaska Politics blog:

Candidates spend a lot of time talking, and they all misspeak sometimes. But did anyone else notice this, from Wednesday's much-covered McCain-Palin Town Hall event in Grand Rapids, Mich., where Palin answered questions from people in the audience? McCain said this near the end of the clip below, as he's talking up Palin's foreign policy/national security credentials:

"I also know, if I might remind you, that she is commander of the Alaska National Guard. In fact, you may know that on Sept. 11 a large contingent of the Alaska Guard deployed to Iraq and her son happened to be one of them. So I think she understands our national security challenges..."

The ceremony Palin attended at Fort Wainwright last week didn't involve the Alaska National Guard. Palin's son is in the Army, and his unit - 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division - deployed to Iraq.

More coverage on the media and the campaign here.

Greg Mitchell is editor of Editor & Publisher and author of the new book on Iraq and the media, "So Wrong for So Long."

Comments

[jqcitizen]

And guess what?
Todd and Sarahs son, Track, did NOT deploy to Iraq on Sept. 11. Sorry about that '9/11 Rudy'.

The Stryker Battalion will be there soon.

Do your homework 'Admiral' McCain.

[MsLiz]

What? What's the story?

[Strywever]

They haven't actually deployed *to Iraq* yet. Sept. 11 was just the date of the deployment ceremony. But "they deployed on 9/11" sounds so much more impressive, don't you think?

More semantics-game playing on the part of McCain's campaign, that's all.

[whit4brains]

They just had the ceremony to make it look like he was deploying on 9 11 so that she could repeat it over and over in her speeches..­.but they actually haven't left yet. I doubt he even really signed up on 9 11 2007 like she said in her acceptance speech...b­ut then I doubt every word that comes out of her mouth.

[BADEN]

"It's a bubble life, my friends
And I know it'll never end-
Cause Palin told me so
God just won't let me go..
It's a bubble life...."

(sung to "It's a Hardknock Life")

[firewmn]

John Bush makes soooo many gaffe's daily... the media cannot keep up with them.. I heard that and thought it wasn't right but then I moved on to change the channel.. I heard enough of his falsehoods­..

[SurferKit]

It sounds to me like he was trying to wing it, veering off the scripted path and got confused. When he doesn't stick to reading from his cue cards, he flubs up every time. It reminds me of footage I've seen of wobbly Ronald Reagan in his final days in the WH when Nancy went with him everywhere. Someone pointed out that Cin has practically been at McCain's side everyday since the RNC, as if standing right there behind him, she can catch him in case he keels over. I think this man is in the early stages of Alzheimer's.

Is this the guy you really want calling the shots? I sincerely hope not.

[MoeJava]

I wonder, if like Nancy Regan, Cindy is consulting Astrologists?
Nancy tried to influence World Poitics when she didnt get "just the right" reading...­..
and Ronnie happily went along.

[Snoop2]

Johns shoret term memory is going...

He is in the early stage sof dementia aka alzheimers type memory loss disease.s

He is not making stupid mistakes, he just can't remember!

Do not elect this man, he is medically incapable o fmaking rational decisions!

[MsLiz]

But then we can have a woman president!

(Ducking while pelted with garbage and moose droppings.­)

[Lindy222]

I think McCain has serious problems, but this isn't really confusing the Army and the National Guard. This is not knowing which military outfit Palin's son is in. Small potatoes for McCain.

[Marichu]

All of his misspeak. Often we tend to correct ourselves after we've heard what was misspoken. MC doesn't do that. It's almost as if he is on autopilot; when he speaks, his facts are all jumbled up; a mis-connection of information.
As we get older our physical and mental capabilities (unfortunately) do diminish. His schedule may be so grueling for a man of his age that he has reached a point of exhaustion; hence his errors.

[Marichu]

typo: All of us misspeak.

[Quackers]

Advice to Sarah Palin: If you have a lick of sense at all, quit the McCain ticket, resign as Governor and become a Televangelist. I see no other career in your future where you have any credibilty. Just say God came to you and commanded you to do this and get out of politics before you're laughed out.

[guri]

Not huge, but add another one to the list.
He might very well crash in the first debate,
I bet Obama team is training with him to increase the likelihood of
that happening - as in "I am curious if my opponent could name 4 countries
that share a border with Iraq (90% he gets it wrong or visibly excert effort in coming
up with the names)

[Criticalthinktank07]

i agree, well said.

[faithfully]

People with dementia will have difficulty naming three of anything- The above question would probably backfire, though because most people don't know the answer to that question and they would identify with McCain. I think Obama could be a bit more subtle in his questions.

[andvoodoo2]

You're probably right that the question might backfire. That said, I think anyone hoping to be POTUS should have to be able to identify EVERY country in the world on an unmarked map. If I was interviewing for a position with an International Law Office, I damn sure would know my countries, the countries they border and their locations. Further, candidates for POTUS should submit to thorough, OBJECTIVE medical exams that are available to the PUBLIC. We are electing the President of the (supposed) greatest country in the world. It's the LEAST we can require.

[MsLiz]

Ummm, Turkey, Iran, and Alaska?

[huffy2001]

LOL!

[fistbump]

The Alaskans up there are starting to hate Palin, especially for bringing in outsiders to deal with state matters. If she loses VP, she's gonna have a very hard time ever holding state office again.

Right now, the McCain campaign has aimed its sights on destroying the name of Walt Monegan, one of the most beloved public servants up there, by calling him a wife beater. They have no idea what they are starting by going down that path. The Alaskans are a small community who know each other pretty well. They do not appreciate outsiders coming to smear their good citizens.

Watch for serious backlash.

[sean6886]

Yeah. I heard that he is very well respected in the state of Alaska.

Just goes to show the neo-cons will throw anyone under the bus to attain power and greed.

[tantip]

Wouldn't it be funny if Obama won Alaska.

[TXfemmom]

McCain doesn't misspeak from time to time, he makes so many gaffes that he exceeds my 82 year old uncle who has Alzheimer's.

[Lefty08]

Everyday we are hearing about a new and absurd McCain gaffe. From Suni/Shiite fumble, ignorance over Spain & it's leader, how the fundamentals of our economy are "strong", National guard & Army gaffe, etc., etc. etc. I don't think these are "word fumbles"..­..he honestly seems confused at times. Could this be early symptoms of age-related dementia, or Alzheimers? Doesn't anyone recall how Reagan's handlers had to explain Reagan's "gaffes"? Years later we learn he was suffering from Alzheimers. When I heard the interview concerning Spain & Zapateria, I was shocked at his confusion. Seems like age-related dementia symptoms..­..which early-on are not evident 24/7 but slowly & surely over a relatively short period of time become very apparent.

[MsLiz]

The Spain gaffe sounded like deafness to me. The questioner asked him a question with the word "Europe," pronounced "YOUR ope" with the last syllable spoken very softly. He responded with a question about "my what?" The gaffe was the staff sticking by his error in later comments. Not to say that his mental faculties are not impared.

This isn't age discrimination. It is the reality that age diminishes us.

[huffy2001]

Yeah, yeah, and I suppose women are smaller than men and African Americans have darker skin than whites. You know you can't go around saying stuff like that. Tain't PC!

[judesedit]

McCain does not think before he speaks, nor listen. He sold his soul to the lobbyists. And is totally relying on his POW experience to get him elected. We have been warned by his comrads of the type of person he is. Graduating fifth from the bottom of his class, if a History major, he didn't learn much, and retained less. John McCain called Putin the president of Germany, remarked on the Iraq/Pakistan border and misspoken many times. The people who support him do not hear what the people who know him have to say, instead follow blindly like sheep. I pray there are more interested, informed, intelligent voters, much oversite on this election, with an outcome of an Obama/Biden leadership team. They have proven they are informed, and care, about people, families, the environment, education, the country's economic condition and standing in the world, veterans issues, the health and wellness of everyone, racial and ethnic issues, ethics and varied religious beliefs, foreign affairs, world poverty, companies and jobs taken overseas to avoid taxes, equal pay, and benefits, the need to condemn torture, the legal system and its current abuse, equality, truth and justice, and above all, upholding the Constitution of these United States. Obama and Biden know how to spread democrary thoughtout the world by winning the hearts and minds of people through knowledge, empathy, and assistance, not murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent people and destroying their infrastructure.

[CalGoldenBear]

When you refer to "his comrads [sic]," presumably you're thinking of Dr. and retired Navy commander/8-yr VIetnam POW Phillip Butler.  Aside from the video, Dr. Butler wrote a lengthy article posted at military.com on why he won't vote for McCain:

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,164859,00.html

(The archive at military.com has three other articles by Dr. Butler that look like I should read them as well).

As for Sen. McCain learning, one should remember the aphorism about the French Bourbon monarchy after the post-Napoleon restoration, who "remembered everything and learned nothing.  (That also applies to The Shrub and what he "learned" from his father's presidency and sought to avoid).

I do agree with you that Obama/Biden is the ticket that all thinking and well-informed Americans should vote for on November 4. (And if you check their respective biographies, you will find that BOTH Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden have been adjunct (i.e., non-tenure track) professors of constitutional law).

Obama/Biden '08  Yes, we can!

[jinjinpinti]

I live in a military town/city which was rife with Bush/Cheney bumper stickers and yard signs last two elections. SOMEthing is awry with the Repubs, because this year I have seen 0, zip, nada, NO McCain/Palin stickers or signs anywhere.

[jimme]

As long as it sounds good that's all that matters. To heck with the truth. It's a shame to see someone implode right in front of our eyes. From maverick to carpetbagger in just a few months. What he won't do just to get elected. A legend in his own mind.

[canobs]

John McCain is a legend to all Americans. The man is a hero who gave up five unimaginable years of his life for his country. Shame on you.

[MsLiz]

Sending young people to fight a war of choice against a nation which is no threat to us is not heroism.

[Gib]

Haha! I like irony.

Did you hear this one:

Aide: Senator, some people are suggesting that you might be overplaying the POW card.

McCain: For almost 6 years I wasn't allowed to play cards.

[MoeJava]

The last heroic thing he did was be a POW. Since then, he has prioritized lobbyists beyond their value - making them the most honored in America, not the American people.
You'd think that his POW status would be sacred, but he has instead, used it in an effort to market himself as bigger-than-life in running for POTUS.
Add that he chose Sarah Palin for VP without proper and thorough vetting, and that adds up to someone who puts Party First rather than Country First.

[speechteach]

McCain had the terrible misfortune of being shot down and captured. Beyond that, there are questions about how heroic he truly was. How much did he really tell his captors? According to some, it was more than just name, rank, and serial number. Why didn't he receive the customary promotions in rank as the others did? Something is fishy, and no one dares question it for fear of being labeled "unpatriotic".

[PACRAT]

Please don't let McCain out alone!

John just doesn't know what is going on - he has become a national embarassment. That is unfortunate since he was once a natiional hero. He needs help and should resign from his candidacy for the presidency. That means that the GOP should start all over again - dumping that Fiftie's girl from Alaska in the process.

Please don't let him do greater harm to his honor. Remember when he was even considered an honorable man?