Incoherence from McCain

The McCain campaign's mounting incoherence -- born of the candidate's attempts to straddle the political center and the right, and of his apparent ignorance of the content of his own proposals -- is a sight to behold.

Just in the past few days, there's been a drumbeat of contradictory messages. McCain pledged to balance the budget by the end of his first term, but provided no details for what is a politically impossible task right now -- made more so by his proposed tax cuts and increases in defense spending.

Then McCain denounced the pay-as-you go element of Social Security, in which today's taxpayers pay the benefits of today's retirees, as an "absolute disgrace." It's not clear why he said this -- of course, if you have rising numbers of retirees and relatively few taxpayers, it's a problem. But a "disgrace"? This is, after all, the way the program was designed and has operated for 70-plus years. The campaign's explanation -- the "disgrace" is the failure to address the coming shortfall -- doesn't really make sense. So we're left with the impression, justified or not, that McCain somehow questions the rationale behind Social Security itself.

Now, McCain's staffers are apparently telegraphing the idea that he will abandon cap-and-trade as his big fix for climate change. This is probably wishful thinking on the part of conservatives. But still -- this is the centerpiece of McCain's climate policy. Or is it?

McCain's position on Iraq also got muddled on the question of whether we will be maintaining bases in a peaceful Iraq for decades to come, or leaving much sooner at the behest of the Iraqi government.

Presidential campaigns are always semi-improvisational -- they can't just rely on position papers, and must respond to changes in the world and the political environment. But this goes well beyond semi -- these are not intelligent or even opportunistic adjustments to events, but random, chaotic changes. This isn't jazz, it's noise. There seems to be some fundamental confusion about what McCain's policies are or should be, and also about his underlying principles. On a practical level, you never know precisely how a candidate's positions will be translated into actual policy -- but you can get some general ideas. That doesn't seem to be the case here. We don't know what McCain would actually do if he becomes president. And at least right now, neither does he.

www.johnmcquaid.com/blog

Comments

[NotFooledByDistractions]

Every day I have to say "I can't believe this guy is a presidential candidate"!!!! He is just the poorest candidate I remember in my 49 years. what's even more surprising is that folks will vote for his image - and boy will they be majorly disappointed with the substance. Think and do your research before voting!! This election is too important - we can't handle another C- legacy admission in the white house.

[Boomerwoman]

What we are hearing is McCain's position as described by his official position and handlers, contrasted with McCain himself as he sleepwalks thru the campaign, mouthing what he's able to remember by rote...from the past. Old brains don't remember the most recent "line" as well as younger brains do.

[soithoni]

just a reminder.

Make sure that your voting registration is current and valid, that you have a voter's card or something official to enable the election judge to find you on the rolls, and that you have an official photo ID just in case you're challenged.

In 2004, having lived in the same house for 22 years (and voting in every election - I take this very seriously!), my name was erroneously removed from the voter rolls. I did vote, but the experience worried me. Just saying... this time, it's *really* important. Be sure you get to have your voice counted.

[Citizenofreality]

Let's put incoherence aside and talk about blatant lying. McCain has been running around the country pretending he supported the new GI bill. Senator McCain did NOT vote for it, but he has allowed the liar in chief at the White House to spin the yarn that he did. He is a shameful hypocrite who pretends to support veterans, in truth he has been given a 20% rating in backing legislation which helps those in uniform.

[peter777]

So John McCain thinks SS practice now is a disgrace. How ignorant! The fact is that all the bucks I contributed and others contributed was spent by the government. The contributions were not invested. You would think, listening to him and other Repubs talk, that everybody on SS is getting a free ride.

So, McCain-- I got news for you. The USA owes me for with interest for my retirement, and that is a tidy sum as I paid the max virtually all of my working life.

If this clown is elected President, he will turn out to be worse than Bush because he does not have a clue as to what he doesn't know. He was almost last in his class at the Naval Academy for a good reason - he is not smart.

It is time the MSM vetted John McCain on the facts about government.

[BigMike75]

It's funny, Liberals have seem to put more effort into undermining Senator Obama, than they have in drawing more attention to John McCains campaign of ineptitude. Certainly the MSM won't do it, not in their best interest. It' seems their best interest lies in conducting an inquisition into Senator Obama, while their coverage of the "straight talk express" continues. Turn on any of the romper room news channels these days, and all you hear about is all the problems that Senator Obama seems to be having, meanwhile it seems McCains campaign is cruising along with the smoothness of a Porsche. I'm not going to agree with EVERY stance taken by Senator Obama, I certainly would've liked to see a stronger stance of FISA, but I realize this all happens within the limited scope of politics. At the end of the day, Obama continues to be the better choice of two evils, and John McCain should kept away from the Oval Office at all costs.

[wbramh]

While I totally agree with you on the subject of John McCains Sweet-Talk Express (my term), I think you're being unfairly harsh on Liberals.
By dictionary definition, a Liberal is: broad-minded; especially : not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms.
Liberals tend to think in shades of gray rather then black and white.
It's a thought process often too demanding on people who are ignorant on particular subjects because it requires a depth of knowledge and some ability to think in the abstract. Senator Obama is at his perceived weakest among the ignorant and the Main Stream Media when he expounds intelligently and thoughtfully on a subject.
Intellectual thought doesn't play to the masses because the MSM reduces all issues to sound bites and inanities - which both plays to and encourages more ignorance. The Lincoln-Douglas debates weren't hampered by 30 second "Lightning Rounds." Of course, that was before serious issues
So yes. I will criticize Senator Obama when I think he abandons the precepts of Liberalism in favor of the convenient. However, I will actively and tirelessly try to defeat Mr. McCain and his gang with all the power at my disposal.
Being a Liberal ain't easy. Many of Mr. McCain's supporters would undoubtedly like him to bite his tongue on a daily basis. As Liberals, we wish we could bite our collective tongue when it comes to our own standard Bearer, but we can't. It's just not in our nature, or our moral fiber.

[lwaxanatroi]

But we know exactly what McCain would do in any situation. He'll do what the money tells him to do. Where's the mystery?

[Mike789]

Sen. McCain does not have to a criteria of "coherence". He has CNN and FOX, et al, executing a whitewash job that covers his hind quarters at every turn. MSM must certainly have a staff in each network whose undivided attention is directed toward how to spin McCain's disparate campaign into something resembling a cogent platform. It is not in the interest of MSM to debunk McCain. They uphold the contention that their viewship will decline if a one-sided commentary is perceived, regardless of whether that commentary might well represent the truth. As a result Sen. McCain simply plods onward with no compelling reason to get his act together. The result for the general public, who have little time to explore issues and statements in depth, believe the orchestrated nonsense the MSM spews forth to garner sponsorship.

I used to watch MSNBC. At one time I thought they were a "one from column A, one from column B" network and that still may be the case. Nonetheless, the shallow coverage; the dumbing down and cliched bandying gets on my nerves. Same pundits, no real experts brought to the fore, an no substansive debate. Hello......Anyone at the tiller? CSPAN and NPR are my last hope.

[zanngra]

The msm rarely calls him on any of this, yet they spend days foaming at the mouth because Obama said he may refine his position after he visits Iraq. They justify their double-standard by saying the American people know John McCain, this election is a referandum on Obama. What????

[austinobserver]

Yea, if the American people really knew McCain, he would be in the single digits.

[Vasudeva]

They didn't know he was a complete idiot until recently. How about Mc Waffle, hear one thing for breakfest and another for lunch.

[wmbear]

ER, YEAH...

We maybe expected coherence from McCain?....

[gvc]

McCain:

Cap and trade: forget it.

Social Security: dismantle it.

Employer-funded health care: emasculate it.

Foreign policy: taunt and bomb it.

A smorgasboard of delights for disgruntled liberals.

[confuseddemocrat]

Yet we are not captalizing on these troubling signs

Why isn't there an uproar in the media?

He position alone on social security alone start a revolution in Florida
His positions on healthcare and abortion should precipitate mass marches by feminists
His lack of support for veteran services and his opposition to the GI bill (even though he claimed to sponsor the bill) should have vet organizations running to the media

I don't get it

[LABC]

The Left wing media needs time to clear the froth of indignate spittle off their lips about Obama and FISA before they can focus on McCain's troubling campaign. MSM is still focusing on easy stories - like Obama's decision to not over-expose his children or Jackson's statements - before they can remove their tassles, get off of McCain's lap, and do their jobs (thank you, Rachel Maddow!). The rest of us? Hopefully, a wake up call as to what is really at stake in this election will occur.

[4real]

McCane is all over the place. I don't think he really wants to be president. He doesn't seem confident or firm in anything he says. He doesn't seem physically or mentally ready to take on the challenges that this country is facing right now.

It's almost like he is screaming please don't vote for me.

[robXdion]

What's hilarious is the fact being an old white male still keeps him close! It kinda goes to show what America will absorb to avoid the specter of a (half) black President.

[goldnchyl]

It would be hilarious... if it weren't so tragic

[confuseddemocrat]

you have to laugh to keep from crying

[elizaW]

Is this your attempt to take the spotlight off of Obama's problem with clarity and consistency? i still have no idea what Obama will actually do if elected president when it comes to iraq. Troops out immediately? Soon? In sixteen months? Longer? The truth is he doesn't know and until he's actually president, he won't be in a position to really know what he's dealing with over there. That fact coupled with Obama's habit of changing his mind depending on who he's talking to makes for very murky waters.

[kdubbg]

So which is it do you even read anything here or are you just writing this to intentionally mislead people? Obama's been saying all along that he wants the troops out in an orderly and timely fashion. He's always said that.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/

[EyeballKid]

elizaW's presumptuous doubt looks too programmed to be the result of naivete or ignorance. He/she's likely a right wing radio or FoxNews junkie who foments doubts as an objective, just as the propaganda machine continues to do.

Right wing propagandists can't talk about Obama's policies; they can only ask questions that foment doubt without addressing the content of Obama's remarks. That's their game. ElizaW is parroting the propaganda.

[nk007]

Sorry elizaW, apparently you have not been paying attention to Obama. He wants out of Iraq period. He wants to remove troops carefull to minimize danger to the troops and American civilians. He proposes a sixteen month withdraw time table but always with a caveat: that is taking into consideration facts on the ground. That means he could bring out troops in less than sixteen months or it may take a little longer. The bottom line is that he does support an indefinite occupation of Iraq. I bet he welcomes the calls from Iraq for a timetable to remove foreign troops. Unlike McCain who says troops can be in Iraq for the next 100 years, Obama wants out of Iraq. The sooner the better but under careful planning to minimize casualties to our troops and chaos in Iraq. Stop listening to FOX, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, and listen to the actual speeches by Obama, going back to 2007 when he announced his candidacy.

[Vasudeva]

O will not make a decision about Iraq until after he finds out how much money he stands to make, then he will decide. Honestly, Ron Paul is really the best candiate and I am not a republcon. He and Ralph Nadar as a team, one so far to the left, the other so far to the right are the same point on circle.

[BassMonk]

Please consider the difference between strategy and tactics.

[Xenopus]

Not only does the guy flip-flop routinely, sometimes two or three times on the same issue, but he outright lies about stuff.....like Obama's record. He just makes stuff up or says the direct opposite of what the truth is. I guess he figures the public is too stupid to know the difference and the mainstream media won't call him out. He said today that all veteran support groups give him a perfect 100% on his vote record for Veteran's, when his record is really bad and most groups have called him out. I have to wonder what is with the guy. Does he intend to be so blantantly dishonest or does he really have no idea and just says whatever comes to mind?

[silverball]

...i happened to catch a part of charlie gibson's "interview" (actually, fawning alll over....) yesterday, in which he was smiling and just delighted to be chatting with such a "straight-talker"....because all he could do is keep refering to ALL of the "flip-flops" barack has done and asking mcsame to comment on it...NEVER once did he make mention of the myriad flip-flops mesame has done....and don't get me started on jale tapper and his biased way of saying things...the msm is pathetic...abc is more and more like faux news daily.....

[tedbear]

Incoherence is a perfect descriptive word for McCain. Anyone who is honest cannot deny it. Look at McCain and he looks confused, stunned, and appears to be unsure where he even is at.
I mean, how can even the Republican party run a guy so inept?