Karl Rove and Fox News claims Senator John McCain is qualified to be President because of his military service and a 26 year record of commitment to fiscal discipline in the Congress. However, voters should look at three components to Senator McCain's record on the Senate Armed Services committee before deciding. First, Senator McCain has not shown leadership in stopping waste, fraud and abuse in military contracts which has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars. Second, Senator McCain promoted tax cuts for the rich and gave coprporate welfare to the military complex who have been cheating taxpayers for years. Third, Senator McCain wants to send jobs to Airbus in Europe to build the Air Force tankers rather than keeping this $35 billion contract at Boeing in the states of Washington, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois to create jobs in America. Additional information, Google "John McCain and Airbus!" While Senator McCain has been promoting the China funded Iraq War, the national debt has increased from $934 billion in l981 to $9.5 trillion. Unfortunately, 300 million citizens are liable for $30,000 each, to pay this debt. Senator McCain's leadership will have the military staying in Iraq for many years costing trillions of dollars. Senator McCain's record indicates that he stands with the Bush/Cheney Administration which allows continued enrichment for lobbyist friends, their military clients and campaign coffers. Why does Kar Rove and Fox News want to reward Senator McCain with the Presidency?
McCain Comes Ashore In Pennsylvania
BUCKS COUNTY, Penn. -- Driving through the rolling hills and horse pastures here, the miles dotted with antiques stores, fieldstone houses and the orange daylilies of summer, I kept thinking that any minute I would be making a turn from the land of Fox Chase Bank and Cock n Bull Restaurant into the grittier world of struggling Pennsylvania manufacturing, where the Worth & Co. Warehouse hosting McCain's town hall would surely be located. During the Democratic Primary race, Senator Obama mostly held his Pennsylvania town hall meetings in cheerful high school gymnasiums; Senator Clinton's meets were in the meaner streets in the poorer towns. Senator McCain's choice of Worth & Company is a bit of the cheerful insouciance (or is it obliviousness?) that is beginning to characterize his campaign.
The McCain Campaign could hardly have found a less likely location for courting the blue collar voters the senator will need to win this battleground state. Worth & Co. is a plumbing and heating contractor smack dab in the middle of a wealthy county and under investigation for its bids on "prevailing wage work." Indeed some Worth employees were walking the scrum line of protesters outside the warehouse and holding up signs proclaiming unfair wage practices. Aside from an anti-war poster or two, most of the action was being coordinated by Fadia Halma, the DNC regional field organizer, who walked the line with her clipboard, checking off the numbers from Plumbers Local #690, Sheet Metal #19, UFCW local #1776 and AFSME, in their now iconic green shirts.
The hundreds of people waiting in line studiously ignored the protesters, of course. Larkin Patrick, a local Republican committeeman and ward leader, dismissed the scrum line. "They're at every McCain event, and they never get any more people to show up than this." Although Patrick said that "a lot of my conservative friends are scratching their heads" over McCain as the party nominee, he was confident that McCain could take Pennsylvania. "It's that middle part of the state," he said. "Alabama Pennsylvania."
I'm not sure I agree, but I wasn't about to roil the waters; Patrick was at least willing to talk to me. At least half the time I encountered a viscerally anti-Huffington Post reaction.
"I don't want to talk to you, period," a man said when I noted his USS Enterprise cap. He turned to his friend and said, "She doesn't understand what the word period means."
This venting of ire was ironic -- in so many ways -- not least because of the fact that all around these men stood the real threat, Obama supporters. Humorously, I've called them The Infiltrators ever since I first found them at a midnight Edwards rally in some god-forsaken frozen corner of Iowa. By now I can spot an Infiltrator a yard away by his or her Mona Lisa smile. And sure enough the McCain town hall meeting had attracted its share, most of them showing up out of curiosity, but some feeling that they needed more information before deciding finally on whom to vote for. This latter group are always the schoolteachers, and when I immediately identified three friends as such they were freaked -- but they don't know how many women like them I've met in Pennsylvania.
"What do you think about energy?" one teacher said. "I don't understand it, really. So anything I can hear about that will help. And the war. What do you do about Iraq? I need to hear all sides."
Men at the event were still riled about General Wesley Clark's remarks about John McCain on Sunday's Face the Nation. The source for the tension in the air and for the subsequent dramatic action of the McCain event itself was far away. This distance is a sea change (to use a good McCain metaphor) between former elections and the current one in the ways election contests unfold. Since the Pipersville town hall was full of veterans, they got me to thinking about Election 2008 in terms of World War II naval warfare. The town hall meetings and the rallies, the people events, are the battleships, the ships of the line that used to determine outcomes. The campaigns' communications teams are the carriers, suddenly the most important ships in the fleet, and the real action is always taking place up in the air, in the ethernet, beyond mere geography, as candidate surrogates, rapid response teams, press conference calls and 24/7 internet journalism fight it out.
And so John McCain in Pipersville was responding to Barack Obama far away in Independence, Missouri, and to Obama surrogates on a conference call, even as I was watching the town hall meeting while listening to the conference call and scrolling down on my Blackberry through Obama's Independence speech on patriotism. This is the multi-filtered drama of a candidate's appearance today. Therefore, not surprisingly, Senators McCain and Obama echoed one another. Primed by a New York Times article (a destroyer escort?) on the resurgence of Al Qaeda, Obama's surrogates Susan Rice and Bruce Reidel on conference call said Obama would take the war to the borderlands between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"We are in two wars," Senator McCain tells Pipersville. "Radical Islamic extremism is on the rise in Afghanistan."
"We are in the midst of war -- more than one," Senator Obama tells Independence.
"We will disagree--and that is good for our country," says McCain before taking questions.
"Most Americans understood that dissent does not make one unpatriotic," Obama says.
The air war between Pipersville and Independence over patriotism is illustrative. Earlier in the day, the McCain Campaign had held its own conference call with Senator John Warner, Admiral Leighton Smith, Colonel Bud Day, Lt. Commander Carl Smith and others on their "shock and disappointment" with Wes Clark. And Obama responded. "Let me also add," he says in Independence, "that no one should ever devalue that service [McCain's], especially for the sake of a political campaign."
Even in the sweltering din of the Worth Warehouse, reading Obama's patriotism remarks on a Blackberry, I am moved, as I often am by his eloquence. Much of the long speech is beautiful ("the commitments that bind us to our nation, and to each other") and inspiring (a call to national service); but on the whole, the speech seems programmatic, the parts worth more than the whole. There are the now-pro forma references to Lexington and Concord and Dr. King, the call to move away from divisions, the practical prescriptions (better civic education, tackling our "mountains of debt") and the personal anecdotes. Senator Obama's illustrations of his childhood education in patriotism, while fresh and charming, are troubling, for patriotism, on some level, is a quality that one can't claim for oneself -- such an act is self-defeating. Either one is patriotic or is not. People see that quality in a fellow human being or they do not.
As Obama well describes, there are many forms of patriotic sacrifice, but it is one's willingness to lay down his or her life for his or her country that has always been the ultimate test. It's the passing of that test that binds John McCain to those of his followers I met in Pipersville.
The third questioner at the town hall is a grizzled veteran who rises and says to McCain, "Welcome you home. You being a man of honor, don't become involved in [political] bullshit." The senator and the vet have a bit of a back-and-forth (the man had and perhaps still has a substance abuse problem) that ends with McCain saying, "There is nothing glorified about war." Murmurs of approval greet this assertion. Later McCain says, "I don't have to tell you, old comrades, I hate war." Again the comrades, of three generations, assent. For all the electrifying moments at Obama rallies, there has never been one quite like this.
It's the thin red line of the terrible knowledge of battle that threads the rhetoric of our great American speeches (The Gettysburg Address, for example) and that is missing from Obama's patriotism remarks. For that reason alone, McCain's supporters like the men in Pipersville will never willingly be folded into an Obamic spirit of inclusiveness. But looking around the warehouse and finding that all of the men there are white and most of them are my age or older, I see them on that great battleship anchored somewhere off the Solomons while the rest of the fleet travels onward and into action.
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Some things that the Straight Talk Express forgot to talk about in Pennsylvania:
49,000 teens between the ages of 16 and 19 do NOT attend school in Pennsylvania.
35 % of children living in poverty in Philadelphia, Pa.
17% of Pennsylvania's children live in poverty.
242,000 children in Pennsylvania do NOT have health insurance. Of that number 75,000 are children between the ages of 0 and 5 years of age.
"We are in two wars," Senator McCain tells Pipersville. "Radical Islamic extremism is on the rise in Afghanistan." (John McCain)
And what shall we call the crises right here in America, Sen. McCain?
What shall we call the national disgrace that literally throws away the lives of American children?
Indeed, to lay down ones life for his country is the ultimate act of patriotism. I doubt seriously that there are many of us left or right in the political spectrum that would not do so if this country was under attack . A look at the history of Russia will show you that in spite of regimes that were "unfriendly" to the common man, the population rose to defend and defeat the enemy. In 1805, the peasants joined their masters to defeat Napoleon and in WW-II the populace under the brutal rule off Stalin defeated Hitler's advances (at a cost in excess of 20 million lives). To think that liberals here would not defend the United States is ludicrous.
But what is unpatriotic? To question our leaders? No. Many of us knew that the justification for war in Iraq was pure, unabashed, almost laughable (if it wasn"t so tragic in its outcome) PROPAGANDA. What is worse, is that our Congress tacitly approved the invasion and our press fell for it;;even though they supplied the information we "unpatriots" used as a basis for our objections to invading Iraq. Was our objection unpatriotic? NO! What was unpatriotic was that both the Congress and the Press both trumpeted the Administrations line in some sort of "dance" to show that they were PATRIOTS! They weren"t patriots. They fell into the trap that to object would show weakness and a lack of patriotism. Isn't it ironic that is just what they demonstated.
Why should Obama make a speech as awesome as the Gettysburg address? Most people nowadays wouldn't understand it. Not enough educashun, and elitist and uppity besides. ...sigh...
Why are we, as a country, so afraid of having a smart president? Why are we afraid of good talkin'?
When McCain hates war and prepares for war at the same time, he has to be lying one way or the other. Anyone who proclaims violence, hate, destruction, bullying, abuse (including children), and killing as his method is most dangerous (to any society).
Of course there is the McCain who hates war. And then there is the maverick McCain who wanders away from that position for the glory of the American empire and the hundred years of neo-colonial occupation. If you don't like one McCain; just wait until tomorrow.
This is so much like watching reruns,we have seen this before, heard this before, promises made lies created, we go around in circles for another 4 years. What will happen if Obama gets elected on a platform of change and no change happens? We all know Congress and its unchangeable direction. When more Americans wake up and see that these senile old farts they re elect every two years are the problem, not the cure maybe something can start to happen. We already know people are fed up with the partisan bullshit,and serving them selves instead of the people goes against every law. Lobbyist don't pay taxes we do! Everyone who takes lobby money should be tried for treason against America!
McCain is so full of it
Sometimes real Patriotism is defending your country from your Government!
Let me point out that you do not win wars by dieing for your country your win wars by making the other bastard die for his country.
A profound comment from our greatest General. For those of you too ignorant, too lacking in knowledge of American history, or just too young to know or give a s*** RoaringMoose is quoting General Patton, a true American hero of WWII.
Let's not fall all over ourselves fawning over Patton. Yes, he was a good and courageous general but proved himself repeatedly to be inept in other areas, including logistics. He was an autocrat with little regard for the opinions of anyone but himself. He was certainly not a small d democrat but frequently a bully and pretty much ineffective in handling responsibilities requiring any tact or diplomacy. He was also a bit of a wacko in some areas and a firm believer in reincarnation and his own 'chosen' role in history. He came damn close to getting himself fired in spite of his military success more than once.
As for 'greatest' I can name several off the top of my head who were his equal in warfare and superior in other areas, to wit, Eisenhower, George Marshall, Omar Bradley, John Pershing, U S Grant, R E Lee, J E B Stuart, W T Sherman, etc.
Close but wrong. You win the war by winning the argument. You can win militarily, but if the losing side does not agree, then you have not won. Germany rejected Fascism and so that was the victory. In Vietnam you lost the war and won the argument!
You might not know it but you are fighting a war against China, and you are winning...but then as is said, be careful what you wish for. This is all about economics, Bush/Cheyney are wrapping it in a crusade to make the U.S. public accept it. It is sick.
You say: "...but it is one's willingness to lay down his or her life for his or her country that has always been the ultimate test."
Really? So peace advocates aren't patriotic?
That's quite a sweeping statement which, in essence, discounts the patriotism of MOST of the citizens of this nation. Most of us will never be in a circumstance which requires that, and yet we still are patriotic.
I think what you say buys into the GOP meme that only conservatives are patriotic. I have always objected to this, as I have always felt quite patriotic. I've travelled much of the world, and all over this country. Despite my frequent displeasure with the acts of our leaders, I love this nation and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
"So peace advocates aren't patriotic?"-txvoodoo
No one is saying that peace advocates are not patriotic. No one in their right mind would prefer war to peace. Your statement that "MOST of us will never be in a circumstance which require that,(the willingness to lay down ones life for his country) and yet we still are patriotic" is very true.
However; I do take exception to your statement that "
I think what you say buys into the GOP meme that only conservatives are patriotic. I have always objected to this, as I have always felt quite patriotic. I've travelled much of the world, and all over this country. Despite my frequent displeasure with the acts of our leaders, I love this nation and wouldn't want to live anywhere else."
Great response. I have and never will agree that fighting a war is the ultimate sacrifice for one's country. I doubt that John Kennedy meant for all of us to fight wars when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country." I am so tired, utterly sick of the so called conservative agenda. I support progressive ideas and ideals. War is and never will be progressive. It's reactionary. Enough, already.
No doubt you're right, it was Kennedy that started the Peace Corps, correct?
AMEN!
Yes, that was a great response!!!!!
Vote your voice with your vote!!!!!!!!!
I am sorry about this BUT if teachers make comments like this when asked ->What do you think about energy?" one teacher said. "I don't understand it, really. So anything I can hear about that will help. And the war. What do you do about Iraq? I need to hear all sides."
I don't agree that patriotism is something someone can sense in someone else. Today we do not have a unified opinion on what patriotism is, so how can you say it is something you just know about someone but not something someone can say about themselves. To some patriotism is love of the flag and devotion to the decisions made by the nation's leaders, to others it is love and defense of the constitution, which may mean protesting the decisions of the nation's leaders. Sometimes we mistake jingoism for patriotism, as I think some have mistaken serving the country as a soldier is the best training to be chief executive.
Yours is one of the most sensible posts I have seen on this blog in a LONG LONG TIME.
McCain hates war? I never knew! Since he sang Bomb Iran, I thought war was a big joke.
Experience doesn't guarantee wisdom.
http://www.larrynocella.com/2008/06/experience-does-not-guarantee-wisdom.html
McCain sings Bomb Iran! (McCain McKaraoke!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3phka5_fsWU
As is always the case at these rallies, people who are mostly convinced show up to offer support. McCain and Obama are mostly addressing their people.
Other than to encourage the already faithful to give in a few more dollars, I don't see the point of being concerned with any such rally.
Some candidates go so far as to invite only their faithful, doing their best to omit any real worry about being hit with a tough question.
As Clark and Gard have pointed out as of late, being shot down and held POW does not a President make. The only way the WWI, WWII & Korean war veterans are going to be made to look at reality is to inform them that the new veterans, those Viet Nam, Gulf War and Iraq Wars' men and women, are not getting the same hero treatment as they once received. If they are shown the discrepencies, the unfairness of it all, they may have a change of heart. Until then, though, they will cling to their hero ideals and keep puffing their chests thinking that war is the only answer to what can now be handled peaceably. Once the old guard acknowledges that our newer veterans do not receive the care, the benefits, the short deployments that they enjoyed, they may just have that change of heart and see the HUGE need for a change in Americas policies, the treatment of our soldiers, along with a change in our foreign policies and a change from a Repuplican vote to a Democratic one.
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Posted July 1, 2008 | 09:17 AM (EST)