Why We Can't Afford a McCain Presidency

Let's see now, John McCain doesn't know the difference between Shi'a and Sunni, refers to a non-existent "Iraq-Pakistan border," believes that Iran trains Al Qaida terrorists (Bin Laden's Al Qaida is Sunni; the vast majority of Iran is Shi'a, less than 10% are Sunni), and doesn't know how many homes he and his wife own. That's scary.

The real problem is that McCain really does sometimes appear to be clueless. But not to worry, his handlers will reassure us, there's no need for him to be bothered with details: He will pick a running mate who be on top of the facts, just like Dick Cheney. Except for the homes. Cindy McCain keeps tabs on them. After all, they're really hers. She's the beer heiress who inherited millions. She bought the homes and pays for them. McCain just lives there.

It's easy to understand why McCain doesn't want to discuss his wealth, since it's not really his. Barack Obama bought his and Michelle's home with money he earned from books he wrote. McCain benefits greatly from his wife's inherited fortune, estimated at around $100 million. There's nothing wrong with marrying a wealthy spouse, but it does suggest (scream?) elitism. Remember all those Republican demands four years ago that Teresa Heinz Kerry disclose her assets and tax returns? Somehow, the GOP doesn't seem inclined to hold Cindy McCain to the same standards.

McCain is not the only one in his crowd who has a problem with inconvenient facts. Look at Giuliani's performance at a hastily called telephonic press conference to attack Daniel Kurtzer, a highly respected former United States Ambassador to both Egypt (appointed by Bill Clinton) and Israel (appointed by George W. Bush), who visited Syria as a member of an American Bar Association delegation. No matter that Kurtzer was not there on behalf of any political campaign, and that prominent Republicans like Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter have also visited Syria . The GOP attack machine won't pass up any opportunity to smear anyone who supports Barack Obama. But what Giuliani wasn't counting on was a reporter from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency who would dare ask him, America 's Mayor (and pal of the disgraced Bernard Kerik, erstwhile Senior Vice President at Giuliani Partners and Chief Executive Officer of Giuliani-Kerik LLC, an arm of Giuliani Partners) about his own associations. Question: Had Giuliani ever "represented Saudi Arabia 's oil ministry in a Texas court case?" Giuliani's answer: "I never represented Saudi Arabia . I've never been to Saudi Arabia ."

Actually, in March of 2007, according to a May 15, 2007 AP story, the Bracewell & Giuliani, the law firm of which Rudy is a name partner, "filed papers in a Texas case on behalf of Saudi Arabia's oil ministry -- taking sides with another energy giant, Citgo, which is controlled by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a Bush administration critic."

So which is it? Did Rudy's law firm act for the Saudi oil ministry or didn't it? If it did, then Rudy, as a partner of the firm, represented Saudi Arabia . And the Republican solution to pesky questions by reporter Ron Kampeas? Disconnect him from the press conference. Yup, that's the Rudy we New Yorkers remember.

So where does that leave us on the eve of the conventions? We have two very different candidates - one is thoughtful, deliberate, and forward looking; the other sees the world through the prism of his experiences in Viet Nam more than 35 years ago. One understands the problems of the 21st Century; the other seems nostalgic for an age when most Americans were not yet born. One is sensitive to the complexities of the world we live in; the other evokes all the jingoism of the Cold War. One believes that earning $250,000 a year makes you well off; the other thinks that you need $5 million to be "rich." One understands that addressing our economic and energy problems will require hard work; the other relies on advisors like Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman who whispers foreign policy corrections in his ear, or former Texas Senator Phil Gramm who believes that we are in the midst of a "mental recession."

All in all, it's really a simple choice. If you're a multi-millionaire or billionaire and all you care about is preserving what you have, you're likely to want a third Bush term. If, on the other hand, you worry about the future, you know that maintaining the status quo is a recipe for disaster. If you want a President who knows what he is talking about, and who doesn't need his staff to tell him how many houses he owns, you won't vote for the candidate of yesteryear. If you want more Supreme Court justices like Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, by all means, vote for McCain; but if you want to preserve our civil rights and liberties, if you do not want Roe v. Wade overturned at the first opportunity, you know that Barack Obama is your only viable option.

Menachem Rosensaft is a lawyer in New York City.

Comments

[Rick613]

Rosensaft's understanding of Middle East affairs is simplistic as well. The fact that Iran is Shia and Al Qaida is Sunni doesn't necessarily mean that Iran hasn't given them training or support, or hasn't given other Sunni terrorists training or support. Syria is Sunni, Hezbollah is Shiite, yet they are allies and Syria has provided Hezbollah with weapons and training. Is it impossible for Iran to have a limited strategic alliance with Sunni terrorists who are operating against the United States where it suits its interests? To believe otherwise is naive.

Also, why can't Giulliani criticize Kurtzer for visiting Syria? Where is the hypocrisy? Because Arlen Spector visited Syria (when and in what context, Rosensaft doesn't say)? Is Rosensaft suggesting that because Spector is a Republican and because Giulliani is a Republican, they agree on everything? Did Giuliani ever say he supported Spector's visit to Iran? This argument sounds as superficial to me as Rosensaft's Sunni-Shia analysis. Oh, and because Guilliani's law firm represented a Saudi Arabian oil company in a business transaction, it's hypocritical for Giulliani to criticize a former U.S. ambassador for meeting with a Syrian government delegation? I don't quite get it. Does Rosensaft also understand that Syria and Saudi Arabia are different countries? Oh, now I get it, they're both Sunni! Also Giulliani practices at a law firm of over 400 attorneys. Is it possible Giulliani, did not know about the oil company representation? Is there anything wrong with the representation, by the way?

[Rick613]

I am an Obama supporter, but I find this post irritating on so many levels. It's the problem with our political discourse today. There's no attempt at a serious discussion of the candidates and the issues, just facile debate and infantile, meaningless arguments, like this one.

Why is it so hard to believe that McCain doesn't know how many homes his wife (and maybe, he) own? Has he been to all of these homes? Does he know whether they're owned or rented? Who cares? I guess the point is that McCain is wealthy, and thus, supposedly "out of touch" with ordinary Americans, unlike, of course, Menachem Rosensaft, a lawyer and political blogger, or Barack Obama, a Harvard Law Review alumnus, Ivy League law professor, and millionaire, who are regular Joes. Neither McCain nor Obama are ordinary Americans, and neither should be, as they are looking to LEAD the country. As a separate matter, the idea that McCain is "elitist" because he's wealthy is pure nonsense. Unlike Menachem Rosensaft, McCain spent five years in pure hell. He had the chance to leave because of his connections. He chose not to be treated differently than any other American POW. That shows character. One may not like McCain's policies, but why do we need to attack him personally?

[plafayette]

Shalom Meni: Thanks for lending your considerable support for Obama.
There has been so much written about the lack of trust and support among Jewish voters for Obama it's been scary. You lay out the facts about each candidate and show what supporters can expect to get from their decision in the voters booth. Please shout your support for Obama over the rooftops and down to the Florida Keys where many Jews are said to be looking towards the likes of McCain. On this day we hope the world will join voices in solidarity saying "Not This Time."

I am a life long New Yorker and know your long commitment for the "second generation." BTW...My sister Joyce S. used to care for Jodie many years ago. She sends her love and support. Obama 08

[ernieson]

McCain was the son and grandson of admirals. Hence the connections to favored treatment in the navy. After throwing his first wife away like an old rag, he married the mistress heiress and advanced politically because of her money. He has kept a senate seat warm for 26 years. What has he accomplished on his own? He is too old, too confused, too hawkish, and too dependent on others to be POTUS.

[BottomLine2008]

John McCain is a kept man.

lol

[UnbiasView]

Give me a $100 millions, 7 houses and all the beer I can drink . . . you can keep me anywhere you want.

[4President]

McCain is not the only one in his crowd who has a problem with inconvenient facts.
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Its safe to say when discussing government, politics and this election in particular anything coming out of a republican congressperson or pundits' mouth is just about 100% false.

[cylindar]

Obama is definitely the wave fo the future. However I do not think it matters how many houses McCain has or that he can not remember how many he has. Is money bad? Is lots and lots of money obscene? Not really. Most people on this planet would do the same as McCain if they had his money in some fashion or another. Those who complain about others wealth would probably exhibit horrible traits if they were wealthy. Hard to feel sorry for the snivelers. If you want to make an issue of how a person makes their money then you might have something of merit. to do envy gossip however is useless.

[Chillinout]

It isn't about how my homes he owns, it is about him not knowing, and then using an excuse that they are really Cindy's and that is why he doesn't know. Do you think we need someone running the country that can't even run his own finances?

[Chillinout]

That should be "how many," not how my

[UnbiasView]

In financial terms, I don't think this country can afford either one of these guys. They both have no plans to reduce spending which needs to be done in this country. Obama actually has another $1 trillion in spending laid out.

Please check out the movie I.O.U.S.A and realize that we have to demand that this government is reigned in.

[karela]

Bravo! Well said. One of the things that I find truly worrisome is that McCain constantly asks other people what he thinks or what he supposedly knows. It would be very, very, very easy to control the office of the presidency through this man. Lobbyists have been doing it for some time. He says he made anybody who was a lobbyist on his campaign quit lobbying or quit the campaign. But those people all belong to firms of lobbyists whether they actively take clients or not and those firms are raking in big time fees because they have someone on the inside and very close to the candidate. McCain is so dense that he doesn't even know when he's being lobbied. They just give him their "expert" advice and he takes it without even being aware that they, in the guise of their firms, are raking in big money to give that advice. I really fear for the country if he's president. All he cares about is military might. On every other subject, like for instance the economy and taxes, he'll do what his advisers tell him to do. And that could be a nation breaking proposition.

[gage]

Oh please. Check out the list of Obama's advisors. there are hundreds of them, which is good, since he has zero experience.

[whatt]

well gage the difference is obama picks smart people to advise him, to what this country really needs, then he obama makes the decision, not mcbushrove, why are you soo afraid of the dark skinned man, could he be smarter than you? why yes yes he is, too bad.

[Law35]

Who has experience being President before they're President? Hmmmmm or are you talking about the 26yrs of "experience" McSame has and has fixed nothing. I'll take intelligent, forward thinking, actually cares about people in this country over out for himself (as stated in his book), not knowing who we're fighting, draft instituting, war monger any day.

[yvonne61]

HE NEED TO RELEASE HIS WARS RECORD WHAT ARE HE HIDING?

[S1m0n]

John McCain has never earned a dime that didn't come from YOUR pocket, taxpayers of america. He's never held a job in anything but the public sector.

[HUFFNAME]

Are you certain he was never paid for his movie and television appearances? Not even union scale?

I've heard of several of these. Does anyone have an exhaustive list of these McCain celebrity moments?

[UnbiasView]

I've seen McCain in Wedding Crashers and 24.

[UnbiasView]

And Obama?

Big private sector guy I guess?

[JaneEyrez]

Books sales accounts for a large portion of his net worth... you know, like that crazy lady in the UK who wrote those popular little books... what were they called? Oh, yeah, Harry Potter and the whatever. See, that's called EARNING your money by something you produce.

[HeadForTheHillarys]

These are some of the questions that should be asked of Mr McCain in regard to his seemingly new found sanctimony. Just how fund a mental is he?

http://www.tehomet.net/canadians.html

[ilovemydoggy]

haha Thanks for the link. You mean I can't kill someone for working on the Sabbath? Gosh. There are definitely contradictions but I still believe in a higher being. Humans are nuts though.

[Bloggerrogr]

Thank you! This is great stuff.