The Egregious John McCain Interview

John McCain made news last week for an interview with the Kansas City Star, noteworthy for an egregious comment.

When asked if his Democratic opponent for president was a Socialist, Sen. McCain -- apparently channeling red-baiting of the glorious 1950s -- shrugged and said, "I don't know."

Honest.

If Sen. McCain is that unperceptive with a man he works with, why should anyone trust the Republican with total strangers? At least George Bush could look in people's hearts. On the other hand, if John McCain actually knows that Barack Obama really isn't a Socialist, well... what does that say about his renowned integrity?

It's a remarkable quote, and understandable why it got all the attention in Dave Helling's interview.

But that wasn't the egregious comment.

Because Sen. McCain continued disingenuously, "All I know is his voting record, and that's what people usually judge their elected representatives by."

Forgetting for a moment that that's not remotely true -- since people judge their representatives by countless things, like their smile, their lapel pin, their spouse, the crude jokes they tell, whether they'd like to share a beer, and how disingenuous he is -- by Mr. McCain's logic, he might be a Communist mole. Or an escaped ax murderer. Or a mime. Because if all we know for sure about a representative is his voting record, then John McCain, too, could be anything.

(While I'm aware there was some satire above, I apologize for suggesting that John McCain could be a mime.)

But that wasn't Sen. McCain's egregious comment, either.

In attempting to smear Sen. Obama with red paint, Mr. McCain commented that his opponent's voting record "is more to the left than the announced socialist in the United States Senate, Bernie Sanders."

Blanket statements generally play havoc with the full truth -- as did John McCain. In fact, checking VoteView, made up of actual political scientists, Sen. Obama is only 10th most liberal - behind, among others...Bernie Sanders. Oops. In Congressional Quarterly, an actual, official record of government, it reported Barack Obama voted with George Bush 40% of the time, putting him in the middle of Democrats. Oops. By the way, the rating John McCain likely refers to is from the National Journal, which doesn't rank McCain himself -- because he missed over half the key votes. Oops.

Yet that wasn't Sen. McCain's egregious comment, either.

Because Dave Helling asks the senator about the Minutemen, a rifle-toting posse pushing for a wall across the U.S.-Mexican border. Since the vigilantes are based in McCain's home state of Arizona, Helling inquires if they're a "good thing... do they help in the immigration fight, or not?"

After another shrug, John McCain starts in, "I think they are citizens who are entitled to being engaged in the process. They're obviously very concerned about immigration." Then again, that also describes the American Nazi Party. And it doesn't address the question. So, Dave Helling tries again, "Are they helpful?" To which the senator answers, "I think that's for others to judge."

John McCain is running for president -- and he doesn't think it's for him to judge what's helpful dealing with immigration??? He's supposed to be guiding that very judgment. Not dodging it. Besides, who are these mystical "others" who are entitled to judge, but not the would-be president? Anyway, the Senator continues his answer, "I don't agree with them. But they certainly are exercising their legal rights as citizens." Of course, when a 61-year-old librarian, Carol Kreck, was exercising her legal rights by carrying a "Bush=McCain" sign to one of the senator's open meetings, his security detail had her ejected.

But still, no, that too wasn't Sen. McCain's egregious comment.

You see, near the end, John McCain starts to point out issues on which Barack Obama changed his positions. Dave Helling finally interrupts the speech, and in a soft, "Okay, okay, I know, but let's be honest here a moment" voice, says politely:

"You flip-flop a little bit, too. You flip-flop on drilling a little bit. On tax cuts....You were against the tax cuts, now you're talking about making them permanent. Isn't there flip-flopping on both sides?

To which the engineer of the Straight Talk Express acknowledges -- "Actually, no."

"No." Period. That's as emphatic as it gets. Never mind that seconds before, he explained changing his position on drilling! Adding, "I haven't changed my position on any other issue." Only to then explain - seconds after insisting there's "No" flip-flopping on his side - that his changed position on tax cuts was because, "We had to restrain spending, that's the main reason I voted against them."

Here's a good linguistic tip: just because you have a reason you changed your opinions doesn't mean you didn't change your opinions.

But "No," there is no flip-flopping on his side. None. Honestly, there was more flip-flopping in that single answer by John McCain than most people see at the dolphin show at Seaworld.

And...even that wasn't the egregious comment

This was the egregious comment -

After Sen. McCain explains his gas tax holiday suggestion, Dave Helling points out, "A lot of experts say this is not a good idea."

And this is how John McCain defends criticism of the detailed facts and specifics of his economic plan: "A lot of experts are driven to work in chauffeured limousines. A lot of experts live in Georgetown and walk to work."

Yipes.

I mean...yipes. That may be. But...they're still experts. And he's said he's not

Further, I'll bet cash money that most economic experts don't have chauffeured limousines. Name four. Most don't live in Georgetown, but across America. Though John McCain himself is chauffeured in a limousine.

And again -- they...are...experts. Even if they bicycle to work.

Of course, sometimes you have to put things in perspective. After all, John McCain's economic expert was Phil Gramm, who explained there's only a "mental recession" in our "nation of whiners." But now he's been fired, so perhaps Sen. McCain is left without guidance.

In the end, it might be hard to say which of these comments are the most egregious . But what's most noteworthy is not which one -- but that all these egregious comments weren't said over the course of weeks... but in 6 minutes and 7 seconds.

Comments

[Michael Gene Sullivan - Huffpost Blogger]

Lay off the mimes!

San Francisco Mime Troupe
"America's foremost theatre of political comedy"

And we're not silent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdCZkxlAox4

[Michael Gene Sullivan - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey! Lay off the mimes!

Jeez!

San Francisco Mime Troupe
"America's foremost theatre of political comedy!

And we're not silent! Example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdCZkxlAox4

[lthuedk 1]

McCain's response was entirely expected, since he is a nationalist socialist-a militant corporatist. From his perspective, an American Constitutionalist is an absolute Marxist. To McCain and the extremists running his show, any informed American is an enemy of the state.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/obama_confronts_the_corporation.html

McCain's problem is the corporate welfare state he embodies. A Constitutionalist is his worst nightmare.

[sdskelton03]

Barack Obama's politics are closer to European style socialism than any candidate for president in my lifetime.

Don't believe me, go to his website and read his positions. He favors cradle to grave government entitelments and the largest tax increase in history. (although with a growing economy just about every tax increase is the largest in history, but you know what I mean.) There is no stage of life for which Mr. Obama doesn't have a government hand out at the ready.

[lthuedk 1]

How easy it is to forget the billions in corporate welfare money extracted over the last eight years. All Obama will do is return stolen funds (tax breaks) to the Middle Class by taxing the thieving corporate welfare socialists to create a fair tax distribution without the extreme elite class glut. That is middle of the road thinking-not extremism.

Of course, to those defending the Bushist tax breaks for the wealthy, anything fair looks extreme.

McBush-Gramm '08

[VOTER]

Thank you!

PLEASE, send your article to all MSM outlets.

You will SHOCK them with the truth.

Who knows, maybe you will WAKE THEM UP TOO!

[Rescisco]

There is no tactic too low and no lie too bold for these mighty righties. I, for one, am sick and tired of white men from the intellectual stone age showing off their ignorance, their prejudice, their filthy lies and calling it patriotism or proof of their superior leadership ability. I am even more sick and tired of people who vote for these primitives. In time, the dark ages will be thought of as including these past eight years and however many more years political cave men like these remain viable competitors.

[PJay1]

"Yipes" is right!

Thank you, Mr. Elisberg, for doing what the the majority in the msm won't..

I never thought I'd say this, but I think McCain would be even worse than Bush.

"YIPES"!!!!!!!!!

Scary thought. VERY scary.

[anfractuous]

This is 2008. One of the few possible benefits of such, is that calling someone a "Socialist" is like condemning someone as a "Rosicrucian". Who, under 75, even knows or cares?

[Paul]

What's wrong with being a Socialist?

The countries of Western Europe are considered socialist by many and they have a much better quality of life for the middle class than here in the US.

[SeriousBlack]

Could the guy be ANY more hopeless?

Answer: No.

[BADEN]

The IRONY of all this is that McCain is the leader of the INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICANS....

Think about that.

Sounds pretty SOCIALISTIC to me......based mainly in Eastern European (read that EX-Soviet states)...they're gonna make the whole world REPUBLICAN!

http://www.iri.org.ge/

AND....alllllll funded with YOUR tax dollars.

Yep.

[demfriend]

I wish that MSM would really deal with McCain and not let him slide on his gaffes/mis­quotes/lie­s and the ever present dodge 'em. It has seemed like the MSM still only sees him as the "hero" who we cannot address with honesty. John McCain was a POW during which time he now says he gained experience on war. I though as a POW he wasn't a guy who made decisions nor was privey to the realities of being a commander in war time. He was a guy on a plane who had the bad luck to be shot down. Ok I respect that part of the story. Since then he has been a guy who trashed the idea of marriage, his own. He has gone out of his way to vote no on almost every good/positive bill for vets that has gone before him. He was againest the new GI BIll but bush and mccain both promptly forgot that part when it passed. McCain has been on the same mission againest all womens rights since day one. It shows why he treated his ex wife and current wife so badly as it appears he has a hate for women that shows also with the "ape joke". MSM where are you?

[kjdwyer]

I saw an excerpt from this interview. It really is shocking that it wasn't picked up by the MSM. Can you imagine if Obama gave an interview like this, with the same amount of factual errors and utter incoherence? It is beyond belief how McCain is allowed to skate.

Perhaps if McCain wants more media coverage, the MSM can start asking him to explain his inconsistencies and evasions. Then he might think twice about anyone paying too little attention to what he has to say.

He actually benefits from less press.

[mlaiuppa]

Oh, come ON John. They handed it to you on a platter.

"Barack Obama is not a Socialist.....AS FAR AS I KNOW."

[Pupadup4oBama]

Is it me, or is this Hillary Redux?

They say history repeats itself - but c'mon - word for word???

[CalexenderJ]

McCain is LUCKY the media doesn't deem him interesting enough to pay attention to, because he shoots himself in the foot on a regular basis.

[JaneEyrez]

I hate to say it... and I hate to believe it... but I think one of the reasons McCain gets a pass on his flip-flops and gaffes and just in general unbelievably boneheaded rhetoric is because he's OLD... and it's not polite to say anything when an old person is confused, or out of touch, or remembering their glory days in a way that doesn't exactly respect the truth. Nobody wants to look like they're making fun of the OLD guy... so the OLD guy gets away with saying things that we're just shaking our heads with disbelief about. Obama, of course, is fair game, because he's young and smart and hip and untested. I used to think that Obama just go after McCain, but I think he's being very wise not to jump on all of this outrageous BS, because it would only make Barack look like a mean-spirited and opportunistic youngster, disdainful and disrespectful of his elders.

[MrsPeel]

It is, however, extremely OK to give M a pass by voting for 0!