Five Questions for John McCain: An Urgent Appeal to the MSM

Dear Mainstream Media,

For all the attention you've lavished on John McCain's Saddleback "victory," not ONE of you has asked him ANY of the obvious follow-ups:

Question #1: "Did you err when you attributed the 'cross in the dirt' story to yourself, and if not, why didn't you ever mention it before 1999?"

It's becoming increasingly clear that McCain either stole this story or mistakenly attributed it to himself. Either way, it's a problem, because it proves he's willing to brazenly lie to become president, or worse -- that he's too confused for the job.

Question #2: "Why weren't you sequestered during Senator Obama's conversation with Pastor Rick Warren as you were supposed to have been?"

He was supposed to be in a "cone of silence" during Obama's portion. He wasn't. Why not? And did he hear any of the questions in advance?

Question #3: "If the 'Bear DNA' study was such a waste of taxpayers' money, why did you vote for it?"

According to FactCheck.org, McCain actually voted for the bill which included the infamous $3M study. When McCain responds to your question by saying 'I don't respond to accusations from organizations I've never heard of,' tell him that FactCheck.org is actually a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, and that he might've known that if he knew how to use a computer.

Question #4: "Do you still believe that Evangelical leaders like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell are 'agents of intolerance?' And if so, what makes Pastor Rick Warren any different?"

It's really astonishing that someone who's never had a cozy relationship with the extreme right is suddenly so revered by it. I realize that there's a "lesser of evils" component going on here -- but are they really backing the right horse? Other than being anti-abortion, what Evangelical principles does McCain exemplify? Infidelity? Verbal cruelty?

Question #5: "You used the forum to repeat your vow to capture Osama bin Laden, and that you '[knew] how to do it.' My question is, if you 'know how to' capture him, why haven't you shared this knowledge with the current administration?"

None of McCain's pandering makes me as sick to my stomach as his ridiculous "gates of hell" vow. (I'm actually vomiting all over my keyboard as I write this). If he's got the chutzpah to make a claim like this, he should be able to back it up. I'd like to know what information he has. Just give us a hint. It is a magic map, like the one Harry Potter uses? Is it the return address on his Pen Pal letters with Osama? Dog the Bounty Hunter? Unicorn breath? Exactly how -- when the world intelligence community and thousands of American soldiers have been unable to do it in seven years -- can McCain guarantee he'll catch bin Laden?

Look -- I realize that it's scary to test McCain in person. After all, there's always the chance he'll Hulk out and beat you to death with one of his $500 loafers. (See? I can say anything I want, because I live on the Internet, where John McCain will never find me). But for the love of Edward R. Murrow, will one of you PLEASE grow a spine and ask the obvious?

Please?

Seth Grahame-Smith is the author of Pardon My President: Ready-to-Mail Apologies for 8 Years of George W. Bush

Comments

[DebbieinPhx]

A link to this article showed up on First Read.... do ya think they'll read it???? I hope so.
I'm going to send it to Keith Olbermann. Maybe he'll take a look at it. One thing I know for certain, he definitely has the cajones to read it on air... The man has no fear!!

[jaydeeuno]

Obama engaged in in conversation with Rev. Warren and responded to his questions. McCain simply relied on his talking points, whether or not the talking points responded to a question. Was McCain's action better politically? Perhaps. This was an "away game" audience for Obama and a "home team" crowd for McCain. Would McCain show up at a venue if the roles were reversed?

I am disappointed that McCain has taken the low road in his campaign-something he said he would not do. I liked the 2000 McCain, not the 2008 version. He seems to be outBushing President Bush.

There are too many important isssues to be discussed. Let's hear facts, views. plans, and solutions by discussing issues. We can not make any more mistakes when choosing our Prresident.

[firengine]

This is hilarious. I thought this election was in the bag. Last month you proclaimed all of the following:

"It's over"

"It's mathematically impossible for John McCain to win."

"All McCain's base are belong to us."

"But the truth is, it's not going to be close. Not even a little bit."

Ouch!!!

[DebbieinPhx]

I cannot help but agree with you, and it would seem that Barack Obama has known this all along. He said back in January that this was going to be a lonnnnnnnnggggg uphill battle, even if he got thru the primary (which he did and here we are). I must say however, how is this possible. According to these same polls which are, to a large extent, really starting to annoy me, 77% of all voters asked, equate McCain with continuing the Bush/Cheney debacle another 4 years... and yet of that same segment, 42% planned to vote for McCain. Now in what world does that make sense??????? Cheney's approval rating are in single digits and Dubya's in the teens. Someone explain this garbage for me, because when I look at this, it just makes me mad!!

[ICanHasDemocracy]

to quote Saint Yogi: "It ain't over till it's over" and never underestimate the sheepishness of teh American public to be swayed by smooth talking Ken and Barbies.

[Charley2u]

How about a question for Obama?

Why have the Democrats failed to impeach George W. Bush, and what effect is this having on your change-themed campaign?

[connorin]

A pox upon you...no one is allowed to ask qeustion of The One we have been waiting for, The Obamessiah!

[ICanHasDemocracy]

That's not directed at Obama, really- try Reid and Pelosi for that one.

[Charley2u]

Of course it is not directed at Obama - he isn't president.

It is directed at you people who believe an Obama Presidency can fix our predicament.

[DebbieinPhx]

That isn't up to Obama, it's up to Nancy Pelosi, or at least it is until after the election. What you should ask Obama is if he is for or against holding anyone accountable for the crimes purpetrated against the American people by the current administration. (I'm cheating, because he's already answered). Hint: Obama is a constitutional law whiz, he teaches the stuff..... Rule of thumb, the Const. Law guys have zero tolerance for those in gov't who would seek to do an end run around the Constitution.
Elect Barack Obama and unleash the hounds of h*ll against all those reposnbile. It's gonna be fun!!

[Charley2u]

The Constitution is a dead letter if the Congress does not assert its power, and the people do not protest Congress's unwillingness to act.

In other words: The Constitution is dead, and so is the Republic.

Obama winning the office makes it even less likely the Democrats will trim the Presidency.

[RRK70]

My McCain question: Why was he turned down for promotion to admiral despite his "credentials"? Why won't he release his full military records? Personally, if the US Navy did not seem to think he was fit to be an admiral, why should he be fit to be Commander in Chief?

[mayhem4masses]

4 years of McCain = 12 years of Bush!

http://www.barackobamasworld.com

[sandistorms]

Senator McCain,
Since $3MM is government waste, just how much money has Cindy made as beer distributor made on the Iraq war?

Do you have any plans to audit contracts and budgets at the Pentagon for the Iraq war?

[LeftIgo]

I would like to hear McCain answer this question: "Is it true that your foreign policy advisor/lobbyist Randy Scheunemann lobbied your Senate Office on the behalf of Georgian Government while he was an active member of your campaign?"

I think there is MUCH more to this story than meets the eye, tales of "Wag the Dog" come to mind. The timing of Georgian troops occupying Ossetia provoking the Russians to respond militarily is just what McCain needed, a war, or the possibilities of a war to help him win the election. I hope that someone will start an investigation into the practices of Scheunemann, after all it was his lobbying firm that proposed that Bush invade Iraq.

"Republicans, they would apparently rather start a war¦to win an election".

[ICanHasDemocracy]

"Republicans, they would apparently rather start a war�to win an election".

QFT

or trade arms for hostages. Or invade banana republics.

[youngdem23]

Very clever article! If only a majority of Americans would take the time to ask questions... they may actually understand the severity if we get suck with four more years of McBush! Keep asking those daunting questions!!

[BeatlesMania4]

What does being a POW have to do with being president?

http://tinyurl.com/6jb7l6

[Fairmind]

My point exacrly. No relationship whatsoever. Why doesn't someone (Not Senator Obama)
make this point to the public?

[loria]

Another question. If you are the campion of the causes of veterans why didn't you show up to vote for the Webb GI BIll a few months agO? Why did you then try to take credit for it when you didn't even support it?

[robbor]

Beautiful, Dude!

my question would be one regarding his insistence on drilling off shore, " Knowing what the experts have said about drilling off shore: no oil for at least 15 years and not enough volume coming out of the ground to make a difference, why do you keep beating the drum on this issue?

[connorin]

because those are not the facts...those are dem talking points

prices were affected the day Bush lifted the executive order, because the markets thought oil would start to come in the future (5-10 yrs tops...btw, it is the futures markets that were the reason for the cost increases)

[realamerican2]

They should ask him
If Roe vrs Wade is successfully overtiurned by the Supreme Court, How would you punish women in the US who continue to have abortions?

[UltraClassic]

Seth, Obama looked stiff, wooden and not happy to be at Saddleback. He has agreed to 3 debates with McCain. I think you Obomaniacs need to see if you can cut the debates down to 1 or 2.

One thing we learned at Saddleback is that McCain is much better than thought when speaking off the cuff and on his feet while Obama is not nearly as suave and sophisticated as Obomania suggests. You Obomaniacs have set this guy so high up on the mountain, the only direction he can go is down. And it's too bad because he is not that bad a guy, just no nearly as good as you make him out to be.

[goofy2]

McCain largely gave stump speech replies - I'd heard almost everything he said before. Most of the rest were confident, no-room-for-nuance, rehearsed answers aimed straight at his audience at hand. Obama answered the questions, recognizing the plethora of anti-gay, anti-abortion, private-schooling adherents in the audience, but recognizing that they have some concern for human decency that goes beyond the oligarchy that runs the Bush administration. Thoughtfully addressing difficult questions in any environment is more difficult than delivering pat campaign phrases and pandering lines. McCain kept maneuvering the questions around to opportunities to deliver POW anecdotes and emotional appeals. Anyone who has watched him work a town hall meeting has seen his ability to answer a question by saying nothing, but sounding compassionate or changing the question to one that fits his rehearsed lines.

[LeftIgo]

McCain was front-loaded with the questions. There is "nothing" to prove that he didn't have advance knowledge of the questions. If he had been in the "cone of silence" as he "agreed" to do, then there wouldn't be questions regarding this matter. As far as off the cuff questions, watch "McCain Dazed and Confused" on youtube to see how he normally responds.

[ebrann]

How about "Senator McCain, how would four years of a McCain administration be any different from the last eight years of the Bush administration?"