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McCain's Senior Moment
Juan Cole puts it this way: "As for John McCain's bizarre assertion on
Tuesday that Iran was actively training "al-Qaeda," the senator was
just parroting the Pentagon line of a few years ago, which gradually was muted because even the gullible US press wouldn't swallow it."
The reason McCain fell into this problem is that his support for the
administration line is due to convenience rather than commitment. True
Bushies are in the propaganda loop and know that each story comes with
a 'tell-by' date. Its not a coincidence that McCain repeated a three
year old product that has since been retired, that's when he signed up
for the Bush world view at the start of his campaign and he hasn't done
any thinking on Iraq since.
Its going to be a major problem for McCain going forward. What the GOP
base want is a competent version of Bush who can win this war so they
can start the next one.
McCain's real base is his supporters in the establishment media. They got burned in 2000 when they covered up the ignorance and character flaws that should have disqualified Bush. If they start asking questions he is in trouble.
Comments (2)
I don't buy that it was a "slip" or that McCain was echoing the Bush line. I really think his understanding of regional religious alignments is so superficial that he couldn't remember in extemporaneous comments that Iran is allied with Iraqii Shiites, not al-Qaeda. The media have ignored his misstatements or treated them as humorous, but I find them deeply disturbing given the key role of misinformation in the Iraq war and the horrific cost to both the US and Iraq.
March 19, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's just a matter of time before he starts talking about Ho Chi Minh.
Phoenix WOman over at FDL has a post titled:
Will McCain Have Lieberman Next To Him At 3AM?
The New Yorker just had a cover with Obama and Clinton, in bed with a phone ringing, both reaching for it.
Still funnier with McCain and Lieberman."Joe, it's for you."
March 19, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
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