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Jack Cafferty: McCain is as "intelluctually shallow" as Bush
CNN's Jack Cafferty has been known for his forcefully blunt opinions. He's like the one guy on CNN who is actually allowed to express an opinion. And he makes sure he uses that opportunity to full effect. He'll call a spade a spade whether or not it's politically correct or seen as "impolite". He's old school that way, and sometimes I hate him for it. But most of the time, i absolutely love him for it.
Well, he's done it again. This time questioning John McCain's intellectual depth (or lack thereof).
Now, some highlights.
It occurs to me that John McCain is as intellectually shallow as our current president. When asked what his Christian faith means to him, his answer was a one-liner. "It means I'm saved and forgiven." Great scholars have wrestled with the meaning of faith for centuries. McCain then retold a story we've all heard a hundred times about a guard in Vietnam drawing a cross in the sand.
Asked about his greatest moral failure, he cited his first marriage, which ended in divorce. While saying it was his greatest moral failing, he offered nothing in the way of explanation. Why not?
Throughout the evening, McCain chose to recite portions of his stump speech as answers to the questions he was being asked. Why? He has lived 71 years. Surely he has some thoughts on what it all means that go beyond canned answers culled from the same speech he delivers every day.
He was asked "if evil exists." His response was to repeat for the umpteenth time that Osama bin Laden is a bad man and he will pursue him to "the gates of hell." That was it.
He was asked to define rich. After trying to dodge the question -- his wife is worth a reported $100 million -- he finally said he thought an income of $5 million was rich.
One after another, McCain's answers were shallow, simplistic, and trite. He showed the same intellectual curiosity that George Bush has -- virtually none.
Comments (28)
Note that pundits like to point out that Bush's lack of intellectual depth (to put it politely) makes him "approachable, likeable, the kind of guy you'd like to have a beer with." We'll call that putting a positive spin on having someone lead this country who's not intellectually sharp. In fact, they like to suggest that someone who does have a sharp intellect is someone to be wary of, not to be trusted.
Does America see the consequences of the folly of such a choice? Well...our media appear, thus far, to be putting a lot of effort into trying to obscure that message.
August 19, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
oops.
"intelluctually" is not a real word.
"intellectually" is.
how embarass is it to mispell "intellect" when you're poining out someone else's lack of intellectual depth?
well...typos happen...
August 19, 2008 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
oops. i did it again.
it should read "how embarassING is it to mispell..."
August 19, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to be a bitch, but check out how you spelled "pointing!" I feel your pain! Just to show solidarity I;ll make a mstke two!
August 19, 2008 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like Jack Cafferty for the very same reason you do, freaktown. I'm sorry I missed this -- I would've shouted out "Jack! You RAWK!!" and given my television a terrorist fist jab had I seen and heard Jack for myself. Thanks for the post. Rec'd.
August 19, 2008 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
And don't you just love that "DOPE" expression on Wolf Blitzer's face, every time Jack drops a verbal bomb on him! He does give crotchety a good name!
August 19, 2008 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama hacks like Jack, KO, progressives, etc.. tossed a sure winner and rolled the dice on a sure loser.
Never listen to these fools.
They should go away and Jack should never eat Chinese food.
August 19, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
A sure winner who 60% of the country either disliked or didn't trust (and just about every republican loathes) who lost the primary going in with every advantage?
August 20, 2008 7:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Stop with the reason and logic. You're hurting the troll.
August 20, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
"McCain is as "intelluctually shallow" as Bush"
Much as I dislike McCain, is this even humanly possible? That's about as low as it gets and the Repubs actually nominated two in a row??
(I'm giving Dole a break cause he's a war hero with a gimpy arm)
August 19, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
"McCain is as "intellectually shallow" as Bush"
Much as I dislike McCain, is this even humanly possible?
To be as mentally challenged as Bush is a task, but McCain could wallow in the shallow chickenshit end of the intellect pool with Bush...hell, McCain in 1990 even filed a million dollar lawsuit over a lost Chinese foo dog sculpture. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/16/20080816mccainlawsuits.html
August 19, 2008 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great stuff. I'm shocked anyone in the MSM can talk this bluntly.
First, Joe Klein, now Jack Cafferty. Hopefully the start of a trend of telling it like it is.
August 19, 2008 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is the same intellectually as Bush? No.... what gave you that idea? It wasn't as if there were a million instances to confirm that hypothesis over the years right?
McDumb as Bush
August 19, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
It seems to me that Bush is in fact far superior to McCain in intelligence, as he was able to present the GOP platform as not only desirable but electable. McCain's problem is the electorate has grown smarter but his handlers won't recognize the fact.
August 19, 2008 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry to point this out Freak, but it's spelled "misspell". A common error.
That being said, I like Jack too. He seems to be the only person in the "media" that may be an actual journalist. He gives you that experienced, news man feel.
August 19, 2008 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
oh my...
i can't dig myself out. the whole just keeps getting deeper and deeper...
August 19, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
That would be "hole." But who's counting?
I think both Bush and McCain are intellectually incurious which is worse than simply being stupid. McCain wants to be president. Period. Once he has the title, I think he will take more vacation days than the least working president in history: Bush.
August 19, 2008 7:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think this quality that both McCain and Bush enables them to deliver the one sentence sound bite effectively. There just isn't any ethical mental hesitation when one says "drill here drill now."
The problem for McCain is when he goes to try and inspire those who have not yet come over to his side. If McCain is going to make a serious run he's going to have to inspire a number of undecideds, and that takes more than a soundbite. He's got to find the inner Reagan and Morning in America, and sell it. In my opinion, ain't gonna happen.
August 19, 2008 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
To paraphrase Andrew Shepard from The American President, "John's problem is not that he doesn't get it. John's problem is that he can't sell it!"
August 20, 2008 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
The common quality that Reagan, McCain, and Bush share that make (or made) them effective deliverymen of sound-bites is (was) their ability to radiate contempt. They project the persona of pragmatic men constantly dogged by nattering nabobs who needlessly complicate things.
What struck me the most about McCain's performance was not the shallowness of his replies but the condescension in his demeanor. He wasn't there to explain himself or display the depth of his thinking but to model a form of self righteousness. It is the display of the model which excited the crowd. They want to participate in the certainty.
Another part of the contempt displayed by McCain may have to do with the forum itself. I keep thinking of what McCain said about Bush back in the 2000 election:
"The politics of division and slander are not our values," McCain said in Virginia. "They are corrupting influences on religion and politics and those who practice them in the name of religion or in the name of the Republican Party or in the name of America shame our faith, our party and our country."
August 20, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
The blockquote should have included the last paragraph.
August 20, 2008 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
CNN has to pander to its overwhelmingly liberal audience. 51% of CNN's viewers are Democrat, in contrast to 18% who are Republican, according to a just-released Pew poll:
http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1353
August 19, 2008 10:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tough call, but perhaps understanding that Bush is really an Edsel will help. (If you don't know what an Edsel is....
"George Bush: Edsel and Hypocrite"
http://msa4.wordpress.com/
August 19, 2008 11:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama ought to gussie up Cafferty's remarks a bit and use them!
August 19, 2008 11:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I could never understand the concept of someone wanting to have a beer with another person who swears he doesn't drink alcoholic beverages. I mean, how does that work? And if millions of American voters apparently couldn't detect this glaring contradiction, then I fully understand why Deputy Dubya Bush says: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you have to concentrate on."
I've got to give it to the Republicans, though. They certainly know where to find the fools and turn them out to vote against their own interests. I mean, does America have a death wish, or what?
August 20, 2008 7:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bravo Jack. I hope CNN does a lot more of this. Enough of the GOP-ass-kissing all the time. We need more Jack Cafferties and Joe Kleins to tell it like it is!
August 20, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jack is pretty direct, but still this one suprised me big time. I would really like to see his colleagues reactions to it, especially Wolf only after he's had a few beers and loosened up.
August 20, 2008 10:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Is a centipede as footloose as Paris Hilton?
Did the surge-protector that I just bought from Best Buy really protect the good ol' usa? John McThusela says it does! He says the surge is working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 20, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
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