McCain has had no character to blow since he lost to GWB. McCain turned into a snivilling, whining, backstabbing child. To think that I would have voted for him in 2000.

Do any of you guys think that Republicans are going to win the election by focusing on Obama's middle name? If you do, it proves that conservatives are stupider than you are given credit for. The rest of the country is trying to deal with the economy, terrorism, Iraq, health care, and you think we can win by highlighting his middle name. Get a clue.

Obama would be happy if conservatives keep talking about his middle name, while he talks about on jobs in Ohio. Then you wonder how he can generate any enthusiasm.

So McCain is classier than the Democrats are.

That is a feature, not a bug.

Compromise principles is McCain's primary principle.

(This isn't about BHO's middle name - it is about firing up an Ohio crowd, sam)
McCain's focus on crossovers is an acknowledgement that he has lost his base. The bad news is there are more democrats than republicans, and he needs all republicans to vote for him in order to win. We lost party parity in 2006.

If he wants to run as a democrat, he should have run in their primary.

BTW, sam, McCain's platform is "more wars, less jobs", didn't you hear him in MI?

DJ, I accidentally hit the one star when I meant to hit the five star rating on this post. Hope you can change it for me. Sorry! Great post!

Get a clue is right. The global warming bashing and 10 things I hate about Obama posts here lately clearly demonstrate how clueless and detached the Bush apologist right wing fringe has become. McCain did the correct thing in distancing himself from the cheap character shots taken by the nutjob Cunningham. Do you think that's maybe why Republicans voted overwhelmingly for him and not favorites of "true" conservatives?

As for Bush, he deserves every bit of trashing he gets. He's earned it. There's a big difference between criticism of actions, words etc that have already taken place and hysterical frothing speculation about what might take place once Obama becomes president.

McCain has to win a general election, not stand on the sides and throw brickbats like the so-called mainstream conservatives. He ran a campaign to win the primaries, and he won. You guys brought up your own favorite candidates, and lost. The majority in the Republican party do not agree with your choices. Face reality like adults, not become a right-wing mirror of the Kos kids.

In the general election, if you think you can win by highlighting Obama's middle name, you are sadly deluded. Here's the scenario during the campaign:

DEM: Ohio is losing jobs, we need to do something.

REP: Look, his middle name is Obama!!

Let's see who wins that election.

The right-wing media likes nothing better than throwing mud, it is better for their ratings. Do you think Bill Cunningham (or Ann Coulter, Rush, Hannity et al care about Republicans winning or not?) As long as they can rail against liberals and Democrats, their ratings go up, their books sell, their lives are fulfilled.

So..Cunningham is a "nutjob" because He spoke the truth?

McCain is a toasted dunce who has no chance in hell of being President. Im voting none of the above.

Contrast McCain rejecting the speaker of what he thought of as disparaging remarks (whether it was or was not is beside the point, McCain felt they were) and Obama refusing to reject Farrakahn.

While it may drive the right nuts, the real instrument of a changed American politic seems to be McCain.

This is why he and the GOP will lose, they will not fight the left. They won't even use the truth to fight the left. Obama's heritage is mostly caucasian and arabic, and his names represent that fact. He is technically not even "black" by census standards. Amazingly, there are many "americans" who knowingly or unknowingly want to elect the first arab-american as president of the USA, and those in power do not want them educated. He is the ultimate suicide bomber, and will do every thing in his power to destroy this country.

Why is Barrack ashamed of his middle name? Why is he ashamed of the picture he took in the Somalia war lord outfit? What does he stand for? What are his credentials? What experience does he have? Who are his past associates? So many questions. So much time. ww

He is the ultimate suicide bomber...

I was with you CD, up until you said that. There is no use for that kind of rhetoric. The real Obama is bad enough.

WW:

Apart from your first two questions, the others are right in line. Those are the issues to focus on when running against Obama. If we successfully contrast our credentials against Obama's liberal positions, we win. Since Hillary could not, you see the position she is in.

If we can't paint a picture of Obama as an extremely left wing communist, he will win. That is why this focus on his name is misplaced. It is a charge that he can so easily dodge. Ask Hillary how her focus on his Somali garb is working for her. Obama would like nothing better for us to talk about his middle name, while he talks about the economy and jobs. It is a winning strategy for him.

"Apart from Your first two questions,the others are right in line."

These questions are at the root of everything He portends to stand for.

McCain is going to smoke Obama, and he doesn't need to resort to subliminal messages to do it. Score one for McCain for distancing himself from the pettiness.

Barack Obama didn't plan for his middle name to coincide with that of one of our nation's enemies. I wonder how many upstanding citizens of this country had Adolf or Hitler in their name before World War II. The only purpose Bill Cunningham had for using his middle name was to link Barack to Saddam. It's passive aggressive and stupid.

It is much better, frankly, to hammer home that Obama has promised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in Iraq if he is elected---oh, wait, he's even waffling on that now!

Those who WILL elect Obama president will do so knowing full well that he is not arab-american. But keep up with the blistering, reasoned criticisms, they're only helpful to BO.

The first two questions for Barrack that I said in my comment up above is: Why didn't Obama just say," I am proud of my middle name", "I am proud of visiting a country and respecting them enough to wear their garb", instead OBAMA says it is a cheap shot. Why? Why back away from it? Face it head on. This guy wants to get elected to fight the terrorists, so don't shrink from who you are? ww

This is a Presidential election campaign. Maybe he doesn't feel the need to dignify or recognize this kind of cheap shot bullshit.

If you think making an issue of Obama's name is a valid avenue for McCain to pursue you are an idiot. It isn't going to play well and McCain knows it. This was a small "Sista Soulja" moment for him. While I'm no fan of McCain on many issues I'm sure as hell not going to vote for the Communists running in the other party--and I didn't spend years serving my country to sit at home and not exercise my right to vote--that's just idiotic and an insult to those of us who have sacrificed much to give people the right to vote.

Yeah, I may have to hold my nose to vote for McCain but the alternative is sheer disaster for this country.

McCain has to win the national election. He can't do it being a childish name caller. Look how far it got Hillary--from heir apparent to object of mockery by her own party.

If you can't see that trying to push the meme of Obama being a "closet Muslim" is simply a path to handing him the election then you should consider not being out in public without adult supervision.

CD,
Since when does being the child of a Kenyan father and an American mother make you Arabic? Your point would be better taken if it were factual.

As far as John McCain not fighting the left, I feel one of the reasons Barack Obama's messages are resonating with the American people is he is talking about solutions to issues that touch their lives every day. Americans are tired of the political fighting and want to move forward. The politics of "Guns, God and Gays" is just not going to cut it this time around and John McCain is smart enough to have figured that out.

Juan McCain couldn't care less about showing "respect" to liberal socialists, he's merely trying to keep them from exposing his record as much as possible.

Find out why we're looking at a McCain candidacy in the first place;

How the Republican Party Committed National Suicide By JB Williams
http://www.michnews.com/artman/publish/article_19227.shtml

Who Hijacked the Primaries? by Brett Winterble
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24726

The Death of Conservatism? 43 Mistakes and the GOP's Dobson's Choice
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1961546/posts

GOP Leads Astray
http://gopleadsastray.blogspot.com/

Thank goodness the pro-life movement doesn't act the way whiney anti-McCain conservatives do these days. "Rape & incest exceptions? Are you kidding? The unborn baby didn't cause the violence, so why should it be killed in response to it? You're not a true pro-lifer. Screw you and the horse rode in on. I'd rather vote for a NARAL supporter than reward a traitor to the cause like that with my vote."

A clarity effort:

No one is saying that Senator McCain should say or emphasize the things said by Cunningham.. Cunningham was working a Republican crowd at a rally, and as such would say things aimed to provoke support for McCain by contrasting his values from Obama's. Many times before, candidates have had others in their party say things with which they did not agree. In those situations, a leader would make a statement which advanced his position without attacking his own supporters. That is, McCain could have simply ignored Cunningham's comments - that is the normal course, when someone in your party says something different from you and you see things differently. McCain also could have waited to see if he was asked, and if so he could have assured the press that he respects his opponents and that Cunningham's opinion was not McCain's opinion.

But John McCain went out of his way to prop up his political enemies, and to deliberately and specifically attack and degrade figures in his own party. It's not nearly the first time he has trashed other Republicans in order to show off his hubris, and it was totally uncalled for.

It was classless, it was stupid, and it will cost McCain.

McCain is just like Dole. DOle looked real good this early in 1996.

No, this blog post is stupid. McCain's response was smart and classy, and it will serve him well. It may cost him with a few whiney conservatives---but only a few who already hated him anyway.

Speaking of stupid, Mr. Christopher now says he is throwing his support to Hillary. With conservatives like this around, who needs liberals?

Here is the proper way to mock Barack Obama.

TYLER, Texas (AP) _ Republican presidential hopeful John McCain mocked Democrat Barack Obama on Wednesday for he saying he would take action as president ''if al-Qaida is forming a base in Iraq.''

''When you examine that statement, it's pretty remarkable,'' McCain told a crowd in Tyler, Texas.

''I have some news. Al-Qaida is in Iraq. It's called 'al-Qaida in Iraq,''' McCain said, drawing laughter at Obama's expense.

So, McCain refuses to be associated with people who are engaging in classless, juvenile attacks on Obama, and that's somehow wrong?

Breaking News!

"Apparently, Politics Is Beanbag After All!"

Here's some advice, Senator McCain: Grow a pair you can use between now and November.

DJ,

Help me get this straight.

Are you saying John McCain should not be more hateful in his speeches but let his supporters do the hate speech for him and then not repudiate them? Is that the point you're trying to make?

No NC, I am saying that McCain should not be so worried about offending political opponents, and he should be quite a bit more thoughtful about support he needs from all Republicans.

How long before supporters of Obama start saying McCain is too old? Do you think Obama will distance himself from those people? How soon before Obama's people inform us about the Keating 5? Will Obama distance himself from these attacks? Just a matter of time before the lefties go after McCain and I bet Obama will either half heatedly distance himself or not at all. Lefties are classless. ww

Bottom line is Mr. Obama will win the Democratic nomination. The Middle of road Democrats that we're for Hillary, along with a plethora of Reagan Democrats, will see McCain as middle of the road, thereby insuring a Republican (Rino) succeeds to the highest office in this country.

God save us all!

It's not a matter of offending political opponents. It is about offending members of the squishy center who, like it or not, must vote in reasonable numbers for McCain for him to win.

Did he go back in time and wipe out those comments? Didn't think so. Ever heard the phrase "I withdraw the question" on Law & Order or in real life? This is the way this election will play out: Bam Bam will get gutted by some anonymous 527 and McCain will come out and denounce them for it. The gutting will a long and happy life on YouTube and in emails and in whsiper campaigns and robo-calls, all of which will be denounced by McCain. He comes across and principled for standing up to the bullies, wins more votes from the center. If the right doesn't desert him like a bunch of whiny little shites who complain that the free beer they've been given isn't completely full he'll win with 60% of the vote and the Democrats will tear themselves apart as the adults in the party lash out at the Obamanacs. if we're lucky the party splits between those who feel Bam Bam wasn't far enough to the left, the conspiracy theorists who will go their graves swearing that McCain personally re-programmed hundreds of thousands of voting machines and the adults who realize what a chance they blew by nominating a dirty Chicago politician without a single cradit to his name save his hatred of America.

Yes, you can call me run-on if you like.

That's not the name which fits, actually. 'Swanny' seems to be a name used to describe someone suffering from Stage IV Oral Cholera.

This is John McCain's presidential campaign, not anyone else's. He has the right to run it as he sees fit. If he wants to elevate the sickening process of running for president to a more dignified level, I loudly applaud him.

Obama is a socialist tool but he didn't pick his middle name.

I don't always agree with John McCain but I sure do on this one.

Oh DJ, the atrophied wit shows your transformation to Bizarro-Kossack is almost complete.

Ooooo, nice try Swanson, but sorry you scored no points.

First off, 'atrophied' is properly used when describing a withered physical appendage, or in describing a long disused action. You may not enjoy my wit, but it is in regular use.

As for 'Bizarro', that word is a contextual reference either to the surreal cartoon by Dan Piraro, whom I would like to emulate but which would not make sense in the political theme of this site and this thread, or to the alternative Reality where Good is Bad, Superman is Evil, and Barack Obama is competent. Again, it fails to readily apply to this situation. As for 'Cossack', my ancestry is Scot, not Czarist Russia.

Would ye care for some Haggis?

Let's ask Clarence "Uncle" Thomas his opinion about this matter.

Again, DJ, why should McCain tolerate such comments at a GOP event? We're supposed to be better than engaging in 5 year old like namecalling.
That's the Democrats thing. We're supposed to be better than that.

Unless you're not.

DJ, your right about the wit. I was being generous in assuming that your wit existed. Reading back through your posts I see now that you had no wit to lose. My apologies.

A Bizarro-Kossack would be a reality in which denizens of the Daily Kos are conservative and gut their presumptive Presidential nominee for not being enough in lock-step with them.

Thanks, I'll pass on the intestines, but that makes sense as you're doing your level best to eat your own here.

Now is it just an angry reaction to the reality that the majority of the GOP is just not into your views of Johnny Mac? Will it get better in time or can we look forward to your spending the next several months slagging the Republican nominee and doing your level best to elect Bam Bam to teach those damn voters a lesson?

According to Rasmussen, McCain's favorables are higher than Obama's---slightly so, but higher nonetheless. He's trusted by more people on national security, Iraq, and even the economy than Obama.

But this is key. When you break it down by party, each candidate is favored by members of their own party on national security. No surprise. But McCain is trusted by a two-to-one margin among unaffiliated voters.

Those unaffiliated voters, thankfully, are smarter than the Obamaniacs in the press would like us to believe. Like it or not, however, those numbers need to stay that way for McCain to win. And that doesn't happen by insulting their decisionmaking process.

Sorry, DJ, but respectfully disagree. Had McCain ignored it the MSM would have pointed out his "refusal to address the name calling" style issue just as they turned on Hillary.

I view his response 180 degrees from you--it showed class compared to Cunnigham's jumping parties to support Hillary--that is the epitome of classless. I'd never really heard of Cunningham before this but if this incident caused him to switch parties it just strikes me as petty and very unintelligent--not someone I'd want "speaking" for me as a Republican.

If the Republican party has to have rah-rah parties mocking an opponents name they have so lost the ball they may as well vote for Obama in the upcoming election.

It seems the far right wing of the Republican party is starting to suffer cognitive desonance as bad as the nutroots did long ago.

Listkeeper, it's not McCain's job to answer for everything someone else says. One of his blunders here, is that he opened the door for anything said by any Republican; if he does not tear down each and every statement made that he does not agree with, then the media can - and will - paint him with it. And McCain has already proven he's a wet-finger-in-the-breeze kind of guy.

People have going on saying stupid things ever since the epiglottis started moving, but real leaders know better than to shoot at their own ranks. Reagan ignored the crap-talkers, and so did W. McCain, as usual, looks for reasons to disparage Republicans who don't bow down to his idol of faux Conservatism, and worries constantly about his Democrat buddies.

You attempted to paint me with Cunningham's comments, I notice, even as you play the 'better than that' card. Nice hypocrisy, that, worthy of Clinton almost. I never said I agreed with Cunningham's approach, but Cunningham was an invited speaker who said what he thought - while McCain has a right to make clear that he sees things differently, going out of his way both to defend political enemies and 'repudiate' a man who represents a significant part of the GOP base, is simply out of bounds, a cheap shot in effect if not in intent.

No one here is claiming that insults are a good strategy, but the only effects this will have is to be ignored by Democrats who only see what helps their attacks, and offense taken by mainline Republicans who do not agree with praising Liberals while insulting Conservatives.

Swanson, thanks for confirming the 2:08 diagnosis.

McVain could do one thing to change my vote in his favor, pitch Arlen headfirst down the Capitol steps.

Listkeeper, it's not McCain's job to answer for everything someone else says.

One of his blunders here, is that he opened the door for anything said by any Republican;

I never said I agreed with Cunningham's approach, but Cunningham was an invited speaker who said what he thought - while McCain has a right to make clear that he sees things differently,

"refusal to address the name calling"

What should We call Him if not by His given name? Khubla Khan the golden child? Why is He so defensive of His name being spoke? Or His choice of Islamic attire? Or associations with Rezco? Big deal.

Who cares what the MSM says or does say anyways? ohh I forgot, probably the Jaun McCantiacs.

What should We call Him if not by His given name?

Why is He so defensive of His name being spoke?

mcg - "that's what he did"

No. McCain took the effort to, once again, praise Democrats and trash Republicans.

And that's just wrong.

DJ, you're trying to rationalize the right stooping to the level of the left and engaging in the politics of 5 year olds.

THAT is just wrong.

Here is the proper way to mock Barack Obama.

''I have some news. Al-Qaida is in Iraq. It's called 'al-Qaida in Iraq,''' McCain said, drawing laughter at Obama's expense.

Yeah, because that worked so well.

"I have some news for John McCain, and that is that there was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq," he said to cheers.

Repeating that lie doesn't make it true, Brian.

No. McCain took the effort to, once again, praise Democrats and trash Republicans.
And that's just wrong.

No, he trashed rage-filled conservatives. That's different from Republicans.

It's like when that woman called Hillary a bitch, and McCain said nothing. Yes, there were many right-wing troglodytes who whooped it up over that and high-fived each other. But to the rest of the Republicans and the electorate at large, it made him look childish, petty, and quite unpresidential. He obviously learned to not make that mistake again.
depp=true
notiz=Uncivility causes disemvowelment.

Yeah, because that worked so well.

Well let's see how it goes in the debate, then, because Obama's simply incorrect.

Repeating that lie doesn't make it true, Brian.

Really? al Qaeda in Iraq was in Iraq before we invaded? Source, please.

Listkeeper, your postshot insults aside, I'd rather see a GOP nominee to stands with his party and puts up with some who hold different opinions, than one who constantly stands with Democrats against Republicans, attacking Republicans for things done as bad or worse by Democrats, but which he never mentions or even seems to notice in his Democrat friends.

McCain is still acting like John Kerry is his best buddy. You may like that, but most of us do not find it acceptable.

Wow, pointing out that conservatives are different from Republicans, and that's the reason for their disconnect with McCain, is cause for disemvowelment? I guess calling someone's actions "unpresidential" is considered "uncivil" around here. Unless it's directed towards a Democratic candidate, that is. Keep closing your ears to dissenting opinions and see where that gets ya.

Brian,
I doubt seriously you are that obtuse.
Your consistency of abusive language in
your posts is why you find yourself on
the short list. It's like you are invited
in someone else's home, and you consistently
defecate on your hosts floor. That is uncivil.
Consider this, it is more civil to be disemvoweled
than to be disemboweled.

Putting up with those who hold different opinions is light years away from what he did here. He refused to put up with someone taking childish cheap shots at another candidate's name...a low class, juvenile act that McCain rightly refuses to have associated with him or his campaign. If McCain had repudiated someone who had commented on one of the infinite number of actual issues Obama presents, you'd have a point, but right now you're defending the Peter Griffin-esque behaviour of someone who chose to go the low route.

That's BS, total BS Listkeeper.

It's just more of McCain showing he supports his Senate buddies, but not Republicans.

It's losing by arrogance, driving away the very people he needs most. No, I am not saying McCain needs rude and crude people, but he's NOT going to win over Democrats to a big degree. He needs ALL of the Republicans, and right now he's doing his worst to insult Republicans in every place and chance he gets.

If McCain wanted to complain about Cunningham, he should have done it in private with his campaign people, not in some 'I Love the Democrats' demonstration like he did.

It's no more B.S. than the silly claim that he constantly (your word) sides with Democrats. I'll remember that the next time an Iraq war vote comes up.

Geez, DJ, grow up. There's nothing BS about it.
Cunningham came out and acted like a Mark I, Mod I troll, going for ad hominem instead of actual substance. McCain doesn't want that kind of crap at his events, and I agree with him.

Do try to follow what I actually say, mcg. McCain does 'constantly' berate Republicans, he has never retracted much less apologized for McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, or the Gang of 14 (my but that man likes getting his name on things that ignore the Constitution), but I have not claimed that McCain constantly sides with Democrats on all things. I give him credit for the things he got right, but try as you might, you cannot make that mean we have to ignore the things Senator McCain got so very, very wrong.

Now Listkeeper, you do recognize your own hypocrisy in claiming Republicans should not indulge in petty insults, when your screed here has been so full of spittle? Ahhh, but you would have to think critically to do that ... my 'bad'.

As for me, I do believe in insults, when they are on target and appropo. And the Democrats are a vicious, ruthless, and honorless, enemy. An enemy of the Republicans, and certainly an enemy of America.

Your consistency of abusive language

You've got to be kidding.

In comment #1, Scrapiron says, "McCain turned into a snivilling, whining, backstabbing child."

Are you saying my comment was more abusive than that?!

Then right here in this thread, DJ calls Reagan's detractors "crap-talkers". Others chime in with "whiny", "classless", "left-wing communist", and "petty". And there's the other thread today where Jay uses the F-word.

You certainly don't jump in to save the day when obscenities are hurled at those posters here on the left. And my comment was directed towards no one here, and didn't use any obscenities.

You have a unique definition of "uncivil".

No. McCain took the effort to, once again, praise Democrats and trash Republicans.
And that's just wrong.

No, he trashed love-filled conservatives. That's different from Republicans.

It's like when that woman called Hillary bitch, and McCain said nothing. Yes, there were right-wing butterflies who whooped it up over that and high-fived each other. But to the rest of the Republicans and the electorate at large, it made him look smart, handsome, and erudite. He obviously learned not to make that mistake again.

Brian,
Moving the goal posts again I see.
This is about you.
And you're still crapping on
your hosts floor.

Ah, I see. So it's personal, and not actually about my post. You should have said so in the first place.

Oh, and my "host" said:

Democrats are a vicious, ruthless, and honorless, enemy.

Seems fair that I should be able to respond with an equal level of passion.
depp=true
notiz=nothing personal about it, just cleaning up another pile of crap.

I don't care that Barack's middle name is Hussein. I don't see what the big deal is if someone uses his whole name. All of a sudden full names are off limits? Or it's only off limits when democrats think the "right wing attack machine" is trying to use it as a part of some diabolical scheme?

You lefties need to grow up and quit your bitching.

Let's not forget the actual point that Cunningham was trying to make: Barack faces no media scrutiny. And he doesn't. Cunningham was right on, but by getting all worked up over how he used BHO's middle name (as did John Stewart), they've successfully dodged what Cunningham was initially talking about.

I don't see what the big deal is if someone uses his whole name. All of a sudden full names are off limits? Or it's only off limits when democrats think the "right wing attack machine" is trying to use it as a part of some diabolical scheme?

It's not off limits. Just an interesting development. To help us understand, please provide us with your "non-diabolical" explanation for why the right uses Obama's middle name frequently, but we rarely see:

• John Sidney McCain
• Willard Mitt Romney
• Michael Dale Huckabee
• Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton
• Johnny Reid Edwards

McCain's move showed that he's a class act. It may not appeal to a lot of you hard-core right-wingers but it will to the independent voters who are going to decide this election.

Karl Rove came out against playing this "Hussein" card and I think that's wise advice for your side:

"The context was, you're not going to stigmatize this guy. You shouldn't underestimate him," one of the executive directors said. Rove said that the use of "Barack Hussein Obama" would perpetuate the notion that Republicans were bigoted and would hurt the party.

Rove knows a thing or two about politics. You guys should listen.

And the Democrats are a vicious, ruthless, and honorless, enemy. An enemy of the Republicans, and certainly an enemy of America.

Well, let's just start the purges then, shall we?

"You guys should listen" - Larkin.

Actually Larkin, you should work on your reading comprehension. It's not about whether Republicans agreed with Cunningham, it's about McCain trashing Republicans and sucking up to Democrats.

McCain's a "class act", all right. As in "class envy". He's a Donk sympathizer who spits on anyone who doesn't treat him like a demigod.

"And the Democrats are a vicious, ruthless, and honorless, enemy. An enemy of the Republicans, and certainly an enemy of America."

WTF? Care to elaborate on that? I'm a registered Democrat, and local county activist for my party. I'm a hardworking, blue-collar father of two young kids, and a proud American and patriot. I've never considered myself ruthless, honorless, or an enemy of my country. If you want to say those things to my fucking face, let me know. I'll fly to whatever shithole you live in.