What should I think about John McCain?

[illbill]

I was just watching the late viewing of Meet The Press and McCain seems to be watching what he says more carefully now. Still has the basic honest qualities but comes off as more of a pussy and panderer to Bush Inc.

What do you all think?

[kster]

1. Yep, Any one of

these politicians who are afraid to bring up the election theft machine's are COWARDS period, Thats what you should think Cowards the whole lot of them, Dems and Repugs.

[autorank]

2. I think he thinks he can get the nomination if he curries enough right ...

...wing favor. I think he's an extremely competitive, goal driven guy who has, as his major goal becoming president. That's why he went to Ohio and endorsed election thief Blackwell, a guy he probably knows is a weasel and that's why you'll see him endorse all sorts of strange folks.

It's all politics.

McCain will never get the nomination. The religious right will stop him, just like they did before.

Ironically, his chance to make real history was endorsing Kerry. What a story, what a move, he'd go down with Henry Clay as one of the all time power brokers and Senators, all with one sentence: "I endorse and support my friend, and the most qualified candidate, John Kerry for president of the USA." Damn, but these guys never do it. They're always hedging for the big pay off. This was his and he missed the bus.

[DemReadingDU]

13. What if Cheney resigns?

Would Bush appoint him as VP? Then in 2008, McCain would be in position to carry on Bush's policies.

[autorank]

24. That's a good point. People would see a lot more of him...

...and I'm not sure how well he'd do under constant exposure.

He can be very sarcastic and his record has never seen total scrutiny.

That is an interesting scenario. The larger what if is, AFTER Cheney resigns, what happens (should McCain be the new "Gerald Ford") when Bush resigns;)

Good point.

[autorank]

31. I doubt Bush would appoint him voluntarily. He'd be forced to accept him.

Wouldn't that be fun. Iraq is so bad and the impact on just the economy alone is so bad that 2008 doesn't worry me. McCain would also have a lot of time for a few McCain moments plus his record of cozying up to his patrons would be exposed also. Another idol with feed of clay.

We'll see. Personally, I think that they should both be tossed and put in Gore or Kerry.

[tirechewer]

3. I don't like him

He does pander to Bush. Also he seems to have an explosive temper which is something you don't want someone with nuclear weapons to have, and he wants to put MORE troops in Iraq instead of standing down.

Aside from lots of layers of corruption, I don't think he is that much less conservative or different from Bush.

[Wilms]

4. I think he deserves to be President

of an Anti-Torture organization.

And perhaps he deserved to be the repub 2000 nominee.

But, hey. No one said election theft doesn't occur during primaries.

[SammyBlue]

5. Being from Arizona, you should think he is an opportunistic asshole

who is a partisan GOP hack that goes any direction that will get him votes.

His straight talk bullshit is just that! He claims to be a maverick, then licks the ass of George Bush because he's a Republican first and foremost!

John McCain is an asshole!

[AZBlue]

30. I can second that!!!!

[bowens43]

6. Think that he's a rat fuck Republican.

A lying bastard just like the rest of them. He's not honest, he's not honorable, he's a typical conservative idiot.

[Neil Lisst]

7. He's running and he's whoring. To hell with him.

He's kissing up to the right and Bush.

Flush him.

[SoCalDem]

8. P-O-L-I-T-I-C-I-A-N

through and through. He had a spark of difference for a while there in the primaries, but as soon as he lost, he was drooling all over the Bush-clan, and I lost all respect for him as a person.

[Disturbed]

9. "John McCain, Hypocrite"

John McCain, Hypocrite
by Doug Ireland

John McCain, the media's darling, has found a clever way around his own campaign finance reform law to take big corporate bucks in furtherance of his political ambitions while carrying water for the corporate mammoth providing the dough. But the national press is ignoring the story.


The Associated Press first ran the story of John McCain's odorous but lucrative Senatorial service to the communications giant Cablevision on the afternoon of March 7. But, while some local papers in McCain's home state (like the East Valley Tribune) have run the story, nothing has as yet made it into the print editions of the New York Times, the L.A. Times, the Washington Post, or any of the half-dozen other big city dailies I checked (although, if one searches the hundreds of AP stories available on the Post's website on its Politics page by clicking on "Latest Wire Reports," one can find it there--but how many readers would bother to do that?) One notable exception: the Kansas City Star.


Here's what the AP's investigation found:


McCain repeatedly intervened on behalf of a policy Cablevision favored -- one which "congressional and private studies conclude could make cable more expensive" -- while his chief political adviser, Rick Davis (who's masterminding McCain's probable '08 presidential rerun) solicited $200,000 in contributions from Cablevision to an institute that promotes McCain and pays Davis a $110,000 annual salary.


The Reform Institute was set up to promote McCain and his issues--especially campaign finance reform, embodied in the famous McCain-Feingold law. This Institute is "a tax-exempt group that touts McCain's views and has showcased him at events since his unsuccessful 2000 presidential campaign," and it "often uses the senator's name in press releases and fund-raising letters and includes him at press conferences," the AP says. And, of course, it provides a cushy sinecure with no heavy lifting for McCain's main man, Davis, as he prepares the pontificating Senator's next presidential run. Cablevision's contributions account for a whopping 15% of the Institute's budget.


http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0309-35.htm


** I am going to post this for a few months everytime I see McCain's name on DU.

[AtomicKitten]

10. A-S-S-H-O-L-E

Ever since he shoved his nose up Bush's ass, I've got no use for him, particularly after he was trashed by the Bush Wrecking Machine in the 2000 Repub primary. I recall a brief moment years ago when I sorta like him, but I got over that pretty quick.

[Kahuna]

11. "Honest" qualities? As always he speaks out of both sides of his

mouth. Example, Russert shows quotes that he made about Kerry and Murtha. On Kerry McCain said that Kerry didn't have the strength to be CIC for Iraq. When confronted with his remarks he sidesteps the issue and came off like he didn't really mean it. "Honest???" Yeah right. :eyes:

Edited to add the eye roll smilie.

[karynnj]

19. Saw that part too and in some way it shows the essence of McCain

The comments he made on both Murtha ans Kerry - which in Russert's typical format were chosen as text and read were uncalled for. McCain just smile his genial smile (which for some reason is convincing to so many) and he is allowed to move away from the statements.

On the Murtha one, I think there was some slight of hand where Russert asked about his comment that because of his age, Murtha was "emotional", Russert points out that if he became President he would be that age and asks if he would be "emotional". McCain answers that he would be "sentimental", but that's not a bad thing. (caveat: from memory) This totally distracts from what was a pretty nasty Murtha comment(he also said Murtha wasn't a big thinker but an "appropriator" - and leaves it with a twinkling eyed McCain saying he's sentimental.

The other quote was that Kerry wasn't strong enough to see it through in Iraq, his answer was that he's been friends with "John" for years, but disagree on the policy. As far as I remember, friendship is not a license to bad mouth some one. It would be ok if he argued Kerry's (or Murtha's) plans were misguided and gave reasons why, but hiding behind a smile - he instead implicitly challanged Murtha's sanity and Kerry's suitibility to be CIC. (Hanging out with Bush apparently sharpened his ability on mud slinging.) The sad thing is that he got away it on that segment.

[izzie]

12. He wants to be President, so----------------

--

[Uben]

14. 100% Republican

...nuff said

[Christa]

15. He was born in Panama

Can he still become President if he was not born on US soil?

[NI4NI]

16. No respect for McCain here.

I lost all respect for McCain because after his wife and adopted daughter got smeared and slimed during his campaign in 2000, he still supports and kisses Bush's ass.

[LWolf]

17. You should think

whatever you want to, having an independent mind.

What do I think? I think McCain is not the worst republican out there. I like that he has stood up to GWB on the torture issue. The thing is...being a politician, and a republican at that, his "honest qualities" can't be trusted.

[leesa]

18. Traitor.

[Skidmore]

27. Not a traitor politically since his loyalty is to the Rs. He is scum

though. Allowed * and Rove to attack his child and wife without once responding. Nothing redeems him for that lack of character.

[mikehiggins]

20. basic honest qualities?

I think a lot of people have invested their own hopes and wishes in this man, for no reason that I can see. The picture of him hugging Bush during the campaign says it all for me.

Whatever might have made him attractive in the minds of some people in the past, his day is long over and he should retire to a quiet pension somewhere.

His basic honest qualities? None that I can see.

[skipos]

21. I wouldn't vote for him unless he was up against Zell. nt

[GoneOffShore]

22. He's pandering more to the religiofacists

every day. Check out the article in the Nation las week about him.
Good overview of how he has swung more to the right.

[0007]

23. You don't have to think very hard. McCain is pissing and moaning

about those bad guys, and wondering at the same time WHY they didn't cut him in on the piece of the pie.

Sour Grapes with a chance to look good. Who wants McCain should be the question.

Only those seniors that had too much sun in Yuma and Sun City vote for John.

[ihelpu2see]

25. McCain has no credibility after the 2004 campaing when

he kissed up to Bush after what Bush/Rove did to McCain in 2000....

[DinahMoeHum]

26. Yep, he planted too many big wet sloppy ones on Bush

to have any further credibility with me. It's all gone.

What a waste of talent.

:evilfrown:

[No Exit]

28. "Honest"??? John McCain: Proud Member of the Keating Five

There isn't an honest bone in his body. He is 100% opportunist. And a republican one, at that.

[AZBlue]

29. What should you think? Not much.

In terms of a possible '08 candidacy? He's too liberal for the GOP and he's kissed Bush's ass way too many times for the liberals.

[BlueAwards]

32. The difference between Bush and McCain is...

That I believe Bush simply doesn't give a crap about us (by us, I mean everyone other than the top 1%). McCain on the other hand does, but goes about it in a terrible way and is STILL a Republican.

I could never hate McCain though, only strongly disagree with him. He has many admirable qualities.