The World According to John McCain
What's also true, however, is that he had long supported calls to topple Saddam Hussein, and was an enthusiastic promoter of the war in Iraq. Despite his best efforts to project himself as a healing president, the antic Arizonan has already worried many voters. His Beach Boys wisecrack about whether to "bomb, bomb, bomb" Iran is perhaps too easily mocked.
But McCain has said over and over that as president he will rise to what he calls the "transcendent challenge of the 21st century"—the fight against radical Islamic terrorism. And he's gone beyond that: he's indicated that anyone who disagrees with that premise—read Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton—is simply incompetent. As he declared in Los Angeles: "Any president who does not regard this threat as transcending all others does not deserve to sit in the White House, for he or she does not take seriously enough the first and most basic duty a president has—to protect the lives of the American people."
This is what troubles some about McCain's zeal for certain causes: he can be pragmatic in the pursuit of them, but seems to
see them in largely black and white terms, not unlike George Bush, and rejects too much of the gray. Terror cells may be spreading, but their crazed ideology— all that talk of establishing a medieval caliphate—keeps dying every time it is exposed to the open air. And what about other major threats, like global warming? McCain, in an interview with NEWSWEEK, said those were important, "but I do not believe that anyone who fails to understand the dimensions and enormity of this [extremist] challenge is qualified to serve as president of the United States." In Iraq, where last week the Iraqi government failed to quell renewed hostilities from cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army—forcing U.S. troops to step in once again—McCain declared recently: "We're succeeding. I don't care what anybody says." The diatribe against Belarus was another case in point: no one doubts that Alexander Lukashenko is an evil if fairly insignificant dictator, but sometimes one has to talk to evil people.
On similar grounds, McCain has refused to consider meeting with the current Iranian government. Some critics worry that despite McCain's stated commitment to diplomatic coercion against Tehran, such an uncompromising approach could lead to hostilities. "The typical thing you'd expect from a war veteran, especially someone with his searing experience, is more caution than he shows," says Winslow Wheeler, a defense-budget expert who observed McCain for years as an aide to different senators.
This tendency to pursue causes so relentlessly—like his almost visceral dislike of Russia's quasi-dictatorial Vladimir Putin, whom he wants to cast out of the G8 (contrary to European wishes)—even concerns some GOP stalwarts. "I tried to talk to him about Russia, but he just stiffened," a former senior GOP foreign-policy official, who would speak only on condition of anonymity, said. "To me that's one of the most troublesome things about him. Advisers need to be able to walk into the Oval Office and say, 'Look, Mr. President, I think you're wrong.' That's not easy to do anyway. But if you think your head's going to be taken off and he will never forgive you, then you've got a real problem." As Wheeler puts it: "Joe Lieberman's not going to be there at 3 o'clock in the morning, in bed with him, when the phone call comes."
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Member Comments
Posted By: Driver of wagons @ 04/18/2008 9:57:51 PM
Comment:
McCain't is a back stabbing hypocritical @sshole and knows who he is going to be losing against November 4th
I see John is up to the same old trix he played on the POWS and MIAS from the Vietnam invasion/occupation
This guy is a mere mirage of himself
John McCain has repeatedly insisted in public that he wants to run a respectful campaign, but a recent fundraising email from his campaign suggests there will be nothing revolutionary about the Republican nominee's tactics this year.
McCain's deputy campaign manager, Christian Ferry, sent an email to donors today with the subject line: "Hamas Weighs In On U.S. Presidential Election." The email, which attacks Obama over his foreign policy stances, includes these paragraphs:
Barack Obama's foreign policy plans have even won him praise from Hamas leaders. Ahmed Yousef, chief political adviser to the Hamas Prime Minister said,""We like Mr. Obama and we hope he will win the election. He has a vision to change America."
We need change in America, but not the kind of change that wins kind words from Hamas, surrenders in Iraq and will hold unconditional talks with Iranian President Ahmadinejad.
The letter comes in response to this report of a Hamas leader speaking favorably about Barack Obama. The article -- though not the McCain campaign -- notes that Obama has condemned Hamas, repeatedly said that he would not meet with the terrorist organization, and also condemned former President Carter's decision to meet with Hamas leaders.
Posted By: Kgoods21 @ 04/13/2008 8:45:24 PM
Comment: Personally, I rather not have liars like Obama and Clinton. I want integrity like John McCain. Obama told Clinton in a debate if he wants to see his stances than she can go to his webpage. No Barack I want to hear the issues from your mouth. It shows that he is either not well versed in his policies. Concerning Hillary how many times are you going to be two faced? Between Snipers to being on your high school soccer team. This is not 1992 people can prove your that lying. People actually defend her actions!! Btw by knowing some one on Capitol HIll like I do I found out that she has one of the highest staff turnover rates among elected officials. She is a nasty women.
Posted By: Altsh1 @ 04/10/2008 9:00:56 PM
Comment: ???WRAPPING ONES SELF IN THE FLAG IS THE LAST REFUGE OF A SCOUNDREL!!
And that is how he gets the free ride from the press because any negative comment would be considered an attack on his sacrifice as a POW,
He can say anything, no matter how outrageous,and the press will stand up and dutifully salute ,because he has taken refuge in the flag
JUST A NOTE ABOUT JOHN McCAIN,THAT YOU SHOULD CHECK.
JOHN SUFFERS FROM PTSD( POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER) FROM HIS 5 YEARS AS A PRISONER OF WAR.
NO PERSON SUBJECTED TO THAT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STRESS FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME CAN WALK AWAY WITHOUT BEING DAMAGED MENTALY AND PHYSICALLY.HIS SHORT TEMPER AND FORGETFULNESS ARE INDICATORS.
YOU DONT WANT A 71 YEAR OLD SURVIVOR ANYWHERE NEAR THE"RED"PHONE AT 3 AM.
HE IS A HERO FOR HIS UNSELFISH SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY BUT "OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE,THEY JUST TAKE THE MEDALS AND HONORS BESTOWED ON THEM BY A GREATFUL NATION,AND GRACEFULY FADE AWAY TO ENJOY THEIR TWILIGHT YEARS!
Elliot Altshuler
Lauderhill,Fl
E-mail: statah@aol.com