McCain's Iraq Revisionism Posted by Michael Cohen

So I'm watching John McCain on the Daily Show this morning and Jon Stewart asked the presumptive GOP nominee how he would go in a different direction than President Bush. Here was McCain's answer: "spending, climate change and the failed strategy that was employed in the war in Iraq."

The first one is sort of misnomer, the second one I'll give him but the third one is straight out deception. Even if John McCain did disagree with the failed strategy in Iraq (and as Max points out that is highly debatable) HE DOESN'T DISAGREE WITH THAT STRATEGY NOW.

Isn't that a bit more relevant? I'm just amazed at the notion that McCain would even peddle such thin gruel, although I suppose he is counting on folks not making the connection between what he has said in the past AND WHAT HE IS SAYING TODAY. Indeed, if you look closely it is virtually impossible to find any daylight between his position on the war and Bush's but maybe this line of argument will throw people off.

But it does raise an issue that has been confusing me for quite a while. Generally after you win a party nominating contest (which is made up more of "true believers") you tack back do the middle in order to reach out to independents and centrists. But John McCain has taken the opposite approach; he's tacking to the right!

On Iraq, he's basically doubled down and argued that leaving is a "surrender to Al Qaeda." He just gave a speech aligning himself with conservatives on the appointment of right-wing judges and he has done a pretty poor job of distancing himself from Bush's failed economic and health care policies. If anything he seems to be arguing for their continuation.  With Obama on the verge of wrapping up the Democratic nomination, McCain has basically blown the two months he had to separate himself from Bush and lay out an affirmative case for a McCain presidency.

In the fall, the Democrats will peddle the line that John McCain represents four more years of George Bush's failed policies - and he has done little to disabuse the electorate of this notion.

Tell me again why Democrats are worried about this guy.

Comments

I can't speak for Democrats but I'm worried about him because as an old white male he looks classically presidential. Obama doesn't, and unfortunately this is an overly image-conscious country where one's appearance counts for more than ability, and what politicians say is often (justifiably) taken with a grain of salt. It's our own fault for giving so much power to a president. We then expect this demi-god to look like something on Mount Rushmore.

Perhaps McCain has a pastor who has said some nutty things? Or somebody in his neighborhood that was a criminal? No chance. See, the rules are different when you look the part. You can get away with stuff, and the media will even help you do it.