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2008-02-01 Home Front: Politix

Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP

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Posted by gorb 2008-02-01 05:29|| || Front Page|| [11137 views ] Top

#1 I'm not buying it. I agree with gorb about the timing. In addition, a guy who spent 5 years plus in the Hanoi Hilton embracing the party of people who rooted for the North Vietnamese? What're the odds of that?

McCain has his flaws, and he has a fighter-pilot's ego that can be grating--but if it's a credibility duel between him and Tom Daschle, it's no contest.

Posted by Mike 2008-02-01 08:32|| 2008-02-01 08:32|| Front Page Top

#2 If McCain were the dem/media "worst nightmare" (which I don't buy), then McCain would not have gotten this far. They'd be revisiting the K-5 scandal as if it were the worst case of corruption ever.

I think the dem/media are working for a McCain nomination so they can trounce him in November. Therefore I suspect this story comes from a current McCain oppenent (or enemy).

Posted by Captain Lewis 2008-02-01 08:47|| 2008-02-01 08:47|| Front Page Top

#3 If it were a Republican dirty trick, this wouldn't be running in the Hill, which IIRC tends to be a DNC outlet. More likely this is a mainline Dem bomb aimed to knock down the most dangerous surviving candidate in the Republican primaries, from their point of view.

This probably isn't a Hillary operation, the Clintons are too busy fighting for their life in their own primaries to be spending scarce MSM resources on afterprimary prepwork. It's probably exactly what it looks like - out-of-office DNC types looking to knife the Republican frontrunner in an attempt to get back into the good graces of the eventual Democratic nominee.

And I'd give this story about a 25% chance of being true. McCain can be damned stupid when he's pissed. On the other hand, there's a 50% chance that it's partially true, in that Weaver was trying to put something together on his own hook, and is lying about it now because he didn't really have authorization from McCain to talk with Downey, and was just hoping to ask for forgiveness in a later which never came. The rest of it would just be idiot senators hearing what they were expecting to hear from objectively innocuous conversations with McCain himself

The last 25% is that this is pure black-hearted calumny, and Daschle & Downey are lying their asses off.

Interestingly enough, Downey has a history of being involved with DNC dirty trick operations. He was the actual recipient of the Bush debate preparation materials in the run-up to the 2000 presidential debates.

Posted by Mitch H.">Mitch H. 2008-02-01 09:47|| http://blogfonte.blogspot.com/]">[http://blogfonte.blogspot.com/] 2008-02-01 09:47|| Front Page Top

#4 This came out MONTHS ago, about 10 to be precise. It's only now that traction is under it because of McCains status of frontrunner. They have a discussion about this over at HotAir.

Posted by Charles 2008-02-01 10:58|| 2008-02-01 10:58|| Front Page Top

#5 My local Fox station did an segment on political dirty tricks a month back. It showed how the DNC had put an anti-McCain page out on Youtube pretending to be a Huckabee attack add.

You can bet that the Dems have plenty of negative material against McCain and are trying to make sure conservative voters sit this election out.

Whenever you hear things like this remember McCain's conservative rating: 82%.

Al

Posted by Frozen Al 2008-02-01 11:52|| 2008-02-01 11:52|| Front Page Top

#6 I dunno - I heard rumors about this at that time. then there's McCain flirting with being Kerry's VP.

John McCain is untrustworthy, a two-faced liar, and a stubborn egomaniac. So that certainly puts it within the realm of possibilites that he would leave the GOP in a fit of anger.

John McCain rarely lets lack of information and expertise stand in his way. Iraq, of course, is a notable exception.

But what about McCain's other positions? He opposes drilling in ANWR because, in his words, the area is "pristine" (which in this case means barren) and he "wouldn't drill in the Grand Canyon." Has any candidate ever presented a less serious analysis of an important policy question?

He opposes waterboarding in part because "torture doesn't work." Maybe the things the North Vietnamese did to him at the Hanoi Hilton didn't work, but we know from eye-witness accounts that waterboarding worked. When asked about this, McCain essentially accused the CIA of lying.

McCain's tendency to make snap judgments based on prejudice rather than information, and his hostility to information that doesn't conform to his prejudices, is perhaps the most frightening aspect of candidacy.

And that doesnt even factor in his repeated smear of Romney with a repeated lie about Romney's support for the surge, nor does it account for his lying denail of calling Justice Alito "too conservative", nor his two-faced immigration stance by employing a former Mexican Cabinet minister and failing to disclaim Juan Hernandez's statements that he wants Americans to think "Mexico First" even as 7th generation Americans and wants open borders.

McCain? Disaster.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-02-01 12:31|| 2008-02-01 12:31|| Front Page Top

#7 This came up back in 2002. Some of his staffers jumped ship to the Democrats that year. The topic came up again in 2004.

McCain won't jump ship because his ego won't let him. For him, hanging on and angling for control of the GOP is better revenge than ending up a Benedict Arnold in a donkey-suit.

Posted by Pappy 2008-02-01 12:33|| 2008-02-01 12:33|| Front Page Top

#8 I'd say McCain abandoned the GOP shortly after GWB took office.

Besides, he's a hot-headed old fool. He's going to get trounced by Hillary in the general.

Posted by Anon4021 2008-02-01 12:41|| 2008-02-01 12:41|| Front Page Top

#9 If McCain runs, Bloomberg has a chance. I think he's Bob Dole all over again - a centrist guy whose weakness with the conservative base opens up the field to a third party run.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2008-02-01 13:28|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2008-02-01 13:28|| Front Page Top

#10 Well, if his Presidential run turns out to be another bust he can always have his own drama series...
'John McCain..The Maverick Lawmaker'

Posted by DepotGuy 2008-02-01 15:12|| 2008-02-01 15:12|| Front Page Top

#11 Benedict Arold is rather apt. He was a war hero who turned against his principles for personal gain.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-02-01 18:08|| 2008-02-01 18:08|| Front Page Top

#12 I think if it comes to the general election McCain actually wins. Too much animus w/Hillary in all sections of society.

I like Romney much better but I'll hold my nose for the rino over the european socialist.

Posted by Broadhead6 2008-02-01 22:28|| 2008-02-01 22:28|| Front Page Top

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