reigning reining it in? or just playing decoy?
October 10th, 2008 | Is McCain, aware of the negative press doing him more harm than good, attempting to get the mob his own campaign created back under control?
“I respect Sen. Obama and his accomplishments.” People booed at the mention of his name. McCain, visibly angry, stopped them: “I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are.”
And then later, again, someone dangled a great big piece of low-hanging fruit in front of McCain: “I’m scared to bring up my child in a world where Barack Obama is president.”
McCain replies, “Well, I don’t want him to be president, either. I wouldn’t be running if I did. But,” and he pauses for emphasis, “you don’t have to be scared to have him be President of the United States.” A round of boos.
And he snaps back: “Well, obviously I think I’d be better. ”
…he just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, “I’m scared of Barack Obama… he’s an Arab terrorist…”
“No, no ma’am,” he interrupted. “He’s a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements.”
Or is he simply trying to be the good cop to Palin’s bad cop?
8 Responses to “
reigningreining it in? or just playing decoy?”Good for McCain if he’s trying to reign it — though I think he’s doing it more because the hate mongering isn’t going to attract moderates than because he’s honorable.
But there is a weird subtext to this that even if he were Arab it would disqualify him from office. There’s actually some fairly prominent Arab Repub politicians out there — John Sununu, Darrell Issa, and Ray LaHood.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Arab_American s
(Holy cow, Doug Flutie is Lebanese — I guess that explains why he’s so hairy.)
After Plan A (”Win”) and Plan B (”Destroy Obama’s Character in Order to Win”) both didn’t work, it looks likes McCain is coming to grips with Plan C (”Lose With Dignity”).
Like I said before; I think he is struggling morally. He was swift boated by his own party in 2000, he didn’t want Palin, and his age is mellowing the actions and reactions. Years ago he was a ‘maverick’, butting heads with his party and attempting to work across the aisle, but the Gingrich and Rove years pushed him to the back burner in the GOP. Grabbing the mike from that Lakeville troll and admonishing her was the right thing to do, IMO, but I’m sure Karl Rove cringed when he saw it. Just not in the same way that we cringed.
I don’t think he is undergoing such a struggle. I think it’s only that the attacks are not working to change the narrative.
If McCain was seeing an advantage from these attacks they would continue without question.
I believe he DID want Palin. He picked her in another of his “spontaneous” fits of poor judgment without proper vetting. He honestly believed she would bring in the Hillary voters, which showes how far afield he remains in understanding women voters. As my Mother would say, “He made his bed and now he must lie in it.”
Yeah, I think he would continue this line of attack if it were working (or else why start it in the first place?), but I really do think he genuinely was surprised by how unhinged his supporters were getting.
Would he still continue if it were helping him in the polls but death threats kept popping up in rallies? I’m not sure about that, but although Im no McCain fan I really do have a hard time believing he’d just let that stuff continue.
Whatever his motives, it’s the right thing to do and I applaud it.
PS- it’s “reining”
PS- it’s “reining”
got it, thanks!
A ‘thump on the head’ to McCain: being an Arab is consistent to being a fine and decent person. I grew up with kids whose parents immigrated from Syria, Lebanon and most other Arab countries so that they could work in the meat packing industries, set up produce outlets and offer their children a better life in America. I can remember my Arab friends being called “Camel Jockeys” during the 50’s. Most people don’t even know that the expression: “Ask No What Your Country Can Do For You - Ask What You Can Do For Your Country” came from the great Arab poet, Khalil Gibran. Check out the book: “Mirrors Of The Soul” (http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0806502703/r ef=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?_encoding=UTF8&coliid=&sho wViewpoints=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescen ding). Evidently JFK was not sensitive to the fact that he was using a quote from a famous Arab during the tumultuous 60’s, but he should have given Gibran the credit he deserved.