Hmm...

[sleigh]

McCain thinks that Iraq and Pakistan share a border, and that the "Anbar Awakening" of 2007 occurred after the Surge (and that the Surge was responsible for it...).

And we're supposed to think he'd be the best Commander-in-Chief? Really?

Comments

[maiac.livejournal.com]

He's ignorant and he lies. He's every bit as qualified as George W. Bush.

That's a really scary thought, considering.

By the way, it appears that the so-called mainstream media has decided the contest is really between the First Ladies. They're canonizing Cindy and trashing Michelle. That's even scarier.

[ellameena.livejournal.com]

I think such an obvious slip of the tongue is a pretty cheap shot. As for the latter, beginnings and endings of political movements are rarely discreet. I am sure McCain is defining the beginning of the Anbar awakening differently than you are. Political? Yes. Stupid? No, I don't think so. I really don't think you or anyone else is going to get much traction arguing that McCain is stupid or senile. He's just not.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Well, Bush kind of shattered the premise that a CiC must be competent.

[sleigh.livejournal.com]

I neglected to mention that he evidently thinks Czechoslovakia stil exists, also, but I'm not arguing that McCain is either stupid or senile. Yes, those are "slips of the tongue." Yes, he obviously meant to say the "Afghanistan and Pakistan" border, and with Czechoslovakia, well, he's dealt with that area of the world when that country was still in existence and just slipped back into old habits. WIth Anbar, it's more difficult, since I listened to his explanation and it's obvious he was linking the success of the Anbar Awakening to the military surge, and the Awakening took place months before the surge and was fueled not by more troops but by lots of money being paid to the tribal leaders. That one's not a slip of the tongue but (at best) misremembering the timeline.

Not senile. Not stupid. Never said either one. Do I worry about his age and health? I do, which is why I'll be watching his choice of vice president very carefully -- and also why he has reason to be more careful than Obama about "slips of the tongue' since people might interpret them as indications of senilty. But...

McCain has been arguing that he's far better suited to be Commander-in-Chief than Obama because of his experience. I would argue that while experience is one criterion to be considered, it's far from the only one. Gaffes do not play well in foreign policy. Signs that a candidate (despite his protestations of great experience) really hasn't been paying much attention to the actual order of events (or would try to give a strategy he prefers credit for events that took place before that strategy was in place) are troubling -- and undermine McCain's argument that he is best suited to be C-i-C.

[sleigh.livejournal.com]

As shown with Hillary, the media (and I'm afraid, much of society) often considers strong competent women to be 'bitches' and dangerous.

[maiac.livejournal.com]

The irony is that the media is equally capable of glossing over obvious flaws to portray a Republican political wife as certain to wield influence for good over her husband -- the same kind of influence for which Hillary was pilloried.

[maiac.livejournal.com]

If it were an isolated "slip of the tongue", your argument would have merit. But this is the same man who consistently refers to "Czechoslovakia" (which hasn't existed for years) and who has made other "slips of the tongue". I don't think this shows he's stupid or senile. I think it shows that he, like George W. Bush, is willfully ignorant, and arrogant enough to figure he doesn't have to learn stuff because nobody will call him on his ignorance.

[ontology101.livejournal.com]

"Willfully ignorant."

That's it. That's exactly it.

A.

[ontology101.livejournal.com]

Once again let me say I hate the two party system. However, I can not abide by McCain and I can not relinquish my voting power. So Obama gets my vote. Says so on the back of my car. If someone doesn't like that then they can just go cast their own vote.

A.