Political Punch

McCain didn't flip flop. He "adjusted to the realities."

Trust the intelligence community? After the crap they let Bush pull to start this war, no one in their right mind would trust them.

Real professionals know that torture doesn't work. Thugs and drug dealers, they torture because they are nasty and have no morals. Which group does the IC identify with?

If Governor Huckabee gets cheated out of this race, many people are either not going to vote, or we will vote Obama.

So since the Republican establishment thinks they are so smart, be prepared to lose the white house.

Our GOP leaders should have stepped in a long time ago and put a stop the the unethical campaign Romney was running. Especially when he robo called millions of people prior to Super Tuesday to tell un suspecting Americans that Huckabee had dropped out of the race.

Huckabee should be leading right now. Just because he is not, doesn''t mean he shouldn''t be.

I am sickened that we have an awesome leader who is getting short shafted.

Senator McCain will do whatever - say whatever he must to get elected. Changing his spots should be expected, for it is a well-known trait (never mind his cowardace of 2004, when he could have made history by joining the Kerry campaign as a running mate).

If one wants a continuation of the Bush-Cheney Regime's policies, absolute cast your ballot for Senator McCain.

On the other hand, if one really wants to purge the White House - and the U.S. - of the stench permeating for the past 7 years, one will seriously consider sending the Republican Party packing. Collaboratively, the Party and its collective arrogance has dragged our poor country into a murky mess.

I know - at age 58 - I will not see full recovery from the destruction of the past 7 years. With that said, the sooner we commence repair, the better off we'll all be.

John McCain is a political Ozzy Osbourne. The heavy metal God only sold his soul for Rock and Roll while the Arizona senator decided to cash in his integrity for political power.

Shame on those of you that have no problem letting our civil liberties get eroded by this administration. You've done exactly what the terrorists wanted us do. So....we were a nation of principles until 9/11, and then a terrorist attack changes everything? Pathetic. The Pledge of Allegiance used to mean something. Remember "liberty and justice for all"?. How about "innocent until proven guilty"? Are those concepts gone forever? The definition of terrorism, according to the American Heritage Dictionary is: "The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons." Oh, and Bush says they hate us for our freedom. Maybe he's right, but our government has done EXACTLY what the terrorists wanted. They've bled us financially on our own stupidity and made us suspicious of each other. Every time we cut into our own rights and freedoms, THEY WON! We've done more damage to ourselves and our reputation than they could have ever achieved! Our strength lies in our laws, principles, and our resolve. We are (or were) the standard bearer for liberty worldwide, and dropping down to the level of an enemy is absolutely despicable. Freedom means something; we're turning the word into nothing more than an empty slogan. Our founding fathers would be horrified! Please, take a step back and look at what some of you are advocating.

John McCain can pander all he wants. He can flip flop all his personnel standards away to try and please the current republican base but he has no chance. Straight Talk my ...

As far as I'm concerned, John McCain can no longer be trusted (assuming he ever could have been). He has sold his soul to the right-wing devil in return for the GOP nomination, and as a result, is rapidly losing the independent voters to Barack Obama. And as we all know, you can't win the presidency without the support of the majority of independent votes.

You can't have it both ways any longer, Mr. McCain.

Disturbingly, a vote for McCain *really is* a vote for a third term of GW Bush....

Spock Brother states:

"You libs would rather millions of Americans die before you put someones head under water. There is no lasting affect to water boarding"

You make this point. Maybe you got the one in a million ticking time bomb scenario going on. And any President in that scenario that does not have what it takes to protect the country ain't worth #@%&. I am not gonna disagree in this regard.

But on a larger scale let me ask you this: When did torture become A FAMILY VALUE?

ANSWER: it never did. Torture is not consistent with conservative values.

I really don't know why it so hard for some on this side to admit the obvious. Torture ain't good for anyone ..... not for you, not me or my kids, nor for our enemies.

GW1 issued a general order back in the day. This order said this: no torturing the enemy whether it be Red Coats or hired TERRORIST Hessian mercenaries.

I'll give McC some time here. Because I ain't perfect. Maybe there is a loophole that has him covered and I haven't seen it yet.

But the Torture issue is simple. I am not for it. I am not defending it.

"Did she realy say that? Here's your answer Dana. Who got us into this war...the 'intellingence community.'"

The intelligence community is doing a pretty good job, not much to complain about there. No attacks in more than six years, that's amazing. That's well spend tax dollars right there.

What about Obama and Clinton ?
I have heard they didn't vote. Is it true ?
One flip flop, and two cowards ?

"Do you trust the intelligence community more than you trust Democrats who are beholden to their left wing?"

Did she realy say that? Here's your answer Dana. Who got us into this war...the "intellingence community." I'll trust the left wing Democrats, thank you.

pt - First of all it was Pres Bush 41 that supported McCain today!! Shows libs don't read.

If you go by what you libs say is torture, then why do you allow our children to be tortured everyday!! You playing rap music loud is torture ! Don't our kids play rap music louder!!

You libs would rather millions of Americans die before you put someones head under water. There is no lasting affect to water boarding.

I have contacted Andrew about this subject and suggested to him that he talk directly with McCain for clarification. To suggest that somebody held as a POW would in any way condone torture is just downright stupid. McCain has walked the walk unlike all of us responding here including Andrew and others that make a living being controversial. It simply amazes me that those that are certain what torture is and in what circumstances are the very same people that support the right to abort the unborn without any regard to their destiny. Barack believes he is destined for greatness. How fortunate that his mom chose to let him live and become all that he can be and how lucky for us. How many Baracks, McCains have been killed in the name of convenience and how utterly hypocritical of those passing judgment on a man that was held against his will for over FIVE LONG YEARS. How many of you would have survived the first day with a broken body, let alone 3 years in solitary confinement? Shame on you. We should be embracing this sort of character instead of looking for reasons to doubt somebody that has already proven he is heads above most of us. I have no problem debating and disagreeing his often controversial positions that are often at odds with mine, but to doubt his honor regarding torture that so impacted his life is as low as it gets. If we now see somebody like McCain as not being sincere, then this country has seen the best of times. The generation flocking to see Barack give his inspirational speeches would never in a million years be able to tolerate the conditions that McCain endured. If this nation is to once again be a great nation, willing to sacrifice, we will need to embrace the famous words of JFK, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." The men and women in the armed forces over generations have done their part to do for this country. They have proven to be a cut above the rest.

>>Waterboarding, and other extreme interrogation techniques, must be personally approved by the Commander in Chief.

Exactly. This is how we know that Bush is a war criminal. Torture is a war crime. Bush ordered torture. Bush is a war criminal. McCain agrees, but he refuses to say so because he knows that 80% of his party supports war crimes.

As McCain himself said back in October:

“All I can say is that it was used in the Spanish Inquisition, it was used in Pol Pot’s genocide in Cambodia, and there are reports that it is being used against Buddhist monks today."

Of presidential candidates like Mr. Giuliani, who say that they are unsure whether waterboarding is torture, Mr. McCain said: “They should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture.”

>>it would repeal the entire enhanced interrogation program

Stripped of Orwellian double-speak, she means the entire torture program.

>>"Do you trust the intelligence community

I thought the CIA was run by dirty hippies? Hmm. When the intelligence community puts out an NIE, we shouldn't trust them because the entire intelligence community and the State Department are run by pot-smoking dirty hippies (as everyone knows), but when Torture Czar Hayden says "torture saves lives!" then we should listen -- or we'll all die.

McCain just caved in the most transparent and dispicable way to placate the pro-torture base of the GOP. He is saying that waterboarding is torture and that he doesn't want the US military torturing people...but the CIA? No problem!

McCain is definetly on the level about torture, he was at the Hanoi Hilton, tortured by the Vietnamese. He knows what it feels like for crying out loud! His position has not changed.

pt | Feb 15, 2008 11:04:32 AM

"I know I would be embarrassed to be a republican right now"

Ya there's some work to do. But with an out of the Box guy like McC (or HOPEFULLY HUCK) we'll work it out.

Now just send us HRC, pls!

I know I would be embarrassed to be a republican right now. I would also be embarrassed to get Bush's endorsement like McCain just got. Why do you think they never mentioned his name during the republican debates. They wanted to stay as far away from him as they could. It is going to take a long time to clean up this mess with foreign relations, economy, etc... Lets not be wimps and submit to the fear-mongering that the republicans like to throw around. Obama 2008!!!

cba please your not a republican, what a lie. because republicans want security, they do not want to have tea with these murdering pieces of @#$$% like the libs!

McCain got my vote now!!

He did Flip-Flop ok people!!
He is against torture, ok we do not torture! OK get over it, waterboarding which our military personnel go thru is not torture!!

All you libs love protecting the enemoes of this country, but never ever do you protect this country!!