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Will Democrats 'Daisy' McCain?

August 17, 2008 1:35 PM

The New York Times today takes a look at Sen. John McCain's instincts when it comes to war.

The notion that McCain, R-Ariz., is bellicose and too eager to take the U.S. to war in Iraq, Iran, Georgia, North Korea, and elsewhere, is one we will likely see Democrats pushing in the coming weeks.

The Times story has a few interesting anecdotes that Democrats will no doubt use in an attack portraying McCain as too eager to attack.

Some show McCain as among those leading the charge to segue from attacking Afghanistan to attacking Iraq. On Jan. 2, 2002, he yelled to sailors and airmen on the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt in the Arabian Sea, "Next up, Baghdad!"

And while McCain later came to criticize the Bush team, he early on told CNN he would have named Donald Rumsfeld to his cabinet and would also have offered Dick Cheney the vice presidency.

Team McCain has been trying to portray Obama as weak on national security, a la Adlai Stevenson, Mike Dukakis and John Kerry. We'll see if the Democrats have any success in making McCain seem too eager to go to war, a la his fellow Arizonan Barry Goldwater, whose alleged desire to start World War III was so notoriously depicted in the famous "Daisy" TV ad.

- jpt

August 17, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (45)

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Why is this a matter of the Dems *daisying* McCain and not the whole ountry just being sick to death of running around the world threatening to punch every perceived bad guy in the nose?

Our economy is in shambles, our roads and bridges are literally falling apart, our schools are decaying and our students are failing...yet McCain sees everything through the military will fix it lens.

We absolutely need to reinvest in OUR nation for a change or there won't be anything left to defend.

Why not ask McCain how he intends to pay for all his black and white, good and evil bluster if he feels we shouldn't tax anyone?

Posted by: G Davis | Aug 17, 2008 4:10:30 PM

Roxanne.

AND, OBAMA OWNS MOST OF THE NEWS MEDIA, THE ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA, MOST GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, MOST UNIONS AND MOST OF ACADEMIA..... AND AFTER ALL OF THAT HE IS ONLY TIED WITH MCCAIN.... ISN'T SOMETHING CLICKING IN FOR YOU?

Posted by: Manitu | Aug 17, 2008 4:09:44 PM

Notafool:

Lincoln and Truman served as well apparently. Any other quips?

Posted by: Mr. Coffee | Aug 17, 2008 4:03:42 PM

Many years ago I was attending a Quaker boarding school(high school). Ike (General Eisenhower) was running against Stevenson. Almost all students and staff were dems and supported Stevenson. I happened to ask our very elderly school nurse(Quaker)who she was going to vote for. She said "Oh, I like Ike." I was pretty much floored. I asked why. She responded, "Who knows more about keeping the peace than a man of war." Very wise lady as that's exctly what Ike did do for eight years. He kept the peace. McCain seems in the same mold.

Posted by: Manitu | Aug 17, 2008 4:00:29 PM

marylou
The democrats have over 2 million more new registered voters than the republicans. To day Obama has raised 401 million and McCain 170 million. Who's fired up?

Posted by: roxanne | Aug 17, 2008 3:49:19 PM

" -McCain is very likely to take us to another war"

Why so...Eisenhower did not. Grant did not. I don't think Andrew Jackson did so.

A good question to research is whether any military man has EVER taken the country into a war. Of hand, I can't think of one.

Posted by: notafool | Aug 17, 2008 3:46:22 PM

The NY Times has done everything but admit that they are in the tank for Obama and slant their stuff accordingly. NO SURPRISE HERE. Also people who watch the evening news on a regular basis are give a pro dem slant -EVERY NIGHT - no wonder so many people are politically misinformed.

Posted by: Manitu

Cleary it is you who are politically misinformad. The times back Hillary Clinton!

Posted by: roxanne | Aug 17, 2008 3:43:15 PM

The NY Times has done everything but admit that they are in the tank for Obama and slant their stuff accordingly. NO SURPRISE HERE. Also people who watch the evening news on a regular basis are give a pro dem slant -EVERY NIGHT - no wonder so many people are politically misinformed.

Posted by: Manitu | Aug 17, 2008 3:27:33 PM

Who's surprised that NY Times is floating these balloons on behalf the Obama camp and the DNC?

Posted by: p0s3r | Aug 17, 2008 3:16:05 PM

notafool.

Recent polls say that less than fifteen percent of voters think that Iraq is still an issue. Those number continue to drop as success rolls along. Some of these bloggers will never accept that no matter what.

Posted by: Temagami | Aug 17, 2008 3:14:02 PM

Obama's WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG diplomacy will cause him to be the doormat and laughing stock for all of those who wish us harm. Georgia invasion by Russia may be evidence that this may already be happening. OBAMA IS SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE TO THE BAD GUYS.

Posted by: Temagami | Aug 17, 2008 3:07:48 PM

You really can not change who you are -McCain is very likely to take us to another war - no doubt about that-
you can see it , you can feel it, and you may see it if he is elected and we were faced with an international crisis,
especailly if he surrounds himself with the likes of Rummy, Cheany, Rice -

Give credit to Colin Powell -
Obama need to ahve as his secretary of state of Defense

Posted by: sameh | Aug 17, 2008 3:02:20 PM

"Putin moved because the U.S. military is bogged down in a costly war of choice in Iraq."

Didn't you notice? That war is over. We won...despite the sincere efforts of the world press and people like you.

Try to keep up.

Posted by: notafool | Aug 17, 2008 2:59:03 PM

"Peacenuts. Why do you think Putin moved in Georgia?

Because you and the press have weakened the President so much with your adolescent yammering that Putin pretty much figures he can do whatever he wants....that's why?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Putin moved because the U.S. military is bogged down in a costly war of choice in Iraq.

The fact is, whether you like it or not, Putin can do any damn thing he likes right now, and because of the Bush/McCain foreign policy, we have no recourse but to continue begging them to stop.

Posted by: ChrisNBama | Aug 17, 2008 2:41:38 PM

Peacenuts. Why do you think Putin moved in Georgia?

Because you and the press have weakened the President so much with your adolescent yammering that Putin pretty much figures he can do whatever he wants....that's why?

If the Orookie, by some miracle, wins...look for more of the same in the next 4 years. You think nuclear power plants are risky...you ain't seen nothin yet!

Posted by: notafool | Aug 17, 2008 2:38:27 PM

McCain's eyes really light up when he talks about his black and white world view, sacrifice and causes that are greater than our own self interests.
I am not that keen on following McCain's tough talk down a road that could end in many battles and a war or two.
He said that he "wants to fill out his education by talking some art classes." I think the world will be safer with McCain working in pastels.

Posted by: doug | Aug 17, 2008 2:37:58 PM

WOW,

We finally got it. Thank you for finally showing your hand McCainites.

So, your worried that he revealed the Real McCain...McWar...more war...McCain spreading freedom and democracy all over the world for him and his 5 million dollar a year rich friends. Oh, so you thourhg you were rich with 1 million a year, sorry to break the news to you. But, here is the good news, in order to make sure his rich friends keep ALL their money he is going to let you keep your. Oh yeah, and don't worry about social security because once we're in enough conflicts I am sure he has plans to get plenty of the older folks killed off with the youth he will be sending around the world to start wars.

Posted by: shellgirl | Aug 17, 2008 2:33:52 PM

The more the NYT attacks McCain, the more the Republican base gets fired up. The people who are going to vote for McCain will take the NYT attacks as a SYMBOL of McCain's qualifications to be POTUS. Also, the people who seriously read the NYT are not going to vote for McCain anyway. The NYT should either just report objectively or stay out of things. They make things worse for the left when they try to help. Idiots

Posted by: NYT Does not Get It | Aug 17, 2008 2:19:56 PM

The congress can't do anything because of the Republicans using the philibuster a record number of times, and when congress passes a bill Bush will just veto it anyway. The Republicans can't admit that their time has passed, and that they totally screwed up while running the country.

Obama 08!

Posted by: Thomas | Aug 17, 2008 2:18:00 PM

McCain can't wait for another war. He is a hothead with a temper. Obama is more thoughtful and will prevent wars that don't have to be fought.

Posted by: Bonzai | Aug 17, 2008 2:14:01 PM

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