McCain’s cringe-worthy remarks on jihad
John McCain is supposed to be the presidential candidate best equipped to tackle what he calls “the transcendent challenge of our time: the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.” His speech yesterday to the LA World Affairs Council demonstrates, however, that McCain doesn’t get it.
Mark Steyn points to this cringe-worthy passage in the speech:
I have called for major changes in how our government faces the challenge of radical Islamic extremism by much greater resources for and integration of civilian efforts to prevent conflict and to address post-conflict challenges. Our goal must be to win the “hearts and minds” of the vast majority of moderate Muslims who do not want their future controlled by a minority of violent extremists. In this struggle, scholarships will be far more important than smart bombs.
Says Steyn:
There’s plenty of evidence out there that the most extreme “extremists” are those who’ve been most exposed to the west - and western education: from Osama bin Laden (summer school at Oxford, punting on the Thames) and Mohammed Atta (Hamburg University urban planning student) to the London School of Economics graduate responsible for the beheading of Daniel Pearl. The idea that handing out college scholarships to young Saudi males and getting them hooked on Starbucks and car-chase movies will make this stuff go away is ridiculous - and unworthy of a serious presidential candidate.
Yes, it’s part and parcel of the same idiocy that leads the State Department to embrace “spa days” to “build bridges” with the Arab world and President Bush to open up our aviation schools to Saudi students to “improve understanding.”
Memo to the McCain camp: Go to the dunce corner, read “How Khalid learned his ABCs,” and take that stupid scholarships/smart bombs soundbite out of your boss’s speeches.
***
While we’re on the subject of Johnny Mac not getting it, if what Heath Shuler says is true, McCain remains as committed as ever to open borders no matter what his lips are telling you:
U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler says he believes Republican presidential candidate John McCain blocked his immigration bill from getting a vote on the U.S. House floor. McCain’s staff denies it.
The Waynesville Democrat spoke to the Rotary Club of Hendersonville on Tuesday. He said the Republican leadership tried to bring the Secure America Through Verification and Enforcement Act to the House floor. They used a provision of House rules called a discharge petition, in which a simple majority can bring to the floor a bill that is stuck in committee.
The petition had 181 of the 217 signatures needed to force a vote on the bill.
“It was going great until McCain blocked it,” Shuler said.
McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, called Republicans in Congress and asked them not to sign the petition, Shuler said. He said after McCain’s intervention, Republicans in the House were less willing to sign onto the bill.
“We’ve really slowed down in the last week in Washington,” Shuler said.
A spokesman for McCain denied any involvement, saying the senator has neither taken a position on the SAVE Act nor tried to block anyone from signing it.
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Yep, I still don’t like McCain.
He lost me with “Amnesty” and everything since has been a blur of disappointment.
I hear ya pb, but the other two scare the hell out of me.
No in this struggle, paving vast parking lots where jihad tents once stood are far more important.
McCain just can’t keep from sticking his foot in his mouth every time he opens it. With the war between the Democrats tearing themselves apart with both exposed for how dangerously unqualified they are to be the next POTUS you think Senator McNasty could just keep quiet. We really need a miracle at the Republican Convention for a brokered conservative candidate to emerge or this country is doomed to have one of these three idiots as our future CINC. I will not sit home on Election Day, but it will be a very cold day in hell before I pull any lever for POTUS this election cycle.
I worked and sweated to get through college. But this guys solution to terrorism is to give THEM scholarships. I guess, then, Americans will need to continue working our way through college.
Here’s my very novel solution to terrorism. From what I can see, no one else has thought of this:
KILL THE TERRORISTS!
i do declare a few strong bombs will solve our problem.
Doesn’t this man know the single most dangerous threat to Americans is the Jihad? I mean, forget the millions that have died since 9/11 from heart disease, drunk driving accidents, obesity, diabetes, cancer or smoking related illnesses - Jihad is the number one threat to Americans. No doubt about it.
JDAM’s and GBU-38’s.
With the hardcore Jihadists, smart bombs won’t be as effective as say… an Army.
Ya know, McCain already has the Repub nomination. He needs to trim his remarks until the general, that way people don’t get the “ick” feeling when they hear his name.
His best strategy right now would be to sit back and let the two Dem frontrunners tear each other up, while keeping himself out of controversy.
Too bad he stepped in it with these remarks.
To all those that have commented on other threads that MM hasn’t covered McCain negatively recently, I knew it would only be a matter of time. Many of us here (not all) are only likely to vote for him because we can’t stomach the alternative.
Like I have said before. People who think McCain is going to be tough on terror are just not paying attantion.
The best we can HOPE for is he will put reasonable people on the SCOTUS.
Sausage, you’re part of the problem.
and you know, as an aside, i’m sick of the revisionist history that war doesn’t solve problems. i can tell you what doesn’t solve problems….endless rounds of talking.
in fact, it was endless rounds of talking that got us WW2 - a war, where had we waged it 5 years earlier, wouldn’t have claimed as many lives as it did.
had we gone to war in Iraq 5 years prior, we would not have had the problems then as we do today.
it’s clear to me that scholars have been the reason wars last longer and are deadlier.
Snausage, in case you haven’t been keeping up with current events, armies and armies of researchers have been chasing those problems you cited for decades now. That’s not the job of the Commander in Chief. When we are attacked and face a continuing threat, his job is to fight the bad guys, not conduct insulin research.
(And yes, I have Type 1 Diabetes. I have a clue what’s going on.)
Snausage is still pissed he is not speaking German. Will he get it when motherland starts to speak Arabic? One wonders.
sausage,
Your ignorance knows no bounds. Perhaps we can rely on the UK to address the problem with “heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer or smoking related illnesses…”
Or maybe not.
Fixed it for ya. Somebody once said a statesman is a dead politician. Lord knows, we need more statesmen.
This is the problem. McCain (for all the talk about him being a ‘maverick’) is a light weight. He really doesn’t understand the threat. He actually believes the moral equivalency argument that is dangerous to the world.
Good point that KSM was actually in the USA on a scholarship here in my hometown. He doesn’t seem to realize that the Scotland terrorists from last year were DOCTORS with FAMILIES.
He buys the argument that they are downtrodden and oppressed and that is why they do what they do. He’s wrong AGAIN. And this is what is so dangerous.
The strange thing is that with all the time he spends with Lieberman (who certainly understands the threat) that Lieberman wouldn’t explain to him that it isn’t anything that we ‘do’ that they hate. They hate us because we aren’t like them. The more we give them, the more they’ll use against us. McCain needs to understand that.
Giving scholarships to people who have been indoctrinated from birth to (1)hate the US, (2) believe that it is their divine duty in life to advance Islamic world domination through martrydom, and, (3) spread the will of Allah by the sword of Jihad, makes sense only if you are out to create better educated terrorists.
Here’s a thought: Let’s provide scholarships to a newly chartered Suicide Bomb Making University. Only require that their final exam/thesis include their use and detonation of an actual suicide bomb, in a controlled setting, of course. If they manage to successfully blow themselves to bits, they qualify for a degree. If not, they must repeat the course.
Sausage, I think you are a “peach” in the Cheech Marin sense of the word.
These people abhor our way of life. They don’t wish to adopt it, they plan on destroying it and replacing it with their twisted ideaology. I don’t wish to sponsor these terrorists anymore than we already are. The threat is real. The threat is imminent and the threat will not be pushed into submission by giving them a crash course in liberal idealism. The only answer is to fight fire with fire.
x2
With holding judgment until proof that McCain had something to do with it.
I kind of see this similar to Bush’s views on bring peace to the middle east - changing mindsets and draining the swamp of radical islamists that breed terrorists. Hear me out.
Bush is a fan of Nathan Sharansky and his view that democracies are a stabilizing force throughout the world. In Iraq, the dictatorship of Saddam started wars and invaded Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. His intention was to resume the war from the 91 cease-fire because Saddam violated the conditions of the cease-fire and the ultimate goal was to remove Saddam and give the Iraqi people a democratically elected representative government. People who live in democracies tend to be more educated among other things,
This successful democracy in the heart of the middle east would become a beacon of hope for other arabs that only know poverty, no education, and life under a dictatorship. Bush does not want to leave Iraq now, because if our enemies win, and we lose, then the exact opposite will occur in Iraq. Sadr and others want to return Iraq to the good old days, but with himself in power.
Bush’s long term goals in Iraq, and for the rest of the middle east is a similar ’scholarships/education’ and I can see a connection. Difference is - long term and short term. You can’t start to make a change by giving people scholarships - you need to change the system first, and a society that flourishes under a democracy, and it’s citizens are educated, will (over time) be less of a threat than a society that lives under an oppressive dictatorship and is uneducated, apart from an madrassa indoctrination.
suasage… you forgot peanut butter, and quiet walks in traffic…..
What does that have to do with anything?
NOTHING! Just like your usual idiotic post!
We know you don’t like us…. We don’t like you either…. but, you are good for a laugh now and then.
As to McCain, this isn’t new. He’s right. We have to win the hearts and minds. I would just like a little more common sense from the nincompoops in government, when it comes to giving out the scholarships, and other goodies.
I don’t want to understand these people. If they come here they come with our values and morals. They need to be the ones who understand others, however, they refuse to do that. Their will is to get everybody thinking their way. NO WAY JOSE!!!!!
Thomas,
It isn’t lost on us that there may be a philosophy behind McCain’s words. However, this statement, when coupled with many of his other liberal statements - come across as if he isn’t prepared to continue to bring the fight to the terrorists. It’s a rather weak-kneed approach to a very determined and sworn enemy of ours. We can figure out how best to assist these people after we are certain that we have addressed the issue with the Islamism. Anything prior to that will just embolden the enemy. They smell fear and it just strengthens their resolve.
Besides, it would be really nice if for once McCain would actually stand up and be a Republican.
I have followed this legislation (THE SAVE ACT) since it’s creation and I’ll take Shuler’s word on this over McCains any day of the week.My congressman Brad Ellsworth another consevative democrat supported this bill and signed the petition to move it along.Did anyone expect anything different from McCain?
I just listened to president Bush give a speech on Iraq and keeping us safe.Give me a break!If he was so interested in keeping us safe he’d secure our borders and ports,do something about illegal aliens working on gvmnt instilations,leave the national guard on the border as the border governors requested,and not side with the Mexican gvmnt on death penalty cases involving illegal aliens.It is documented that middle easterners are also crossing the southern border and it would be foolish to think some of these persons are not terrorists.The field presidential candidates this election is pathetic!!!
Wow, this guy is clueless. So McCain is telling us all about the islamists, he’s their mouthpiece? I must have missed his qualifications for this somewhere. If I were a Republican candidate I would continue to prepare for the unknown. The fact is McCain IMHO sounds more and more tired each day. He could drop dead at any moment that’s a fact if that does happen the repubs better be prepared. How could the repubs put forth a democrat front man as our candidate? Because they don’t care what we think they don’t care about America, islamists and illegal’s sure, Americans, not so much. I think it is pretty obvious that McCain couldn’t spot the enemy if it bit him in his arse. Too old, too ignorant, too too yesterday. Yep hearts and minds, they are sure to snub Mo, alla, paradise, the koran and everything else as soon as they get the lowdown on us Americans. This is the epitome of ignorance but they say ignorance is bliss, enjoy it while it lasts.
On March 27th, 2008 at 10:41 am, SHoward said:
“Ya know, McCain already has the Repub nomination. He needs to trim his remarks until the general, that way people don’t get the “ick” feeling when they hear his name.
His best strategy right now would be to sit back and let the two Dem frontrunners tear each other up, while keeping himself out of controversy.”
Yep.
Agreed.
With apolgies, but here I go again:
When your enemy is in the process of destroying himself, do not interfere.
Mr. McCain unnecessarily said something very stupid.
“To all those that have commented on other threads that MM hasn’t covered McCain negatively recently, I knew it would only be a matter of time. Many of us here (not all) are only likely to vote for him because we can’t stomach the alternative.”
You got that right.
However, Mr. McCain’s stupid (sorry, but that’s what they are) comments that we have to win our enemy’s hearts and minds, and that scholarships will be far more important than smart bombs; are foolish, dangerous, and downright terrifying.
I would not waste America’s time, money, effort, manpower, lives, and safety trying to win “moderate Muslims’” hearts and minds any more than I would waste those items trying to win the hearts and minds of the world’s population of unicorns.
I want our nation to expend its efforts in killing as many of the enemy as it takes to force them to leave us alone.
Period.
If that means killing a huge number of “moderates” (that is, enablers, cheerleaders, and manpower source); well, then, so be it.
Recently, I read an excellent article, the author of which I cannot recall, that stated that, notwithstanding that the majority of Germans, Italians, and Japanese during WWII could likely have been considered “moderates”, not dangerous loons like their rulers; nevertheless we warred against the enemy NATIONS, not just against their rulers.
We had to convince the entirety of the enemy nations of Germany and Japan (Italy quit and was occupied by the Nazis in 1943) that the only outcome of the war was that they would lose - horribly.
Otherwise, we may very well not have won.
When Muslims finally stop trying to force their ideology on the rest of the world, then - and only then - would I have any interest in finding out about their hearts and minds.
Sorry,posted my last post in the wrong place.
McCain’s speeches are so soaring and deep thought philosophical, he really puts Bush to shame. I am saving my money to pay for my carbon footprint. No point in giving it to the GOP.
I wonder what he thinks about Iran’s nukes?
You have to give McCain credit for standing on his principles. He is what the Chicago mob would refer to as “a stand up guy,” meaning he has chosen the path of corruption, and no appeal to goodness or patriotism can sway him from being on the pad for big business and supporting the invasion of illegal aliens.
I am another one that won’t stay home on election day, but I will write in Fred Thompson. I won’t vote for this awful little man that the MSM, and dems. and independents chose for us.
#18 I don’t mean to pick on one comment here, but this is not true. I heard him talk about the Scottish jihadists in person at a rally, and he used them to make a point about the dangers of radical Islamism.
I understand the theory, but these guys really need to brush up on history…
Hitler was elected, as was Mussolini, as was Saddam Huesein…
Crap, look at the candidates we have to choose from this election!
A Democracy only works so long as the people are actualy free to choose from a reasonable pool of leaders…
Hitler was elected because of a combination of a powerfull organization, and weak opposing candidates, and his charisma… sounds kinda familiar?
At least he did not suggest midnight basketball. But give him time. I have a feeling we have not yet seen just how big a lib Johnny really is.
Then Bush and Sharansky need a little electro-shock therapy.
I don’t think there’s ever been a more depressing pool of candidates in my adult life, and that includes Clinton-Dole in ‘96.
Just when Johnny shows a little bit of likeability (e.g., his comments about not bailing out speculators in the housing market yesterday), he’s got to go and screw things up with multiple comments that are cringe-factor 10, like the one that started this thread or his nauseating “global warming has no borders” crap.
Gag.
Saddam Hussein was not “elected,” Romeo13.
#39 On March 27th, 2008 at 11:43 am, thirteen28 said:
“Just when Johnny shows a little bit of likeability…, he’s got to go and screw things up with multiple comments that are cringe-factor 10,….”
Actually, like Spinal Tap, you could say the cringe-factor went to 11.
(Everybody needs a daily yuck or two.)
flenser, (#38) you could use a scholarship yourself. It would greatly improve your grasp on history and understanding about who starts wars.
To follow up on my comment at #35 (I just re-watched the video of the talk), he did say that they were doctors who became jihadis, so I think he’s well aware of this phenomenon.
McCain is just trying to be a nice guy like Bambi, who wants to have fireside chats with them all. We Are Doomed.
As near as I can tell, there are a total of 14 “moderate muslims” currently in existence. ( I can only think of 8 but I’m giving the benefit of the doubt and almost doubling that number)
So does McCain wish to win the hearts and minds of the majority of those 14? or what does he mean.
For the life of me I can NOT remember hearing from ‘moderate muslims’ in any quantity ANYWHERE, EVER! It is against their religion to be moderate.
.
Convert
Tax
or KILL!
That is islam.
#45 On March 27th, 2008 at 11:54 am, shooter said:
““Our goal must be to win the “hearts and minds” of the vast majority of moderate Muslims ..”
As near as I can tell, there are a total of 14 “moderate muslims” currently in existence. ( I can only think of 8 but I’m giving the benefit of the doubt and almost doubling that number)
So does McCain wish to win the hearts and minds of the majority of those 14? or what does he mean.
For the life of me I can NOT remember hearing from ‘moderate muslims’ in any quantity ANYWHERE, EVER! It is against their religion to be moderate.
.
Convert
Tax
or KILL!
That is islam.”
Exactly.
Well said.
No, they weren’t, none of them, not in real elections. Saddam got 100% of the “vote”. Mussolini was not elected to power, but gained it in what was in effect a coup–a politically forced appointment to power by the king of Italy. Hitler was appointed in back room politics, and did not win an election.
Long term, democracy leads to peace and stability, and it’s the only system that really does over time. That’s why I’m happy to hear McCain agrees with this philosophy. But it’s true that a country has to be ready for it before it can work, and sometimes that takes years.
Actualy he was, in more than one election… its hard to find reference to them because they were absolutely unfair and thus dismissed by the West..
He was gettin like 99% of the vote as I remember… we used to joke about it.
And thats partly my point. You can have the “trappings” of Democracy without the reality.
Case in point, Japan.
Before WW2, the were ruled by an emperor who they were told was a god. After we ended the war that they started, and occupied their country, we left them to govern themselves. We aren’t still patrolling the streets of tokyo, bucause it’s not necessary. What happened in Japan is just about as good as this process could have happened, and how a few years is all it takes.
Iraq illustrates just how bad the attempted transformation can go when things go wrong, when divisions are allowed to get worse, when other countries would rather sit back and watch chaos and death and not try to help for the sake of the iraqi people. Then, it will take many more years. Unless you want to see it completely collapse into a full scale bloodbath of Pol Pot, killing fields proportions. And that is most likely to happen if the democrats get their way, and remove all US troops as soon as they can.
POTUS Race 2008: Screwed Vs. Even More Screwed!
And thats exactly my point.
There are a number of things which can destroy a Democracy… one of which is the idea of Familys having so much entrenched power (by the “established” partys) that outsiders have not chance…
Lets see… Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton?
Or having a large number of the electorate not represented by the ruling partys? (more than 1/3 of the American electorate now puts unaffliated or independent on their voter registration forms…)….
There was no democracy in Iraq. Because Saddam staged a ‘vote’ and got 100%, is irrelevant to your false claim.
OTOH, the only long term way to limit Islamist extremism is to dry up their well.
That will be a “hearts and minds” effort, and needs to be directed toward the Islamic masses.
The Islamists still need to eat smart bombs for breakfast.
If you were a muslim, a veritable king in your own society you too would prolly exchange that status to become more like typical American men. You too would choose equality among men, women, races, cultures, religions and ideologies, who needs to be a king! If you were a muslim you would no doubt rush to have your daughter become more like American women as put forth in the msm and pop culture today. Yes you would much rather see your daughter become like Brittney as opposed to tossing her off of the balcony. If you were a muslim could you turn your back on alla and a 1400 year old rigorously enforced ideology, you could but they will probably kill you for it. I would love for JM to outline what he finds attractive in moderate islam. What is a moderate muslim, one who doesn’t blow you up right away but peaceably turns your society upside down? Ohh, that’s much better! JM, please describe your vision of America as it coincides with this moderate islamism you speak of show us the harmonious muslim countries where everyone of differing opinions hearts and minds are still attached to their bodies, show us this Shangri la. Democracy leads to peace and stability, try to tell that to the oldest democracy, the UK, hurry though it won’t be a democracy for too much longer. They seem to have a problem with immigrants but we are different, better, smarter, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and all that.
McCain is simply unfit to be President. It takes opposition in the form of Hillary and or Obama to make him even slightly palatable. He will be a disaster for this country.
He doesn’t get “Economics”
He doesn’t get Radical Islam
He doesn’t get Sovereignty
He doesn’t get Conservatism
I could go on and on but frankly the list would be enormous and no one would read it. We are so very screwed.
Historicly the jury is still out on democracys… and IMO it all comes down to how the citizen feels about their civic duty as compared to their own Greed…
We are currently seeing that our government is BUYING off the electorate in the latest economic crises. Both partys are upping the bid as time goes… and neither are looking at the underlying problems of Trade Deficits, weak dollar, and energy…
Can’t find the quote, but no Democracy can survive the idea that the populace can vote themselves money from the public treasury.
#47 On March 27th, 2008 at 12:01 pm, juliesa said:
“Hitler was appointed in back room politics, and did not win an election.”
Actually, my recollection from my reading of many years ago was that Hitler in fact ran as a candidate for his party and received a plurality of votes in a 1933 election.
Then, old President von Hindenburg (yes, that Hindenburg), who disliked Hitler, asked Hitler to become Chancellor and form a governemnt.
The following link confirmed my impression, and gives a brief summary:
http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/map-faq6.htm
For those who are a bit more ambitious, I highly recommend Churchill’s 6-volume history of WWII.
And Mussolini was elected to their Parliment, and then asked to form a Governemnt by their King when the old government fell…
So, in essence, he was elected, and did initialy follow the correct laws of succesion… then of course, got rid of them….
Lets see, last Pres election here… 60.7% voter turnout. Bush 51% of the vote…
So, 31.2% of the electorate elected Bush Presidnet…
Less than a THIRD of the voters elected Bush…
Interesting..
Yes, Romeo13. That’s called a majority.
Old, obnoxious, stubborn Juan McCain keeps reinforcing my decision not to support him or vote for him. He is such a jackass.
on my soapbox,
Vielleicht kann ich den scheisskopf sausage ein bissien deutsch lernen.
How sad for our country that the best we have for president are 3 members of the worst congress in history.
I never have seen much of a difference between the 3, until B Hussein Obama’s racist pastor was exposed and his 20 year association with that varmint.
Now between Hillary and McCain, what’s the difference? Our country is spiraling down fast, why have a RINO be credited with the final blow?
Rooster, I’ve been thinking the same thing. If the ship goes down and we have Carter redux, I’d rather it be someone with a d behind their name than McCain. These three are an absolute disgrace.
McCain sent three letters and 4 emails to me this week. I did give in 00 but I’ll be darned if I’m giving him one thin dime this time around.
I’m apt to believe Heath Shuler about this bill not John McCain. McCain has no intention of doing anything about the border.
Because he’ll be tough on the war on terror!! I mean, said he was going to be… I’m not so sure anymore.
Snark aside… its interesting because there are now more Voters Registered Independent than the number of voters who elected the last President.
When the two LEGALY entrenched Partys no longer represent enough voters to ELECT a President, we have an unstable situation… especialy when both partys continue to anger their bases.
#58 On March 27th, 2008 at 12:49 pm, Romeo13 said:
“Lets see, last Pres election here… 60.7% voter turnout. Bush 51% of the vote…
So, 31.2% of the electorate elected Bush Presidnet…
Less than a THIRD of the voters elected Bush…
Interesting..”
Also interesting:
Clinton was elected with 43% of the popular vote in ‘92; and with 49% in ‘96…most likely due to Perot’s third party candidacy.
The following links give estimated voter turnout:
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/turnout.php
1992: 55.2%
1996: 49.1%
2004: 55.3%
(I found Clinton’s percentages on-line also - I did not pull them out of thin air.)
By my math, that means that Clinton was elected by a little bit less than one-quarter of eligible voters in both ‘92(23.7%) and ‘96(24.1%).
That’s what the illegals are for… to shift the tide away from the conservatives. Democrats believe they will have a lock on any election if they continue to block the building of the fence, and hand out entitlements to illegals as if it were Christmas. They shored up the black vote. And that’s what has Republicans terrified and doing the unthinkable (acting like Democrats) because if it actually were to go the liberals way - hello socialism and Buh-bye democracy.
Some people just don’t get it. The Euros have imported a group who hate the Jews as much or more than the Nazis. These people are in the midst of the remaining Jews in Europe this is something that until now we only saw in Israel, wait and watch what happens. This time around it won’t just be Jews, Gypsies, the mentally incompetent and those whose opinions differ. It will be everyone else, it will make the Nazis seem like moderates in comparison. We will have a window to the future it is already happening the die has been cast the only question now is how many westerners will have to die this time around? Well, that and will we win this time? That depends on how much damage our Chamberlainesqe politicians do in the meantime.
#61 On March 27th, 2008 at 1:03 pm, rooster said:
“Sausage is still pissed he is not speaking German. Will he get it when motherland starts to speak Arabic? One wonders.
on my soapbox,
Vielleicht kann ich den scheisskopf sausage ein bissien deutsch lernen.”
Rooster:
Vergeuden Sie nicht Seine Zeit; Wurst werde bald genug Arabisch sprechen.
#68 On March 27th, 2008 at 1:27 pm, tgusa said:
“Some people just don’t get it. The Euros have imported a group who hate the Jews as much or more than the Nazis. These people are in the midst of the remaining Jews in Europe this is something that until now we only saw in Israel, wait and watch what happens. This time around it won’t just be Jews, Gypsies, the mentally incompetent and those whose opinions differ. It will be everyone else, it will make the Nazis seem like moderates in comparison. We will have a window to the future it is already happening the die has been cast the only question now is how many westerners will have to die this time around? Well, that and will we win this time? That depends on how much damage our Chamberlainesqe politicians do in the meantime.”
Correct.
There’s a reason why virtually no Christians are left in Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa, all of which at one time were overwhelmingly Christian.
I wish politicians would say something about this.
I don’t think he cares one wit about speaking to Republican voters. He cares more about attracting all of Clinton’s and Obama’s constituents.
McCain’s going to screw this up. The Dems are practically giving the election to JM, and he’s STILL going to screw it up.
I’m predicting now that McCain chooses Mike Huckabee as his VP nominee. That’ll seal the deal for the Democrats.
OK–
How many of you are going to “hold your nose” and vote for the “lesser of two evils”?
ENOUGH of Democrat -Republicans already!
When things get bad enough - people will WAKE UP- I want it to happen while I’m young enough to fight.
in this poll on roadrunner dot com McCain is smoking obama and hillary.
I’m not sure if this is just california or other states as well.
vote today, who?
gonna take a long look at both the Libertarian and Constitution party candidates.
I’m going to have to hold my nose, but I’ll do it, only to keep the possible chance that we’ll at least keep the Supreme’s from going any further left. My fear is who he will pick as his VP. He’s been running around with Lindsey Graham - VERY SCAREY! It would be just like him to stick it to us all by choosing someone just like him. I heard on the X-M this morning (POTUS 08 Channel) that Condi is “maybe” considering it??? This would make me feel so much better about pulling that lever.
All the people who want to vote are voting. All the people who don’t participate, don’t. Like I said, the majority - through the electoral vote process - elect the president they vote for. And that’s fine by me. There is no legal requirement for 90% of the population to vote, or anything like that. So what difference does it make when it drops to a percentage that you have a problem with? We have a system, and people who decide not to participate in that system are not a concern of mine.
Your claims of ‘no longer represent enough voters to ELECT a President,” is without merit.
Sorry, my writing was not clear… it can be read two ways…
What I meant to say is that there are now enough disaffected voters out there who, if they voted together, could elect their own Candidate.
Or, in other words, there are enough voters NOT represented by one of the two major Partys (who are legaly entrenched by the FEC and election systems) to make up an equaly powerful party….
Unstable situation.
lgm?
Ms. Rice is a nice woman but in the nice woman department my vote would have to go to my mom. However she would probably bring her feckless style of politics to the senate which might not be a bad thing. Maybe she could set up a piano instead of a desk they could have a big band Friday or something like that. Possibly a Glenn Miller day, sort of like Sadie Hawkins day but with musical instruments. I know, if she heard what I am saying she would no doubt tell me the same thing that she (The Black Snake) told the palis after they kept bringing up the we need to wipe out the Jews topic… that’s not helpful. The VP is a heartbeat away from the Presidency think about that the next time you look at JM.
And they are all splintered into different causes.
Romeo13
Any Write-in suggestions?
I will vote–for the issues and for conservative R. candidates running for office EXCEPT for:
McCain the moderate Democrat in Republican clothing.
I’m serious–Do we have a WRITE IN choice?
lol, he gets what he wants and takes a powder…..
not a word from the trolls on the fitna thread either…. shocker
I’ll take a look at the Constitution party Candidate… I have NO idea who it may be but will vet em at the time…
Other than that? I think this is the most explosive political situation I’ve seen in my lifetime… too many disaffected people out there… both in partys and out…
Who knows what the landscape will be once the election happens.
Wasn’t one of the comprehension challenged just yesterday saying how this site hasn’t had anything critical of McCain in the last month?
Thomas #76
My problem with our system is not the number that don’t vote - it’s the number that do. Since when is it a good idea to let those without an interest in the best solution have a say in the solution.
For example - corporations only let owners (shareholders) vote for board members etc. They don’t let competitors, or others without “investment” have a say.
In our country, this one person, one vote thing is nonsense. In some states, the number of net taxpayers is smaller than the number of net “takers”. Guaranteed outcome in those states when there is a vote on financial matters - take more from the fewer and fewer taxpayers and give more to the “takers”. The takers have no incentive to have it any other way. Of course, eventually it’s unsustainable.
Further, why do we allow people with zero knowledge of our country and/or the issues have a vote. Just listen to any of the “man on the street” interview things on radio or TV. But yet, people who can’t tell you which house of congress a Senator works in, are still allowed to vote. (Same people can’t tell you the color of George Washington’s white horse). It’s crazy.
Our founding fathers had it about right when they wanted to limit voting to landowners.
The fact that McCain is actually soft on terror (Gitmo, waterboarding, and this) will not deter his fan base.
He will make things worse because of the false perception he is tough on terror. Clinton and Obama will actually have to prove something along these lines and may end up having to seriously fight the war.
#86 On March 27th, 2008 at 4:57 pm, conservativesRus said:
“Further, why do we allow people with zero knowledge of our country and/or the issues have a vote. Just listen to any of the “man on the street” interview things on radio or TV. But yet, people who can’t tell you which house of congress a Senator works in, are still allowed to vote. (Same people can’t tell you the color of George Washington’s white horse). It’s crazy.”
Agreed.
A point that I admittedly endlessly repeat…but, it’s true:
The facts that everyone can vote, and that everyone’s vote counts the same as that of everyone else, is at the same time our country’s greatest strength; and its greatest weakness.
..ARE at the same time…
Subject and verb must agree in number.
Apologies….
Not exactly sure that scholarships are the solution to radical Islam. But on the other hand, it’s not like the smart bombs have been very effective over the past five years or so either.
Who knows. Maybe McCain is actually on to something in a strange, tone-deaf sort of way.
Das kannst du laut sagen, der klein wurstchen.
#69
Ach! Korrektur:
…wird bald genug…
Entschuldigen Sie, bitte.
Wow, CRus and granite…that’s not too elitist. I wonder how the non-landowners who post here feel about your proposal that only those who own real property should have the right to vote. Maybe just enact a requirement that a tax return showing some sort of minimum AGI be provided prior to a citizen being permitted to register to vote? What do you think? Hell, better yet, maybe we just allow the corporations that actually run this country anyway to choose our elected officials. That’s sort of how it works anyway.
Another good reason to oust McCain as soon as he takes the oath and put a decent VP in the office.
Not a McCain fan, here.
Nah, I’m more of a Star Ship Trooper kind of guy…
You shoule have to earn the privalege of voting…
My betMcCain is so lame, he will lose what should be a landslide victory.
Barrack the racist loving, supporting new age empty suit, black/white man.
Hillary-reaffirming to the world what pathological liars the Clintons are.
We survived Bill. We are surviving GW’s moronic ways of late.
God help our country.
My father, a lifelong Democrat is right about John McCain. The Vietnamese re-programmed that guy. He’s not playing with a full deck. One of my theories on why he’s so pro-illegal alien is because he’s one of them. He’s straight out of Panama. He hamstringed the Republican in Congress on stopping illegal aliens and now denying it. He’s a real piece of work.
I’m going to start looking into the Constitution Party and vote third party or write in Geert Wilders. I cannot stomach any of the three candidates. Hillary and Obama are tearing at each others throats while McCain has both hands on his and is tightening his grip.
touche’, very good analogy
Better get used to this. If you liked Bush (and there is always some poster who writes in that he does), then you are going to love McCain. The democrats are correct on this, I fear: should McCain win, this will be Bush’s third term (or perhaps Carter’s fourth if you are so whimsically inclined.)
Understand that McCain feels he owes Conservatives nothing. He has beaten them, end of story. And now he can do whatever he wants. Yes, he can.
#93 On March 27th, 2008 at 5:57 pm, dakine said:
“Wow, CRus and granite…that’s not too elitist. I wonder how the non-landowners who post here feel about your proposal that only those who own real property should have the right to vote.”
Nice try at setting up the straw man, but no dice.
I said nothing about owners of real property.
If you think there is no danger, once the net tax consumers outnumber and outvote the net tax producers, then you are sadly beyond reasoning with.
“Maybe just enact a requirement that a tax return showing some sort of minimum AGI be provided prior to a citizen being permitted to register to vote? What do you think? Hell, better yet, maybe we just allow the corporations that actually run this country anyway to choose our elected officials. That’s sort of how it works anyway.”
Such tired, 60s-type retread rhetoric…so silly and boring.
Is that the best you’ve got?
WOW!
What a wonderful argument against McCain!!
I’m certain to vote for Obama now. Thanks so much beenthere, you’ve really done a wonderful service to us all here, and you’ve set us straight!!!
Thanks again!!!
“Johnny Mac”, Michelle?
Smarmy statements like this one have become all too commonplace here, and they solidify my opinion you’ve allowed your unbridled animosity for John McCain to transform you into someone who looks like a petty, vindictive, cheetohs-eating basement blogger instead of a seasoned professional journalist.
This is where you lose my respect… sorry.
I’ll be back to participate in political discussion here when you start writing like an adult again.
I have been posting so much less, ’cause all this is so depressing! The more McCain says, the more I know I can never hold my nose and vote for him. I hope I am motivated enough to actually go out and vote for Congress, etc. I don’t think McCain is much better than Hillary. I think she actually may be tougher than him, just to prove that a woman can be tougher than a man. Sad. Good night y’all.
OT..
Shame Hollywood had to take that book and turn it into a movie about killing bugs..
Michelle, could you please get rid of this lockstepping clown?
re: #24
Something both Messrs. Bush and Sharansky fail to understand is that Islamic culture is totally incompatible with democracy.
Islamic societies require a tyrant to keep them in line…compare Pakistan with India for an example of this.
After World War I, the British attempted to make Iraq into a constitutional monarchy with a British style democratically elected parliament; they eventually gave up that hopeless task.
Any Muslim intellectual who has the courage to write or speak about the need for an Islamic Reformation where the Shariah and offensive Jihad is consigned to the dustbin of history does so at grave risk of life and limb, and in an Arab country or in Malaysia, Pakistan and perhaps Singapore
will likely face serious criminal charges.
Like the U.K. did in the 1920s, the USA should wash its hands of that part of the world and develop secure energy sources here in the Western Hemisphere.
As Europe wants to repay our Marshall Plan aid and the heavy lifting we did with NATO to keep the Red Army at bay by slitting our throats with the Eurodollar, let THEM send THEIR sons to die for that oil!
We need to vote him in to keep the other two out, then fight him at the House and Senate level.
CC, Irish Rose,
What makes McCain better or more qualified than Hillary?
I have officially taken B Hussein off my list. (Moral support only, as I could not pull a lever for a dem)
If he were a Black republican, he would have been forced from the campaign long ago, thanks to his Rev Wright revelations.
Back to Irish Rose’s dissatisfaction with Michelle,
Michelle is pointing out the obvious about these candidates; they are all hopelessly incompetent and corrupt. Loosely translated, they are all nincompoops!
Has anyone heard of the passport outsourcing to Thailand scandal? And China stealing the chip technology for the passport. Seems to involve former Senator Trent Lott. Let me see…..I wonder who else could be involved???
I think if McCain were a worthy choice, Michelle has the mental faculties to illustrate his strengths and why he is good for America.
Given who McCain has proven himself to be, how can anyone be excited about a republican win for POTUS?
For any of the McCain defenders - other than POSSIBLE (not a sure thing) better SCOTUS picks, please cite evidence that McCain will be better than Hillary.
Evidence would be things such as votes cast, bills sponsored. Evidence generally would not include things a candidate says while campaigning as these are known not to be reliable if one considers history.
Assignment 2a: Imagine McCain as POTUS. Who would support/oppose his plans? What damage would be done?
Assighment 2b: Imagine Hillary as POTUS.
Who would support/oppose her plans?
What damage would be done?
Assignemnt 2c: Imagine B. Hussein Obama as POTUS. After you wipe up the vomit from the floor, answer: Who would support/oppose his plans? (are there any plans?). What damage would be done?
Others may disagree - but my conclusion when doing this exercise - Obama would be most damaging to USA, followed by McCain (other than POSSIBLE SCOTUS picks - which may be enough to justifiy pulling his lever) with Hillary least damaging.
It’s amazing to me how we have been reduced to considering nothing positive, only damage minimization.
This is pretty tame compared to the hate mail she gets. I doubt Michelle is offended or hurt by IR. I am all for Michelle acting like a three year old to keep IR from coming back! You have to love IR’s debate prose though. Does exactly what she condemns Michelle for.
It has been some time since we have heard that most beloved statement though:
Buh-bye!
Oh what, am I supposed to be hurt by your name-calling? Please.
I think that Michelle is a big enough girl to handle some legitimate criticism and take it under advisement… she doesn’t need you to defend her honor or monitor the blog for her, you arrogont twit.
Her opinion about Mr. McCains politics - which she is of course, entitled to - aside, this is smarmy behavior that is uncomfortably revealing. And it does not befit an intelligent, professional woman and journalist like Michelle Malkin.
She seems to have lost her ability to write objectively about McCain without resorting to playground rhetoric, and its’ sad.
I’m not the first to say it, and I certainly won’t be the last.
IR
Sweetheart if MM is doing playground rhetoric, I suggest you visit the Huffington Post or any other lefty blog and then come back with your criticisms.
McCain is a Class A Jack-Ass in republican clothing.
We are in deep caca with the crop of morons we have to vote for.
Ah yes, you’d love to see me thrown out the door wouldn’t you? And you think that you actually have the influence here to make it happen?
Give me a break.
I’m not just writing to Michelle here as a participant, I’m writing to Michelle as one professional woman to another.
This kind of thing makes her look bad… it makes her look very immature, and it detracts from everything that she is working so hard to achieve.
Michelle is more than welcome to say “buh-bye” to me, if shes’ not able to handle a bit of constructive criticism from a fellow professional. I’m not concerned about it at all. There are blogs that are equally worthy elsewhere.
On March 28th, 2008 at 8:39 am, rooster said:
I have.
And thats’ exactly why I’m holding Michelle to a higher journalistic standard.
The rhetoric on these McCain threads is becoming disturbingly similar to what I see very frequently at the DU, HuffPo and Kos… just a slightly different flavor. It’s bad enough when the participants do it. But when the HOST does it, journalistic credibility flies right out the window.
Smarmy, immature rhetoric is smarmy, immature rhetoric… and we’re not above criticism or accountability simply because we happen to be on the right instead of the left.
And I’m not your sweetheart, moron.
IR the “professional woman”?
HMMMMMM….
I see your point.
/sarc off
sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the crib.
IR’s name calling/insults:
vindictive,
cheetohs-eating basement blogger
arrogont twit
smarmy behavior
lost her ability to write objectively
playground rhetoric
makes her look very immature
immature rhetoric
moron
Again, where is YOUR “professionalism? You have the nerve to call Michelle out? Then you wonder why there are others, like me, who will not give you a pass. No, I am not here to defend Michelle. She does NOT need me at all. I and others like me will not, however, let someone come here and impugn her character, when you have little herself, and let it slide.
Well this is what happens when we are so lazy that we let the MSN pick the republican nominie…no worries though they will soon Bob Dole him right out of town and President Hillery or Obama will take over with the “dumb” statements…golly just hope its not my city that gets a-bombed.
whats an arrogont twit?
Wow! The rhetoric spit forth from such a professional woman/man/madam/pimp! Which profession do you profess to be a part of…….#9, #9, #9.
Signed;
Affectionately,
Your moron,
rooster
PS Johnny Mac is a disaster!
IR
Please do the exercise in #108. Once you show us how McCain is better, we’ll be happy to listen to you. Until then, all you have is your opinion. And I have one thing to say about opinions, yours is no more valid and anybody else’s including our liberal “contributors”. They have opinions too. Until it is thought out, reasoned with fact, it’s merely your thoughts vs. mine. “I feel” doesn’t cut it.
oops - yours is no more valid thank
ugh..I give - darn cold hands…THAN
So for the sake of discussion, how do all of you think we should go about combatting the ideology of radical Islamic Jihad?
We can spend the next 100 years running around stomping out fires, or we can start using the superior ideology of Democracy to prove to young Muslims that Democracy is a better path than Theocracy.
We can make changes in young lives that have known nothing but religious suppression and violence, that will resonate soundly in the hearts and minds of young Muslims both here at home and abroad.
Look, folks… the culture of Islam is ancient, and you’re not going to affect cultural change in one fell swoop.
If you’re going to help people understand that Democracy is a better path than Theocracy because it involves personal and religious freedom instead of religious oppression, you do it by influencing one person - one life - at a time.
In America, we have room for people of all flavors and all religious beliefs. This is the very principal that this country is founded upon… religious freedom.
Yes there are many who exploit that freedom… but it is one of our cherished constitutional freedoms nonetheless, and we cannot cherry pick which American citizens are and are not allowed to excercise it.
Free people living in a Democracy are able to make choices for themselves on every level, up to and including choices about religious faith. These choices are not available to Muslims living in the Middle East and many parts of the world.
I’m a firm believer that all people yearn for freedom… they hunger for it… and if you provide that freedom under the umbrella of Democracy, they are going to begin to recognize that they were misled. We’re seeing it today in Iraq.
I know that this is an unpopular opinion, but I simply do NOT subscribe to the idea that all Muslims embrace the ideology of radical fundamentalist jihad.
I live in Michigan. I know, and have met, many Muslims… including some fine young Muslim men who are serving this nation honorably in the U.S. Armed Services.
My son is serving with some of these fine young people, and they serve this nation because they are just as committed to the principals of freedom and Democracy as my son is.
We may not like some of the words in the Quran, but many modern Muslims have been able to reconcile the violent teachings in the Quran with their modern faith in the very same way that many Jewish persons have reconciled their modern faith with the Torah.
We don’t subscribe to Islam, so what? It doesn’t give ANY OF US the right to call for the extermination or deportation of Muslims or even suggest it.
As long as free Muslim citizens live peaceably with others, reject violence and the funding of violent fundamentalism, do not try to supress the rights of others or change our governmental structure, and do no harm to their fellow men… who are we to tell them what they can and cannot believe, or that they are not welcome? Their religious beliefs are their own, and they are just as entitled to them as every single Christian on these discussion threads.
If we start oppressing one religion in favor of another, we become little better than China.
John McCain clearly understands the principals that this country was founded upon.
It doesn’t mean that he is going to bow to bullying from Islamic extremists. It does mean that he is smart enough to understand that any kind of lasting change in the conflict between East and West, is going to happen from the bottom up.
John McCain is absolutely right on this issue. And Uncle Jimbo over at Blackfive hits the nail squarely on the head.
AJ,
I am. Some of the othe choice names I have been called:
bigoted right-wing fascist neo-nazi ignorant redneck mouth-breathing racist backwoods born-again Christian redneck wingnut knuckledragging Neanderthal.
I think it was a professional type who did this to me. WHAAA! LOL