Duh of the day: McCain adviser admits bailout stance was a “blunder”
John McCain’s fatal screw-up of the bailout bill was a final nail in the campaign coffin. Glenn Reynolds and I discussed this very point on PJTV yesterday. Now, McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin admits the gobsmackingly obvious: Their aimless, principle-less lurching on the issue was a “blunder.” Via Jeff Poor at the Business and Media Institute:
Both McCain and President-elect Barack Obama voted for the bill, which has taken on a different role since being promoted as a measure that would have given the Secretary of the Treasury the authority to purchase the troubled assets thought to be behind the current financial crisis.
Holtz-Eakin said it was a move of desperation because the campaign was taking a lot of criticism for not being more proactive at the time.
“Financial markets were falling apart,” Holtz-Eakin said. “We were in a terrible position as a campaign in trying to figure out whether to continue to just take hits–which we were–or to try to do something about it when the bailout bill was stalled. We elected to go do something about it. It didn’t pay off as a campaign largely because getting that bill through was not helpful.”
He advised the audience, which included several economists and policy analysts, to evaluate the strategy if confronted with having to choose between politics or core policy beliefs.
“If anyone is ever in a comparable position before us, take the time–or again in the future, take the time to step back and ask, ‘Is this a good policy move? Will it really help?’” he said.
The bailout legislation, which was promoted by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson as a do-or-die vote, has been roundly criticized by Republican members of Congress. Holtz-Eakin explained this bill was something McCain normally wouldn’t have supported.
“That was the key strategic error that we really made,” Holtz-Eakin added. “Had we stayed away from Washington, stayed away from being identified with that bill – which was ultimately against the John McCain brand– that’s not a bill he normally would support– we would have been better served in the long run, I believe. But, that financial market meltdown combined with bad strategic decisions, I think, was a real crippling combination of events.”
All together now: DUUUUUUH!
And now McCain wants to team up with Obama to “fix up the country?”
No thank you.
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Maybe if you’d actually had some conservative principles to stand on, you wouldn’t have made that “blunder”.
Umm….
I would call it a tactical error.
I don’t think the RINO campaign ever had a “strategy”, unless it was to never miss an opportunity to give the finger to conservative, traditionalist principles.
John McCain just learned that Conservatives believe in personal responsibility.
DUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHH!
but does MCCAIN admit this? bet he doesn’t
Yep, add this to the long list of McCain campaign (and GOP) leadership screw-ups.
Hindsight is 20/20.
Except when the GOP is doin’ the looking.
No, I would say that McCain’s entire campaign was a “blunder”.
You can say that again. I’d also like to nominate this as the understatement of the year.
Even when admitting a fault he still can’t properly diagnose what the mistake was.
Worrying about whether something will “help” or not is the domain of the collectivists.
Bingo.
No way McCain would admit this much.
DOOOOIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
No error, just his true dem/socialist-leaning feelings coming to the fore. I’m glad Palin didn’t get stuck with him for four years. He would’ve made her life miserable, wishing she’d resign so Liberalman or Grahamnesty could step in.
I sincerely hope the folks of AZ get it together and find a real conservative to run against “My friendshz” in ‘10. And be sure to screen any potential candidates for their views on bipartisanship before putting them on the ballot!
Good riddance, Juan.
also a blunder? calling on your opponent in a tight race to end their campaigning to deal with a crisis the gov’t shouldn’t have been dealing with at all.
it made him look weak. if he wanted to stop his campaign to do whatever he did, fine…but calling on Obama to do so made him look like the guy who calls a time out while getting his ass kicked. very lame, McCain.
Ya Think!!!!!?????
Should have been against it!!!!!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, if McCain can just apply this lesson to: immigration, campaign finance, SarbOx, and just about everything else – he’s good!
Seriously though – every time he started to head up in the polls he would back off (Saddleback, Palin).
Never seen anyone try to lose harder than McCain did; he was always getting in the way of his own success.
Meanwhile Ted Stevens is saying adios…. cspan.
Let’s remember that name and any other name involved in advising McCain and his so-called campaign ’strategy’.
My blonde daughter would call it a “Brain F@rt” …
Headus upus rumpus eruptus.
Do they call it hindsight because your head was up your arse?
Blunder?
juan hernandez was a blunder
Shamnesty was a blunder
Sleeping thru the campaign was a blunder
His whole campaign was a blunder.
It was no mistake!!! OL’ JUAN was marching LOCKSTEP with the DEMS on this… It reminds me of the SHAMNESTY BILL he was reaching across the aisle to TEDDY for BI-PARTISAN support… No mistake at all… Did not matter that 78% of the people were opposed to the SHAMNESTY BILL, OL’ JUAN knew what was best for all of US… Same with the BAIL-OUT, 68% opposed that also… No mistake???
Here’s a concept.
“McCain” was blunder in the entirety.
For that matter so was Bush..
Let’s get some real conservatives in our next race for the Presidency.
The Republican Party needs to rebuild without these people who are void of strong values.
DDUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
If stupidity were a life-threatening disease, the only problem America would have would be where to put all the dead bodies.
Newt tried to give him some good advice and said voting against the bailout would be the best thing he could do for his campaign.
Being the maverick he was, he did the opposite.
Sometimes its not worth the effort to herd mavericks. Best to leave them on the range to fend for themselves.
Cranial rectimitis. I fail to see how he has ever benefitted by abandoning conservative principles.
I consider this statement to be an outright lie. McCain would have voted for that bill, with or without the pork. And frankly, if this statement is true, it means that McCain lacks the courage of his convictions, which is even worse.
We were screwed no matter what.
McCain-Feingold and Amnesty might be called strategic blunders too-I would call them back stabbing but I would not want to appear judgmental.
If he runs for Senate in 2010 there will be hell to pay. Illinois and Delaware have Senate openings–let the snake move.
—
Is NOW the time for the Second American Revolution?
The McCain “brand”?
How about campaigning on principle? Then you don’t need a fricking “brand.”
Error? And here I thought pandering was a crime!
I hope a lesson can be learned from this RINO’s “error.” You don’t solidify your base, nor get them excited by pandering or catering to those genetically predisposed to be liberals.
I for one, will never compromise on my principles in order to gain friends with whom I have nothing in common, other than being an American. I can think of no liberal position with which I agree, neither politically nor morally. Maybe I’m alone in my position, but it all boils down to knowing what’s right, hoping it’s right.
Where’s Mistress….? Palin lost the election my tuchis.
HEY RINOS, READ MY LIPS: “WE HAVE NO MONEY – NO NEW BAILOUTS”.
30 said:
SNORT WORTHY, INDEED!
Everything about the McCain campaign, was a freakin blunder.
Except Gov Palin of course, even though they did botch her rollout.
admitting this is a mistake is a moot point anyway.. the bill is passed and is law now.
I think it’s more of a mental condition myself, but great point.
The more I look back at his campaign, and his actions afterwards (screwing over Palin, kissing up to Obama, etc.) the more I think that he lost it on purpose. I find it harder and harder to believe that McCain really is a patriot.
Heck, I’d almost believe that he was brainwashed in the POW camps Manchurian-style to help communism overthrow the United States.
Remember that the original Manchurian Candidate movie was based on some real stories of American POWs captured in Korea, and being brainwashed in China…
Does Gov. Sarah Palin know what “blunder” means?
/Parker, unamed sources, Frum, et. al.
PS: I still can’t believe Gov. Palin had the power to make me vote for McCain.
@ #36 Parker and Couric are two little nesting VIPERS.
His brand is nothing more than compromising principles. Look at his “ingenius” proposals;
McCain-Feingold…who did it help? McCain-Kennedy…who was it trying to help? McCain-Leiberman…same question? All of these were done out of political self-interest.
Were any of these proposals created to lessen government, or propel conservative causes? These were all efforts to “compromise” with his friends across the aisle, in order to protentially garner Democratic voters in his bid for the Presidency. He neither strengthened his position, nor those of errant Republicans who followed his lead. The GOP needs new blood, pure and simple.
But hey, McCain was next in line.
He HAD to be our candidate.
Message to McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin:
Ya think?
Yeah, listen to what this RINO is actually saying. “We made a choice and it hurt us.”
They claim they knew voting for the bill was a violation of McCain’s “core beliefs” but they went for it because they thought it would help IN SPITE OF THE FACT IT WAS AGAINST HIS CORE BELIEFS!
What he is saying is that “we sold out and we are sorry it hurt us.” He is NOT saying “we are sorry.” There is a HUGE difference. “I AM SORRY I GOT CAUGHT” IS NOT THE SAME AS “I AM SORRY!”
John McCain and the other RINOs have no “core convictions” and the last several years proved this.
Look at the last paragraph in the quote! He says if your choice is to violate “core beliefs” make sure it really helps before you do something that does!!! This is what is wrong with McCain and the RINOs!!!
[[WAREAGLE82 STROKES OUT AND CURLS UP IN A FETAL POSITION ON THE FLOOR!]]
You are not alone-isolated to a degree perhaps but you are Right On right_on. It has been RINO season since the 5th–send them packing.
Personally I voted for the GUV-JohnnyMac was strickly second fiddle. Yes she get get clotheslined by the big boys–I bet it does not happen again.
Sorry…it should have read, “not hoping it’s right.”
Perhaps GM needs an advisory team…
Had he gone in fighting against the bill, articulating why it was a disaster, I might have even voted for him.
Instead we get an his old tired act of symbolism (suspending the campaign) with predictable results. Liberalism fails every time it is tried.
Juan McCain could be the best Conservative Republican if he just follows this one rule.
Decide how you want to believe/vote, then do the exact opposite.
McCain’s instincts are just ass-backwards.
When he picked PALIN, he should have lived by the standard: WWSPD (What Would Sarah Palin Do?), then he might have won.
I would rather have The Three Stooges on the job. At least they would be good for a laugh.
John McCain would be perfect for Obama’s SecDef.
He already has all of the Democrat bonafides and allows Obama to say he’s “reaching across the aisle to heal the country’s soul”.
Obama’s idea of reaching across the aisle is to reach across the Socialist aisle to the Liberal aisle!
Easy WAREAGLE. Easy boy. It will get better.
And what a great thing that bailout was. The market is down 13% since the election. The only places with increased sales are gun stores.
But hey, at least the whole world loves us now. Well, except the ones that really hated us to begin with.
Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk…good one, ‘dog!
In my opinion, both Obama and McCain should have resigned their Senate seats once they were nominated by their respective parties, like Dole did back in 1996 (although I realize that his move was more of a desparation move at the time). Neither one of them were performing their Senate roles (which admittedly may have been to the country’s advantage), and when something like the bailout bill comes along, it should require the full attention of the entire Senate. I agree that McCain blew it big time by his actions at the time the bailout bill was being considered, and then he compounded it even more when he voted in favor of the pork laden Senate bailout bill, which absolutely killed his credibility as one opposed to Congressional pork. In fact, his vote for the bailout bill was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me, and I ended up voting Libertarian earlier this month, primarily because the Libertarian Party was consistently opposed to the bailout.
Yeah, the “Three Stooges” have to be better thant the “535 Stooges!”
Every time I think about McCain I vomit in my mouth just a little bit….
My father told me that whatever you do in haste, you get to repent at leisure. Congress now gets to repent and McCain gets to repents. How can any sane individual approve of a 700 billion dollar slush fund?
They only serve to hasten the day the US has to declare bankruptcy.
Agree. Tell me what other job will continue to pay you while you get to campaign for 20 months. It shows the contempt our elite senators for the citizens of this country. YET not even Fox says a word about it. They know we are saps.
A belated grasp of the stupendously obvious is no virtue, and the pursuit and defense of core beliefs is no vice.
With apologies to Barry. (Goldwater, not Obama)
That is the true intent. A global government and economic system cannot be constructed with the current systems in place. The main obstacle to this “dream” is the USA.
Sarah was not a blunder, just Lieb, Shamnesty etc.
Sarah was not a blunder, just Lieb, Shamnesty etc.
Hey, go easy on McCain – he stood up for his principles his whole campaign.
And those principles were…uh,…they were, like, uh…reach across the aisle, to, uh…well, my friends…uh…
Oh never mind.
What is the difference between John McCain and Ted Stevens?
Ted Stevens has at least one conviction!
Nearly the entire campaign was a blunder.
Everything but Sarah Palin, as WarEagle82 wrote. But they way they handled Sarah was indeed a blunder.
When you stray from, or forget to be guided by, your principles you are always going to find yourself in trouble. When are many Republicans (such as John McCain) going to figure that one out (if ever)?
After seeing the intelligence of the Democrat support and probably the general voting population on display recently, I think we need a whole new campaign strategy. We need one that turns people into zombies and that tells them to mark the R on the ballot, maybe staple an “R” to their dominant hand.
The Democrats send up an inexperienced, no history of any legislative success, with a clear left wing liberal agenda and with questionable associations.
The Republicans send up an experienced politician who is known as a “Maverick” against the President, conservatives, and seeking to cooperate with the Democrats to a point of being wooed to become a Democrat at one point. What does this tell you? He’s a loser. Duh!
Come to think of it, that was the Obama strategy
Is it about time for the RNC to start up another web site? They can call it the Rino Nin Compoops. They can ask us things like:
What is a Rino?
Why should we consider conservative values?
How do you feel about supporting Rudy next time?
Who about Lieberman?
Should we stand up and fight or lay down and cave?
Biden not only didn’t resign his Senate seat to run for office, he hedged his bets by running for both VP and his Senate seat. Maybe that’s what all the talk about the Vice President’s role in then Senate was all about
They’re all monkeys. Won’t let go of one branch until they’ve got hold of another.
Is there a list posted somewhere of who McCain received advice from for his campaign? I would bet they won’t get a position in his next reelection campaign.
We’re PAST time. Lots of folks on this blog feel this way, but it’s like the weather – everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.
Get this! Some “McCain Wunderkinds” are already “helping” Meg Whitman in her quest for the Governors Office in California! Some people NEVER learn.
Everyone knows that most every Senator wants to be President and most every Congressman wants to be a Senator so they can eventually become President.
Except for some true public servants who truly are working for the people.
Would you believe there is actually some lawmakers that still pay their own travel expenses to and from Washington?
Ron Paul does, and still practices medicine when not in Washington, for free of course lest he be brought up on ethics charges because you can’t have two jobs.
This was what the founders intended, that Legislators would be Part-Time Employees of the Government, not the Life-Time Congressmen & Senators like Jack(a–) Murtha(PA) and Robert Byrd (WV).
Not sure but I like this list. Don’t let Man.Bear.Pig (AlGore) see it as he will find a way to make money and Congress will figure out a way to pay him using our tax dollars!
Okay – off topic but fun!
Yeah, there is, Sarge. It’s called the “DNC website”.
When in doubt (in fact – always!) stick to your conservative principles, and everything else will follow. Too bad McLame doesn’t have any!
Twas a blunder… Gosh, ya’think?
That was his one chance to stand out, stand up and offer American’s a real choice. But NOOOoooooooo..
Good question, been wondering that myself as of late, as our American society seems to be slowly ripped from our hands. It almost feels like it’s out of control. I took heed as to yesterday, Ammo Day, and purchased more ammo.
He blew every opportunity to win the election and now he sees the light. Give me a break. He doesn’t deserve to remain in the senate.
rambler – As I read it, it’s only McCain’s advisor that sees the light. Is there any evidence that McCain does? I’m not banking on it.
I disagree with him on one point though, I still think McCain was right to go to Washington. But he should have then taken a pricipled stand against it while the spotlight was on him.
Exactly, Joy. McCain failed to side with the public against the bailout.
There were two – that and ‘global warming’.
He would have won easily with “No Bailout” and “We need real scientific proof that humans cause global warming before we hamstring our economy with arbitrary limits on energy usage.”
chirp .. chirp .. chirp ..
McCain missed every opportunity presented to win the election. This is vastly different from Dole in 96 who never stood a chance of winning.
Dole had lost before he started. McCain went out of his way to make the stupid decisions that cost himself the election.
However, the RINOs at the RNC will blame it all on Palin and learn nothing.
NOW HEAR THIS: That is the freaking problem with being concerned about “taking hits” rather than sticking to your principles, explaining when asked WHY you do, and then doling out hits of your own!
Of course, it’s hard to stick by your principles when you can’t even say what they are. The day after condemning the AIG bailout, McCain said he agreed with it. After acting like he got a royalty every time he used the word “earmark” during the campaign, he voted for the Senate version of the bailout loaded with them! It’s kinda hard to slam B-HO for flip-flopping when you’re acting like a goldfish out of its tank!
The Senate bailout vote was a perfect opportunity for McCain to display his “maverick” status. He could have stood up confidently said, “THIS DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, AND IN THE LONG RUN, IT’S A MISTAKE TO GIVE THE TREASURY SECRETARY FREE REIGN,” and then, explain why it’s a problem. That would have given him some credibility and provided a narrative when he finally started in on the Marxist nature of Obama’s associates and foundation activity. Instead, the MSM covered B-HO’s A by calling up those dime-a-dozen political science professors (all hoping someday they will be Larry Sabato) who said on cue, “McCain’s calling ’spread the wealth around’ “socialism?” The dude just voted to nationalize banks!”
I knew McCain was in trouble when he retained the services of Mark McKinnon, whose hiring of Gore camp mole Juanita Yvette Lozano almost cost Bush his first election victory. Of course, McKinnon promised to leave McCain’s side if he would have to campaign against Obama. That’s the kind of loyalty he inspires. This also shows why the knives have come out from anonymous sources for Palin. They clearly know darn well McCain screwed himself and that they — his “advisors” — were the screwdrivers. The morning after the election they wanted to get in front of the story by making her the problem rather than their crapola advice to the top of the ticket. As we await the coronation of Comrade Cool, we’ll get more dribs and drabs of honesty telling the true story. But by the time when we place bets on whether or not Baracko Marx will utter his middle name when taking the oath, McCain likely will be fully assimilated, and all will be forgiven.
That is, the left will forgive. Me? Not so much.
I thought every day was Ammo Day.
O.K. I realize that not everyone on here has served in the military – but please don’t insult me – the first thing a private learns on his first day in basic is that you never, ever, never, ever, call a Sergeant Major “sarge”!!!!! lol
Hahaha – my bad! My oldest bro was a Master Sergeant, I don’t know the protocol with that rank but at least we got away with calling him “Sarge”.
Hey, it could have been worse – I didn’t call ya “E-1″!
Purplepeep – Protocol is that everything up to a Master Sergeant is called “Sergeant” or “Sarge” But once you make Sergeant Major everything changes – trust me – everything changes. I tell everyone I impersonated a soldier for 25 years and they just kept on promoting me – go figure.
Yeah, I know the Sergeant Major was ALWAYS “Sergeant Major” or “Sir” in every office I worked in. I swear even the Majors called him sir.
McCain would be president if he had refused the bail out. How can so many people be against amnesty and the bailout yet we are not heard. Something very wrong with that folks. I am annoucing that the GOP is dead and won’t be able to recover from the Bush years. McCain’s Campaign made the GOP look like they were dead already. The only hope for this country is to start a new party or take matters into our own hands.
Hey Toysurgeon, I am considering joining the GOP for the first time in my life. I would like to try to change it from within. I’m not the organizational type, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
How low does the stock market have to go before the country admits it made a mistake and we revote. Surely there must be something in the Constitution that allows a redo.
My QUESTION–
What are WE going to do when the GOP gives us the NEXT L_O_T_E_???
It will you know…
C-CS
I’m actually down with this, for two reasons:
1. His politics may suck, but his commitment to the military is rock solid and always has been;
2. It would get his RINO ass out of the Senate and give Arizona the opportunity to replace him with a real conservative.
I’m sure it’s too much to hope.
I wish you well MYTAKE, but you don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. I have always voted Republican, but they aren’t the same anymore. I really don’t think they will recover for any future election. Once the old folks and baby boomers start dying off, all vestiges of conservitism will wilt from the vine. Socialism will be so entrenched that no one will want conservatism. By 2042 there won’t be a white conservative vote. You’ll be hearing for the next 50 years when there is a problem that it was Bush’s fault. It’s already coming down that way. And by the way, the once proud American peoples duty of voting is now a sham. Anybody have an island for sale that isn’t attached to any nation?
sergeantmajorbill said:
Ah, I see.
Well, you must be one heckuva an impersonator!
The bro I mentioned was an MP for 20 or so years, he was happy to get out tho – even then, the late 70s, he thought it had slipped quite a bit from the “this man’s army” he knew.
If the current crop of the House and Senate don’t take a lesson from this and McShamnesty’s demise there is no hope for them or us. The few conservatives left are fed up with them and any of the advisors that served McCain should certainly be on the “do not hire” list forever and ever.
I was asked by a local party head why I stopped in mid-August working on the various committees and volunteering for phones/stuffing envelopes and such – my answer was that even the locals had caved to the McCain line and that I couldn’t support them any longer. Amnesty is the end of our country, taxes to fund every wish-list cause is the end of our economy.
Yes, I bought 500 rounds for the new toy I bought on Monday – Ammo Day was ’spensive around this house.