Timmy could soon learn his fate.
Bob Novak is reporting that a source inside the McCain campaign told him that McCain may announce his selection while Obama is out of the country. Novak also speculates that Mitt Romney is the current favorite.
UPDATE: Just wanted to add that my gut tells me that Novak is wrong on this one. The RNC is after the DNC, which means that if McCain holds off on his VP selection, he can pick after Obama. That means that if Obama picks a male VP, McCain can pick a woman and try and poach some disaffected HRC supporters. If Obama picks a strong military/foreign relations nominee, McCain can pick a candidate that is strong on the economy. Plus, McCain can announce his pick on the Friday or Saturday after the DNC, which would help stem Obama’s momentum coming out of Denver. I just don’t see any reason why the McCain campaign would give up both of these advantages and pick this week. Unless, and this is a big unless, the McCain campaign thinks that the Obama trip to Iraq/Afghanistan/Israel/Europe has been and will be a huge disaster for McCain (which so far it has been). Perhaps the McCain campaign thinks they have to stop Obama’s momentum now and they can’t hold their get out of jail free card for the DNC.
Still, my gut tells me Novak is wrong.
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Or McCain’s campaign/allies are floating empty rumors in an effort to draw the media away from Obama’s trip and towards speculating on McCain’s VP plans.
Zack,
I agree with most of your analysis about McCain. I don’t think he will make his pick official until Obama does for exactly the reasons you state. I disagree that Obama’s trip overseas has been a disaster for McCain. I think it’s asenine that all three anchors (Couric, Williams and Gibson) traveled with Obama and ignored McCain’s visits. If you all don’t think the drive by media isn’t in Obama’s back pocket, you’re in denial.
Chris-
Obama is certainly the candidate more deserving of news coverage (though McCain has the corner on the late night yuk yuk shows)
I think it’s asenine that all three anchors (Couric, Williams and Gibson) traveled with Obama and ignored McCain’s visits.
Well, there was another big story going on around that time… hmmmmmmm…
I agree with Zack — if just for the fact that there is no better way to take the media’s attention off of what will probably be a giant bounce coming out of speaking in front of a football stadium than to jump in a day or two after the DNC and announcing his pick. Sean
Lyndon Johnson used to call Evans and Novak Errors and No Facts. History does have a tendency to repeat itself.
lojasmo,
Obama is more deserving of media coverage? Now that’s a good one. Obama was wrong about the surge and he already made up his mind about Iraq before he even left the U.S. I thought liberals were supposed to be open minded and intellectually curious.
Ionnes Magnus,
Is that the Lyndon Johnson of Gulf of Tonkin fame?
You do know that Republicans are so inept that Novak may be right. After all the confusion within the McCain campaign from calling America a “nation of whiners” to his various stands on immigration could result in a VP announcement before it is politically sensible.
Maybe Republicans have forgotten the one thing they are supposedly good at… getting elected.
Chris I agree 100%,
The drive by media did not promote the march to the Iraq war, in fact, everyone knows that they hardly reported it.
Great Job Republican Obsessive O’Reilly Comment Repeater Swiftee….Oops I mean Chris
Chris -
Republicans brought this on themselves. By placing so much emphasis on Obama’s lack of a trip to Iraq/Afghanistan, they ensured that when he did go it would be a major media event. This is the price you pay. It would have been worth it if Obama had slipped up of committed a gaffe, but so far (knock on wood) he hasn’t. If you don’t like the attention this trip is getting, take it up with Charlie Black and Rick Davis.
Chris-
I guess the media could focus on the fact that McCain thinks
1. Iran is training al-qaeda.
2. Iraq shares a border with Pakistan.
3. He’s not educated enough to make an informed judgment on whether OBC should be covered by insurance.
4. He supports or opposes Bush’s tax cuts.
5. He supports or opposes funding for stem cell research.
6. Circumventing his own campaign finance law makes him even MORE of a maverick.
Chris,
Imagine if Obama had been found to have made a Gorilla Rape joke. The media would have made this election over. Instead, it is just McCain being McCain. If Obama had screwed up AQI, insurgents, Shia and Sunni as much as McCain, it would have been over. The media would have killed him. Instead, it was just McCain being McCain.
The biggest reason all three networks went, is because Obama invited them, McCain did not.
Another example, the NYT rejected several OP-Eds from an actually sitting president, Bill Clinton, but when they reject one from McCain, it is deemed outrageous. The media is McCain’s base, and if you don’t believe that, you are crazy.
Look how long REv Wright remained a story. Get a clue Chris
Zack,
I agree with you that McCain probably would have been smarter not to challenge Obama to go to Iraq and continue to criticize him for his stance on the surge instead. However, I think it’s a little bit ridiculous that Obama had already made up his mind about Iraq before even seeing what’s happening on the ground there. I completely disagree with you that Charlie Black has something to do with Couric, Williams and Gibson not going to Iraq with McCain. Just as it’s ridiculous to imply that Black had something to do with the NYT rejecting McCain’s editorial.
Alec,
The gorilla rape joke again. McCain didn’t tell it and nobody can prove he can. There are a lot of things to criticize McCain for, that isn’t one of them. As for the New York Times rejecting McCain’s editorial, the reason for the outrage is because the paper refused to print the editorial unless McCain agreed with the Times’ editorial page positions. I have no idea why Clinton’s editiorials were rejected but I doubt it was over a disagreement with the paper’s policies. Finally, regarding Rev. Wright, the story had been going around talk radio for a year before it was picked up by the drive by media. Hell, Sean Hannity interviewed Rev. Wright about his sermons in the spring of 2007. It wasn’t until the video of the sermons appeared and was picked up by ABC News that Rev. Wright was a story. It’s amazing how the media has tried to cover for Obama.
Chris, I agree 100%,
The “drive-by media” is a great analogy, referring of course to drive-by shootings. The media is indeed a gangsta thug who is too chicken to stick around after they shoot and kill someone. Rush Limbaugh is a great American for coming up with that term that you repeat so often.
Great Job, Rush Limbaugh Talking Point Repeater and Intellectual Superior Chris
lojasmo,
Let’s have the media focus on what Obama has said on the campaign trail:
1. In May he said, “Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go.”
2. A year ago in May he said, “In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed.” The actual death toll was 12.
3. How about when he said his parents met for the first time during the Civil Rights march in Selma, Alabama even though he was born in 1961 and the march happened in 1965.
4. Obama cited the issue of translators as being a reason to pull out of Iraq when he said, “We only have a certain number of them (translators), and if they are all in Iraq, then it’s harder for us to use them in Afghanistan.” Even though they speak Arabic or Kurdish in Iraq and Farsi, Pashto and other non-Arabic languages in Afghanistan.
5. Obama said he was for the D.C. gun ban before he said he agreed with the Supreme Court that the law was unconstitutional.
6. On campaign finance reform, Obama said he would accept federal matching funds and agree to spending limits in the general election before he decided not to accept the funds and go with no spending limits.
From ROBERT KLEIN
Larry Craig for VP
Posted July 22, 2008 | 01:45 PM (EST)
Rumors are flying out of the John McCain camp that a surprising and seemingly counterintuitive choice for the vice presidential running mate is imminent. There may be a proposal afoot among Republicans to name Senator Larry Craig of Idaho McCain’s running mate. The theory being that if, as expected in November, after eight years of Bush incompetence the party’s chances go into the toilet; Senator Craig is, among his party, the most well acquainted with the territory.
Frightened,
You’re the best internet stalker in the whole world.
Chris, I agree 100%,
John McCain is allowed to flip flop on the following issues, because he is a Conservative. Everybody knows conservatives are 100% correct on every issue.
National Security Policy
1. McCain thought Bush’s warrantless-wiretap program circumvented the law; now he believes the opposite.
2. McCain insisted that everyone, even “terrible killers,” “the worst kind of scum of humanity,” and detainees at Guantanamo Bay, “deserve to have some adjudication of their cases,” even if that means “releasing some of them.” McCain now believes the opposite.
3. He opposed indefinite detention of terrorist suspects. When the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion, he called it “one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.”
4. In February 2008, McCain reversed course on prohibiting waterboarding.
5. McCain was for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay before he was against it.
6. When Barack Obama talked about going after terrorists in Pakistani mountains with predators, McCain criticized him for it. He’s since come to the opposite conclusion.
Foreign Policy
7. McCain was for kicking Russia out of the G8 before he was against it.
8. McCain supported moving “towards normalization of relations” with Cuba. Now he believes the opposite.
9. McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Hamas. Now he believes the opposite.
10. McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Syria. Now he believes the opposite.
11. McCain is both for and against a “rogue state rollback” as a focus of his foreign policy vision.
12. McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty’s behalf before a Senate committee. Now he opposes it.
13. McCain was against divestment from South Africa before he was for it.
Military Policy
14. McCain recently claimed that he was the “greatest critic” of Rumsfeld’s failed Iraq policy. In December 2003, McCain praised the same strategy as “a mission accomplished.” In March 2004, he said, “I’m confident we’re on the right course.” In December 2005, he said, “Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course.”
15. McCain has changed his mind about a long-term U.S. military presence in Iraq on multiple occasions, concluding, on multiple occasions, that a Korea-like presence is both a good and a bad idea.
16. McCain was against additional U.S. forces in Afghanistan before he was for it.
17. McCain said before the war in Iraq, “We will win this conflict. We will win it easily.” Four years later, McCain said he knew all along that the war in Iraq war was “probably going to be long and hard and tough.”
18. McCain has repeatedly said it’s a dangerous mistake to tell the “enemy” when U.S. troops would be out of Iraq. In May, McCain announced that most American troops would be home from Iraq by 2013.
19. McCain was against expanding the GI Bill before he was for it.
Domestic Policy
20. McCain defended “privatizing” Social Security. Now he says he’s against privatization (though he actually still supports it.)
21. McCain wanted to change the Republican Party platform to protect abortion rights in cases of rape and incest. Now he doesn’t.
22. McCain supported storing spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Now he believes the opposite.
23. He argued the NRA should not have a role in the Republican Party’s policy making. Now he believes the opposite.
24. In 1998, he championed raising cigarette taxes to fund programs to cut underage smoking, insisting that it would prevent illnesses and provide resources for public health programs. Now, McCain opposes a $0.61-per-pack tax increase, won’t commit to supporting a regulation bill he’s co-sponsoring, and has hired Philip Morris’ former lobbyist as his senior campaign adviser.
25. McCain is both for and against earmarks for Arizona.
26. McCain’s first mortgage plan was premised on the notion that homeowners facing foreclosure shouldn’t be “rewarded” for acting “irresponsibly.” His second mortgage plan took largely the opposite position.
27. McCain went from saying gay marriage should be allowed, to saying gay marriage shouldn’t be allowed.
28. McCain opposed a holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., before he supported it.
29. McCain was anti-ethanol. Now he’s pro-ethanol.
30. McCain was both for and against state promotion of the Confederate flag.
31. In 2005, McCain endorsed intelligent design creationism, a year later he said the opposite, and a few months after that, he was both for and against creationism at the same time.
32. McCain opposed gay adoption before his campaign concluded he didn’t really mean it.
33. In the Senate, McCain opposed a variety of measures on equal pay for women, and endorsed the Supreme Court’s Ledbetter decision. In July, however, McCain said, “I’m committed to making sure that there’s equal pay for equal work. That … is my record and you can count on it.”
34. McCain was against fully funding the No Child Left Behind Act before he was for it.
Economic Policy
35. McCain was against Bush’s tax cuts for the very wealthy before he was for them.
36. John McCain initially argued that economics is not an area of expertise for him, saying, “I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues; I still need to be educated,” and “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.” He now falsely denies ever having made these remarks and insists that he has a “very strong” understanding of economics.
37. McCain vowed, if elected, to balance the federal budget by the end of his first term. Soon after, he decided he would no longer even try to reach that goal. And soon after that, McCain abandoned his second position and went back to his first.
38. McCain said in 2005 that he opposed the tax cuts because they were “too tilted to the wealthy.” By 2007, he denied ever having said this, and falsely argued that he opposed the cuts because of increased government spending.
39. McCain thought the estate tax was perfectly fair. Now he believes the opposite.
40. McCain pledged in February 2008 that he would not, under any circumstances, raise taxes. Specifically, McCain was asked if he is a “‘read my lips’ candidate, no new taxes, no matter what?” referring to George H.W. Bush’s 1988 pledge. “No new taxes,” McCain responded. Two weeks later, McCain said, “I’m not making a ‘read my lips’ statement, in that I will not raise taxes.”
41. McCain has changed his entire economic worldview on multiple occasions.
42. McCain believes Americans are both better and worse off economically than they were before Bush took office.
Energy Policy
43. McCain supported the moratorium on coastal drilling ; now he’s against it.
44. McCain recently announced his strong opposition to a windfall-tax on oil company profits. Three weeks earlier, he was perfectly comfortable with the idea.
45. McCain endorsed a cap-and-trade policy with a mandatory emissions cap. In mid-June, McCain announced he wants the caps to voluntary.
46. McCain explained his belief that a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax would provide an immediate economic stimulus. Shortly thereafter, he argued the exact opposite.
47. McCain supported the Lieberman/Warner legislation to combat global warming. Now he doesn’t.
48. McCain was for national auto emissions standards before he was against them.
Immigration Policy
49. McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants’ kids who graduate from high school. Now he’s against it.
50. On immigration policy in general, McCain announced in February 2008 that he would vote against his own bill.
51. In April, McCain promised voters that he would secure the borders “before proceeding to other reform measures.” Two months later, he abandoned his public pledge, pretended that he’d never made the promise in the first place, and vowed that a comprehensive immigration reform policy has always been, and would always be, his “top priority.”
Judicial Policy and the Rule of Law
52. McCain said he would “not impose a litmus test on any nominee.” He used to promise the opposite.
53. McCain believes the telecoms should be forced to explain their role in the administration’s warrantless surveillance program as a condition for retroactive immunity. He used to believe the opposite.
54. McCain went from saying he would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade to saying the exact opposite.
Campaign, Ethics, and Lobbying Reform
55. McCain supported his own lobbying-reform legislation from 1997. Now he doesn’t.
56. In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving “feedback” on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he opposes his own measure.
57. McCain supported a campaign-finance bill, which bore his name, on strengthening the public-financing system. In June 2007, he abandoned his own legislation.
Politics and Associations
58. McCain wanted political support from radical televangelist John Hagee. Now he doesn’t. (He also believes his endorsement from Hagee was both a good and bad idea.)
59. McCain wanted political support from radical televangelist Rod Parsley. Now he doesn’t.
60. McCain says he considered and did not consider joining John Kerry’s Democratic ticket in 2004.
61. McCain is both for and against attacking Barack Obama over his former pastor at his former church.
62. McCain criticized TV preacher Jerry Falwell as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002, but then decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.
63. In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.
64. McCain was against presidential candidates campaigning at Bob Jones University before he was for it.
65. McCain decided in 2000 that he didn’t want anything to do with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, believing he “would taint the image of the ‘Straight Talk Express.’” Kissinger is now the Honorary Co-Chair for his presidential campaign in New York.
66. McCain believed powerful right-wing activist/lobbyist Grover Norquist was “corrupt, a shill for dictators, and (with just a dose of sarcasm) Jack Abramoff’s gay lover.” McCain now considers Norquist a key political ally.
Great Job, Intellectual Superior Chris
#1 Internet stalker,
Where are your sources?
Chris, I agree 100%,
Everybody knows only moonbats need to list their sources. Any Conservative is trusted, therefore sources are not necessary.
Great Job Intellectually Superior Talking Point Repeater Chris
I didn’t know Grover Norquist was gay, not that there is anything wrong with it. Just didn’t realize he batted for that team. I’ll have to email lots of people with that fact and point out that it was John McCain who outed old Grover.
Chris -
You’ve never been to Iraq and I think you’ve made up your mind on the subject.
Chris-
Bottom line:
McCain is a intellectually corrupt loon. He is going to get crushed in november. That is the only newsworthy thing about his campaign.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he was forced to decline the nomination and endorse somebody who has a chance in hell of winning.
BTW: You should cite your sources BEFORE you ask somebody else to do so.
Zack,
I’m not asking the American people to elect me president based on my judgement. I normally don’t plug the Huffington Post, but I hope you’ll read his article about Iraq and his support for the surge. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lanny-davis/confessions-of-an-anti-ir_b_114061.html
lojasmo,
I provided quotes, which is more than you or #1 internet stalker did. I’ve never been a McCain fan, but as smug as some of you people are I can’t wait until he trounces Obama. It will be fun to watch you cry.
Novak update: “Now he says he’s been told by “certain people” he may have been used. Adds if that’s the case, it’s “pretty reprehensible.”” http://thepage.time.com/2008/07/22/novak-i-just-put-something-on-the-internet/
Chris, I agree 100%,
These hubris filled, arrogant, elite latte sipping Liberal European-Socialist Marxist Fascist Communist Tree Hugging hippies deserve to be taken down.
Great Job Intellectually Superior Talking Point Repeater Chris
I’ve never been a McCain fan, but as smug as some of you people are I can’t wait until he trounces Obama. It will be fun to watch you cry.
Coming from the guy who predicted with absolute certainty that Clinton would be the nominee, we can take that for what it is worth.
@SeanH response
Heh, heh, heh. Clinton was 100 times the campaigner McSame is….and she absolutely sucked.