I have to give it to McCain:

[question everything]

In contrast to the other Republican candidates, he clearly expressed his opposition to torture and to keep GITMO open.

And, his youngest son just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.

At least, he is not hiding his hawkish opinions behind someone else's son.

[coriolis]

1. Uh, there are other Republican candidates?

Who are they?

[question everything]

4. Previous ones.

When asked for a show of hands about GITMO (and about believing in evolution)

[coriolis]

7. Okay, yes you are exactly right. I saw that and forgot until now.

It's hard to keep up with the weasels...thanks for the reminder.

[margotb822]

2. Except when it comes to voting

He always votes with the Bush Administration. He's not a voice of reason, he's another Republican puppet.

[billbuckhead]

3. Once again Democrats are underestimating their opponent

Sometimes, I think we're stuck a political version of"Groundhog Day".

[melody]

5. Once again, we have to put up with people praising the GOP on a Democratic site

That's what all this "let's not underestimate the opponent" crap is ALWAYS about.

[coriolis]

8. Recognizing the opponent's strength isn't really the same as praise.

It's a component of intelligent politicking.

[melody]

19. Way too many Rovian manipulators using that as a screen

Sorry, but I remain extremely skeptical of such proclamations. Always have been, always will be.

[billbuckhead]

9. Those who conveniently forget history are doomed to repeat it

[melody]

20. We aren't going to repeat history -- Bush is the most hated President in history

We're heading toward a depression. We're in the midst of a horrific war he lied us into. McCain (one of the Keating 5)
is the handmaiden to all of that.

There is no comparison to be made.

[billbuckhead]

30. 1968, 1972, 1980, those years had problems also

unpopular war, inflation, racial strife, class warfare, young vs old

[melody]

32. Nothing like the desecration and destruction of our constitution n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Actually given the history of the last few years

yes, we are pretty good at wrenching defeat from the jaws of victory.

And that is not praise of republicans. I have to wonder why Dems seem unable to do what is needed to win and yes, I expect McCain to win... even legally

Why? Look at the civil war in the party. Yep, we're experts at getting the defeat when we should get a victory

[melody]

21. Nad, let's face it, if I said "black", you would say "white" lol

I'm the biggest pessimist in the world, but the ONLY way McCain will win is via naked theft. And THEN we'll have a
civil war ... and not just in the party.

[Psephos]

13. Once again we have to put up with authoritarian squelching of others' opinions

This is a discussion board, not an ideological indoctrination site. Argue an opinion, but lay off the denigration of other peoples' honest (and useful) opinions.

There are occasional people in the GOP who deserve praise. As Obama has pointed out, we need a better politics. I'm sick of this Hatfield-McCoy stuff. Sounds like undisciplined children, and it never ends and never makes anything or anyone better.

Haven't you learned from watching Bush for eight years what happens when everyone in your circle voices the same opinion?

[melody]

18. You're the one squelching debate

I'm just the dissenting voice. No one said others didn't have the right to disagree.

If we agree on that ... then on what are we disagreeing? My disagreeing with you?

[Psephos]

24. Inverting the argument won't work with me

When you complain about "putting up" with "people" (by whom you mean the poster whose opinion you don't like) on this site you are implying that person doesn't belong here if s/he offers an opinion different from what you think belongs here. The old "get lost if you're not one of us" crap I heard on the playground and have heard for eight years from the White House.

The dissenting voices and those who offer opinions that stray from the ideology do us a favor...a way bigger favor than a hundred birds singing the same lockstep song right down the thread.

They make us think, rather than repeat. They cause us to vigorously defend what's worth defending and occasionally realize something we believe needs some updating.

I have no quarter for those who come here to mock or insult us from a repug viewpoint. But that's a world apart from the earnest and useful opinion offered by the O.P. who you insinuated was a GOP ass-kisser.

Or do you hold with those who say dissent isn't patriotic?

[melody]

27. I'm not inverting the argument ... and clearly you've read my posts on argument inversion before

Let's just say -- we agree to disagree. Any further discussion on this is just a useless pissing contest.

Have your last word and kill the thread.

[question everything]

34. What a breath of fresh air. Thank you

I am always amazed how people so quickly jump on the messenger instead of offering a real rebuttal.

This is the kind of behavior that I have always associated with the right wing, who see the world in black and white.. after all this is what "god" says. But have been disappointed to observe such a behavior on these pages.

[gateley]

6. I had to look this up --

I didn't even know he HAD a son. I'm very impressed that he hasn't been using that fact in his campaign. It would be a powerful campaign tool, IMO.

Newspapers in the United States have revealed that John McCain's 19-year-old son, Jimmy, has been serving in Iraq, prompting a furious response from the Republican presidential contender's aides after months of effort to keep his son out of the public spotlight.

[question everything]

12. Just as it was with Britain Prince Harry

who, once his presence was known, could have dangered his buddies by becoming a "prized" captive.

Certainly capturing the son of McCain would have been prized by AQI.

[lonestarnot]

11. Why don't you give it to McWar over there in freeperville?

:puke:

[question everything]

14. One hopes that whoever is our nominee will have a more intelligent campaign

to recognize that such items will play powerfully with many voters - and to be ready for them.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. BINGO... and you know what, from some folks reactions I ain't holding

my breath... not any longer

I feel like Lucy is holding that damn football

[Eric J in MN]

15. Against torture in his words, but promotes it with his votes.

Voted for "The Military Commissions Act" which prevents torture victims for filing lawsuits.

Voted against a recent bill described as an anti-waterboarding bill, intended to require the CIA to follow the Army Field Manual in interrogations.

[blondeatlast]

31. THANK YOU! This should have been the very first response to this OP.

He talks a good game for the media--then falls right into lockstep with Bush II.

[Skittles]

16. yeah but, like a typical repuke

HE ONLY GETS IT WHEN IT HAPPENS TO HIM

[ConsAreLiars]

22. And like all Cons, did exactly the opposite

and voted to keep torture going. What a typical coward and heartless psychopath. Say anything and do the opposite out of greed and fear. A true monster. No wonder that Chimpy was the Neocons' second choice to McCain when it came to implementing their psychotic plans for world domination through mass slaughter.

(edit to add)
Just because he has a family history of being mass murderers in the service of imperialism does not give him any points in my scorebook, but if you regard the massacres of Vietnamese or Iraqis as noble acts, then your praise might make some sense in some sicko world.

[Swamp Rat]

23. McCain on waterboarding: “I believe that it is torture, very exquisite torture.”

[devilgrrl]

25. Yeah, he's a real straight shooter, I think I'll vote for him now that I know that.

[LiberalAndProud]

26. He was against torture before he was for it.

bomb bomb bomb-bomb Iran McCain
CUT THE TOP TAX RATE AGAIN McCain

Bankrupt our treasury
Sell out our future

All to keep the war machine going

In the meantime, we BLEED jobs
Homes are repossessed and
we will become an nation of homeless

but the creditors will be paid with our tax dollars

Yea. tuff to beat that
Tuff to beat

[SteinbachMB]

28. Mccain

is trying to play it both ways, and always has. A middle-of-the-roader: and it just might get him in the WH.

[Tesha]

29. He has also stated he will enforce treaties signed by our nation

whereas Bush has routinely abbrogated even long-standing
treaties.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattlepolitics/archives/117865.asp?from=blog_last3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada%E2%80%93United_States_border#International_Boundary_Commission

Tesha

[spanone]

33. i 'give' nothing to mccain. i appreciate his service in nam along with ALL the others

when he could VOTE AGAINST TORTURE HE DIDN'T . PERIOD.