McCain's Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Very Bad Week- digby

[Ichingcarpenter]

I hope somebody's taking notes on this week's travails for John McCain, because if this was October and anyone was paying attention, his entire staff would be fired and the RNC would be gamely talking about random downballot races and how "2012 looks to be an up year."

The week started with a front-page story about his legendary temper, with new stories revealed therein. Then McCain embarked on a "Forgotten Places" tour this week, traveling across the country to places that "conservatives don't normally appear." And now, we know why. In Alabama, he attracted a largely white crowd in the landmark of the civil rights movement, Selma, and praised a ferry that was constructed due to an earmark, after condemning the practice. He then departed for Youngstown, Ohio, where he offered a stirring defense of free trade at a plant which closed earlier in the decade. When asked about the "cheap dumping of foreign goods" on US shores, McCain replied "I can't turn that around," which ought to be comforting to unemployed steelworkers.

Then came multiple gaffes over the situation in New Orleans. First extremist pastor John Hagee, whose endorsement McCain enthusiastically sought, reiterated his belief that Hurricane Katrina occurred as a punishment for a planned gay pride parade in the Crescent City (why Mississippi had to bear the brunt of the storm as well is unclear). McCain had to answer for these charges while docking in New Orleans, and he responded like any adult politician would, by saying "it's nonsense" eight times. Hagee has since retracted the comment, but clearly it made things awkward on McCain's stroll through New Orleans.

Of course, McCain's ideas on New Orleans aren't much better than Hagee's justifications for the hurricane. And Newsweek actually committed some journalism on that front, reaching into recent history to remind everyone that while Bush was galavanting around the country partying and ignoring the fact that New Orleans was underwater, one of his party partners was McCain:>>>>>snip


http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/mccains-terrible-horrible-no-good-very.html

[rocktivity]

1. "They're drowning in New Orleans? Let them eat cake!"

But the real question is, are his gaffes rooted in political or mental incompetence?

:eyes:
rocknation

[BlueManDude]

2. McCain would be a really really bad president.

Those that think he'd be any better than Bush haven't been paying attention.

[OregonBlue]

3. Listening to him lately I think he is suffering from mild dementia or possibly

Alzheimer's. Either that or the guy just isn't very smart. God spare us from another President that isn't very SMART!!

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. He has never struck me as neither intellectual or articulate

He has written no book by himself or any academic papers



I think he is someone that still has deep psychological problems after
5 years of being tortured by Soviet interrogation techniques.

The navy honorably discharged him even after he asked to stay in the Navy, which
is the policy of the navy after being broken by torture.

[rurallib]

6. graduated 894th out of 899 at Annapolis

Turn it upside down and he was at the top.
I think that out him in the lowest .05 percent. I think. I get confused by such low numbers.

[lapfog_1]

4. Quotes from New Orleans

"That is why we need to go back is to have a conversation about what to do -rebuild it, tear it down, you know, whatever it is" he said.

two days later, still in New Orleans...

"I never said that!"