McCain Whines On

We've found something the Republicans are good at! Something besides blowing up the world, spending money, and letting the terrorists run wild. And that's whining, complaining, crying, moaning, pointing fingers, and just being over-the-top outraged!

John McCain pretends to be outraged at General Clark, and he's pointing fingers. Somehow it's not just Clark, but it's this big bad meanie Barack Obama's fault as well. General Clark, apparently a grown up, expresses his opinion, and that's Obama's fault!

How long, how much have we suffered from these "adults" in the Republican party who have bemoaned the "victim society?" And yet John McCain makes himself the victim of "an attack" that wasn't an attack. The world is upside down for these guys.

Of course John McCain has basically one item on his resume that is unassailable, that he used to fly planes till somehow they crashed. Then he was a prisoner of war for five years. These are not facts we're supposed to mention in any way, shape, or form, so please don't link to this.

It seems like a legitimate opinion to say that this in itself doesn't qualify you for much. Maybe a subscription to the Medal of the Month Club, a vigorous handshake, and an extra large flag at your funeral. There are benefits -- and you should milk them for all they're worth. But to turn your good service around and say that anyone who mentions it, that makes you a victim, that you're worthy of our votes because of it -- that's a long road to travel to end up exactly ... nowhere.

There are plenty of folks out there who will say John McCain did a patriotic thing by fighting in Vietnam. OK, he did. But, really, don't we remember 50,000 other guys did too? They're not all going to be president because of it. Including John Kerry, who, if memory serves, didn't get much out of it.

McCain's phony, fake outrage is more Republican idiocy. But this is one of those things the (otherwise) incompetent Republicans know how to do. Stir the pot, shout it from the rooftops: They alone are patriotic! No one dare question the sacred Republicans!

The General on the Ground

Since we always listen to the "generals on the ground" -- and give them the first option of withdrawal or carpet bombing -- we should listen to Wes Clark. You see, folks, Wes Clark is a general. And I'm not going to sit here and allow no one no how to be a'bad-mouthin' this here general!

If Wes Clark says, "John McCain is running his campaign on his experience and how his experience would benefit him and our nation as President. That experience shows courage and commitment to our country - but it doesn't include executive experience wrestling with national policy or go-to-war decisions. And in this area his judgment has been flawed - he not only supported going into a war we didn't have to fight in Iraq, but has time and again undervalued other, non-military elements of national power that must be used effectively to protect America But as an American and former military officer I will not back down if I believe someone doesn't have sound judgment when it comes to our nation's most critical issues," that's good enough for me.

Now be careful what you say. Because anyone who says anything against Wes Clark is criticizing a general. And if there's anything we should know from the last eight years, it is that generals cannot be criticized.

General Clark's Supposed Attack

I see on MSNBC, their graphics, that what Wesley Clark said about John McCain is called an "attack." Of course that's the way McCain also is spinning it.

You can understand McCain wanting to put as bad a spin as possible on anything Obama's side says. If Obama says "Good morning," McCain has to see that somehow as an insult. But the media -- MSNBC in this case -- ought to have enough familiarity with the basic meaning of words and be able to hear what is said for what it is.

It is not an "attack" to say, "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.'' That ought to be common sense. Take it at face value. Being in a fighter plane and being shot down have nothing to do with being president. Why would being shot down in itself qualify you for anything?

Clark actually went out of his way to praise McCain's service, calling him "a hero." For McCain's side -- and the media, always looking for a fight -- this is 'demeaning' and 'attacking his service record.'

One other comment. You know they're lying and it's all spin. But just assume this is the way McCain really hears language. Common sense and praise constitute a vicious demeaning attack. That would not be someone I would want on the other side of the negotiating table as president. We want someone who knows what language actually means.