McCain Critiques Obama?
The LA Times should be ashamed of itself. Today's front page, A1, shows Obama and General Petreus flying together over Iraq. The caption beneath this picture states that McCain "critiqued" Obama's proposed troop withdrawal plans.
Webster's Third New International Dictionary defines the word "critique" as a
". . .critical examination ...of a ...situation...with a view to determining its nature and limitations..."McCain did not "critique" Obama's proposal, he vilified Obama and his proposal for withdrawing our troops. The LA Times attributes to McCain powers of thought and discrimination that he does not possess.
McCain, who recently told an interviewer that Iraq's shared border with Pakistan troubles him (revealing his gross geographical ignorance about the Middle East, as Iraq and Pakistan do NOT share a border; they are more than 750 miles apart), and who is unable to describe (in his would-be NY Times op-ed piece) exactly what "Winning the War in Iraq" means, is incapable of critiquing anything. These are just two more of the many misstatements uttered by John McCain as facts, which have been ignored or minimized by the "Main Stream Media" determined to give McCain a "free pass" regardless of how blatant his untruth or gaffe.
McCain's words reveal a disturbing amount of ignorance as well as confirm that he, like Phil Gramm, is an elitist who lacks interest in, or curiosity about, other peoples, their geography and their cultures. For a man who claims that HE possesses the wisdom and experience necessary to be our country's Commander-in-Chief, McCain's ignorance about the larger world in which we all live is both reprehensible and chilling.
Sadly, this morning's LA Times, is caught yet again, minimizing and ignoring McCain's continuing misstatements and gaffes, while subjecting Obama to microscopic scrutiny and cavalier coverage as he continues his historic trip to the Middle East.
Today, the LA Times, in past years an esteemed member of the "Fourth Estate", is once again, found to be MIA.
posted by Emily at 7/22/2008 11:51:00 PM
12 Moderated Comments:
Good Post, Em! You're right. McCain is among the least qualified to critique anything in foreign or military policy. In view of his record in back the worst calamity in American history. In view of his bumbling confusions with just about everything he says about international borders, and relationships between al Qaida and Iran. He's pathetic. But, the best straw man the GOP could muster this year!
Obama is putting the horses in front of the cart:
There is no doubt that security has improved. And there's no doubt that the extraordinary sacrifices of American men and women in uniform have contributed to that success. In terms of, my conversations with General Petraeus, there's no doubt that General Petraeus does not want a timetable. I think he has said that publicly. And he is, and as I said, in his role, he wants maximum flexibility to be able to do what he believes needs to be done inside of Iraq. But keep in mind, for example, one of General Petraeus's responsibilities is not to think about how could we be using some of that $10 billion a month to shore up a U.S. economy that is really hurting right now? If I'm President of the United States, that is part of my responsibility.
Before day one, Obama is serving notice that, as commander-in-chief, he will not be serving as a rubber stamp on military command decisions. He will restore civilian supremacy over the military, which is the American tradition.
My husband calls that photo of Obama and Petraeus the "money shot." There is little the LA Times can do to deflate the power of that image and the success that Obama has had on this visit! I am simply stunned and excited at his campaign for the presidency!! Hooray for this!
Whassup, Soros? Does General Betrayus think his feet won't fit in General MacArthur's shoes?
I agree with Urban Pink's husband. That is truly one powerful "money shot."
If Obama wins I'd bet money Petraeus all of a sudden files his retirement papers.
Emily, you are so right. The L.A. Times used to be a great newspaper, which is now owned by right-wing Tribune, the same company that's taken over our morning news and trying to reinvent it into a Fox clone.
At least I get to spend an hour with Bill Moyer tonight. Wonderful post (~applause~)—depressing and important content.
Can someone wake me up on January 20, 2009? Thank you in advance.
Seth Grahame-Smith says that McCain's got 99 problems. Just to show you I'm fair and balanced, I've eliminated some of them:
99.
98.
97. al-Maliki's endorsement of Obama's Iraq strategy.
96. Obama's headline-dominating foreign tour.
95. His disagreement with the majority of Americans on Iraq.
94. His lack of economic expertise and policy.
93. Obama's $52M June.
92. His $21M June.
91. 29% of the Latino vote.
90. 2% of the black vote.
89.
88.
87.
86.
85. His band-aid approach to healthcare (tax credits, more competition).
84.
83. Saying things like "I know how to win wars," despite his never having won a war.
82.
81.
80. The Hagee/Parsley un-endorsement debacle.
79. An uninspired base.
78.
77.
76. His claim that Czechoslovakia still exists (it doesn't).
75. His claim that Iran is training Al-Qaeda (they aren't).
74. His claim that Iraq and Pakistan share a border (they don't).
73. His claim that Somalia is the same place as Sudan (it isn't).
72. His claim that Vladimir Putin is the president of Germany (he isn't).
71. 71.
70. The images of 70,000+ screaming Democrats at Invesco Field.
69. Phil Gramm's "nation of whiners" implosion.
68. His unwillingness to call the situation in Afghanistan "urgent."
67.
66. A new generation of Evangelicals who don't care what James Dobson thinks.
65.
64.
63. His plan to resurrect Bush's plan to privatize Social Security.
62. The writer's rooms of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
61. His tarmac birthday party with Bush -- as Katrina made landfall.
60. "General Petraeus goes out there almost every day in an unarmed Humvee."
59. His belief that Americans are better off than they were eight years ago.
58. His "Frankenstein on barbiturates" oratory skill.
57. His beyond-pathetic "Pump" ad, which blames Obama for $4.50 gas.
56. His "Obama Love" ad, which blames the MSM for his terribly-run campaign.
55. His computer illiteracy (c'mon...this is 2008).
54. A tax plan that doesn't even TRY to hide the fact that it's geared toward the wealthy.
53. Bob Barr.
52. Ron Paul.
51..
50..
49..
48. His torture high wire act.
47. His drilling high wire act.
46. His tax cuts high wire act.
45.
44.
43. His temper.
42. "I know what [Iraqis] want."
41. The starlet gap: McCain = Heidi Montag; Obama = Scarlett Johansson.
40. The Facebook gap: McCain = 173K supporters; Obama = 1.17M supporters.
39. His 1983-94 opposition to the Rev. Martin Luther King holiday.
38. His 2008 opposition to the Ledbetter Fair Pay [for women] Act.
37. His 2008 opposition to the G.I. Bill.
36. "100 years."
35..
34. His 0% rating from Planned Parenthood.
33. His 0% attendance record for the last six Senate Afghanistan hearings.
32. "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."
31. David Plouffe.
30. David Axelrod.
29. Republicans losing elections in traditional GOP strongholds.
28. His October 2002 insistence that victory in Iraq would be "easy."
27. His January 2007 insistence that he never said it would be "easy."
26. A resurgent Taliban.
25. Europe's Obamamania.
24. Kneeling at the feet of Jerry Falwell.
23. His penchant for gaffes.
22. 80% of Americans convinced we're on the wrong track.
21. The National Review calling his campaign strategy "likely to fail."
20. Another terrorist attack on U.S. soil "would be a big advantage to him."
19. Record turnout in the Democratic primaries.
18. A free Osama bin Laden.
17. "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran."
16..
15.
14. The Dow Jones down 2,000 points for the year.
13. Foreclosures soaring, banks failing, and inflation at a 17-year high.
12.
11. Being out-raised by Obama 2:1...in West Virginia.
10. His "no" vote on SCHIP (healthcare for poor children) reauthorization.
9. His support for overturning Roe v. Wade.
8. His consistent opposition to minimum wage increases.
7.
6.
5. Bill.
4. Hillary.
3.
2. John McCain.
1. George W. Bush.
LOL, IP. Excellent list. Not one fallacy that I can see.
Yes, very funny. I'm tempted to follow the link and second guess what IP deleted, but life is shjort.
I like the list indicted plagiarist came up with, but never misunderestimate the power of racism, hatred, greed and ignorance to creep up on an election. And if that fails, then tampered voting machines may do it....
Beach is right. If Obama wins, Patraeus will lose -- off he'll go.
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