With each passing day, John McCain seemingly deepens his commitment to a third term Bush agenda. As the GOP primaries approached, McCain experienced just-in-time reversals on making the Bush tax cuts permanent and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Like President Bush, McCain butchers history in comparing a 100-year presence in Iraq to the U.S. defense of allies like South Korea. And now, John McCain is even mimicking the adolescent petulance of George W. Bush in using the "Democrat Party" taunt to tweak his opponents.
Two days ago, McCain scolded right-wing radio host Bill Cunningham for his "Barack Hussein Obama" rant at a campaign event, declaring:
"I have repeatedly stated my respect for Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, that I will treat them with respect. I will call them 'Senator.'"
As Steve Benen noted this morning, John McCain may claim to respect his potential November rivals, just not their party. On the campaign trail, McCain is now following in George W. Bush's petulant footsteps by intentionally branding Clinton's and Obama's the "Democrat Party."
"One thing I'm not any good at predicting is the outcome of Democrat elections," he said Tuesday aboard his bus, dubbed the Straight Talk Express. A day earlier, he had mentioned his “Democrat friends” to a Cleveland-area audience.
Asked aboard his bus about the "ic," he replied, "I'm sorry, I usually say Democratic. They prefer Democratic, so I try to say Democratic...It offends some members of their party, so I'll say Democratic if that's what makes them feel better."
But his resolve didn't last long. Later on that same ride, he was talking about his annoyance that Democrats take credit for the improving situation in Iraq. "To say, as Sen. Obama has said, that it's because of the Democrat majority that we have experienced success in Iraq, that's just beyond comprehension."
If this childish taunting from the would-be occupant of the Oval Office sounds familiar, it should. Despite his previous pledges not to do so, the current tenant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue repeatedly spouted the "Democrat Party" jab just two weeks ago.
On February 10th, President Bush left his self-proclaimed "bubble" in the White House for a little Democrat bashing over at his Fox News safe haven. Comically daring Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to attack him during the 2008 campaign, President Bush returned to his childish mispronunciation of their party's name. Yes, a year after acknowledging his infantile gambit, President Bush has renewed his war against the "Democrat Party."
A staple of Republican taunting since at least the time of Reagan, the "Democrat Party" jab has been part of George W. Bush's rhetoric from the inception of his presidency. Even after promising a spirit of cooperation after the GOP got its "thumpin'" in the 2006 midterm elections, Bush continued with the slight in his 2007 State of the Union. During a February 2007 meeting with the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference, Bush offered Democrats an unpology by attributing the taunt to his legendary verbal incontinence:
"The last time I looked at some of your faces, I was at the State of the Union, and I saw kind of a strange expression when I referred to something as the Democrat Party. Now, look, my diction isn't all that good. (Laughter.) I have been accused of occasionally mangling the English language. (Laughter.) And so I appreciate you inviting the head of the Republic Party. (Laughter and applause.)"
But appearing on Fox News, President Bush simply couldn't help himself. With his approval rating mired at 30% and Democrats pledging to make the election about Republican support for a third term, Bush returned to his trademark petulance:
"If the Democrat Party feels like they can win an election by focusing on me, I think they'd be making a huge tactical mistake. But I hope they do that then because our candidate will be able to talk about the future."
President Bush did not stop there. He again put his "Democrat Party" swipe to work in fear-mongering over both FISA and taxes:
"But there is a big part of the Democrat Party that is against giving our intelligence officers the tools necessary to protect America."
"Most Americans feel overtaxed and I promise you the Democrat party is going to field a candidate who says I'm going to raise your tax."
Heading a party that is slightly more popular than the Ebola virus, President Bush can offer the American people little more than schoolyard name games. Nothing if not consistent, even as he shuffles off the stage George W. Bush will doubtless continue his global war on the Democrat Party.
And if elected, John McCain seems committed to carrying on this infantile name-calling as part of his Bush third term agenda.
(For more on the lengthy history of the "Democrat Party" taunt in the Bush White House, visit here.)
