PERRspectives: May 2008 Archives

May 2008 Archives

	Gordon Smith, UnRepublican In a little reported development a few weeks back, senior McCain adviser Charlie Black relabeled his man, "slightly right of center." After having already adopted virtually the entire Bush agenda and just weeks after running an ad titled "True Conservative" during the Republican primaries, John McCain had started his mad dash back to the political center for the general election. But when it comes to running away from his moribund party, its discredited brand and its wildly unpopular president, no... more Posted on May 31, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Bad News is Good News for McCain in the Character War Last week, I highlighted the GOP's effort to manufacture a "character gap" in an election match-up between John McCain and Barack Obama. That is, facing Americans' overwhelming disdain for their party's policies and its president, Republicans will invariably try to repackage the race as a contest of character. Now, two new studies from the Pew Research Center and the Project for Excellence in Journalism suggest that even bad news is good news for John McCain when it comes to defining... more Posted on May 31, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	John McCain: Iraq's Worst Tour Guide If nothing else, John McCain is an irony producing machine. On the very day Scott McClellan described the Bush administration "propaganda" used to sell an "unnecessary war" in Iraq, talking points McCain himself regurgitated, the Arizona Senator challenged Barack Obama to join him on a Baghdad visit. More ironic still, John McCain hasn't merely been wrong at every turn about the war in Iraq; the closer he gets to the war zone itself, the more disastrously off-base he becomes. That's... more Posted on May 30, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	McClellan Knew About, Defended Bush Leak of Iraq NIE As FireDogLake, Huffington Post and others detail, former White House press secretary Scott McClellan revealed that it was President Bush himself who authorized the selective leaking of the 2002 Iraq National Intelligence Estimate. As he disclosed both in his book and during interviews today, McClellan says Bush admitted declassifying portions of the NIE to allow Scooter Libby to attack Joe Wilson and other administration critics in July 2003. Getting less attention, though, is McClellan's own critical role in defending President... more Posted on May 29, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	A Look Back at Scott McClellan's Greatest Hits The response from the Bush administration and its amen corner to the blistering charges in former press secretary Scott McClellan's new book has been quick, brutal and predictable. While his predecessor Ari Fleischer proclaimed himself "heartbroken" over McClellan's revelations, his eventual successor Dana Perino branded him "disgruntled." Even as Karl Rove likened the man who once lied for him to a "left-wing blogger," former Bush homeland security adviser Frances Townsend trashed McClellan as "self-serving" and "disingenuous." As for President Bush... more Posted on May 28, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	White Lies: McClellan Then and Now on Bush's Cocaine Use Among the more fascinating if less significant revelations in Scott McClellan's new book is his discussion of George W. Bush's past use of cocaine. Bush, McClellan now claims, told him he couldn't remember whether or not he used coke. That, of course, is a far cry from the response of Governor Bush offered Americans during the 2000 campaign. And as it turns out, McClellan, too, was telling the public white lies. This morning, ABC News offered McClellan's recollection of his... more Posted on May 28, 2008 \| Comments (5)

	McCain Vows to Both Work with Moscow, Expel Russia from G8 In what was billed as a major address today on nuclear non-proliferation, John McCain offered the latest installment in the ongoing saga of strategic incoherence that passes for his foreign policy. Just months after calling for a "League of Democracies" and the expulsion of Russia from the G8, McCain today portrayed Russia as an essential partner in the global struggle to contain the spread of nuclear weapons. Over the past year in multiple speeches and in his November 2007 article... more Posted on May 27, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Is McCain "Sick at Heart" Over His Own Iraq Mistakes? Senator John McCain used this Memorial Day to ask Americans to remember others' roles in the calamity that unfolded in Iraq. First proclaiming himself "sick at heart by the many mistakes made by civilian and military commanders" in the run up and conduct of the war, McCain then declared of a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, "I cannot be complicit in it." But as his words and deeds over five years show, John McCain is not merely complicit in propelling the... more Posted on May 27, 2008 \| Comments (7)

	High Stakes for McCain in Grassley's Televangelist Probe Just days after rejecting the endorsements of his "ministers of war" John Hagee and Rod Parsley, John McCain may be about to confront another faith-based conundrum. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) is facing withering criticism from prominent conservatives and evangelical leaders over his Senate probe into the finances of Kenneth Copeland and other so-called "prosperity gospel" televangelists. Republican nominee McCain may have to choose between his party's increasingly disgruntled religious right base and a fellow Republican Senator he once called a... more Posted on May 26, 2008 \| Comments (13)

	McCain Does the Hokey Pokey You put your right hand in. You put your right hand out... Like an overexcited kid at a birthday party, John McCain has been doing the political equivalent of the hokey pokey for the past two years. That is, after first running hard to the right to woo conservative primary voters, McCain then veered sharply left since wrapping up the Republican presidential nomination. And as the imbroglios this week over his shifting stands on immigration and embracing the religious right... more Posted on May 25, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	McCain's Friday Document - and Pastor - Dump Now for a pop quiz. What will the main media story about John McCain be on Tuesday after the long Memorial Day break? If you guessed John McCain's limited health disclosure, Cindy McCain's limited tax disclosure, or the meaning of the supposed maverick's failed pandering to madmen ministers Hagee and Parsley, you're probably wrong. By taking a page from the Bush playbook, McCain's Friday document - and pastor - dump virtually guaranteed that Tuesday's tale will the be the gathering... more Posted on May 24, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Cindy McCain Gave Only 1% to Charity in 2006 Caving to overwhelming pressure, Cindy McCain today followed the 2004 example of Theresa Heinz Kerry and finally released a two page summary of her 2006 tax return. A quick glance at the filing explains her hesitation to let her tax returns see the light of day. As it turns out, Mrs. McCain gave only 1% of her $6 million income to charity in 2006. Worse still, most of that went to private schools attended by her children. Just two weeks... more Posted on May 23, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	5 Things to Look for in McCain's Medical Records After repeatedly delaying the release of his medical records, John McCain has a received clean bill of health, at least according to the AP. Given that the McCain campaign provided a tightly restricted pool of reporters only three hours to pore over almost 1200 pages of material covering the past 8 years, reviewers focused almost exclusively on the skin cancer history of the man who routinely proclaims himself "older than dirt." But those strict time constraints and prohibitions on copying... more Posted on May 23, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	McCain Finally Rejects Hagee Endorsement He Sought 85 days after they shared a San Antonio stage to announce their partnership, John McCain finally rejected the endorsement of end times Texas Pastor John Hagee. After weeks of retreat in the face of Hagee's bigoted comments, McCain surrendered altogether on the day after Hagee's past statements about Adolf Hitler's divinely mandated role in driving European Jewry to Israel became public. Today, McCain played dumb, claiming ignorance regarding the man whose endorsement he sought and whose Armageddon-accelerating organization (Christians United... more Posted on May 22, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Memo to Lieberman: Is Hagee Still Moses? When it comes to Pastor John Hagee, John McCain and Joe Lieberman have a lot in common. Both men addressed the 2007 convention of Hagee's organization, Christians United for Israel (CUFI). McCain and Lieberman each voiced support for a pre-emptive strike against Iran. But while John McCain aggressively sought Hagee's endorsement, only Joe Lieberman compared the Texas pastor to Moses. Lieberman's glowing tribute to Hagee came during the Connecticut Senator's speech to CUFI last year (captured on video here): "He... more Posted on May 22, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Scorned on the Issues, GOP Tries to Manufacture "Character Gap" A flood of recent polls suggests the 2008 election will once again display the "Iron Law" of 21st century Republican presidential politics. That is, with Americans showing an overwhelming preference for Democratic positions across virtually the entire spectrum of issues, the GOP has to make the race about something else. This year as in 2000 and 2004, the Republicans will try to turn the race into a presidential personality contest. And to win it, they need to manufacture a "character... more Posted on May 21, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	McCain Defended North on Iran-Contra; North Returns Favor On Monday, the Republicans' campaign of appeasement smears against Barack Obama went from the sublime to the ridiculous. In an amazing if predictable display of chutzpah, Fox News commentator and Iran-Contra mastermind Oliver North rushed to John McCain's defense over the GOP nominee's spurious charges regarding talks with Iran. Of course, he was only repaying McCain the favor. Back in 1986 and 1987, as the New York Times noted, John McCain "defended Ronald Reagan during the Iran-contra inquiry." As a... more Posted on May 20, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	McCain Unexceptionalism In the New York Times today, Bill Kristol elevated Republicans' wishful thinking into the GOP's presidential election strategy this fall. Dragged down by President Bush's record-setting unpopularity and a brand one of its own leaders likened to tainted dog food, the GOP's last best hope, according to Kristol, lies in the "exceptionalism" of John McCain. That is, the GOP can maintain its grip on the White House precisely because John McCain is a different kind of Republican animal able to... more Posted on May 19, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	McCain's 2004 SNL Appearance Still His Best Pundits and bloggers alike are buzzing about John McCain's appearance yesterday on Saturday Night Live. Without once mentioning his standard stump punchlines "I'm older than dirt" and "I have more scars than Frankenstein," the 71 year old Republican nominee riffed on his age. While he was at it, McCain got in a few jokes while providing some advice for his Democratic colleagues. Still, McCain's best performance by far on SNL came neither last night nor during his 2002 rendition of... more Posted on May 18, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	Bush's Jawbone Fails Again For the second time in two months, President Bush's efforts to "jawbone" his Saudi friends over the cost of oil fell on deaf ears. On Friday, oil surged to a record $127 after Bush's meeting with King Abdullah failed to secure a production increase beyond the meager 300,000 barrels the Saudis previously committed to on May 10th. In all, it was just the latest dismal failure for the jawbone of the Texas oilman who campaigned on his powers of persuasion... more Posted on May 18, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	McCain Defended Reagan, North During Iran-Contra Scandal Just 48 hours after jumping on the Bush appeasement bandwagon, John McCain is probably regretting his leap. First, it was revealed that the tough-talking Republican presidential nominee was for negotiating with the Hamas government in the Palestinian territories before he was against it. Then Americans learned that in 2003, Mr. Straight Talk favored engagement with the terror-sponsoring state of Syria. Now in his accusations against Democrat Barack Obama, John McCain conveniently forgot Ronald Reagan's dealings with Tehran during the Iran-Contra... more Posted on May 17, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	Washington Times, Post Agree Cindy McCain Must Release Taxes They may not agree on much, but this week the editors of the Washington Times and the Washington Post joined forces in demanding that Cindy McCain make public her tax returns. One day after the Post declared "it won't do," the reliably right-wing Times insisted "Mrs. McCain needs to end the 'privacy' charade and release her tax returns." The Washington Post's call for the McCains to divulge their IRS filings on Tuesday came as no surprise. After all, four years... more Posted on May 17, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	McCain's Broken Iraq Crystal Ball Sees Troops Home by 2013 In Columbus today, John McCain made his pitch that he, and not Barack Obama, is the candidate of hope. In a major if theoretical reversal of his commitment to a perpetual 100, a thousand or a million year American presence in Iraq, McCain declared that he "would hope to have achieved" a drawdown of most U.S. forces by the end of his first term in 2013. But given McCain's unbroken record of error of forecasting when it comes to Iraq,... more Posted on May 15, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	House GOP Makes, McCain Breaks 2012 Balanced Budget Promise The once-vaunted Republican marketing machine has fallen and can't get up. On Monday, House minority leader John Boehner (R-OH) unveiled a new slogan for the GOP, only to learn that "The Change You Deserve," was fittingly already in use to market the anti-depressant drug Effexor. Now a central promise of the Republicans' 2008 rebranding effort, to balance the budget by 2012, is dead on arrival. As it turns out, Republican nominee John McCain already abandoned his short-lived, first term balanced... more Posted on May 14, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	President Bush Sacrifices Golf to Aid War Effort Last year, First Lady Laura Bush said of the costs of the Iraq war for the American people, "no one suffers more than their President and I do." Now we know why. While U.S. troops were sacrificing life and limb in the battlefields of Baghdad, President Bush sacrificed...golf. In an interview today, George W. Bush made it clear that avoiding the links now was the least he could do after avoiding combat 40 years ago. As the Politico reported, the... more Posted on May 13, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	After Hagee Apology to Catholics, McCain Still Silent on Armageddon Views Facing increasing scrutiny over his statements describing the Catholic Church as "the great whore" and a "false cult system," Texas pastor and John McCain endorser John Hagee today issued a letter of apology to his "Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ." But while Hagee's chosen candidate previously distanced himself from the minister's slurs towards Catholics and residents of New Orleans, on the topic that may matter most, Mr. Straight Talk has remained silent. Does John McCain agree with Pastor John... more Posted on May 13, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Bush Repeats Promise of Mideast Peace by January As he heads off to Israel to commemorate that nation's 60th anniversary, George W. Bush is nothing if not optimistic about the prospects for Middle East peace. Even as his negotiating partners are incapacitated by scandal and internal conflict, the lame duck President reiterated his January promise to produce an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement by the time he leaves office eight months from now. Earlier this year during his first visit to the region, Bush assured the world that his better-late-than-never... more Posted on May 13, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	McCain's Environmental Smoke Screen Judging by the headlines, John McCain's global warming pitch this week is having the desired effect. While CNN announced that "McCain appeals to independents with environment pitch," the Wall Street Journal declared, "McCain woos Democrats on environment." With Americans' support for President Bush and the direction of the country at record lows, John McCain is running away from his party and his president by stressing the environment, the only substantive issue on which he and George W. Bush disagree. Last... more Posted on May 12, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	The Bush Wedding Everyone Missed While all eyes this weekend were on the Crawford, Texas wedding of first daughter Jenna Bush, another Bush marriage this year has gone largely unnoticed in the press. After a stormy eight year courtship, George W. Bush and John McCain tied the knot at a March ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. During the well attended but little understood nuptials, John McCain finally promised to love, honor and obey his new partner. Committing themselves to be together "us richer... more Posted on May 12, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	McCain's Double Flip-Flop on Abortion In just the latest blow to his tattered maverick myth, the McCain camp is signaling its man will perform yet another about-face on abortion. Eight years after attacking George W. Bush's defense of a Republican platform which called for banning all abortions, even in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother, John McCain too will kowtow to the GOP's radical right. As it turns out, that surrender follows Mr. Straight Talk's earlier reversal on overturning... more Posted on May 11, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	Adviser Black: McCain "Slightly Right of Center" Just in case you needed any more evidence that John McCain is planning to run away from his party and president in the November election, senior adviser Charlie Black put any doubts to rest this weekend. In Sunday's New York Times, Black described McCain, as "slightly right-of-center." Apparently, with the Republican nomination now safely secured, McCain the self-proclaimed "foot soldier in the Reagan revolution" is trying to reverse the hard right turn he took in the GOP primaries. In the... more Posted on May 10, 2008 \| Comments (3)

	Mothers' Day, Global Warming and McCain's Character Campaign What do Mothers' Day and global warming have in common? Both, as it turns out, are essential ingredients in John McCain's "character" campaign for the White House. That is, given the staggering unpopularity of his party's platform and president, John McCain is now running away from both. From here on out, the McCain campaign will be about the character of the man. And on Mothers' Day this Sunday, that includes a portrait of John McCain as the good son. Appearing... more Posted on May 10, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	*McCain to Bush in 2000: "Don't Give Me That Sht. And Take Your Hands Off Me."** Four days after Arianna Huffington first reported it, John McCain's 2000 VoteGate has become the election issue du jour. The New York Times, the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times have all run stories confirming Huffington's account that in 2000 a still steaming McCain did not vote for George W. Bush, the man who savaged him and his family during the Republican primaries. But as the fevered denials from his campaign show, the story of McCain's hate-love relationship with... more Posted on May 9, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	John McCain's Top 10 Out-of-Touch Moments In another sign of the media's sheepish acceptance of the Barack Obama "elitist" story line, the New York Times on Tuesday described the Illinois Senator as "tagged as elitist." But just as disturbing as the Republicans' apparent success in establishing the "out of touch" narrative as a fixture in campaign coverage is John McCain's seeming inoculation from it. After all, John McCain isn't merely fabulously well off, courtesy of his wife Cindy's $100 million beer distribution fortune. At almost every... more Posted on May 9, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Polls, 2004 GOP Say Cindy McCain Wrong Not to Disclose Taxes Today, John McCain's wife Cindy declared she would never release her tax returns. Unfortunately, the McCains are bucking the tide of public opinion regarding her income and $100 million fortune. The American people by lopsided margins overwhelmingly believe presidential candidates should disclose their tax returns. And as they showed four years ago in the imbroglio over Theresa Heinz Kerry, the leading lights of the Republican Party and the conservative movement used to agree. The polling data is clear. Last week,... more Posted on May 8, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	McCain Voting Record Contradicts Maverick Myth On Wednesday, John McCain's home state Arizona Republic did some good excavation work in the ongoing demolition of the GOP nominee's maverick myth. Analyzing his Senate voting record since 1999, the paper found McCain rarely strayed from the Republican Party line. But that's only a small part of the unraveling of the McCain maverick fable. As I previously detailed, John McCain in his eternal quest for the GOP nomination has repeatedly reversed long-held positions and compromised core principles to curry... more Posted on May 8, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	Meet the McCain Court. Same as the Bush Court. Speaking at Wake Forest University today, Republican presidential nominee John McCain reassured his party's conservative base that he has adopted George W. Bush's judicial philosophy hook, line and sinker. The same John McCain who once expressed doubts about judges in the mold of Samuel Alito today extolled him as a model for the Supreme Court, all the while chanting the right-wing battle cry against so-called judicial activism. Given his past flip-flop on Roe v. Wade (he now supports overturning the... more Posted on May 6, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	Laura Bush Replaces Husband at Burma Cyclone Press Briefing On Monday, a nation led by a ruler with dictatorial tendencies was devastated by a storm of biblical proportions for which its government was woefully unprepared. Which may explain why the White House trotted out First Lady Laura Bush rather than her husband the president to answer questions at a press conference yesterday about the disastrous cyclone in Myanmar. Given his own cataclysmic handling of Hurricane Katrina and the destruction of New Orleans, President Bush no doubt preferred to stay... more Posted on May 6, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	Take the Lindsey Graham Challenge: "Good Luck Making McCain George Bush" The record of politicians issuing challenges to the press is not a happy one. Just before his Donna Rice scandal broke in 1987, Democratic frontrunner Gary Hart dared the media to "follow me around." The rest, as they say, is history. Now, South Carolina Senator and John McCain water carrier Lindsey Graham has issued a challenge of his own. Claiming on CNN McCain "is his own guy," Graham then threw down the gauntlet, "Good luck making him George Bush." Challenge... more Posted on May 5, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	GOP: Baghdad Still Safer Than U.S. Cities From the outset of the Iraq war, Republican leaders and their amen corner in the right-wing media have sought to calm squeamish Americans by favorably comparing the violence there to life in U.S. cities. Now, John March, a developer planning (believe it or not) a "Disneyland-style" theme park in Baghdad, says the carnage in the Iraqi capital is no different than the "drive-bys" in Southern California. But while grotesque, the analogy is not novel: it has already been repeatedly deployed... more Posted on May 5, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	McCain Tries to Make Age Issue a Laughing Matter On Sunday, septuagenarian and Republican presidential nominee John McCain's advanced age once again jumped to forefront of the 2008 campaign. Over at the Politico, Jonathan Martin pondered whether McCain's age will emerge as an issue. Meanwhile, the New York Times editorial page demanded 71-year old Arizona Senator finally release his medical records, a long overdue disclosure especially important in light of his bouts with skin cancer. For everyone but John McCain himself, the man who has repeatedly joked about himself... more Posted on May 4, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	Townsend Joins Snow on Conservative News Network (CNN) Politico is reporting that President Bush's former homeland security adviser and current intelligence advisory board member Fran Townsend is joining CNN as a contributor. Joining former White House press secretary Tony Snow as the second Bush sycophant to join the network in the last two weeks, Townsend's addition is apparently designed to help make CNN the "right choice" during its election '08 coverage. While George W. Bush may be most disliked President in modern American history, his one-time mouthpieces are... more Posted on May 4, 2008 \| Comments (2)

	McCain Advertises Next to "McCain Idiocy Watch" While reading Kevin Drum's latest over at Political Animal today, I couldn't help but notice that John McCain had fallen victim to the quirks of Internet advertising. Just below a graphic proclaiming "Advertise Liberally," the McCain campaign placed an elegant ad asking Washington Monthly readers to "Join Our Team." Sadly, the McCain ad was displayed next to a devastating piece titled, "McCain Idiocy Watch." On the same screen where a young John McCain, recently freed from captivity in Vietnam, salutes... more Posted on May 3, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	McCain, Bush Staffs Coordinate on W Separation Strategy John McCain's presidential campaign has apparently found help to battle its extreme case of Bush separation anxiety. Desperate to distance the Republican nominee from the most unpopular president in modern American history, the McCain camp is closely coordinating with the White House to create the facade of separation between John McCain and George W. Bush. As ThinkProgress reported yesterday, senior McCain advisor and GOP lobbyist extraordinaire Charlie Black detailed a close working relationship with President Bush's staff. Acknowledging that George... more Posted on May 3, 2008 \| Comments (1)

	Poll: Sharp Partisan Divide on Character vs. Issues in '08 Race Just one day after I analyzed poll data suggesting an early lead for John McCain lead in the 2008 presidential "character war," a new survey from Rasmussen delivered some bad news for the GOP. By a 52% to 36% margin, the Americans surveyed contend that a candidate's policies on the issues matter more than his or her character. Unsurprisingly, Republicans responded that character counts most. Unsurprising, that is, because given Americans' overwhelming preference for Democratic positions and priorities, the GOP... more Posted on May 2, 2008 \| Comments (0)

	John McCain on the Mission Accomplished in Iraq About a month after President George W. Bush stood on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln before a banner proclaiming, "Mission Accomplished," Fox News' Neil Cavuto asserted to Senator John McCain that, "many argue the conflict isn't over" in Iraq. McCain responded, "Well, then why was there a banner that said mission accomplished on the aircraft carrier?" Five years later, that exchange has come to encapsulate John McCain's unbroken reign of error when it comes to Iraq. From his... more Posted on May 1, 2008 \| Comments (1)