ThreepMe
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|  #1 Posted on 18.3.04 1244.31
Reposted on: 18.3.11 1245.51 | http://story.news.yahoo.com/ news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/ 20040318/ap_on_el_pr/ mccain_kerry
WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Thursday he did not believe Democratic candidate John Kerry (news - web sites), a friend and Senate colleague, was weak on defense or would compromise national security if elected president.
"This kind of rhetoric, I think, is not helpful in educating and helping the American people make a choice," McCain said on "The Early Show" on CBS. "You know, it's the most bitter and partisan campaign that I've ever observed. I think it's because both parties are going to their bases rather than going to the middle. I regret it."
Republicans, including President Bush (news - web sites) and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites), have sharply criticized Kerry on a range of defense and security issues, including not supporting the war in Iraq (news - web sites), voting against a measure to provide the war effort $87 billion, and voting against weapons systems critical to waging war.
"The senator from Massachusetts has given us ample doubts about his judgment and the attitude he brings to bear on vital issues of national security," Cheney said in a speech Wednesday.
Asked on NBC's "Today" if he thought Kerry was weak on defense, McCain said: "No, I do not believe that he is, quote, weak on defense. He's responsible for his voting record, as we are all responsible for our records, and he'll have to explain it. But, no, I do not believe that he is necessarily weak on defense. I don't agree with him on some issues, clearly. But I decry this negativism that's going on on both sides. The American people don't need it."
When asked on "The Early Show" if Kerry's election would compromise national security, McCain responded: "I don't think that — I think that John Kerry is a good and decent man. I think he has served his country."
McCain, Bush's rival for the Republican nomination in 2000, said he believes Bush has led the nation with clarity since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and that he supports Bush's re-election. "But I would certainly hope that we could raise the level of this debate. Otherwise, we're going to have very low voter turnouts in November," he told CBS.
McCain and Kerry, both decorated Navy veterans of the Vietnam War, have worked together on veterans issues in the Senate. Although McCain said last week he would consider an offer from Kerry to be his running mate, McCain's office later issued a statement saying he would not run with Kerry.
"I don't want to be vice president of the United States. I do not want to leave the Republican Party. I would not be vice president of the United States on either ticket," McCain told CBS on Thursday.
Take that for what it's worth.
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| #2 Posted on 18.3.04 1905.13
Reposted on: 18.3.11 1906.09 | | McCain and Kerry are apparently pretty friendly, so I wouldn't listen to anything McCain says about him. He's just trying to be nice, and, dammit, that has no place in politics. | MoeGates
Andouille
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| #3 Posted on 18.3.04 2037.06
Reposted on: 18.3.11 2037.20 | How long before the Bush team tries to portray McCain as a cowardly traitor now, do you think? Seems to be their modus operendi with every other war hero that disagrees with them.
That being said, the fact that McCain is even saying something like "Kerry's not weak on defense" and it's a story is a victory for Bush. | Maniac
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| #4 Posted on 18.3.04 2037.30
Reposted on: 18.3.11 2038.59 | | I'm not his friend but I still think he will be strong on Nation Defense and National Security. I think he will be more Diplomatic than Bush because he knows what our fighting men and women will see in Battle. He will also have a better perspective of what can be done Militarily, as the Commander and Chief using better planning. | Big Bad
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| #5 Posted on 18.3.04 2125.40
Reposted on: 18.3.11 2125.43 | | Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain? | OlFuzzyBastard
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| #6 Posted on 18.3.04 2221.42
Reposted on: 18.3.11 2223.40 | Originally posted by Big Bad
Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain?
Name brand. | astrobstrd
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| #7 Posted on 19.3.04 0109.29
Reposted on: 19.3.11 0110.10 | Originally posted by OlFuzzyBastard
Originally posted by Big Bad
Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain?
Name brand.
That, and McCain isn't as appealing to the "Left Behind" crowd. | Gugs
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| #8 Posted on 19.3.04 0306.53
Reposted on: 19.3.11 0307.15 | Originally posted by astrobstrd
Originally posted by OlFuzzyBastard
Originally posted by Big Bad
Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain?
Name brand.
That, and McCain isn't as appealing to the "Left Behind" crowd.
And the small matter that the people voted for him, but let's not pay that any mind because blind bashing is more fun than educated bashing. | OlFuzzyBastard
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| #9 Posted on 19.3.04 0824.12
Reposted on: 19.3.11 0826.59 | Originally posted by gugs
Originally posted by astrobstrd
Originally posted by OlFuzzyBastard
Originally posted by Big Bad
Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain?
Name brand.
That, and McCain isn't as appealing to the "Left Behind" crowd.
And the small matter that the people voted for him, but let's not pay that any mind because blind bashing is more fun than educated bashing.
I'm reasonably sure the question was why did people vote for Bush instead of McCain. | Von Maestro
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| #10 Posted on 19.3.04 0909.03
Reposted on: 19.3.11 0910.21 | Originally posted by OlFuzzyBastard
I'm reasonably sure the question was why did people vote for Bush instead of McCain.
Actually Big Bad said, "Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain?", so there was no mention of a "vote" there... :-)
That being said, the reason the Republican Party went with Bush over McCain, is that in a lot of ways, McCain is a Republican in name only (similar to Zell Miller on the other side of the fence). The fact that he is "respected" by many on the Left is a big reason he is not supported by many on the Right. | DrDirt
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| #11 Posted on 19.3.04 1029.42
Reposted on: 19.3.11 1030.22 | Originally posted by Von Maestro
Originally posted by OlFuzzyBastard
I'm reasonably sure the question was why did people vote for Bush instead of McCain.
Actually Big Bad said, "Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain?", so there was no mention of a "vote" there... :-)
That being said, the reason the Republican Party went with Bush over McCain, is that in a lot of ways, McCain is a Republican in name only (similar to Zell Miller on the other side of the fence). The fact that he is "respected" by many on the Left is a big reason he is not supported by many on the Right.
I am a liberal Democrat who had (has) great respect for Barry Goldwater and Bob Dole. Based on your logic, they are Republicans in name only. | Von Maestro
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| #12 Posted on 19.3.04 1041.39
Reposted on: 19.3.11 1042.14 | Originally posted by DrDirt
I am a liberal Democrat who had (has) great respect for Barry Goldwater and Bob Dole. Based on your logic, they are Republicans in name only.
Doc-
I was not commenting on McCain's character at all, I was just answering why the Republican Party voted for Bush in 2000 over McCain.
Although I do not agree with your comparison of Dole & Goldwater to McCain, I would say that your respect of these men (who incidentally I respect as well) as a "Liberal Democrat" is an answer in & of itself as to why the Republicans went with Bush. If I recall correctly, Dole & Goldwater didn't do too well in their presidential bids... :-) | DrDirt
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| #13 Posted on 19.3.04 1432.16
Reposted on: 19.3.11 1432.32 | Originally posted by Von Maestro
Originally posted by DrDirt
I am a liberal Democrat who had (has) great respect for Barry Goldwater and Bob Dole. Based on your logic, they are Republicans in name only.
Doc-
I was not commenting on McCain's character at all, I was just answering why the Republican Party voted for Bush in 2000 over McCain.
Although I do not agree with your comparison of Dole & Goldwater to McCain, I would say that your respect of these men (who incidentally I respect as well) as a "Liberal Democrat" is an answer in & of itself as to why the Republicans went with Bush. If I recall correctly, Dole & Goldwater didn't do too well in their presidential bids... :-)
Especially with Goldwater, I respected him because he was a true conservative regardless of party politics. I didn't repsect him because I agreed with him. Dole was certainly more moderate than Goldwater but I didn't agree with him on much, just think he is an honorable man.
one major problem McCain had was "W"'s warchest and staunch backing by the party leadership. "W" was handpicked and the sheep followed. If you are a Mcain (or Dole) and make an effort to work with the oppostition for the good of the country, your party isn't thrilled and that applies equally to the Dem's. | vsp
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| #14 Posted on 19.3.04 1438.48
Reposted on: 19.3.11 1439.04 | Originally posted by Von Maestro
That being said, the reason the Republican Party went with Bush over McCain, is that in a lot of ways, McCain is a Republican in name only (similar to Zell Miller on the other side of the fence).
The difference is that McCain votes with other Republicans on a fairly regular basis. Miller voting with the Democrats at ANY time is cause for big-print headlines.
Joe Lieberman's closer to the analogy you're looking for -- he still votes with other Democrats reasonably often, but he has his own maverick causes where he'll go conservative (such as the War On Terra and censorship/"protect the children" initiatives).
| The Amazing Salami
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| #15 Posted on 19.3.04 1445.10
Reposted on: 19.3.11 1445.54 | Originally posted by DrDirt
If you are a Mcain (or Dole) and make an effort to work with the oppostition for the good of the country, your party isn't thrilled and that applies equally to the Dem's.
What a truthful, succint, and sad, sad, sad statement. | PoorlyToldJoke
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| #16 Posted on 21.3.04 0139.48
Reposted on: 21.3.11 0139.57 | Originally posted by Von Maestro
Originally posted by OlFuzzyBastard
I'm reasonably sure the question was why did people vote for Bush instead of McCain.
Actually Big Bad said, "Tell me again why the Republicans went with Bush instead of the obviously more respected and knowledgable McCain?", so there was no mention of a "vote" there... :-)
That being said, the reason the Republican Party went with Bush over McCain, is that in a lot of ways, McCain is a Republican in name only (similar to Zell Miller on the other side of the fence). The fact that he is "respected" by many on the Left is a big reason he is not supported by many on the Right.
Republican in name only? He's pro-life, anti gay rights.. He's pretty much your old style conservative. You know, back when the republican party has principles, as opposed to governing towards their contributors. He scares the fuck out of the bushies because he calls them on their bullshit. Karl Rove pulled so many dirty tricks to make sure that Bush got nominated instead of McCain, by things like "Push polls" that mentioned that McCain had fathered an out of wedlock bi racial child... McCain has an adopted child. THey also suggested that he was a traitor and that his time in a vietnam prison camp was exagerrated. The reason why McCain isn't liked by the neo Cons, is because he has principles. | rockdotcom_2.0
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| #17 Posted on 21.3.04 0348.36
Reposted on: 21.3.11 0348.47 | I admire John McCain for doing this. Hopefully this will help to change some peoples perceptions of Democrats in regards to defense.
It amazes and enrages me that there are intelligent peopple out there that actually believe that John Kerry wants to win this election, then pretend the problem of terrorism dont exist. That he wouldnt continue to hunt terrorists worldwide. I hate that people believe that Democrats wouldnt do everything possible to defend the nation. And I hate that the GOP continues to spin it that way. Im glad someone like John McCain can come forward and let people know that defense is EVERYONES concern.
This goes back to something I posted earlier, that the GOP has stolen the Defense issue and hide behind it every chance they get. They believe they have the power to get away with whatever they want as long as they throw Defense in front of it. | | ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE |
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