Another McCain "senior moment"? - Dallas Cowboys Forum

Heisenberg · 03-29-2008

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...iv-prevention/

March 16, 2007, 4:14 pm
McCain Stumbles on H.I.V. Prevention
By Adam Nagourney

Senator John McCain at a town hall meeting today. (Photo: Greg
Brown/Associated Press)

SOMEWHERE in NORTHERN IOWA — The unthinkable has happened. Senator John McCain met a question, while sitting with reporters on his bus as it rumbled through Iowa today, that he couldn’t – or perhaps wouldn’t – answer.
Did he support the distribution of taxpayer-subsidized condoms in Africa to fight the transmission of H.I.V.?
What followed was a long series of awkward pauses, glances up to the ceiling and the image of one of Mr. McCain’s aides, standing off to the back, urgently motioning his press secretary to come to Mr. McCain’s side.
The upshot was that Mr. McCain said he did not know this subject well, did not know his position on it, and relied on the advice of Senator Tom Coburn, a physician and Republican from Oklahoma.
His press secretary, Brian Jones, later reported that Mr. McCain had a record of voting against using government money to finance the distribution of condoms.
All this took place on the second day of the reprise of the “Straight Talk Express” bus trips that Mr. McCain made a central part of his campaign in 2000. It also comes as Mr. McCain has eagerly been trying to ease strains with social conservatives in the party who, for the most part, do not support using government money to pay for condoms.
A transcript of the encounter follows. (Weaver is John Weaver, his senior adviser, and Brian is Mr. Jones, his press secretary):

Reporter: “Should U.S. taxpayer money go to places like Africa to fund contraception to prevent AIDS?”
Mr. McCain: “Well I think it’s a combination. The guy I really respect on this is Dr. Coburn. He believes – and I was just reading the thing he wrote– that you should do what you can to encourage abstinence where there is going to be sexual activity. Where that doesn’t succeed, than he thinks that we should employ contraceptives as well. But I agree with him that the first priority is on abstinence. I look to people like Dr. Coburn. I’m not very wise on it.”
(Mr. McCain turns to take a question on Iraq, but a moment later looks back to the reporter who asked him about AIDS.)
Mr. McCain: “I haven’t thought about it. Before I give you an answer, let me think about. Let me think about it a little bit because I never got a question about it before. I don’t know if I would use taxpayers’ money for it.”
Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?”
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.”
Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”
Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”
Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”
Q: “But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Would you say: ‘No, we’re not going to distribute them,’ knowing that?”
Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before.”

This went on for a few more moments until a reporter from the Chicago Tribune broke in and asked Mr. McCain about the weight of a pig that he saw at the Iowa State Fair last year.

StanleySpadowski · 03-29-2008

Please, Please, Please, keep trying to throw "senior moments" against McCain hoping that you can portray him as too old to be elected.

Obama's banking on the youth vote that never turns out while alienating seniors who always turn out.

It's not a winner for Obama and the more his supporters try to play that card, the worse it is for him.

silverbear · 03-29-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by StanleySpadowski

Please, Please, Please, keep trying to throw "senior moments" against McCain hoping that you can portray him as too old to be elected.

I'm more worried about McCain's legendary temper than I am senility... I'm not entirely comfortable with having a hothead making decisions in a crisis...

Hostile · 03-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverbear

I'm more worried about McCain's legendary temper than I am senility... I'm not entirely comfortable with having a hothead making decisions in a crisis...

Hey! I blew my cool one time. And we got all the pieces back together and glued in place. Chill!

burmafrd · 03-30-2008

This temper thing is way overblown (of course it comes from a lib like Silver so it does not matter anyway).

silverbear · 03-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hostile

Hey! I blew my cool one time. And we got all the pieces back together and glued in place. Chill!

I don't want your finger on the button either, ol' buddy...

silverbear · 03-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by burmafrd

This temper thing is way overblown (of course it comes from a lib like Silver so it does not matter anyway).

Gee, I thought you had me on ignore...

Of course YOU have no problems at all with John McCain... he could molest your dog in your living room, and you'd still vote for him...

His temper is well-documented, and I believe it to be a legitimate concern... now if that was the ONLY thing wrong with the guy, I'd be willing to take a chance on him, count on him putting cooler heads around him to keep him in check in times of crisis, make sure he thinks rather than reacting viscerally...

Of course, I've laid out the reasons that I can't support him, and this is not a biggie...

Hostile · 03-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverbear

I don't want your finger on the button either, ol' buddy...

Party pooper.

Off topic, but I think the finger on the button analogy no longer works even though I get it. I think we should come up with a new one to sweep the nation. I feel the need to study the insightful words of Governor Lepetomane for a proper inspiration.

silverbear · 03-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hostile

Party pooper.

Off topic, but I think the finger on the button analogy no longer works even though I get it. I think we should come up with a new one to sweep the nation. I feel the need to study the insightful words of Governor Lepetomane for a proper inspiration.

You mean, when he said "gentlemen, we've got to save our phony-baloney jobs"??

Don't be such a suckup, Hedy... even if your mind IS a cascading torrent of transient thoughts...

Danny White · 03-30-2008

I don't know if it's senility or not... but that's a pretty embarrasing display of knowledge of the issue.

That's my problem with nominating guys like McCain who don't have many real convictions. They always have to test the waters before deciding where they stand on an issue.

The one good thing I got from that whole exchange is that he's getting advice from Coburn, who I really respect. I'd love it if he picked Coburn as his VP. He'd earn my vote from that move alone.

Hostile · 03-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverbear

You mean, when he said "gentlemen, we've got to save our phony-baloney jobs"??

Don't be such a suckup, Hedy... even if your mind IS a cascading torrent of transient thoughts...

The greatest politician ever.

Hedley Lamarr: Meeting adjourned. Oh, I am sorry, sir I didn't mean to overstep my bounds, you say that.
Governor William J. Le Petomane: What?
Hedley Lamarr: Meeting is adjourned.
Governor William J. Le Petomane: It is?
Hedley Lamarr: No, you say that, governor.
Governor William J. Le Petomane: What?
Hedley Lamarr: Meeting is adjourned.
Governor William J. Le Petomane: It is?
Hedley Lamarr: Here, sir, play with this.
[Hands the governor a paddleball]

I tell you the man inspires like no one else can.

silverbear · 03-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hostile

The greatest politician ever.

Hedley Lamarr: Meeting adjourned. Oh, I am sorry, sir I didn't mean to overstep my bounds, you say that.
Governor William J. Le Petomane: What?
Hedley Lamarr: Meeting is adjourned.
Governor William J. Le Petomane: It is?
Hedley Lamarr: No, you say that, governor.
Governor William J. Le Petomane: What?
Hedley Lamarr: Meeting is adjourned.
[View Full Quote]

I've loved most of the movies Mel Brooks ever made... they are so far removed from politically correct, it's wicked funny... I mean, back when Blazing Saddles was filmed, who else had put on film two guys sittin' around hittin' on a joint??

And of course, Mongo punching out that horse is a film classic...