Speaking before a group in Hudson, New Hampshire last night, McCain took criticism of MoveOn’s Petraeus ad to a whole new level, saying that they should not only be ashamed, but “ought to be thrown out of this country.”
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“It’s disgraceful, it’s got to be retracted and condemned by the Democrats, and MoveOn.org ought to be thrown out of this country.”
Looks like the “straight-talking” McCain realizes how idiotic he sounded, and has already started to backpedal:
The McCain campaign clarified the senator’s comments for CBS News. “Senator McCain, like most Americans, is appalled by the MoveOn.org ad. Last night he expressed his outrage in words that did not convey his intended meaning. What he meant to say was that MoveOn’s smear of General Petraeus’ character should have no place in the American political debate.”
It’s almost comical to see Republicans run around condemning MoveOn for daring to attack a member of the military and calling into question their character or integrity, considering that’s the rhetorical weapon they usually wield. As Glenn notes, perhaps that’s exactly why they’re so upset. Well, either that or they need a handy distraction. Kinda like John Kerry before the midterms. And it shows that when it comes to the war, they have nothing else to talk about.
6 Trackbacks To “McCain: MoveOn “ought to be thrown out of this country.”“
Dang it McCain!
Everytime I start to like you you go and say sothing that reminds everyone that you’re just a crazy old f. who’s chance at becoming President passed in 2000.
McCain’s an idiot
Another fascist speaks out.
So what he’s saying is the we Americans don’t have a right to free speech anymore, unless it precisely agrees with him?
Be afraid of him…be very afraid.
McCain, like many other politicians and military generals, should be charged under the 1996 Federal War Crimes Act, which carries the death penalty.
Thank you for posting the video!
Yes, Censorship of opposing opinions is the way to go in a republican Police State Senator.
He proves it every time he takes the floor in the Senate. We need more honest fascist nowadays,
and example of such a creature is text book. At least the man is an honest fascist. It would amaze
him how many people feel the same exact way about him and his Neochristian police state.
how incredible. the gop neocon asses will never have an IQ above 20.
it’s interesting that the rest of the rational world leaders and their citizens support just the same opinions that this ad from moveon.org espouses.
if the gop and shit-for-brains bush put just 1/4 effort in our country’s economy and welfare as they have waisted on this illegal war and profit pocketing of their corporate buddies, we would have a stable economy and national health care. but no they don’t believe in social programs except those which will line they pockets with greed.
look at how bush and his buddy hunt in texas are ensuring they have control of the oil in iraq. and yet they may very well be the very bastards who completely destabilize iraq.
He ought to be thrown out of this country as the traitor he is. Throw people out of America for expressing their opinions indeed. He can come try to throw me out of my country [deleted - please keep it civil.]
The biggest problem with the corporate/fascist takeover of this country has to be the corporate control of the media. If the corporations did not control the media, their abuses of our government could at least be communicated to the population, which could maybe make changes - anything from electing better representatives to boycotting criminal industries.
With corporate control of our country comes corporate control of the media, and that’s where this double-standard comes from. MoveOn makes a daring, strongly-worded statement, and it gets lambasted: the swiftboaters lie for months and the media voices no umbrage.
The symptom is McCain, the problem is fascism.
“It’s disgraceful, it’s got to be retracted and condemned by the Democrats, and MoveOn.org ought to be thrown out of this country.”
Mr. McCain, when you say “thrown out of the country” do you mean on an unregistered CIA flight to Eastern Europe? Or train cattle-cars with breathing holes? Let’s get specific sir.
So… we gonna throw out the Swift Boat Vets too?
“like most Americans”?
Seems like McCain’s flack ought to be asked to cite some statistics or else retract that assertion.
Yup, Just the guy I want defending my constitutional right to free speech.
We all know that Republicans are the only political party authorized to “dish it out”.
I posted my disdain over the Rethug swarm of MoveOn at the Left Coaster originally, but it applies here too so why waste a Spell Check?
In going after Move-On, McCain joins Giuliani (R-I Got Nuthin’) in this GOP candidates’ sprint to the bottom. And the Wurlitzer blaring out lockstepper rhythms to be indignant about a dopey MoveOn ad is really backfiring considering all the crap they’ve been SILENT about:
“You know something is wrong when the New England Patriots face stiffer penalties for spying on innocent Americans than Dick Cheney and George Bush.” - Bill Richardson (09/14/2007)
If this is what McCain’s speaking up about after adding his wagon to the circle excusing, condoing and enabling the most opaque, corrupt administration in history, MoveOn isn’t the problem here. The same deflecting, idiotic crap was attempted — successfully with the twit, Long Pants Media — over an anonymous contestant to a MoveOn ad contest, winnowed virtually immediately from the site after objections by members, that wasn’t even a fraction as offensive as what appears routinely on right wing sites.
The hyperventilating right wing outrage didn’t even establish the political leanings of the objectionable contestant: just garnered 2-3 weeks of Swift Boatiing Outrage by thuggery by compliant thumb-sucking media. What’s appropriate prime time language for “McCain, fuck off you blithering hypocritical phony?”
Free speech, we don’t need no stinken free speech. All us liberals should be deported to another country like England or Canada where they allow that kind of crap.
I think and hope KO jumps all over this. The Worse Person n the World.
Is he still running for president?
When was the last time reichwingers denouced anything said by their representatives like:
(M)ann Coulter, Michelle (Gri)malkin, Michael Weiner, Bill O’Really, or Rash Limpballs?
Forget about McCain. I’m starting to see a pattern here. This demonizing of MoveOn and Daily Kos and other progressive media is only going to increase. Once the rightwingers get all on the same page with this there is gonna be some real nastiness. Mark my words.
If McCain doesn’t like freedom he should leave the USA.
It’s that simple
When McCain ran against Dub, he was roundly attacked as an unstable soul, due to his military service, which led to his internment and torture.
He was thus attacked by the GOP.
Irony is THE motive force of the universe.
what are you guys talking about? I don’t think McCain is monitoring this forum. yap yap
go plant a tree or something useful why don’t'cha
sharkcellar @ 21:
It’s going to make the 04 elections look like sesame street.
If Democrats had the balls they’d use this fascist remark against McCain and all Republicans. Instead, Harry will put on a pot of weak tea.
My bet is Hillary Clinton versus Fred “Ronald” Thompson
sharkcellar @ 21:
Call it the last gasp of a dying ideology
Right wing hate will always exist in one form or other, so long as ignorant people feel threatened by the unfamiliar.
McCain has become out-of-step with his military backers regarding Iraq. A recent poll by Defencetalk.com asked four questions re: Iraq. and received the following results:
1. Get out and let Iraqis worry about their country 1741 votes - 40.2%
2. Break it up into three countries 988 - 22.8%
3. Increase troops for faster and easier exit 878 - 22.2%
4. Get Iraqi neighbors involved 729 votes - 16.8%
Defence Talk is a respected saber-rattling info blog - visited by active and retired military as well as government contractors.
John Mccain can go to Hell. None of us said his wife slept with a black man it was the Bushian people he carries the water for. “Maverick” using the same talking points as all the mouth-breather repubs. He doesn’t care how many husbands and wives are turned to widows so he can get props from the draft dodger turned hawks Bill Kristols and David Horowitzes of the mouth-breather world. Fuck any anchor that sucks up to him
a guy @ 28:
McCain is a semi-senile old fascist fool. Fortunately, he doesn’t have a chance of winning anything but retirement.
I am so sick of this phony dung beetle saying one thing one day then clarifying it the next to appease who knows who. McCain is a prune. Dried up and squawking like a bird dehydrating in the sun. Go home McCain and forget about politics. You more trouble than you’re worth. The world doesn’t need another war monger.
People are going to have to mobilize thats the bottom line because you know the “Righties” will.
Lizzy @ 6:
It goes along with the bomb-bomb-bomb, bombbomb Iran video.
Yeah McCain, you can just move on outta here. I want my country, meaning our Constitutional RIGHTS back!!! You seem to have become an impediment to the realization of America.
McCain was #1 in the Beast’s 50 most loathesome people in America, 2006:
1. John McCain
Charges: The most consistently mischaracterized politician in the country, even McCain’s most nakedly self-serving machinations are universally hailed as the bold moves of an independent maverick who really, really, like, cares, man. By virtue of his five-year stay at the Hanoi Hilton and a completely ineffectual campaign finance reform bill (which was itself only PR damage control for his long-forgotten role in the Keating Five), McCain has so successfully snowed America the he could go around kicking puppies all day and he’d be applauded for his authenticity. In reality, McCain is as phony as slimeballs come, having reversed his positions on Roe v. Wade, Bush’s tax cuts, the gay marriage amendment and Jerry Falwell in the last year alone, while the mainstream press looked away and whistled nonchalantly. Keeps changing the number of additional troops he thinks should be sent to Iraq, in hopes of extending the disaster beyond the next presidential election, so his decorated veteran status will still be relevant.
Exhibit A: “I hated the gooks, and I will hate them for as long as I live.”
Sentence: Back to the bamboo cage.
http://buffalobeast.com/113/50.....e_2006.htm
What, all three million of us?
Gee, guess someone really doesn’t want ot be president.
Moron McCain.
Whats more dangerous? American military lying to the American people? Or MoveOn calling him out on it?
If y’all think McCain was hot over the BETRAY-US ad, you should have listened to Hannity on Thursday and Friday.
After THEIR PRESIDENT lies to the American people OVER AND OVER during a prime-time TV address…
All they can come up with is to throw a HISSY-FIT over a Move-On print ad. I gotta tell ya… I find that just a little bit humorous.
You know what’s at the end of this rope? A POLITICAL HANGIN’ NOOSE for the whole frikkin’ Republican Party.
One thing I will give W over McCain.
When W says or does something stupid, he’ll stand behind it.
That’s what the GOP calls “resolve.”
Are the number’s in Petraeus’ report “cooked”? The ad claims that deaths by car bombs aren’t counted. And assassinations only count if it’s a bullet to the back of the head.
The ad also cites AP as noting that there have been more civilian and American soldier deaths in the past 3 months than any other summer since we’ve been in Iraq.
If those statements aren’t true then the MoveOn ad should be condemned. Basing arguments on falsehoods is wrong and should always be condemned.
Have any of the claims from the ad been refuted?
The American Taleban hard at work. Maybe they’ll make this Keating 5 crook president of Iran once his “no surrender” bus tour makes its next stop.
As a Vietnam vet who served with McCain, I would like to ask him why he never spoke out against The “Swift Boaters” who discredited against Kerry. What a hypocrite!!
Republicans are basically like the schoolyard bully who likes beating everyone up, but runs crying to the teacher the first time some kid lands a punch to his face. They don’t like a fair fight and will do anything to avoid it. Cowards, all of them.
pitman @ 45:
My thoughts exactly and by the way Senator, why don’t you appoligize for not denouncing the Swift Boat Liars?
wow mccain- you just lost alot of points- too bad i was already well past figuring out your a craphound anyhow.
Did I tell you that McCain is toast?
McCain’s such a douche. Bush and Rove slandered his family and instead of punching them both in the mouth, he licks Bush’s ass every chance he gets. Nice job at selling your soul.
btw- none of the links for this story seem to be working at this instant.
Oh, man. MoveOn should push back on this REAL HARD. Like let’s bring up all of the ways he got punked in the 2000 elections and how he forgave Bush for all that and hasn’t stood up for anything. “McCain’t remember he used to