Face The Nation: McCain Defends GOP Lack of Diversity By Ignoring the Question
By Nicole Belle Saturday Sep 06, 2008 4:30pm
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Download | play (h/t Heather)
What is it about McCain ignoring the actual questions and answering questions never asked? And of course, Bush golfing buddy Bob Schieffer never points out that he didn't actually answer question about why there are so few African-Americans in the Republican Party and how that might affect the long term outlook on his party but lets him instead go on a five minute, rambling non-sequitur about education vouchers.
SCHIEFFER: I want to ask you about the composition of the...of the convention. There were 36 African American delegates out of 2300 plus delegates there. How can you survive as a party if you become just the party of white people?
McCAIN: We can't. We can't. I saw a bit of information the other day that by, I forgot, I think...don't hold me to it, 2042 or something like that, white Americans will be in the minority in the population of this country. We can't. We've got to reach out; we gotta do a better job. We have to have the Hispanic as well as the African American voters. I've traveled all over this country. I've been to places where there were literally no Republican votes. I have to convince them I'll be the president of everybody. And the Republican party has a job to do. And frankly, it's a job that also spills over into other issues. You've seen the generic ballot difference that we have...[..]
SCHIEFFER: So what are you going to do about that?
McCAIN: Oh, education, economy, small business, create jobs....education, as I mentioned, civil rights issue of this century. Now everyone has equal access to a school. But what's the point of access to a failed school, or a failing school? We've got to give them more choice, more opportunity, all Americans. Because we know in low income America, the schools are failing, with the exception of NYC, now New Orleans and some others. But so, a quality education is really the dream of every parent. As you know in Washington DC, they have an experimental voucher system. Huge number of parents want to take advantage of that, thousands more than they have room for. So we got to provide the kinds of opportunities in education, one of the keys to it, help for small businesses, and get the economy back on its feet, don't raise the taxes, get it going again. Americans are hurting in a way that they have not hurt for a long time. I would probably argue to you that the 65 appearances - I hate to keep bringing that up - that we probably--you and I-never had a conversation when our economy was in greater difficulty than it is today.
Okay, McSame...obviously continuing Bush's policies will change the economy and the minorities' outlook on the GOP how? Here's a helpful hint from someone who hopes you never step foot in the Oval Office: if you really want to attract minorities to the GOP, you have to address these issues: (h/t Don Rumsfeld hater in the comments)
If you're a minority and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "token hire."
If you're a conservative and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "game changer."
If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fulling vetting the individual you're "reckless."
A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a "maverick."
If you get 18 million people to vote for you in a national presidential primary, you're a "phoney."
Get 100,000+ people to vote you governor of the 47th most populous state in the Union, you're "well loved."
If you're a black man and you use a scholarship to get into college, then work your way up to being the president of the Harvard Law Review, you're "uppity."
If you're a conservative and your parents pay your way to Hawaii Pacific University . . . you only have four more schools to attend over the next five years before you somehow manage to graduate (it might be five more school over the next five years. No one has yet verified whether or not Palin was actually ever registered at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. But, you know how shady people are who ever attended any kind of school in Hawaii).
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The Republican Party is the party of hopelessness.
Soon he'll be claiming that he's an African-American.
moniker @ 2:
Most def. Ya feel me, nig***?
McCain takes on GOP and Bush along with Obama.
I thought McCain is running as a Republican-GOP?
This a bait and switch or just your everyday garden variety political scam-hose job?
This more than anything is why the Repulican Party will be no more within 20 years. It makes no difference who wins in Nov as the republican Party is over. It's like that dead tree in the yard that looks alive but really isn't.
McSame: "I'm Black and I'm Proud."
My friends, we had some african americans booked and paid for, but they were beaten and arrested before they got into the convention hall.
Yup. Let the white people lead the way towards enlightenment.
Didn't he say that America has to catch up to history?
Crusades
book burning/banning
world war
burning witches
economic depression
ice age
noah's ark
Are those the parts of history he is chasing? 'Cause it sure sounds like it.
L.A. Confidential @ 4:
I mean if someones selling you a Chevy when you fork out and drive off you expect to be driving a Chevy not a Ford with a Chevy insignia they slapped on while you weren't looking.
One day I hope we can a straight answer to the questions we really want to know.
But it's all good, it's all about the character right? Screw the issues, I trust McCain... I trust that McCain will not change a damn thing....
So I assume the Republican party is officially dead-history and now we have a what?
The War Monger Crusader Party disguised as Republican Fiscal Conservatives?
Democrats versus The War Mongering Crusaders
Sounds about right.
"Senator, McCain, why weren't there any blacks in your audience last week?"
"You know, I'm glad you asked that... we really need to improve our schools... "
but he doesn't have alzheimers, right??
See, this article clearly demonstrates a large part of the problem in our politics.
The link above (Bush golfing buddy Bob Scheiffer) connects you to an article, which, if you read down far enough, provides the information that Tom Scheiffer, Bob's brotheris a Texas millionaire who was a partner/owner/president of the Texas Rangers with G.W. Bush. So, the connection is about more than golf.
These kinds of backstories about the relationships between the media/corporate big shots/international financial people/and our political "leaders" hold the kind of information that most folks never see or know.
They may think Bob Schieffer is a little nicer to Republicans - but they never understand that the "whole system" is encompassed in one, huge circle of men (mostly) who really are part of the old-boys-club, and who really do make the policies, laws, and all kinds of decisions that affect our daily lives in ways that will ensure they reap the most provileges and rewards. The rest of us be damned.
The whole game is rigged.
McCain said he'll also ask some members of his Cabinet "to work for a dollar a year. They've made enough money."
If that's not enough of a hint to what the McCain Economic policy is going to end up being nothing is.
The maverick title for this liar is just smoke and mirrors. McSame voted with Bush 95% of the time. He says one thing one day and contradicts it the next and then denies it when asked about it. MsSame revealed to me that he was senile and not to be trusted the day he hugged GWB after the dirty tricks the W campaign played on him in the 2000 election. McSame is a prostitute who will do anything to be elected. He caved to James Dobson by selecting the foul mouthed woman for VP. His campaign manager is a lobbyist. If he caves to the religious reichwingnuts, what will he do do when the lobbyists come calling? The same thing he has always done, whatever they asked. McSame is the anti-maverick.
Although McCain didn't answer Schieffer's question, he did answer Biden's question of the day: "What do you talk about when you don't have anything to say? What do you talk about when all you have is 8 years of failure to explain?"
McCain's answer: Change the subject.
burnt @ 13:
At least give him credit for noticing the "MAVRICK" sign.
Education? Oh, you mean that thing you party ridicules as elitist and arrogant? The public system your party undermines and defunds, and then hold up as a failure? Right...
Four more years...
It's not enough for Bob S to ask the question, let McCain drift along on stuff frozen in his brain for the last 20 years, and barely ask or not ask him to clarify; put into 2008 relevance, or stay on topic. So......
Every time he escapes from having to be put on the spot, or just clarifying, he wins, and America loses.
Palin has notifed Charlie Gibson of ABC that he can be the first to interview her. It is all kabuki theater.
"We've got to remind folks that we're the party of Abraham Lincoln...and Theodore Roosevelt...and Ronald Reagan".
STFU, McCan't!
If the economy is in such difficulty then why is the U.S a nation of whiners?
Amitola @ 14:
You might be right but I have a feeling the motivations may not always be so sinister. For most of these "journalists" it's about maintaining access, and rubbing shoulders with the powerful. I live in the area, and one DC insider/journalist once told me that if he asked the questions of pols that he should ask, then he wouldn't get the invites to the best cocktail parties that he's become accustomed to attending.
McCant's bullshit about giving people choice in education is more rethug garbage. Restore Federal funding of public education and schools will improve. Fuck giving OUR money to "charter schools".
"That was before. Trust me Charlie Brown. I won't pull the ball away again. I promise."
I wished Bob had also asked him if it's true that Trac Palin is going to Iraq, not out of a sense of patriotism, but simply to avoid JAIL time, as reported here:
http://news.spreadit.org/sarah-palin-son-track-palin-going-to-iraq-to-av...
Nice Summary
The US government now confronts every minor inconvenience with brutality and force. With lies. With tricks. With deceit. With unrivaled hypocrisy. It speaks a scripted and rehearsed dialog of illogic and insults. It changes the meanings of words and uses those words as weapons to crush, to silence and oppress, to steal what it wants. This government no longer shows respect for anyone but itself and feels no compulsion to listen or cooperate, to show respect for others, or to care at all about right and wrong, truth or lies, justice or injustice.
It seems that this government can't take a single step without stepping on others, without breaking the very laws it exists to uphold, without negating every principle we stand for.
At what point will this criminality cease?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20703.htm
Dr Acula @ 25:
An educated populace is the Republican Party's biggest fear. Lucky for them half of America is content to wallow in their ignorance and vote against their interests. Hell, they're actually PROUD of their ignorance, at least they aren't like those elitist libs...As long we we have Jesus and NASCAR, what more do we need? Throw in Toby Keith to read the bedtime story and we're practically in a utopia.
A suprised he doesn't have a black couple or Asian couple behind him during the interveiw. The way the RNC exploited the very few minorities that were there was insulting. Like the American people are that dumb. Well Bush was elected twice. So who knows?
Amitola @ 14:
it took lopping off everyones heads for the french revolution to be
effective.........so is it not time to let the reichwingneocons eat cake
while we lop off their lobbyist/fascist support and put a stop to
the destruction of the Constitution and the rape of the
American citizens?
Dr Acula @ 25:
I don't understand why he's bothering to talk about improving America's education anyway. Don't they win when the population stays dumb? Oh right, it's part of the "every four year" ramble. Just reconnecting with the voters to say you intend to care, like four years ago when you said it before.
McCain mentioned 'education'.
Are Republican voters now more educated than before... I don't think so...
McCain,Juiliani,Huckabee and now Sarah might not be the today's political candidates for Republicans if voters were more educated.
Republicans keep adding more religious leaders to their base who seek Christian religious revolution in this country , that's not the way to go .
But since vote is what the elections are all about, Republican politicians seem to be very content for now,but the future might not be bright for the party which starts to look as a religious club.
Dr Acula @ 22:
This is McPOW's way of "chasing history".
Dr Acula @ 22:
And Bush, and Bush. It's nice to know he left that one out. As Biden said yesterday, "these aren't your granddaddy's republicans."
Rico @ 24:
Snark, right? If not, your DC insider/journalist needs to go to a blogger ethics seminar. Oh. that's right - the insider isn't a blogger! "Ethics" for a Washington insider apparently means not airing the dirty laundry of folks mean enough to cut off your access if you do journalism rather than society scene columns.
Its basically the big oil companies and the military trying to maintain status quo which requires US/Dollar hegenomy established at the end of WW2 to continue. It can’t because we’re bankrupt.
McCains whole indoctrination from his first breath is Military. Out of all the choices for a GOP candidate they pick this guy.
Go figure
John McCain is really starting to concern me. He is probably have a bit of a ego correction. Since he was forced to bring on Palin he is starting to draw crowds in the thousands (even though they are all evangelicals) when prior he had a hard time drawing a few hundred.
Palin-McCain-Diebolt '08
Many here assume electing Dems solves all the problems.
Yes, McCain sucks.
But is there a REAL opposition party in this country?
Beware of what you wish for.
Gop Inclusiveness Roadshow tour:
http://www.bgladd.com/McSameStore/GOPcolorPurple.jpg
I have a firm belief that history, details, facts, and truth don't see eye to eye with John McCain and other republicans.
VietVet8666 @ 39:
Obviously there's little choice. Right Wings ruled for 20 of the last 28 years.
If McCain is elected, we are absolutely and irrevocably done. It will then be too late to fix it in 2012.
Peter G @ 23:
McCain gives such a non answer to bob's response to mcCain saying the economy is the worst americans have seen in a long time.....then bob says but you said it's got good fundamentals.....well it does i believe in the american people......blah blah....no substance at all.
mcCain has NO idea what he is talking about so he gives the canned political pandering response. this is a global economy....we must adapt and compete with other countries or companies will continue to do business/manufacturing abroad. this is why healthcare
reform is so important. if i remember correctly GM
was 'whining' about healthcare cost per vehicle.
if we increase the size of the paying pool cost will drop and people will get healthcare because it's affordable.
industry large/small will like this because they will be
able to compete with the likes of china. mccain is taking us down the same path we have now.
L.A.
My feeling is that the U.S. needs to hit bottom, real hard, in order to turn around.
What bugs me a lot is the following:
"Republican presidential candidate John McCain said that Illinois Senator Barack Obama has not worked as a reformer because he has not challenged Democrats.
"I do know that he never took on his party on any major issue," McCain said, appearing on CBS News' Face The Nation. "From the time he came up in the Chicago political arena to the time, the short time he was in the Senate, he never took on his party on a single major issue."
In contrast, the Republican Senator said he'd taken on his own party a lot. "
The real answer to that should be: 'Why hasn't McSame voted with the Democrats at least 90% of the time?'
I mean if your mother loves you, why should you be expected to hate your mother?
L.A. Confidential @ 42:
That is why the Bible bangers are so excited by Palin. She gets in, fires off some nukes, and it's sweet Jesus we're coming home.
"HE'S OUT OF TOUCH WITH MAINSTREAM AMERICA."
Abraham@46, You're right. My mother and her Religiuos right-wing friends have been waiting for the Apoclypse for years now. Y2K, The dems assuming control in 2006, They seem determined that Liberals and Dems are the root of all evil.
VietVet8666 @ 39:
your first mistake was saying 'all problems' nobody said that including Obama. wanting more of the same is insane in my judgement so i'll go with Obama/Biden/09
it's NOT all or nothing......... black or white
if you know who can solve 'all the problems' please enlighten me you've got my attention.
this is about who do you think will has the best intentions/judgement/cerebral abilities and a good cabinet.
You really nailed the economy there John.
paraphrase: "We are in trouble but the economy is sound. We have never had a conversation about the economy when times have been this tough but our best days are ahead of is because I have confidence in the American people."
What meaningless drivel. Bullshit even more bland than usual.
Faith and confidence ain't gonna build a house when you got the directions to build a toilet.
constituent at 49
let's say you're given the choice of A or B
you don't like either A or B
what do you say?
B is better than A?
that may be true
but if both A and B suck, who cares?
The GOP is one big scam operation. When will Americans finally catch on??? I know, probably when it's too late, and they no longer have a government that works for them. Obama is the candidate that wants to empower the people, and the Republitards are scared to death of him. Any guy that can inspire the masses the way Obama does is a threat to the status quo, a threat to their power and wealth. At this point they are indeed desperate. They will say and do anything, even risk having a neophyte like Palin as VP, and possibly President, if the old guy kicks the bucket.
Does the independent nation of Alaska have a Face the Nation program? Perhaps Sarah Palin will appear on that show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI
McCain is actually capable of speaking coherently.
But when he's caught out, he sounds more like #41, with his tortured non-sentences.
Look folks, I'm a Democrat and there hasn't been a Republican in the last 20 years that I could or would vote for. But be real - he did answer the questions:
He is clearly saying that the Republican party cannot survive without minorities.
His answer to this one is muddled
So, in summary - making minorities better educated and richer will help the Republican party grow. While this is true in a very small way (certainly smaller than single digit percent) I would have to say that racist behavior by the Republicans does more to keep minorities out than anything else. They are a party that is against ANYTHING that helps the poor or disenfranchised. They are against anything that does not support their version of government or the legal system. They are NOT open to discussion or debate. They are NOT willing to give up anything to help the greater good. To them, the greater good is themselves.
I will not get into religion, finance reform, taxation or even education. They are the hypocrites on pretty much every topic they say they are for. The Republican party is doomed to a well deserved death in my opinion. I am not saying the Democratic party is perfect - but at least they try to govern! They try to reason and will debate and LISTEN to others.
republicans only talk about things other republicans listen for. For instance.
If you ask about education. See republicans think that education is only for those that can afford to pay for it. They think if I can afford to send my kid to college and you can't, then my kid should be able to tell your kid what to do.
So they listen differently. They only hear what they want to hear.
That's all republicans doesn't matter if it's a poll or a voter.
If they perceive that you are liberal and asking a question they just zone out until you quit speaking. Then they blurt out whatever ignorant bullshit they have been rolling around in their ample head but very small brain.
So if you ask about education? You get back some crap about choice, jobs, and how the republicans are the best that have ever been in whatever field it is, when all the time you will find that what they are good at, and not good at it, but cannot keep from lying to try to cover up their incompetence and greed.
Once you understand that everything in republican christian corporate fascist world first revolves around greed, followed by insane selfishness, and a burning desire to force their will upon others. You understand why they never answer a question. To much bullshit going on inside of them to even listen to what you have to say. that's all!
McCane, he's an ass, oh BTW, "I was a POW". Big Fucking Deal you chickenshit, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows that that is not a prerequisite for your garbage. I was a POW! Please suck my cock. I was a POW! I called my wife a c*nt and she doesn't care. I have a wife who will slut herself so get over it, heh, heh, Did you know I was a pilot? Fuck you, I was a pilot. I was a POW. I can now run the USA. DUH, you cannot run a fucking sentence together, you Dick. You, and your party, this is the nub of it all, is that you can very possibly be put on trial for war Crimes Against Humanity. Wow, just think of the television ratings!!!!!
[Deleted-You might want to think about dialing it back a notch or two-Sitemonitor]
People never see their own racism and sexism.
It's always the victim's fault for not having a good enough education, or the right (white) "culture."
They can't see that when they're confronted with someone clearly superior in intellect and experience who happens to be black, they still call him "uppity" and that, my friends, is D-I-S-C-R-I-M-I-N-A-T-I-O-N.
They can't see that when they assume that women will vote for another woman no matter how little experience or intellect or character or judgement she exhibits, that, my friends is S-E-X-I-S-M.
Those two little things that are the major life factors of every woman & minority on the planet, those two things white men never see -- even though they ACT on these base impulses it all the time.
dadams @ 31:
Well, yeah. But until you have a passed a threshold point where most Americans know and understand that there IS a REAL problem with the people running the gov't (PtB, dems & reps), it's kinda' hard to get them to push to change the system. 9/11 was effectively used to scar the bejeebus out of folks, so they think that the Patriot Act, FISA changes and having cavity searches at airports are signs that our government is protecting us??!!!
Because, as the initial article posted here points out, all of the major media outlets in this country are actual tools of the gov't. So, trying to get TRUTH and information to the masses that they're being led down the path to full-blown fascism, is a little difficult. I think, for starters, the whole election system should be re-vamped - but the legislators in Congress and in the states who would need to be changing the lasw to make that happen are not gonna' vote to stop the gravy train they're on.
As for cake, I like some once in a while, with ice cream.....
VietVet8666 @ 44:
Were damn close. An 8 year free fall.
Abraham Jackemoff @ 46:
yes I think that is it for some of them, the robertson,dobson, fundanutalists!
Widespread @ 55:
"A twisted tail! A thousand eyes! EPA!"
And by tortured, I mean turgid and non-linear.
VietVet8666 @ 52:
we obviously look at idealism and realism differently
in order to be realistic one must compromise. this is a basic but important element of human philosophy especially when it involves governing humans.
your example is too simplistic as it sits i would say i like neither. since i'm NOT a black and white processor
thinker...i would compromise if i didn't have any choices and my survival depended on it.
if one is NOT able to compromise and paints with a very broad brush and says both suck......you might as well see if you can get a train ticket from travelocity to Utopia......otherwise stay don't participate and get nothing and like it.
LBJ sucked. He got elected in 1964.
Nixon sucked. He got elected in 1968 and 1972.
Carter was a good person but sucked as president. He got elected in 1976.
Reagan sucked bigtime. He got elected in 1980 and 1984.
GHB sucked a whole lot, a whole lot. He got elected in 1988.
Bill Clinton was smart and charming. He got elected in 1992 and 1996.
Shrub is the worst president ever. Fucking ever. He got elected in 2000 and 2004.
So, who's going to get elected in 2008?
See, this article clearly demonstrates a large part of the problem in our politics.
The link above (Bush golfing buddy Bob Scheiffer) connects you to an article, which, if you read down far enough, provides the information that Tom Scheiffer, Bob’s brotheris a Texas millionaire who was a partner/owner/president of the Texas Rangers with G.W. Bush. So, the connection is about more than golf.
These kinds of backstories about the relationships between the media/corporate big shots/international financial people/and our political “leaders” hold the kind of information that most folks never see or know.
They may think Bob Schieffer is a little nicer to Republicans - but they never understand that the “whole system” is encompassed in one, huge circle of men (mostly) who really are part of the old-boys-club, and who really do make the policies, laws, and all kinds of decisions that affect our daily lives in ways that will ensure they reap the most provileges and rewards. The rest of us be damned.
The whole game is rigged.
it took lopping off everyones heads for the french revolution to be
effective………so is it not time to let the reichwingneocons eat cake
while we lop off their lobbyist/fascist support and put a stop to
the destruction of the Constitution and the rape of the
American citizens?
Until enough Americans decide enough is enough then we will just have to keep telling people until we do get enough. Enough of us together we can run these people out. Maybe we need a little vigilante justice for these people!
VietVet8666 @ 64:
So, WTF is your point? Don"t vote for anybody?
Ron @ 66:
Yes. Rebel.
SCHIEFFER: So what are you going to do about that?
McCAIN: Just take a big dump on the American people. They love it.
VietVet8666 @ 67:
That's what the republicans want us to do so they can round us up and put us in concentration camps. I'll go with the voting option first.
VietVet8666 @ 67:
hey that was then this is NOW.....get on board....the legislative branch has been ignored by this administration it's our time/turn.....don't throw out what
i hear on the (R) blogs and media ...'he says he's going to fix EVERYTHING' no sorry obama is an intellect. he is going to us the tool and direction to help ourselves.
get a grip.
when obama sits down and talks to an interviewer, he talks.
when mccain sits down and talks to an interviewer, he burbles talking points.
and there's a question that mccain is not competent to be president?
karen marie @ 71:
bingo..........
It's a dying party and they know it. There is no plan to change the shape of the party in the future because the master plan dictates they will be the ONLY party, a ruling party. A party of the haves which rules over the party-less masses of the have-nots. They don't intend to share their rights to health care, or wealth distribution, or personal privacy rights with the likes of "the masses". It will be class warfare to the extreme under their futuristic fantasy rule. They will not be much different than other ruling elite seen around the world. Your sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers will be their servants. We will fight their battles, we will take their abuse. They in turn will serve their corporate paymasters who occupy the very top tier of this ruling elite. Just name one single sign of the times that suggests it will be any different?
McCain can't escape his roots.
The turd who finished 5th from the bottom of his naval graduating class is talking about
being the driving force in getting more racial diversity in the garbage GOP ?
Ummm , does the educational ladder reach any higher than an Ivy League school , like the one Obama attended ?
Even with his penchant in answering a direct question with a non-sequitur ala Larry King , McDepends still comes across as a clueless wonder..........
The GOP looks for good bullshitters ; not intelligent individuals............
36 African American delegates out of 2300 plus delegates
damn the camera men for television coverage worked overtime to find and show all of them.
Anyone here would be a better president than shrub, mcwrinkle, obamarama.
No one here would have invaded Iraq, allowed the mortgage crisis to happen, transferred so much money to U.S. corporations.
Fight your enemy. Don't fight among yourselves.
remember this from the Double Talk Express.....
mccain doen't know the economy 45 second video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OunCv-7qvA
Dr Acula @ 25: