Richard WarnickMcCain’s Fudge Haus
Via Talking Points Memo and Think Progress: Yesterday, Senator McCain told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that Maliki’s 16-month timetable for withdrawal from Iraq is a “pretty good timetable.” He only adds that “they have to be based on conditions on the ground.”
In other words, Barack Obama’s 16-month timetable is a catastrophe but Maliki’s is “pretty good”. And the difference is that Maliki’s is based on conditions on the ground and Obama’s isn’t — even though they’re both 16 months.
McCain often repeats the claim that Barack Obama wants to lose a war in order to win an election, equating any Iraq withdrawal with defeat. Some have said this amounts to an accusation of treason. Now McCain wants out in 16 months, just like Obama.
The day before yesterday, McCain held a press avail in front of a sign for “Schmidt’s Fudge Haus.” Now he’s apparently opened his own fudge shop.
UPDATE: This morning on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” McCain whipped up a fresh batch of fudge. He denied using the word “timetable,” and insisted that any departure from Iraq would have to be based only on conditions — though he wouldn’t mind if withdrawal happened in two months, four months, six months or yesterday.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You shouldn’t have used the word timetable.
MCCAIN: I didn’t use the word timetable. That I did — if I did…
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, it’s a pretty good timetable.
MCCAIN: Oh, well, look. Anything is a good timetable that is dictated by conditions on the ground. Anything is good… I like six months, three months, two months. I like yesterday. I like yesterday, OK? That seems really good to me. But the fact is, the conditions on the ground…
Talking Points Memo has more on McCain’s fudge factory.
UPDATE: In the same Stephanopoulos interview. McCain mis-identified General David Petraeus as “Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff” (he’s the CENTCOM commander).
July 26th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I feel sorry for McCain. Not really.
He will tough it out (the campaign) and go down in history as the biggest losing candidate for president in history.
July 26th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
He’ll do better than McGovern, he will win Utah and quite likely several other states, and it isn’t even October yet, it won’t nearly be a landslide.
I figure since Gore actually won the election he is the biggest losing president in US history. Won and never served, now that’s losing.
July 27th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I hope Cliff is right. So far the polls have Obama and McCain neck and neck, and the big media are rooting for McCain.
July 27th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I stand by my prediction a year ago, that the Democrat candidates are unelectable in the mainstream of America, and with the corporate power base.
As sad and as incredible as it may seem, after the last 8 years of debacle in all arenas, for McCain to be polling neck and neck with Obama at this juncture is a VERY BAD SIGN.
Any republican following bushs’ Iraq lead should be dead and buried by now. Instead, where I live, a Democrat state, no one outside Seattle is voting for Obama, we can only imagine what is going on in States that lean right.
It isn’t even October yet. That is when Obamas’ former lifestyle and drug use come into the fore, just watch. The political opiates that propelled Obama are wearing off, of course those devoted to change will vote for him still. The corporate world is stone cold against him, and in this country, that means far more than the peon vote…if the last 8 years hasn’t learned you up.
July 27th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Polls? Neck and neck? Who?
Rasmussen has it 49-45 for Obama.
Gallup is at 49-40 Obama.
Pollster.com (a poll aggregate) has it 44.7-41.5 for Obama, and that’s from 7/24. The last time McCain was ahead in any of the Pollster.com polls was the ABC/Post poll from 6/12-6/15/08 and he was only up 48-47.
The media might be saying “neck and neck” because that’s what they need to maintain ratings, but I think it’s pretty much not the case at this point. I don’t think it will be an electoral “blowout” a la Reagan in ‘84 (it will probably be closer to 300-238, give or take 10-15 either way) but McCain could be the biggest loser ever when it comes to raw popular votes.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Here here Don,
The only polls that have McCain and Obama neck and neck are in Karl Rove’s head. And the major network polls which serve the singular purpose of selling more advertising.
Wasn’t Rove the guy who said Republican would do well in 2006?
July 28th, 2008 at 8:52 am
You must not forget, Karl has THE numbers!
I’m thinking that McCain is only playing this part so as to assure Obama’s victory, that between the November vote and his taking the oath, there’ll be some cause to invade or bomb Iran, leaving the newly elected administration grappling with an expanded war and perhaps even martial law. A sweet gift from the repugs and punishment for not seeing imperialism the way they do.
I would put nothing past this slime.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:22 am
To be sure, to be voted into office next round will be difficult no matter who gets in. People are strapped, their home equity declining, basic costs, food fuel are up, and all 50 States are running budget deficits. Nafta is going to stay, and the dems will pay only lip service to the immigration issue which is destroying working peoples wages and benefits.
With history as my guide, the only real solutions that the Democrat party really has ever come up with is raising taxes. No matter the rise on the rich, there must be rising taxes on the burdened middle class as well. The rich will, are, funding the media against Obama, or for him, as if he raises taxes in this climate democrats are doomed. Corporate America wins 4 years from now when he is axed.
The People won’t be interested in unproven know nothing plans. Same goes for McCain, he may well be the stand in 4 year guy, if he wins, or simply the patsy to allow Obama to take the next 4 years fall.
Same goes for democrats at the state level as well. No matter the ideology, the numbers can’t be changed. We are broke, and blame and “I got this new program see”, isn’t going to fly, well maybe for the 100 day honeymoon period, but after that the public is going to draw blood.
We can see Obama backtracking on virtually every position he held in the primaries against Hillary, he said anything he needed to to win. Now there he straddles the fence on almost every issue, hoping to fool the margin of people required for him to get elected.
McCain, Obama…who cares at this point? We are going to get mugged by either of them, as for real…the fix is in. Corporate America is drowning, and the people are the life raft…and we aren’t holding air. No one can fix it. Looks terminal.
Which may be a good thing. It would mean we all have to start from scratch, and rather than putting monies into this sieve of an economy to prop it up, we could after a proper crash build something with a real foundation. It is going to hurt, right now we are still on the bike after losing control, waiting for the ground to rush up.
Bring on the Jubilee.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:26 am
The margin of error for national polls is 3-4 percent, so Obama’s lead isn’t significant. Today’s HuffPo has an interesting article. There is a good case for a big Obama win, especially in the Electoral College. But some analysts still think this election will be another close one.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:39 am
I’d like to add that there’s nothing going on in the housing and banking industries that a little waterboarding of Hussien Obama wouldn’t fix.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Cav, It is will a heavy heart that I say, I agree with you.
Anything is possible with this cabal. Anything.
July 28th, 2008 at 11:18 am
CNN Poll Of Polls: Obama Has Doubled His Lead
July 28th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Richard,
“Obama’s lead isn’t significant” isn’t the same thing as “neck and neck.” Gallup and Rasmussen are both /- 2 for margin of sampling error. I do understand the point you are making though. If the “sampling error” is in McCain’s favor in both polls (and all the others out there right now, which is statistically improbable at best) then things are closer than they appear.
Check out Fivethirtyeight.com for some great poll analysis that is plugged in to a pretty solid model for predicting election outcomes.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
It ‘aint October yet, all this stage matters is not much of anything.
If anything is possible, then hope for the cabal to fall apart. That the opposition stands like a deer in the headlights hasn’t helped much.
Look out Democrats, the 25 ton dump truck, loaded with sand, and sporting an ice plow, is bearing down on you. Don’t just stand there, RUN!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Rasmussen’s tracking poll out today gives Obama 45% of the vote while McCain gets 42%. Margin of error +/- 2 percent, which means it could just as easily be McCain 44% and Obama 43%. I call that “neck and neck.”
July 28th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Or it could just as easily be 47-41 for Obama which translates to an electoral blowout.
I guess it really doesn’t matter, but it just doesn’t seem logical to me that when one person is leading in almost every poll out there for months on end that the race is “neck and neck”.
“Obama maintains a slight lead” seems more appropriate . . .
July 28th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Record deficit this year, who has been running Congress? What branch of government has the power of the purse strings?
bush is calling the tune yeah, but there are a bunch of spineless idiots dancing to it.
6th grade civics for anyone who took it.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:52 am
The only thing I hate more then a poll that doesn’t reflect my views is an exit poll that reflects my views until midnight on election night and then flips without any analysis by the media. This has happened so many times now, that we are actually used to it.
If we can run Karl Rove out of the country, as was done recently, or put him in jail and keep him there for the next election, we may have a chance. There is a possibility of that happening. A Lawyer named Cliff Arnebeck, who is going after Rove says he can put Rove in jail, even if he is pardoned.
JOY!
You would think the Republicans would be angry that Rove keeps going after people’s wives to get his way, but then, what did you expect.