Opinions On Eveything

SEN. McCAIN: Mm-hmm.

MR. RUSSERT: Is the president wrong?

SEN. McCAIN: I think that the president is realizing more and more that Putin is...

MR. RUSSERT: Not honest and not straightforward.

SEN. McCAIN: If, if not, if not honest, certainly an autocrat who is seeking the consolidation of power with his old buddies from the KGB. I think the president’s very concerned and has expressed those concerns about behavior on the part of the Russian government. Look, we all say things that are stupid. I’m going to probably say several more this morning, so I—the president probably...

MR. RUSSERT: So that was, in your words, stupid of the president to say?

SEN. McCAIN: No, I don’t mean it’s stupid. I mean, we say things...

MR. RUSSERT: Well, he called pre—he called Putin honest and straightforward.

SEN. McCAIN: Look, the president wanted to develop a good working

relationship with Russia and with Putin, and I’m sure that the president has

re-evaluated his position in light of Putin’s recent actions. At the time I

think he was—remember, it was early in his presidency, the president was trying to develop a good relationship with Putin. And, again, I don’t mean stupid. I’ll say it was stupid as far as I’m concerned, but all of us make statements that sometimes are not correct in light—in hindsight.

MR. RUSSERT: How about just, how about a misjudgment?

SEN. McCAIN: At the time it probably was not a good predictor of what Putin would do.

Now if this was 2000 McCain would've been brazen enough to tell it like it is. Of course you can't just go out and call Bush stupid but at least he would've used more forceful language to criticize the president.

SEN. McCAIN: Quote, “Ran an honorable campaign.” I put those things behind me. I don’t look back in anger. I don’t think the American people expect me to look back in anger. Things are said and done in political campaigns which are pretty, which are pretty tough. And they are—and campaigns are tough in America, and they should be. But my support for him was announced three months after the primary was over in the year 2000.

I can understand what McCain is saying here but if he was more honest he'd say something like "I believe it was not an honourable campaign but i've learned to forgive and forget in this case.

(Videotape, February 28, 2000):

SEN. McCAIN: Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: “Agents of intolerance.” And you were asked about that speech and you said this: “I must not and will not retract anything that I said in that speech at Virginia Beach. It was carefully crafted. It was carefully thought out.” Based on that, do you believe that Jerry Falwell is still an agent of intolerance?

....As regards to Reverend Falwell, which is the major thrust of your comments, I met with Reverend Falwell, he came to see me in Washington. We, we agreed to disagree on certain issues and we agreed to move forward. I believe that speaking at Liberty University is no different from speaking at the New College or Ohio State University, all of which I’m speaking—I speak at a lot of colleges and universities. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to do so, to talk to young Americans and talk to them about the obligations and the privileges of freedom.

MR. RUSSERT: But Senator, when you were on here in 2000, I asked you about Jerry Falwell, and this is what you said.

(Videotape, March 5, 2000):

SEN. McCAIN: Governor Bush swung far to the right and sought out the base support of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. That’s—those aren’t the ideas that I think are good for the Republican Party.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: Do you think that Jerry Falwell’s ideas are now good for the Republican Party?

SEN. McCAIN: I believe that the Christ—quote, “Christian right,” has a major role to play in the Republican Party. One reason is, is because they’re so active, and their, and their followers are. And I believe they have a right to be a part of our party. I don’t have to agree with everything they stand for, nor do I have to agree with everything that’s on the liberal side of the Republican Party. If we have to agree on every issue, we’re not a Republican Party. I believe in open and honest debate. Was I unhappy in, in, in the year 2000 that I lost the primary and there were some attacks on me that I thought was unfair? Of course. Do I—should I get over it? Should I serve—can I serve the people of Arizona best by looking back in anger or moving forward?

This is only a portion of their discourse on Falwell. This exchange was the one that really nailed it for me. The old McCain would've been up front and tell it like it is. Jerry Falwell and the Christian Right for that matter have really taken a hold of the Republican Party and some of their views help to polarize rather then unite the nation. McCain was never one to mince words about things he thought were wrong but apparently he has now put things behind him and have learned to play in the GOP sandbox.

This is pretty sad stuff as McCain was the maverick voice that had such broad appeal that there were rumours he'd be on the Democrat ticket in '04. That McCain has been replaced by a homogenized, run of the mill republican who will pander to those who will get him into office.

I will still support McCain if he so chooses to run in '08 but I will not view him as the true sane voice in American politics.

And that is a shame.