Many people contended that John McCain should retire from the Senate following his crushing 2008 Presidential election defeat by Barack Obama. After all, he had tried for a number of years to win the Republican Presidential nomination, had finally won it, but then showed no interest or understanding in the economic travails that were driving America and most of the rest of the world into recession that year. He had to deal with the embarrassment of having a Vice Presidential nominee who consistently was more electrifying and spoke to rapturous throngs, while his could fit in a Waffle House.
He was wealthy and could spend what was left of his golden years lolling on a lanai with his fetching wife, Cindy. There was nothing he could hope to accomplish in the Senate, where he had toiled for most of his adult life. Most of his party had turned on him, leaving him with only the support of Lindsay Graham and Joe Lieberman, as long as he threatened to invade every Mideast nation he could find on a map. But no, he decided to stay.
Then, for some reason that is impossible for a non-psychiatrist to discern, he decided to run for re-election in 2010. His campaign slogan that year was ‘Let’s build the danged fence.’ I’m guessing that Election Day 2010 was the last time that he thought about the danged fence; for all I know, it was the last time that he was in Arizona. After all, he had junkets to travel to foreign capitals, where some unwary foreign leader might think that he was relevant.
None of us expected to hear from him much during this year’s election campaign…and fittingly, he was silent, until the Benghazi killings. Finally, it was time for Big John to spread his wings. He blamed everyone he could think of, with the possible exceptions of David Petraeus, head of the CIA, which was in charge of intelligence prior to the attack, or Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, who was responsible for the Ambassador and the others who were killed. No, these two were his friends.
So, McCain spent the rest of the campaign as well as the first few weeks this month blaming Susan Rice for repeating claims provided to her by the CIA on television. After all, she didn’t check out the intelligence briefings provided her. Then, it was revealed that Methuselah McCain had an ulterior motive for the big stink. In January, under GOP rules, he will lose his assignment as Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee because of term limits. So, Ulysses McCain sought to create another committee to investigate Benghazi, of which he would naturally chair. However, other Republicans vetoed this plan.
He had threatened to filibuster Rice if she were nominated as Secretary of State, but then when he counted votes, he found out that less than 40 of his fellow Republican Senators would play his reindeer games. So now, she will meet with him, and they’ll take some photos to add to his collection, and everything will be copacetic.
Then, unfortunately, Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday asked McCain to be a guest this Sunday. This was catnip to the Arizona Senator. So, when Wallace asked him about abortion, he responded, “As far as young women are concerned, I don’t think anybody like me – I can state my position on abortion, but other than that, leave the issue alone when we are in the kind of economic situation, and frankly, national security situation that we’re in.”
Now, Republicans have already signaled an end to their fight against gay marriage. If they also stop talking about abortion, what is left to make their base in the Bible Belt continue to support them? Florida and Virginia have voted for Obama twice, without the Bible Belt’s fervent supporters they will soon lose Georgia and North Carolina. What would the base of the party be then…a few states in the Rockies and Plains and a few Gulf States, none of which have many people.
So, now is the time to get out, Senator. People still remember your heroic service in Vietnam. Arizona has a Republican Governor who could nominate a successor for you. So, go lounge in the desert and drink a Bud or two.
November 27th, 2012 at 4:39 am
Abortion and gay marriage are not paramount this early in the election. The GOP will have plenty of time to play that hand. John’s obviously much more passionate and concerned over Benghazi than he is over dog and pony show issues that only provide political theatrics. As far as his comments with Wallace on Sunday, any evasiveness on those issues were minute compared to his flip flopping on tax breaks for the rich.
I’ve said many times that George W. Bush beat John McCain in the 2000 election and then beat him again in the 2008. You may have to stop and ponder on that one, or at least come to terms that there was indeed an 8 year Bush era.
November 27th, 2012 at 6:25 am
It’s hard to see what can be gained from discussing ancient history (no pun on McCain’s age); ranting about his 2008 presidential run is about as useless as talking about Bush’s administration or Clinton’s Lewinsky exploitation, unless you’re writing a history book. Time to talk about people and events that are relevant. McCain was elected by Arizonians and is no longer a contender for national office. Get over it and move on (not MoveOn). I expect better from RightPundits.
November 27th, 2012 at 6:59 am
Pretty harsh, John! Look, we all know that the ‘Old Faker’, John McCain, is a washed-up politician. He has neither the vision nor the fire to take on any of the relevant issues of the day. Yet, because of his senior status in the Senate, and that he was once a presidential candidate, McCain continues to be trotted out like a cigar store Indian to make a sale. Nobody is buying his brand anymore.
Hopefully the numbskulls in Arizona wise up…
November 27th, 2012 at 8:44 am
“Now, Republicans have already signaled an end to their fight against gay marriage. If they also stop talking about abortion, what is left to make their base in the Bible Belt continue to support them?”
That’s a very good question. The nation, as a whole, becoming more secular doesn’t help either.
November 27th, 2012 at 9:46 am
Unfortunately his voting on gay marriage and abortion is the exact opposite of his most recent ramblings.
The abortion issue is going to increasingly be addressed by state governments, which are substantially more Republican of late.
Growing up in Michigan, if a girl in high school got in trouble she would have to travel to New York for an abortion. It was legal in New York, Washington and Alaska before Roe v. Wade in 1973. God I’m old.
There were, of course, local “services”, but with very little degree of safety.
So if the trend continues, just like pot and gay marriage, abortion will become a “tourism” issue, much as it was in the Midwest and East before Roe v. Wade. Believe it or not, the New York abortion services advertised in concert with transportation and lodging entities.
The result may be that people will have to travel for an abortion. I suppose there is no harm in that as long as it is reasonably accessible.
I don’t wish to argue the abortion issue as I have no doubt there is absolutely nothing I could say to sway one’s opinion, nor do I desire to do so.
I also believe, rightly or wrongly, that it was a major issue in the past election.
I don’ know if people assembled all of the pieces, but there may be 2, or even 3, potential Supreme Court appointments and that could have led to the law being overturned.
Paul Ryan, especially, was inflexible on the issue, and Romney altered his opinion (whether it was a change of heart, he was forced, or merely knew he couldn’t gain the nomination otherwise, I don’t know) so the “perception” may have been that there could be a significant change in access.
That may have influenced young woman voters, or as Rush calls them, “whores”.
November 27th, 2012 at 10:22 am
“That may have influenced young woman voters, or as Rush calls them, “whores”
I think even the likes of Limbaugh and Coulter have come to the realization that their brand of rhetoric isn’t helping their cause like it used to. Both were pretty silent this election cycle. Trump tried to fill the “bombast” void but to the credit of the “legit” right, wasn’t taken seriously.
November 27th, 2012 at 10:27 am
“The result may be that people will have to travel for an abortion. I suppose there is no harm in that as long as it is reasonably accessible.”
Best argument I ever heard for keeping abortion legal nationally was written by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She correctly pointed out that limiting access to legal abortions makes it an economic issue, not a social or moral one. Women who have the means to travel to other states or potentially other countries to receive abortions will do so. Women who do not will be left with a choice between an unwanted pregnancy and an illegal and potentially unsafe procedure. Not an argument that anyone wants to hear but happens to be entirely correct.
November 27th, 2012 at 10:36 am
It is clear Coulter is simply in it for the money and comedy.
She doesn’t even attempt to keep a straight face when she voices her brand of bombast.
She just might be a closet liberal who simply knows that right wing rage is a goldmine with no bottom.
Candidates that lean right, who actually want to be elected to office, however, may have to distance themselves from the people and networks that are purportedly “helping” them.
When the exaggerated rhetoric of “news/entertainment” shows or networks becomes the perception of the GOP brand; it might be time to disassociate themselves from “entertainers”, such as Rush, Coulter, Hannity and Drudge, etc.
The aforementioned entertainers will still make big money, but they really don’t have any “skin in the game” and I doubt if they care one way or the other if they are, indeed, costing the GOP votes.
November 27th, 2012 at 11:13 am
“She just might be a closet liberal who simply knows that right wing rage is a goldmine with no bottom.”
“The aforementioned entertainers will still make big money, but they really don’t have any “skin in the game” and I doubt if they care one way or the other if they are, indeed, costing the GOP votes.”
Bingo! That’s how I’ve always seen talk radio…et al. It’s the entertainment busine$$ in the end. They’ve found their money-making niche in Conservative punditry.
How much you want to bet Allen West ends up with a fat Fox contract and radio/blog gig in the next few months? Speaking engagements…….etc….LOL.
He’ll do a “Palin” and ca$h in for sure.
November 27th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
You haven’t really made a case for why he should retire other than complain that he isn’t a bible-thumping social conservative (he never was) and that he lost a presidential election. He’s always been a foreign policy guy, and that is a fine role for him in the Senate.
November 27th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
mclame wanted the nomination, but he didn’t want to fight to win the oval office expecting instead the votyers to save him
I still maintain that mclame was impressed with comrasde hussein’s fantasy resume and evwen voted for him so he could tell himseldf it proved he wasn’t a racist
too bad JD Heyworth ran such a pisspoor campaign and didn’t end the career of another pathetic rino who is nothing more then a legend in his own mind