In his profile of John McCain for the February issue of Vanity Fair, Todd Purdum notes that "the constituency that McCain sometimes jokingly refers to as his base" is -- wait for it -- "the press."
Purdum goes on to acknowledge in so many words that McCain's remark, regardless of how humorously he delivered it, expresses the basic truth that reporters tend to be fans of Arizona's senior senator, which in turn may explain why, during a recent visit to Wisconsin, McCain defended the media's coverage of the Iraq war:
[T]hat afternoon, at a roundtable with more Republicans in Appleton, McCain gets testy with a woman who says that her grandson and granddaughter have served in Iraq and that things there are going better than the American media say.
"The situation is not improving," McCain says shortly. "There's no biased reporting in the number of casualties."
Unsurprisingly, Purdum -- a former New York Times reporter now writing for a stridently liberal magazine -- snipes here and there at conservatives (e.g., the Swift Boat vets "slimed" John Kerry). He likes McCain, but he wonders and worries about the extent to which Sen. Straight Talk, as he seeks the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, will pander to right-wingers:
John McCain has spent this whole day, this whole year, these whole last six years, trying to...square the circle: that is, trying to make the maverick, freethinking impulses that first made him into a political star somehow compatible with the suck-it-up adherence to the orthodoxies required of a Republican presidential front-runner.
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If McCain continues to stradd
January 4, 2007 - 17:35 ET by Dave RIf McCain continues to straddle the political fence he is going to injure himself most unpleasantly.
kissing the butt that feeds y
January 4, 2007 - 18:08 ET by kathleenirishkissing the butt that feeds you? no, that's not it...but close.
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere" -Ali ibn-Abi-Talib, 4th Islamic Caliph
McCain is a RINO!
January 4, 2007 - 18:23 ET by TheTruthMcCain injured himself most unpleasantly about the time that he crafted that hideous piece of legislation called ‘Campaign Finance Reform’ that silences peoples first amendment rights just sixty days before an election. McCain is an enemy from within to the Constitution and our Bill-Of-Rights!
Besides silencing people sixty days before an election, McCain’s Campaign Finance Reform is a total and complete failure and has not removed dime one from campaigns! It is not the money that makes dishonest Senators; it is dishonest people that make dishonest Senators!
McCain is a media darling that will say virtually anything to suck up to the LIBERALS that dominate the MSM for camera time. McCain is RINO!
Amen! and pass the cornbread.
January 4, 2007 - 18:32 ET by Eric TurnerAmen! and pass the cornbread. But he'll still be your next Republican presidential nominee! What a sad day that will be. The takeover of the Republican moderates and RINOs will be complete.
(Darth Vader voice) "The conservatives failure is now complete." (breathing)
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"Perpetual itching without benefit of scratching to the enemies of America." - July 4th toast during the Revolution
TheTruth -- McCain
January 4, 2007 - 18:42 ET by misterbillTheTruth -- McCain: "McCain is a media darling...". He is a media darling because the MSM knows he is not electable. They know that he has fallen from grace with true conservatives. He is an a$$kisser of the first order. They will promote him in hopes the Dem opponent will get crossover votes from people like you and me!
I don’t vote out of spite.
January 5, 2007 - 04:02 ET by TheTruthI don’t vote out of spite. . . If it boils down to McCain versus Hillary or McCain versus Obama; I will vote for the lesser of evils (gag) ‘McCain’. It is scary to think that 2008 could come down to voting for the lesser of evils.
And all those thousands of re
January 4, 2007 - 18:09 ET by j. frank wilsonAnd all those thousands of refugees from Iraq - are they fleeing their country because they read American newspapers and watch American tv?
If only the media would report all that good news from Iraq these poor folks could have just stayed home...
I would say something with me
January 4, 2007 - 18:12 ET by Dan The Man 2I would say something with meat in it but
YOU ARE A TROLL!!!!!
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark. -- save my gun, shoot a liberal.
So, tell me again, why are al
January 4, 2007 - 18:16 ET by kathleenirishSo, tell me again, why are all the Iraqi refugees and ex-patriates in this country? Saddam was a massmurdering, terrorist-sponsoring and training, raping, torturing, evil dictator! That seems to escape your conscience! Poor Iraqis staying home, for what? more millions for Saddam's genocide?!
He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere" -Ali ibn-Abi-Talib, 4th Islamic Caliph
I can't count the number or I
January 4, 2007 - 18:22 ET by Eric TurnerI can't count the number or Iraqi refugees I met and spoke with when I went to Jordan twice or Egypt or even Kuwait prior to Hussein being removed from power. One thing they ALL talked about was how he was a mass-murder and had taken away their rights. Why doesn't the MsM talk about them more often? Probably wouldn't serve their agenda uh?
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"Perpetual itching without benefit of scratching to the enemies of America." - July 4th toast during the Revolution
Lets be frank, Frank, the Fle
January 4, 2007 - 18:55 ET by JayTeeLets be frank, Frank, the Fleeing Iraqi's were a BIG group when Saddam took over....A much smaller group of FLEEING Iraqi's were filmed Fleeing Kuwait back in the early 90's. Some didn't get outta town fast enough, and didn't make it.
McCain is an A$$hole (and yes
January 5, 2007 - 01:45 ET by SvenMcCain is an A$$hole (and yes, I know he served in Vietnam!).
This idiot was half of the genius that gave us McCain-Feingold! This little Gem does noting to get money out of politics, and everything to curtail free speech!
He's also the older brother to Lindsey "Gomer Pyle" Graham! These idiots, along with John Warner, Mike DeWine, Olympia Snow, Susan Collins and Lincoln Chaffey ("The Gang of Seven") were responsible for trying to curtail Bushes Judicial nominees, and circumvent the will of the people by trying to pass a comprehensive immigration bill!
This guy is a media hound pure and simple!
not just that, sven
January 5, 2007 - 01:48 ET by tumbler_2007McCain was in bed with the Keating Five; way back before Bubba beat out Bush. He and Democrat John Glenn the astronaut covered up for the guys who stole the life savings of thousands of little old Geezers.
You think if Hillary runs against McCain she won't dig up all the dirt and pile it on him?
tumbler,No doubt she will!I k
January 5, 2007 - 01:52 ET by Sventumbler,
No doubt she will!
I know my words are a bit harsh, but does this guy really think the GOP base would vote for him after what he's done? I'll tell you, he's delusional.
I'd vote for Gulianni (sp), or Romney, before I'd vote for him. This guy craves media attention, and that's dangerous!