Letters to the Editor
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How DARE he?!
A politician losing his temper???? Hasn't he learned by now, you are only supposed to smile and act happy. That's what politicobots do!
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Start screamin'
God, we should try and make sure the media inflates this. Since 'character' is such a big deal, then McCain's temper tantrums ought to be big news in the way Howard Dean's scream was front page news.
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Hate to say it
I hate to say this because I am definitely not a Republican and I cannot imagine anything worse than John McCain on a Democratic ticket, but ...
Why is this a story? I don't get the point of her question at all. I think John McCain was right. That story has been told and re-told a thousand times. There's no news left in it. He talked to Kerry. He apparently said no. Neither of them is every going to reveal any more details, and they shouldn't have to. It does qualify, in my mind, as a private conversation.
So I don't blame him for cutting her off.
I'm still not going to vote for him, but this seems silly.
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It's a story becasue...
...he's running as the straight-talker, which even the average GOP voter is interested in after the last seven years, but it's pretty clear he lied to the Times back in '04. Then there's the "McCain SMASH!" aspect.
There are plenty of reasons not to vote for John McCain, but the more that we test drive, the more likely we'll find the one that resonates.
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with you heyjude
I try really hard to put myself in other camps, just to gain perspective. When I imagine being a McCain supporter, I realize how long this election cycle is going to seem if reporters make an issue out of every single outburst of irritation or anger on McCain's part, to fulfill the narrative of "John McCain is hot-tempered." Didn't we hate that about the "Gore lies" season? Anything the media could find that tangentially, tenuously, by a thread, could be reigned in under that heading--off they went and tied it in.
In McCain's case, I happen to think there's some truth, based on evidence (see stories of his frequent need to send apology notes), of his hotheadedness. Temperamentally he is sort of the opposite of the cool-headed Obama. Nevertheless, the media should discern between daily irritation that I'm sure happens to them all and systematic impulsiveness that would have a crippling effect on diplomacy.
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McCain has had two opportunities to shake the fundations of American politics...
...And he has blown both.
1. He could have joined up with Kerry, and won the election, and been hailed as a genius-maverick, most significant American politician since Abe Lincoln helped start the Republican party.
2. Last fall, he could have decided to be a good commander, and come out in favor of or troops, genuinely supported our troops. He could have spoken in favor of withdrawing from Iraq, and blamed W. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld for their probably criminal military incompetence.
Instead, he caved in to W. Bush and Jerry Falwell both times. And now he is just a dangerous cranky old man.
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It matters because...
it plays into the narrative of "John McCain, the Hothead."
McCain's anger was disproportionate to what was, at worst, an annoying and out-dated question. An annoying question from the NYT's Elisabeth Bumiller--not exactly someone who ask Bushies tough and harsh questions--no less.
All McCain had to say was, "It's an old story. Kerry asked, and, though I respect the man, my answer was an unequivocal no. I'm a proud Republican, committed to [insert conservative talking points here]."
McCain's overblown reaction is the reason this is a story. Geez, he didn't get this upset by insuations that he was having an affair with a female lobbyist.
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As I said to Xran, who posted a link to the video...
...to me, the transcript reads more "hothead" than it looks in the clip.
Here's what Xrandadu posted under the previous War Room item ("The return of Rudy's master strategy?")
"Speaking of John McCain, what is going on here?
Just saw this video:
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/59014.html
Whoa! What's wrong with him? Bad medication? He's really crazy!
-- Xrandadu Hutman Friday, March 7, 2008 01:27 PM"
FWIW, my response was
Xran
I enjoy and nearly always agree with your posts - loved the "Sorry I don't speak Klingon or Esperanto.." line - and I hate to give McCain a break, but I don't see how you get "he's really crazy" out of that clip. He didn't even make his squinty Popeye face. Sure, he's a little put out and he'd obviously like the reporter to shut up, but the video is kind of a letdown after reading the transcript (in the next War Room item).
I'm not saying he ISN'T really crazy, just that it's not evident in those couple of minutes.
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kufir77
Well, if you're a political candidate who has already been branded a hothead and you allow yourself to fly off the handle on such a thin pretext when speaking to a JOURNALIST, you either (a) are not very smart, since you don't have the sense to diminish your liabilities, or (b) you really do have poor emotional control.
What's he going to do with foreign leaders when he's supposed to be engaging in diplomacy? Get pissed off, tell them to "fuck off" and then hope that they will accept his next-day apology?
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Why would McCain pair up with Kerry?
I don't know the background on this. But why would a Republican and a Democrat team up for one ticket anyway? Wouldn't that violate party rules or something?
I guess if you're trying to lock up the war-veteran vote, a McCain/Kerry ticket would be pretty solid.
I am worried about McCain if he gets this ticked off over such a dumb question. He should have been able to smoothly swat that away with charm. The question calls for humor, since the very idea of anybody pairing up with Kerry and trying to *win* is inherently funny.
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If McCain gets frustrated with a NYT reporter..
What's the guy gonna be like when he's dealing with, say, a less than compliant world leader?
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@Xrandadu Hutman
One might say that Democratic candidates have some sort of fatal attraction to John McCain. First Kerry. And now Clinton has practically wedded herself to him by turning her back on the Democratic party and saying she and John McCain are experienced and credible candidates, but she' not so sure about Obama.
So, it looks like every time the guy shows up, some Democrat wants to get in bed with him. Maybe Hillary is hoping that if she can't find a way to win the Democratic nomination, McCain will ask HER to be his running mate.
Otherwise, I can't figure out why any Democrat in their right mind would make a dumb statement like that.