What Is Your Favorite Contradictory McCain Attack?

by: Chris Bowers

Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 19:30

McCain's attacks against Obama have become so regularly contradictory, at this point we should probably hold a contest to determine which is your favorite. Here are three good ones from the last ten days alone:

Seventeen days after taking a trip abroad to Columbia and Mexico, five weeks after giving a paid campaign speech in Canada, and two months after criticizing Obama for not going to Iraq, the McCain campaign criticizes Obama for taking a trip abroad that includes a stop in Iraq.
Eleven days after holding a press conference to claim that Obama is a serial flip-flopper, McCain argues that Obama is the most extremist member of the Senate.
Five days after releasing a documentary criticizing Obama for flip-flopping on Iraq, the McCain campaign argues that Obama is too inflexible on Iraq.
After spending April and May calling Obama an elitist, they spent June and July calling him "typical."

So hard to choose. I kind of like all the attacks, because they successfully make Obama appear to be all things to all people. Is Obama too elite or too typical? Is he too stubborn or too flexible? Is he too extreme or too moderate? Does he engage the rest of the world too much or too little? Like the McCain campaign, I say, take your pick. Obama can be whoever you want him to be, and so he should appeal to all types.

Maybe that isn't what the McCain campaign is arguing, but it is so hard to tell that it is anyone's guess. The biggest flip-flops in this campaign are the attacks that McCain makes.

Chris Bowers :: What Is Your Favorite Contradictory McCain Attack?

Tags: John McCain, Iraq, Foreign Policy, (All Tags)

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What Is Your Favorite Contradictory McCain Attack? | 12 comments

Easy (0.00 / 0)

Flip-flopper/inflexible. Actually this is all good stuff. The longer it takes them to decide on their attack narrative the less time they will have and the harder it will be become to get it across to the electorate.

by: conspiracy @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 18:45:30 PM CDT

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Just keep throwing things! (0.00 / 0)

There's got to be something in this kitchen sink that actually hurts!

by: mcc @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 19:07:14 PM CDT

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Hillary emptied out the sink (4.00 / 2)

McCain is reaching down into the sewer...the sewer of the completely nonsensical.

by: bluesteel @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 19:21:31 PM CDT

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that was uncalled for (0.00 / 0)

and remember who voted for and against the last FISA bill. Who kept their word and who didn't.

"Incrementalism isn't a different path to the same place, it could be a different path to a different place"
Stoller

by: debcoop @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 20:48:36 PM CDT

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That is assuming (4.00 / 1)

that HRC wouldn't have done what Obama did if she were the nominee. I'm not thrilled with Obama's vote, but lets not pretend that Hillary isn't capable of doing the same thing.

by: zelt @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 20:58:34 PM CDT

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Logical consistency only matters when you are making a postive case (0.00 / 0)

Logical inconsistency is not a problem when you are attacking. One attack sticks with someone and a different attack sticks with someone else. Sometimes logically inconsistent attacks can even matter to the same person.

haven't you ever had an argument with some loved one and it's all over the place....they're both too mean and too mushy.

Think about all th eattacks against Hillary Clinton they also were often logically inconsistent. She's too rigid and yet she'll do anything to get elected. The same people who actually hold both these thoughts.

Each attack has to be rebuffed on its own...in its own universe. So unless some Dan Rather like reporter pins John McCain himself to the wall by relelntlessly pounding him with how illogical these attacks are and makes him look foolish and squirmy...it doesn't matter that they don't hold together. They may even be helping him.

"Incrementalism isn't a different path to the same place, it could be a different path to a different place"
Stoller

by: debcoop @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 20:55:29 PM CDT

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Obama's attacks on Hillary were more all-over-the-place (0.00 / 0)

Than Hillary's attacks on him???!!!

You really going with that?

OKAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

P.S. Obama can and will make rhetorical hay out of the inconsistency of McCain's attacks (if he finds any of them actually being effective) just like he did with the attacks on him during the primary.

"We are are the change we have been waiting for" --Barack Obama reminding us we have to hold him accountable.

by: Jim in Chicago @ Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 00:19:39 AM CDT

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Did you read what I wrote (0.00 / 0)

or do you just reflexively respond whenever you see the word Hillary?

The point was the ATTACKS ON HILLARY BY THE RIGHT AND THE MSM MEDIA.. (not her attacks on him which is what you mistakenly think I said) ....were not logically consistent.....as sexist attacks usually are not. Indeed in another post I cited the logically inconsistent attacks on Jews by anti semites as another example of such attacks which did not require logical consistency.

You criticized me for something I didn't say. Indeed I think your attack on me is a perfect example of the inherent irrationality of lots of political discourse.

"Incrementalism isn't a different path to the same place, it could be a different path to a different place"
Stoller

by: debcoop @ Sat Jul 26, 2008 at 11:38:08 AM CDT

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If the media were out to get Hillary (0.00 / 0)

The revelation of her repeated bald faced lie about Tuzla, with contrary footage for all to see, would have done her in worse than the Dean Scream.

Instead the media dropped that story as quickly as they could while playing up Rev. Wright's sermons for far more than they were worth....

"We are are the change we have been waiting for" --Barack Obama reminding us we have to hold him accountable.

by: Jim in Chicago @ Sun Jul 27, 2008 at 19:37:27 PM CDT

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Does that mean (0.00 / 0)

That Obama is using sexist attacks on John McCain?

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both

by: Anthony de Jesus @ Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 01:45:07 AM CDT

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Huh (0.00 / 0)

I have made the same point in before without mentioning Hillary. the defensiveness is keeping people from thinking straight.

"Incrementalism isn't a different path to the same place, it could be a different path to a different place"
Stoller

by: debcoop @ Sat Jul 26, 2008 at 11:49:45 AM CDT

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An oldie but a goodie (0.00 / 0)

My fave anti-Obama flip-flop doesn't necessarily come from McCain (but maybe it did, who knows?) is still he's-a-crazy-Muslim vs. he's-a-Christian-with-a-crazy-pastor.

I loooooove pulling Rev. Wright on brain-dead wingnuts that believed the Muslim stuff. Their heads all 'splode! Mwahahahaha!!!

by: gas28man @ Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 11:56:26 AM CDT

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What Is Your Favorite Contradictory McCain Attack? | 12 comments