“No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous.” — Henry Adams

 
After spending the last four years crawling up W’s backside to be declared his heir apparent (seems you don’t have to fool all the people all the time, just enough to get yourself nominated), John McCain has this to say about cowboy politics in one of his latest campaign ads:

“Only a fool or a fraud talks tough or romantically about war.”

Okay, he’s trying to position himself as being knowledgeable about war in a time of war, but who is this ad directed against? It’s not damaging Obama; Barack’s not swaggering around with the proverbial “big stick” or waxing rhapsodic about dodging bullets in Bosnia. Hillary “I’ll level Iran” Clinton isn’t a legit target. Is he trying to distance himself from the president? A little late for that. Even intimations of “God told me to make war!” won’t get him to reject that fundie endorsement.

“Only a fool or a fraud talks tough or romantically about war.”

Pretty strong denouncement from someone who wants to spend another 100 years in Iraq. “That was taken out of context!” Yeah, right. McCain might not be wearing boots, but he’s got a “Yee-ha!” in his heart.

About all I can imagine is he was looking in a mirror when he said this, a little tear drop in his eye, a lot of self-loathing in his gut. It’s obviously a cry of self denouncement. “I’m a fraud! I’m a fool! Don’t vote for me!”

If that’s the case, give the man what he wants. Vote Obama.

I’m being facetious. What I think he’s trying to get across is, “I know about war and how to make it, but I also know enough not to be foolhardy about it. I’m the guy we need right now, without any worries of starting wars everywhere.” But it is poorly phrased, and not well thought out. At its heart is the idea he won’t make “unnecessary” wars, but G.W. didn’t think any of his saber rattling or wars were unnecessary either.

Sorry, John, no amount of appeasing words to pacify skittish voters can wipe the stink of Iraq or George W. Bush off you.

And to those who might take exception to the title of this article (including possibly Sen. McCain himself, who apparently can’t see meanings in his words beyond his initial intent), can you deny George “I can hardly be bothered to show up for National Guard duty” Bush talks tough about war? If you do deny that you’re beyond hope. If you can’t deny it, which is he: fool, fraud, or both? Because…

 
“Only a fool or a fraud talks tough or romantically about war.”

Posted: June 10th, 2008 under Republicans.
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