(Libs coming undone):The fright begins as John McCain reveals his reckless side

www.timesonline.co.uk ^ | September 7, 2008 | Andrew Sullivan

[Publius804]

September 7, 2008

The fright begins as John McCain reveals his reckless side

Sarah Palin has opposed his key policies, so why did he pick her?

Andrew Sullivan

There is one reason the job of vice-president exists. In a system with a single executive, you need someone to fill in if the president is incapacitated or dies. In war time this is especially important. More salient: McCain just turned 72 and would be the oldest first term president in American history with four cancer scares and the awful residue of Vietnamese torture in his bones.

The pick is also the first presidential-level decision a candidate has to make. You learn a lot about the candidate. And with Obama and McCain, we have two men who have never been executives - just legislators, book-writers and celebrities. So the decision is the first time we can compare the two men on a presidential decision level.

In Joe Biden, Obama revealed his core temperamental conservatism. It was a safe choice of someone deeply versed in foreign policy, and with roots that connected to the working class white ethnics he needed. It wasn't flashy; and was even a little underwhelming; but it was highly professional.

What we have learned about John McCain from his selection of Sarah Palin is that he is as impulsive and reckless a decision-maker as George W. Bush.

[spacewarp]

My parents celebrated 41 years together after he proposed on their first date (as well as quitting cold turkey a 3 pack a day smoking habit because she didn’t like cigs.)

And they got mad at me for proposing to my fiancee after only a week.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

They need to do the fact-checking edits a little better at The Times.

William Rees-Mogg: "The tone of elitism associated with Harvard has proved more difficult. Having been educated at Balliol College, Oxford, I know that I may have irritated my contemporaries with some of the qualities that can make Harvard men annoying to American voters. The phrase “effortless superiority” was first applied to Balliol, but it might just as well have been applied to Harvard. When I listen to Mr Obama speaking, I am reminded of two other eloquent and iconic politicians that I admired, Adlai Stevenson and Roy Jenkins. The problem is that Stevenson never became President, nor Jenkins Prime Minister. American voters tend to be suspicious of intellectuals; the higher the intellect, the greater the suspicion."

They never get it right across the pond. Obama is an affirmative action graduate of Harvard Law. Suspicions about Obama are not about a higher intellect but a crackpot one filled with half-baked socialist ideas. After the "57 states" gaffe and the crackpot reverend's rants, no one was worried he might overpower them with intelligence. Pretentiousness, arrogance, and smugness are not necessarily the signs of a higher intellect. Neither is wanting to raise taxes during a recession or not being able to determine that a baby "born alive" is a living human being. Or pretending you are a messiah who will usher in "healing" of the planet. He's a goofball.

If this is their idea of an intelligent American, we're in deep trouble. So is Harvard.

[RipSawyer]

And with Obama and McCain, we have two men who have never been executives
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Either Sullivan is a blatant liar or he knows nothing. McCain was a naval officer, that qualifies as executive experience.

[GVnana]

You can practically hear the "gay lisp" in this line:

"four cancer scares and the awful residue of Vietnamese torture in his bones"

[areukiddingme1]

Exactly...

Are you kidding me — have you read this morons bio...

a) He is a professional student — I doubt he has ever really worked an honest “hard” days work in his F’n life and he feels he is qualified to tell the US how/what we are doing wrong;

b) This moron is from england (as in not an American) and feels that we should some give a S$#@ what this smug a#@hole thinks and;

c) He’s gay.

Well thank you very much private cowboy (full metal jacket reference)...Next...

[Jacquerie]

Hmmm, so far the old screw up whipped several primary opponents, including our favorite, Fred Thompson. He also picked a VP that has Jim Robinson endorsing the McCain/Palin ticket.

Did I mention that he also sent the old media into apoplectic shock?

[MHGinTN]

He’s a disgusting degeneracy activist trying to bargain legitimacy in journalism. Sad thing is, he actually is talented, but his mind is so twisted with sexual degeneracy that he is useless as a journalist. [Debauch long enough, Andy, and God will give you up to your degeneracy. You’ve been pwned, freak.]

[Westbrook]

> 34 for us after I proposed on the first date.

Wonderful!

While you may have been a bit impulsive, at least you were serious.

The first question I’ll ask any young man if he wants to see any of my daughters is, “Are you interested in marriage?”

If he’s not, then he’s out. Only the serious will be considered.

[happygrl]

PuLEAZ!!!!!

Andrew Sullivan with no Barf Alert ?

[happygrl]

OK, I'll bite.

It would be very hard to pick a governor in America who knows less about the struggles of most Americans in the current economy. Alaska's economy is currently like Russia's: booming because of commodity prices.

It would be hard to find a pundit that knows anything less about Alaska than Andrew Sullivan.

Alaskans may be in a boom now, but there have been many Alaskans that know about feeding their families, by necessity via hunting, as Sarah Palin and other Alaskans know.

There are many families that eke out a living in high-cost Alaska.

Sullivan, roll up your smarmy attacks and put them where you put other inappropriate organs of waste !

[Uncle Miltie]

So maybe McCain can make Amnesty his #1 talking point from now on. Or maybe his next restriction on the First Amendment. Or, he could describe how he is going to dictate your pay, or any company’s profits. Or, he could suggest mandatory restrictions on your driving.

Don’t put it beyond him; he is that crazy, and he has suggested just such nutty things recently.

[Uncle Miltie]

So maybe McCain can make Amnesty his #1 talking point from now on. Or maybe his next restriction on the First Amendment. Or, he could describe how he is going to dictate your pay, or any company’s profits. Or, he could suggest mandatory restrictions on your driving.

Don’t put it beyond him; he is that crazy, and he has suggested just such nutty things recently.

[Uncle Miltie]

So maybe McCain can make Amnesty his #1 talking point from now on. Or maybe his next restriction on the First Amendment. Or, he could describe how he is going to dictate your pay, or any company’s profits. Or, he could suggest mandatory restrictions on your driving.

Don’t put it beyond him; he is that crazy, and he has suggested just such nutty things recently.

[Uncle Miltie]

(Hate it when that happens.)

[tbpiper]

Do you have a better option or are you just going to bitch just for the exercise?

[RichInOC]

Maverick: “Mustang, this is Ghostrider, requesting flyby.”
Air Boss Glutes: “Negative, Ghostrider, the pattern is full.”
Maverick: [laughter]
[BOOM!]
Air Boss Glutes: “DAMN that guy!”

[Uncle Miltie]

Grumbling all the way to the ballot box, as is my right.

I want conservatives to reestablish control of the Republican Party. McCain’s selection of Palin allows that to happen in spite of his relatively Liberal record.

Let’s not let Palin-mania sweep away the knowledge of our deeply flawed, (read: Liberal) candidate.

[tbpiper]

Grumbling all the way to the ballot box, as is my right.

I understand that. Up until Gov. Palin's selection, I was voting against Obama, not for McCain. The Saddleback forum was a glimmer of hope and I think the campaign began to really understand the base a little bit. Following that up with tapping Palin has transformed the party.

There is far more at play here than just a single candidate's election. Or a single party's direction. Or a single canditates wishes.

Out of respect for what he has done lately and the position in which he has been placed, I think he at least deserves to have his name spelled correctly.

[weegee]

I wonder if Andrew Sullivan hears the Larry Sinclair rumors and gets a tingle in his leg for Obama.

[oyez]

And with Obama and McCain, we have two men who have never been executives

If my memory serves me John McCain served as an Executive officer and Commanding Officer of a Navy Attack squadron. Anybody that says that those are not executive positions don't know much about the military .