Posted on 10/11/2009 8:06:41 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
This morning, in an interview with CNN's State of the Union, Sen. John McCain (RINO-Ariz.) apparently used some rather choice language to describe the fairly evident future political aspirations of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Ak.):
"Will Sarah and I - did we always agree on everything in the past? Will we in the future? No. But let's let a thousand flowers bloom. Let's come up with a winning combination next time."
—http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2360310/posts
With only a cursory glance, it appears from McCain's language that he is merely asking for a second chance -- in 2012? -- with Palin. [And, at first blush, it is easy to dismiss his words as the ravings of a senile old man.] However, as FReeper rae4palin pointed out, the phrase
“Let a thousand flowers bloom” was said by Mao to encourage dissidents to self-identify. Mao then killed them.
—http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2360310/posts?page=26#26
[Or, more precisely, as other FReepers noted, the phrase "let a thousand flowers of bloom" is a variant of a Maoist phrase "let a hundred flowers bloom." In all cases, however, the distinction between the two phrases--Maoist and McCainian--or in other words, the word "hundred" vs. the word "thousand," are irrelevant to the phrase's meaning.]
In fact, this observation was also picked up and expounded upon by other FReepers, including piytar and cripplecreek. The origin of the phrase "let a hundred flowers bloom" (i.e., the actual phrase upon which McCain's particular words were based) is...Chinese Communist Mao Zedong! As FReeper cripplecreek noted,
Let a thousand flowers bloom is a common misquotation of Chairman Mao Zedong’s “Let a hundred flowers blossom”. This slogan was used during the period of approximately six weeks in the summer of 1957 when the Chinese intelligentsia were invited to criticize the political system then obtaining in Communist China.
The full quotation, taken from a speech of Mao’s in Peking in February 1957, is:
“Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting progress in the arts and the sciences and a flourishing socialist culture in our land.”
It is sometimes suggested that the initiative was a deliberate attempt to flush out dissidents by encouraging them to show themselves as critical of the regime. Whether or not it was a deliberate trap isn’t clear but it is the case that many of those who put forward views that were unwelcome to Mao were executed.
The biggest question here is why McCain specifically elected to use a Maoist phrase in connection with Palin's fairly obvious future political aspirations. Certainly, it goes without saying that his choice of words is especially disturbing, given his time in captivity in North Vietnam. [Could it be that the late conservative activist Ted Sampley, who presciently labeled McCain as a "Manchurian candidate" nearly seventeen years ago, was right all along?] Furthermore, upon closer examination of McCain's language, especially in the context of his past actions as a noted RINO and member of the Beltway establishment, it becomes alarmingly obvious that his words constitute nothing less than a veiled threat against Palin, or i.e., the Republican establishment considers her a direct threat to the continuance of their power and will most certaintly attempt to derail her future aspirations, much as Mao encouraged Chinese intelligentsia to speak freely nearly fifty-seven years ago...before executing the ones he disagreed with.
McCain is really going ‘round the bend.
He should retire.
Um, as much as I am sick of McCan’t, there is little question that he’s intelligent. Also, given his background, there is little chance he doesn’t know the context of this phrase. Anyone who has studied Mao and authoritarianism even superficially does.
In light of that, I’m not so willing to brush this off. Maybe it wasn’t intentional, but it was at least a Freudian slip (IMHO).
>> Maybe it wasn’t intentional, but it was at least a Freudian slip (IMHO).
That wouldn’t be out of character. I wouldn’t have to suspend much disbelief to go *there*.
I will be really disappointed if Sarah lets anyone hijack the campaign.
yeah, at some point youd think rabs would run outta new materiel...yet the hits just keep on comin from ole juan...
McNuts hands me fresh ammo nearly every day.
McCain is dangerous because he’s part of the RINO power structure.
He needs to be watched and defeated ASAP.
IMO McCain is, in large part, why we have Obunghole as POTUS. He sabotaged his own campaign and all but endorsed 0.
Anyone that exposes McCain to legitimate criticism should be applauded not derided.
I will ask him about this comment. It is disturbing to say the least.
Wasn’t this also attributed to George Herbert Walker Bush?
Hey, if he has made what he believes is a compliment to Sarah Palin, why not just let it be. I think the old snarl face would be proud if she made it to the 2012 nomination.
This is what McCain said about POWs in hearings in front of his committee: “The people who have done these things are not zealots in a good cause. They are criminals and some of the most craven, most cynical and most despicable human beings to ever run a scam.”
He is real good - big nasty man - when attacking his own side, it would appear. He hates and betrays those he should respect and work with and he embraces and esteems those who he should be working against.
He does love Marxists and he does hate Republicans and American-Americans.
Folks, he is probably very worried about Palin’s book and what kind of “inside” info about him and how his handlers treated Palin during the campaign. “Going Rouge by Sarah Palin” has got McCain running scared!
To all those getting on rabscuttle for this thread: On another thread I requested that someone post a vanity about this because I couldn’t pull all these pieces together in a vanity using my phone. I posted the orignal verification of rae4palin’s observation on that thread that McCain was (mis)quoting Mao Zedong. So blame me, not rabscuttle.
That said, this was either a not-so-subtle threat to those who challenge the RINO power structure or a Freudian slip. Both are awful: a threat or a revelation of an underlying Maoist subconscious. If you don’t think that’s hugh and series (freeper lingo for huge and serious for any newbies or lurkers), you’re nuts. And if you do but still feel a need to castigate rabscuttle, then I suggest you get a raise from your GOP establishment handlers for the embarassment of making fools of yourselves in public.
PS I voted for McCain (or rather for Palin and against Obama). I even defended him here of Free Republic during the election. I won’t make that collosal mistake in judgment about McCain again.
A draft meme huh. What was the final meme?
Of George HW Bush? His memes ended with “Clinton looks pretty good”...
Vietnam Veterans Against McCain YouTube video
McCain Argues for U.S. Troop Withdrawl from Somalia Mr. Blackhawk Down (YouTube VIDEO)
The War Secrets Sen. John McCain Hides When McCain had a chance to help POWs ...
Former P.O.W.: "Why I Cannot Support Senator John McCain for President"
U.S. POW/MIAs Who May Have Survived In Captivity
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: THE ULTIMATE "RHINESTONE HERO"
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: THE ULTIMATE "RHINESTONE HERO" Part II
John McCain: The Manchurian Candidate
McCain and his Chicom Connections: Posts #17 and #18 by Calpernia
Freeper Alert: Sen. KERRY / Communist Vietnamese Killing Off Christains in Central Highlands... (...with Senator McCAIN (R) in complete agreement with him, is because "Engagement" with Communist Vietnam is better for the people of Vietnam in the long run.)
Most excellent. John McCain is probably, like an 85% chance, a Manchurian candidate, since he received special treatment as a POW in the past and gives special treatment to bad Vietnamese leaders in the present.
I’ve dumped the rest of the fluoride in the water supply and I’ve turned the brain wave transmitters to max. That should buy us some time.
The bilderbergs and the illuminati are in the back burning Eisenhower’s secret correspondence with the Kremlin and we’ve disguised the concentration camps as Japanese flower gardens. We can’t find all the blueprints for WTC7 but George may still have them. He’ll know what to do. If you can, pull the mothership around to the back because we may have to bail in a hurry.
Sorry it had to end this way but these folks are just too smart for us.
rabs is just another Ron Paul/ Chuckie Baldwin nutter trying to tear down anyone who doesn’t toe his extremist line. He rarely posts about Obama with the hate he shows toward McCain.
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