After Public Policy Polling releases a survey showing that Sen. John McCain is the least popular senator in the country, Andrew Sullivan unloads on Arizona’s senior senator:
The buffoon from Arizona is one of the most frequent guests on cable news and on the Sunday morning talk shows. He was dead wrong about Iraq, Afghanistan and has never copped to it, clinging to his fantasy that his beloved “surge” made it all worthwhile. It didn’t, as the resilient sectarian warfare in that benighted country demonstrates day after day. He caved to Karl Rove on the torture question in 2006, leaving the CIA program in place. He picked a delusional maniac to be a vice-presidential candidate after close to no vetting whatsoever. He was jumping up and down trying to foment a war with Russia over Georgia in 2008. This week, he was dyspeptically assaulting the president of the United States at a time when, one might imagine, wise souls in Washington might see the benefit in a temporary united front vis-a-vis Putin. He is determined to sabotage any deal with Iran, which would necessitate another war in the Middle East, a war for which there is close to no public support, and which could have incalculable consequences in the region and the world.
A simple question: why does anyone still take him even faintly seriously? Why does David Gregory defer to him? Why does CNN have him on to discuss foreign affairs when he has demonstrated catastrophic judgment time and time again? McCain was on the Sunday morning shows 24 times in 2013 — far more than countless other Washington figures with far better records. The year before, he was invited on 21 times.
This article appears in Mar 6-12, 2014.
His comment about “running again”.just because people don’t want him to run again,shows his true character.At this point in time,I’d say that the staff at the Hanoi Hilton had more integrity than McCain HAS.
While John McCain is far from my favorite US Senator, he is leagues ahead of the likes of Al Franken or Harry Reid. I found it interesting that almost without exception, the points used to condemn McCain are among the things he has done that I approve of, such as his view on Iran.
I would hesitate to call John’s judgment on foreign policy “catastrophic” as Sullivan does, however he could say that about John Kerry, Joe Biden or the true catastrophe that is the current occupant of the White House. Now those three should not be take serious, except for the damage the do to the US on a daily basis. Come November, we can neuter these guys by voting conservative.
McCain’s choice for his running mate in 2008 is all one needs to know about his poor judgement.
Mr. Sullivan always manages to leave a bad taste in my mouth. Mr. McCain is not my personal choice for a representative, but he is leagues ahead of the pundits currently in D.C. who obviously have Mr. Sullivan’s foolish admiration.
@Richard and Bisbee Boy, based on what, exactly? Please explain the criteria you are using that makes McCain, in your view, “leagues ahead of the pundits in D.C.” Iran? Unless you’re a slavish devotee of the state of Israel, seeing nonexistent nukes and sneak attacks around every corner (while conveniently ignoring or blindly justifying Israel’s use of the same, naturally), John McCain is easily seen as a traitorous, ward-heeling political hack with all the intellectual capacity of a small soapdish and morals of Lindsay Lohan after crawling out of a pool of Ecstasy.
I say this based upon his history of stopping Congressional investigations into Vietnam POWs, supporting pointless, illegal wars and pretty much every campaign or Sunday morning talk show appearance he’s ever made, to say nothing of elevating Sarah Palin to the national stage. Again, I must ask what benchmark you use to measure him, outside of blind loyalty to ideology, given that history and the facts have put the lie to almost every major position he’s taken for the last 25 years?
Mr. Fletcher,
John McCain tries to protect America and its allies, including Israel. And I do support Israel because they are our only true friend in a part of the world filled with crazies.
John is far from perfect, to be sure, but if I have to explain to you how/why he is far better than the inept likes of Al Franken and Harry Reid et al., then I can only assume that you have a very limited view of the world.
And we all know what assumptions are worth. Not only is McCain no better than Reid and Franken, he is no different. As regards Israel, I can only note that before Israel became our “friend”, we had no enemies in the Middle East, and our “friend” has attacked us in the past, as with the USS Liberty incident and spies like Jonathan Pollard. You criticizing the limits of my world view is like a leper judging a beauty contest.
WOW, Are we to believe that you don’t think much of the judgment of the voters of Arizona. Tell us what high regards you have for the smarts of our Senior Senator, you know the one the Republicans thought should be President? You mean the rest of the United States saved us from the US Senator from Arizona. Now tell us what you think about his political mate from South Carolina, Senator Lindsay Graham.
I’m not a fan of John McCain, and I especially resent the fact that he foisted Sarah Palin on the national stage as his chosen running mate in 2008. On the other hand, he’s probably better than any senator that’s likely to be elected in Arizona for the foreseeable future given this state’s record… I can just imagine Capt’n Al Melvin as the next senator from Arizona.
Sullivan on McCain: “Why Does Anyone Still Take Him Seriously?”
Answer: Many of John McCain’s supporter think its time for John
to come back to Arizona and retire.
Jim Nintzel the above post indicates a “larger” question: “…The resilient
sectarian warfare in the middle east demonstrates day after day???”
What and/or who is keeping “the resilient warfare” rolling on???
Thanks and Good Luck.
Agreed…I can see why FOXNEWS? pimps McCain, but why do real news organizations, even PBS, continue to listen to his ravings? McCain is no more rational than Palin on international events.