Critics Pile On As McCain Gaffes Pile Up

Politico: Verbal Blunders Bring New Attention To Sensitive Issue Of His Age

(The Politico)  This story was written by Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen..

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Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said “Iraq” when he apparently meant “Afghanistan” on Monday, adding to a string of mixed-up word choices that is giving ammunition to the opposition. 

Just in the past three weeks, McCain has mixed up Iraq and Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan, and even football’s Packers and Steelers.

Ironically, the errors have been concentrated in what should be his area of expertise - foreign affairs.

McCain will turn 72 the day after Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) accepts his party’s nomination for president, calling new attention to the sensitive issue of McCain’s advanced age, three days before the start of his own convention.

The McCain campaign says Obama has had plenty of flubs of his own, including a reference to "57 states" and a string of misstated place names during the primaries that Republicans gleefully sent around as YouTubes. 

But the mistakes raise a serious, if uncomfortable question: Are the gaffes the result of his age? And what could that mean in the Oval Office?

Voters, thinking about their own relatives, can be expected to scrutinize McCain’s debate performances for signs of slippage.

Every voter has a parent, grandparent or a friend whose mental acuity slipped as they grew older. It happens at different times for different people - and there is ample evidence many in their 70s are sharp and fit as ever. There is also ample evidence others do start to slip at that age.

In McCain’s case, his medical records, public appearances and travel schedule have suggested he remains at the top of his game.

But his liberal critics have been pouncing on every misstatement as a sign that he’s an old man.

Already, late-night comics have made McCain’s age an almost nightly topic, with CBS’s David Letterman getting a laugh just about any time he says the word “McCain” and “nap” in the same sentence.

Last week, McCain tried to defuse the issue by pretending to doze off during an appearance with NBC’s Conan O’Brien.

Republicans would like to make the case that McCain is seasoned and Obama is a callow newcomer to the public stage. But that’ll be harder if he keeps up the verbal slips, which make it easier for comedians and critics to pile on.

“FIRST GAFFE OF OBAMA TRIP......GOES TO MCCAIN,” blared Monday afternoon’s banner headline on the left-leaning Huffington Post, accompanied by a photo of McCain appearing to slap his forehead.

That referred to an ABCNews.com posting asserting that McCain appeared to “confuse Iraq and Afghanistan, in a “Good Morning America” interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, who asked whether the "the situation in Afghanistan is precarious and urgent.”

McCain responded: “I'm afraid it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border," McCain said. The ABC posting added: “Iraq and Pakistan do not share a border. Afghanistan and Pakistan do.”

Unfortunately for McCain, that wasn’t an isolated slip. Among the other lapses:

-“Somalia” for “Sudan” - As recounted in a reporter’s pool report from McCain’s Straight Talk Express bus on June 30, the senator said while discussing Darfur, a region of Sudan: "How can we bring pressure on the government of Somalia?"

Senior adviser Mark Salter corrected him: “Sudan.”

-“Germany” for “Russia” - A YouTube clip from last year memorializes McCain referring to Vladimir Putin of Russia - following a trip to Germany - as “President Putin of Germany.”

-This spring, McCain said troops in Iraq were “down to pre-surge levels” when in fact there were 20,000 more troops than when the surge policy began.

-Also this spring, McCain twice appeared to mistake Sunnis and Shiites, two branches of Islam that split violently.

-In Phoenix earlier this month, McCain referred to "Czechoslovakia,” which has been divided since Jan. 1, 1993, into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He also referred to Czechoslovakia during a debate in November and a radio show in April.

-In perhaps the most curious incident, McCain said earlier this month that as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, he had tried to confuse his captors by giving the names of Pittsburgh Steelers starting players when asked to identify his squadron mates. McCain has told the story many times over the years - but had always referred correctly to the names he gave as members of the Green Bay Packers.

[undrmyboot3]

If Obama made one TENTH the mistakes that McCain does the press would be crucifying him. Why does McCain get a free ride?

McCain gives DIRECT REWARDS to reporters for POSITIVE REPORTING about him. He is BUYING REPORTERS- HE IS PAYING THEM OFF.

The McCain campaign recently acknowledged that seats on the new "Straight Talk" airplane are assigned to reward "positive" reporters with special access seating in the front of the plane. These seats are REWARDED TO REPORTERS WHO PROVIDE POSITIVE COVERAGE TO McCAIN. The Washington Post reports that Sen. John McCain''s new airplane %u201Cfeatures a special area%u201D where %u201CMcCain will conduct group interviews with the press.%u201D Top McCain aide Mark Salter said "Only the good reporters would get to sit in the special section. You%u2019ll have to earn it." Never challenge the Senator.

These special seats provide direct access to McCain, access denied to other reporters. "ACCESS IS MONEY." Reporters are rewarded by their bosses and employers for gaining access to candidates. More access means MORE MONEY AND MORE PROMOTIONS.

This is nothing less than FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL BRIBERY TO REPORTERS THAT PROVIDE McCAIN WITH POSITIVE COVERAGE.

CBS should create a new section, "WHO IS THE McCAIN CAMPAIGN REWARDING TODAY?" It would report the daily seating assignments on the McCain plane. Who got the "SPECIAL ACCESS SEATS"? Who is being punished for critical reporting and is sitting in the back of the plane?

[starleo146]

He is frustrated and on top of that he lies

[aj4321-2009]

Old man is losing his bearings.

[wdrussell1]

This is just a ploy by the McCain campaign to attract Bush voters.

[terrorislamo]

NO FREE RIDE FOR HUSSEIN

[ariel133]

"Are people ever going to think that he''''s going to be stronger than McCain on national security? Maybe not," he said. "But he doesn''''t need to be seen as stronger than McCain on national security. He needs to be seen as strong enough on national security."

STRONG ENOUGH? NO.
YOU CAN''T BE HALF DEAD- EITHER YOU ARE OR YOU''''RE NOT.
YOU CAN''T BE HALF EXPERIANCED TO LEAD A COUNTRY, YOU ARE OR YOU''''RE NOT.

[rpgormley]

You are all blind fools following the left-wing media, following the "Messiah Obama" riding on his pink unicorn promising health care to all, alleviation of every pain and suffering, and cradle to grave pampering from Papa government.
But, I guess because he speaks so well and, you know, he is a "clean black man" [not my quote or opinion], what more could you want??

[foxmulder33]

McCain will lose this race too. He''ll never be as laughingly incompetent as the true king-of-gaffe, George W. Bush.

[nextgenman]

Onset Senility will do that to ya....just ask Reagan

[beader59]

Maybe the age thing is an issue, but more importantly for both of these morons is that when the pressure is on they show just how inexperienced they are. McCain may have years as a Senator, but that is all he should be. Obama barely has the credentials to be a Senator, he should have stayed in the House. We are in for so much trouble. Obama and McCain continue to show their weaknesses and there poor ability to choose whom they associate with.

[steve_in_kc]

''The McCain campaign recently acknowledged that seats on the new "Straight Talk" airplane are assigned to reward "positive" reporters with special access seating in the front of the plane.''

At least they get to go on the plane! Obama''s gang wouldn''t allow New Yorker Magazine to go on his trip.

[cburn665]

Well, my advice to Mr. McCain is to choose a very strong VP that the public thinks highly of because as soon as the Oval Office pressures begin to mount his brain is sure to finish dissolving.

Although I am an Independent I would have come more near to voting for a sharp Mitt Romney and I don''t really care for him.

[ariel133]

There is a definate down side to having a black president. The blacks will automatically assume all race relations are harmonious when it fact it won''''t be. One person cannot do that- and the whites who say " I''''m voting for a black man so that makes me non- racist" are in for a very rude awakening. Racism will not dissapate with a black President, in fact, it will cause more harm than good, when the issue is still very much alive in this country. Obama is not the answer, not only simply because he is black, but because HE IS NOT QUALIFIED to be a COMMANDER.

[rideit152]

HAHAHA! You should really ask: Do Obama''s gaffes raise questions about his intelligence? And the obvious answer is: YES!

DV - member of the 57th state

[fid4cbs]

Cryos says:
"Obama [...] doesn''''t have any original thoughts and has to get his information from his masters."

Wow. Since you''re so knowledgable about Obama, please tell us who his masters are and who wrote his books for him? Thanks.

[rayuk-2009]

Gaffes are almost totally identified with the Republican Party and more specifically, conservatives. Ford, Reagan, Bush and now McCain are just a few. However, I will have to give the top award to old GW. This guy is just plain dumb and it is starting to look like McCain will continue the tradition.

[TomMariner]

You guys ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Diane Sawyer of ABC was lambasting Senator McCain just before playing the tapes of the second coming in the Middle East with Three Wise Anchors. She asked him if he felt the adulation and wall to wall positive press was unfair to him -- he just smiled.

Actually it was a wrong question -- The real one is "is it fair to the American voters". Of course NO. If we can''t get a fair reporting of what is happening without such obvious support from powerful media outlets, where are American''s going to go to find out who we are voting for?

And the question might have been, "Is it fair to CBS News?" because even those who are ecstatic over the worship of Senator Obama while trashing Senator McCain know that they can no longer rely on these sources to find out what is happening. When that happens, Katie is going to find herself with two people watching her to find out what color dress she is wearing.

You probably will achieve your aims in your blatant advertising blitz disquised as news to elect the next President, but once it is over, will you be transferred to the Entertainment Division to peddle innuendo against "Access Hollywood"?

Edward R. Murrow would have been ashamed.

[redwhtblue2]

McCain Gaffes Pile Up
Politico: Verbal Blunders Bring New Attention To Sensitive Issue Of His Advanced Age

What will happen to this McCain dude if he reaches 74?

Scary stuff

America should be saying, keep this man away from the "BUTTON"!

[lfitts1]

HAHAHA! You should really ask: Do Obama''''s gaffes raise questions about his intelligence? And the obvious answer is: YES!

DV - member of the 57th state

Posted by rideit152

Absolutely--graduated Harvard Law and was chosen to be the editor of the Law review--what a dummy--those who get their made up news from Rush Limbaugh and believe it should not be judging others

[briannorwood]

McCain is to dammed old!

[mswolfestock]

No disrespect to the Green Bay Packers, BUT -

McCorpse confusing the Packers and Steelers -

what more proof do y''all need that this guy is senile?

[dcfowles]

OK, he misspoke when he said "Iraq" but meant Afghanistan - at least McCain knows where they''re at - took Obama until this week to figure it out. And I can accept gaffes that might come with age, because age also brings experience and wisdom - neither of which Obama has.

[terrapin78]

Even my 78 year old mother says McCain is too old to be Prez.

The little, old Jewish woman is voting for Obama!

[redwhtblue2]

McCain should do the right thing for his country, retire from politics and play with his grandchildren.

What business does a 72 year old man have running for "PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" it''s just plain ridiculous!

[redwhtblue2]

Elders should be respected but that doesn''t mean 72 year old men should be President of the United States.

He''s to old America needs a new generation of leaders. The country has been run too long by the depression era old timers. Obama isn''t my choice but at least he''s in the right age range.

[redwhtblue2]

I have news for you idiotd. If Obama gets in he won''''t last 4 years. He will run out of lies way before then.


Posted by guyfrompa49 at 01:18 PM : Jul 22, 2008

Although I think Obama is a huckster I believe he won''t be nearly as bad as BUSH and the mess BUSH Jr is leaving to the next PRESIDENT is going to make it tough for any Man to lead this great nation.

[terrorislamo]

SHOW US YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE HUSSEIN,,,

Is Obama%u2019s %u201CFight The Smears%u201D Passing Off A Fraudulent Document As His %u201CCertificate of Live Birth%u201D?
Barack Obama%u2019s Achilles heel?
This may be the most damning evidence to date. Obama may be over the barrel now, once and for all.
Janice Okubo, Director of Communications of the State of Hawaii Department of Health confirms all earlier suspicions of a forgery.
The million dollar question remains. What is Obama hiding?
Faked certificate suggests that Obama may not be %u201Cnatural born%u201D US citizen
It is now a certainty that the %u201Cbirth certificate%u201D claimed by the Barack Obama campaign as authentic is a photoshopped fake.
The image, purporting to come from the Hawaii Department of Health, has been the subject of intense skepticism in the blogosphere in the past two weeks. But now the senior spokesman of that Department has confirmed to Israel Insider what are the required features of a certified birth document %u2014 features that Obama%u2019s purported %u201Cbirth certificate%u201D clearly lack.
http://conservablogs.com/velvethammer/2008/06/25/obamas-fight-the-smears-daily-kos-are-passing-off-a-fraudulent-document-as-his-certificate-of-live-birth/

[redwhtblue2]

redwhtblue2 - and what business does a racist , lying, muslim have running?


Posted by guyfrompa49 at 01:20 PM : Jul 22, 2008

Obama is a Christian like it or not you can call him a muslim all you want but that doesn''t make it true.

[redwhtblue2]

redwhtblue2 - Ok so you''''re voting for a huckster... Good idea.


Posted by guyfrompa49 at 01:23 PM : Jul 22, 2008

No, but I wouldn''t vote for McCain either the man could''ve done the right thing for this country four years ago and ran with Kerry as Kerry''s VP but America got shafted with four more years of Bush/Cheney and now McCains too old; just face it Sir.

[redwhtblue2]

72 year old men have no business running for President of the United States. IT''S THAT SIMPLE

McCain needs to retire and smell the roses

[terrorislamo]

HUSSEIN/MUGABE IN 08

hmmmmmmm fascist nazi terrorislam backs mugabe/mug-me/bug-me,,, and fascist nazi terrorislam backs husein,,,

COULD THIS BE A WARNING???

Islamic terrorists back Mugabe

Zanu-PF plots with a South African outlaw group to bring more terror to the country.

Four members of the military junta now ruling Zimbabwe in Mugabe''s name are holding secret meetings with representatives of PAGAD, the notorious Islamic terrorist organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa.
http://www.zimbabwetoday.co.uk/2008/06/islamic-terrori.html

[michael0004]

Isn''t it ironic, that the same ones who make sexist comments (Obama v Clinton) and comments that seem to discriminate against age (Obama v McCain) are the first to cry foul if any comment about Obama can be twisted in such a way to be interpreted as racist (e.g., "Jesse Jackson won in SC too and both Jackson and Obama ran good campaigns" - Bill Clinton).

[andylance1]

Imagine forgetting that Czechoslovakia is now the Czech Republic. I suppose they both are in the same place and haven''t moved.

At least McCain is not threatening Pakistan with war because they can''t control the border with Afghanistan. Someone must have forgotten to brief Obama that Pakistan has nuclear weapons.

[terrorislamo]

LEFT WINGNUT KOOL AID DRINKING BARKING MOONBATS LEAD THE CHORUS OF USEFUL IDIOTS,,,

"Zimbabwe: Leftists to blame for Robert Mugabe''s blood-letting"

"...So it is infuriating to hear some Leftists and liberals saying, through the teeth of their post-imperial guilt, that perhaps an armed intervention is the only way to rid the world of this brute. Had this been done years ago, when they took the opposite view, how many lives might have been saved? How many productive people, black and white, would have felt able to stay in Zimbabwe, rather than flee with their talents abroad? Would it still be a country with a life expectancy in the low thirties, something not heard of in Europe since the early Middle Ages? How proud does the Left, with its stupidly romantic notions of the inviolate nature of "black freedom fighters", feel about what it has so ably helped Mugabe achieve?"
http://crusader-rabbit.blogspot.com/2008/06/zimbabwe-leftists-to-blame-for-robert.html

[dmack26]

It is amazing at the media bias. If you listen to Barack without a teleprompter, he is worst than George Bush. he will do "duh and uh" several times in a row. Now he is in Iraq trying to make policy, he is arrogance at its elitist best.

[wdrussell1]

This will be a test for the media.
See if they run McCain Gaffes stories every day for two months.
Like they ran Rev.Wright stories and earlier Gary Condit stories every day.

[terrorislamo]

hmmmmm HUSSEIN/MUGABE IN 08

think idi amin,,,

that turned out badly as well LOL

hahaha

FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM IS THE PROBLEM,,,

DEMONIC-RAT HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SOLUTION,,,

[redwhtblue2]

McCain is to old you Republicans should''ve nominated him when you had the chance back in 2000 when he was still vibrant and a maverick at the ripe ole age of 64.

But you right wingers listened to Karl Rove who called John McCain every name in the book and as well Rove said McCain was unfit to serve. Now Americans are to believe McCain at the advanced age of 72 has somehow become wiser and fitter? Sorry to late for McCain end of debate.

[jholmes_jr]

There is nothing wrong with being old; McCain can''t help it. But there''s something wrong with the Republicans picking a candidate for president that, in all probability, can''t go two full terms. They did it before, running worn-out, run-down Bob Dole against Clinton. When will they learn?

[jn122736]

have news for you idiotd. If Obama gets in he won''''''''t last 4 years. He will run out of lies way before then.
Posted by guyfrompa49 at 01:18 PM : Jul 22, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

guyfrompa49;

That%u2019s never been a problem for Bush/McCain or their apologists, they just keep repeating the SAME lies.

BTW,I find very interesting that even though this article is about McCain%u2019s gaffs, all his apologists can do is throw insults at Obama.

Could it be because the list of blunders is documented facts and there are no plausible excuses for them?

[oneamerican-]

Will CBS or any of the Obammasiah-priasing liberal media bring up the multitude of Obama gaffes - like when Obama said "Israel is a strong friend of Israel."?

Likely not.

The liberal press is already making plans to corronate their liberal queen Obama in November - and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal.

[pvperson]

"And i guess sitting there listening to the racist rants from your minister doesn''''t make you a racist either"

Does listening to the ramblings of old man JMcCain make you an idiot? But then, maybe it does.

[oneamerican-]

All Hail Queen Obama!

Long live the liberal aristocracy!

Not.

[redwhtblue2]

Posted by OneAmerican- at 01:41 PM : Jul 22, 2008

This story is about a 72 year old man wanting to become the next President of the United States and the possbility McCain is just to *** old to be President, it''s a vaild question. If you want to rant about Obama take it to an Obama topic for once in your miserable life.

[oneamerican-]

Posted by redwhtblue2 at 01:45 PM : Jul 22, 2008

Take your advice and cram it in your ear, bonehead.

[redwhtblue2]

Posted by OneAmerican- at 01:44 PM : Jul 22, 2008

OneAmerican,

Your comments are silly are you reaching an advanced age like McCain?

[terrorislamo]

YOU DO NOT LIKE THE USA IN THE MIDDLE EAST,,,

BLAME THE DEMONIC-RATS,,,

THE DEMONIC-RAT DOCTRINE,,,

On February 16, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said the "the defense of Saudi Arabia is vital to the defense of the United States." On February 14, 1945, while returning from the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt met with King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia on the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal, the first time a U.S. president had visited the Persian Gulf region.

The Carter Doctrine was a policy proclaimed by President of the United States Jimmy Carter in his State of the Union Address on 23 January 1980, which stated that the United States would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf region. The doctrine was a response to the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, and was intended to deter the Soviet Union%u2014the Cold War adversary of the United States%u2014from seeking hegemony in the Persian Gulf. After stating that Soviet troops in Afghanistan posed "a grave threat to the free movement of Middle East oil," Carter proclaimed:

Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force. (full speech)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Doctrine

[redwhtblue2]

Posted by OneAmerican- at 01:46 PM : Jul 22, 2008

This story is about a 72 year old man wanting to become the next President of the United States and the possbility McCain is just to dog gone old to be President, it''s a vaild question. If you want to rant about Obama take it to an Obama topic for once in your miserable life.

[wdrussell1]

You are right redwhtblue2. The wacko wingers out here today are even an embarrassment to republicans.

[oneamerican-]

"Your comments are silly are you reaching an advanced age like McCain?"

Posted by redwhtblue2 at 01:46 PM : Jul 22, 2008


Racism, sexism, and ageism.

Once again demonstrated as a monopoly by the elitist leftists like redwhtblue2.