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.

[mdwhite5]

Yes, if elected, one of the first things that Obama would do is call the "president of Canada" and, I guess, offer him use of a "breathalator...uh, breathealizer...uh...uh...uhm...uh....duh...uh...ahh...ugh..." What a vacuous, pompous suit.

What a slanted story. You acknowledge that Obama has made many gaffes too then you then pile on McCain. How about questioning Obama''s knowledge of his own country or his inexperience. And most of the comments also are obviously Dems happily agreeing with your agenda.

[oicur2pid]

If,GOD forbid, by chance this guy became the potus, WE ARE DOOMED FOR SURE!

This country would find itself in a "Sorry State Of Depression"!

[oicur2pid]

If,GOD forbid, by chance this guy became the potus, WE ARE DOOMED FOR SURE!

This country would find itself in a "Sorry State Of Depression"!

[oicur2pid]

If,GOD forbid, by chance this guy became the potus, WE ARE DOOMED FOR SURE!

This country would find itself in a "Sorry State Of Depression"!

[oneeggcream]

McSame is just a frightening as Bush! If you like what we have had for the last 7 plus years then go ahead and make the same mistake again. However, if you would like your country back then try voting for someone that MIGHT steer us in the right direction! I guess we won''t know that until it happens!
Nothing Bush nor McSame is true. They read from the same book of lies. Please for the sake of the world VOTE FOR OBAMA!!
Peace to you and yours....

[labrat9999]

My goodness...a memory problem. How can you be so kind? And the GOPers want to put this guy in the White House? Are you kidding me? I would rather find some drunk off the street then put this looser in the White House. I have another house that I would like to send him to though. I''ll even start up donations in case his pre-nup with his wife doesn''t provide for his care in his old age.

[oicur2pid]

I once heard:

Once a lying-*** hypocrite, always a lying-*** hypocrite!

[latinovoter1]

Can someone buy him a Geography Book Please? I just cant vote for him now, as much as I love him, I am now feeling that he is way too old and does have a memory problem.

[rltw175b]

Critics Pile On As McCain Gaffes Pile Up

this is why he told the press today he would not be talking to them!

[iptsteve]

We have had a lying dummy in the White House for 7 years and I say that with the MOST DISREPECT. We don''t need another one! Misspeaks or is just lying?!?! Who knows? Is he old and forgetful or just dumb??? He thinks if he keeps saying something that is not true, the people will start to believe it, just like Bush. As Bush said in May of 2005 "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over again for the truth sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." Would you like a man that finished 5th from the bottom of his class, has recently changed is positions or denied he ever said something so many time I''m surprised his head isn''t spinning, or someone who is actually intelligent! I''ll go with brains over an old war record, old age, constant position changes and his staff having to say "He didn''t mean it". Oh and have you seen McCain%u2019s new ad?? It blames high oil prices on Obama! Now he''s saying that Bush calling for offshore and ANWAR Drilling have caused the price of oil to come down!! Someone should ask him if he really believes that stuff!!! Oil futures for August, September, Oct and Nov of 08 come down because Bush called for new drilling! If he believes what he says he really is nutz!!

[skyk-2009]

.I guess people AGE for a reason , if not , they will be making the same mistake as when they were young......

Posted by alohaone1 at 02:49 PM : Jul 23, 2008

Bush went to the Surge because the American People refused to buy his "Stay the Course" line anymore. THEY went to the polls in RECORD Numbers and voted DEMOCRATS in with the express goal of ending the War in Iraq. Bush came up with the Surge as a way around that. Please try to be accurate when you post. It insults people when you twist the facts like you have in your post!!

[olcottr]

Terrorism did not arise until after the U.S. destablized the region first.

Um, Muslim terrorism against the US has been around since the 1800''s with the Barbary pirates. Nice try though. Maybe next you''ll blame the Crusades.

[alohaone1]

agree or disagree with the initial reason to go to Iraq , ask yourselves what would it be like if Bush did not have the GuT to go with the Surge ...What would it be like if Obama was pres. one year ago ...Do you rather see that ,hah ??? Libs .are so bitter they lost the last 2 elections that they blame Bush all the time and do not see a thing that the man did that is Good ..I give up on them ...Just wait until NOv. ..Obama with his flip-flops and his refusing to see the facts will not win in NOv. ... I am glad that Bush won the second term really , if not , it will be Vietnam Part2 by now ......thanks God that did not happen ...See it or not , it HAPPENED, just like Mc Cain said , it is what it is ......THE SURGE WORK ! and the young guy almost blew it ...ha ha ha...so much for youth ...I guess people AGE for a reason , if not , they will be making the same mistake as when they were young......

[rltw175b]

is mccain fighting himself?

[rltw175b]

The real opposition seems to be the "media"!
mccain''s base is the media, is this guy ok?

[taotxzen]

The real opposition seems to be the "media"!

Posted by mycommentspg

D@mn you Bill O''''Reilly, Sean Hannity, Brett Hume, Glen Beck, Rush, Bob Novack, Lou Dobbs, Ann Coulter, Joe Scarborough, William ''''the Blood'''' Krystal, Randy Savage, Tucker Carlson, Matt Drudge, Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove...

How many of those above either work directly for Fox news or are routine contributors? Naw, there is no bias at Fox news...

[taotxzen]

There He Goes Again...

McCain: ''''I don''''t know how you respond to something that is such a false depiction of what actually happened. Colonel McFarlane (phonetic) was contacted by one of the major Sunni sheiks. Because of the surge we were able to go out and protect that sheik and others. And it began the Anbar awakening. I mean, that''''s just a matter of history. Thanks to General Petraeus, our leadership, and the sacrifice of brave young Americans. I mean, to deny that their sacrifice didn''''t make possible the success of the surge in Iraq, I think, does a great disservice to young men and women who are serving and have sacrificed.''''

One problem. The surge wasn''''t even announced until a few months after the Anbar Awakening. Via Spencer Ackerman, here is Colonel MacFarland explaining the Anbar Awakening to Pam Hass of UPI, on September 29 2006. That would be almost four months before the President even announced the surge. Petraeus wasn''''t even in Iraq yet.

(cont)

[taotxzen]

How many people has McCain had to fire from his campaign so far? I have lost count!

There is not only the question of experience (which McCain supporters always stress) there is also the question of judgment. If McCain cannot organize a campaign without multiple scoundrels, then what makes you think he can run this country any better than out current Great Leader??

[taotxzen]

The real opposition seems to be the "media"!

Posted by mycommentspg

D@mn you Bill O''Reilly, Sean Hannity, Brett Hume, Glen Beck, Rush, Bob Novack, Lou Dobbs, Ann Coulter, Joe Scarborough, William ''the Blood'' Krystal, Randy Savage, Tucker Carlson, Matt Drudge, Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove...