Questions For McCain

Stupid Fingers!

Rob Stafford writes over at HufPo:

“. . .here are four questions I’d like someone to ask Senator McCain, and that I’d like him to answer — without parsing, without equivocating, just answer. And if he doesn’t answer — we keep asking. And if these questions no longer seem topical—we ask something else. I don’t want to act like the Republicans, but I do want to make sure our narrative gets equal play—that’s what gets “teh Googles” to wake up and pay attention.

Well, I think McSame is so gosh-darn predictable, I’d like to answer those questions for him, Rob; so fire away, the Senator is awake, alert, and will not now answer your questions:

1. Senator McCain, it’s my understanding that Karl Rove, known to some as “Bush’s Brain” is acting as an informal advisor to your campaign. Are you aware that Rove is currently evading a congressional subpoena, that he has left the country & shows no inclination to appear?

Ah, Mr. Rove does not speak for me, or my campaign. And as far as I am aware, I’m totally aware, that he feels he has a right to declare executive privilege, regarding his activities in the government, and now it is an issue for the activist bench at our courts to decide. I wish him luck.

2. Are you aware that several members of the Bush White House have now failed to respond to congressional subpoenas? What is your opinion of people who show contempt for you & your fellow congresspersons in this way?

Well, I’d take issue with your use of the word “contempt,” even summers can be hectic in Washington, and the Bush team is pretty busy these days. My friends, it would probably be closer to the truth to believe that they’ll be getting round to the subpoenas just as soon as they can.

3. You have supported President Bush on many issues, including his handling of the war and his stance on tax cuts (which, before you were running for president you opposed), you have been photographed publicly embracing him, and yet now you have a little old lady arrested for holding up a sign that reads “McCain = Bush.” Please tell us why you would not like to be associated with President Bush? Why is he a political liability to you now?

Presdent [sic] Bush and I agree on the transcendent issues of today, and always have. He is not a political liability to me, or my campaign. The woman that, the protester that was arrested, was in violation of the rules governing the use of the facility, and it was only fair to the other attendees that she follow the rules as they did. Instead, she chose to be arrested. (shrugs)

4. I understand that you have distanced yourself from Phil Gramm‘s comment to the effect that “We have sort of become a nation of whiners,” and yet, I find it hard to believe that you chose this man to work on your campaign on economic issues, you have worked with him closely for a year, and yet you were unfamiliar and/or in disagreement with this sentiment. Clearly, if Mr. Gramm had known this statement would embarrass you, he wouldn’t have said it. Do you think it would be unfair, given this context, to argue that you have distanced yourself from the public declaration of this comment, but not of the sentiment itself?

Yes, it would be unfair, I said before that Phil Gramm doesn’t speak for me, and that is still the case. But I think the press was making too much of his comments, in that he was pointing out the steady drumbeat of the blame America first crowd, who always take the negative over the positive, and overlook the power of the psychological over the minds of many Americans, who think the country is in worse shape than it really is, because that’s all they hear about from the cable monsters.

Well, Rob, there you have it. Milquetoast answers, all neatly packaged in mind-fog you can believe in.

Hateful to me, as are the gates of hell,
Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart,
Utters another.
—Homer, Iliad