Asked about Limbaugh's "phony soldiers" comment, McCain told CNN: "[H]e should not have said it"
On the October 3 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, chief national correspondent John King asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for his reaction to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) Senate floor statement calling on senators "to join in condemning [Rush] Limbaugh's attack on our troops" -- a reference to Limbaugh's September 26 comments characterizing service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq as "phony soldiers." McCain responded: "I did issue a statement saying that I thought it was inappropriate, and perhaps Mr. Limbaugh didn't mean it but he should not have said it."
As Media Matters for America documented, McCain issued the following statement on September 28 in response to Limbaugh's "phony soldiers" comments:
Any American who risks his or her life to defend us has earned the respect and gratitude of every American citizen, irrespective of their views on this war. If Mr. Limbaugh made the remark he is reported to have made, it reflects very poorly on him and not the objects of his offensive comment. I expect most Americans, whatever their political views, will have the same reaction. He would be well advised to retract it and apologize.
From the October 3 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
KING: Another dust-up in recent days has been Harry Reid, the Democratic leader -- the majority leader in the Senate -- going to the floor, demanding an apology from Rush Limbaugh over a remark calling some soldiers who have served who have been critical of the war "phony soldiers." Now Rush says he's being taken out of context, that he was criticizing one particular person who lied about serving in Iraq.
McCAIN: I'm a little disturbed about bringing that aspect into the political arena, but they are citizens and they have the right to vote obviously. But, on the issue, I don't know exactly about what the back and forth between Senator Reid and Rush Limbaugh -- I did issue a statement saying that I thought it was inappropriate, and perhaps Mr. Limbaugh didn't mean it but he should not have said it. I also criticized the ad on General [David] Petraeus. I also criticized the attack on [Sen.] John Kerry's [D-MA] record. I also criticized the attack on [former Sen.] Max Cleland's [D-GA] record. So I'm -- I regret that people are in any way criticized or assaulted because of their service in the military.
Oh oh, another gaurantee that this will run another day on faux snooze!
Well, Rush has never been very kind to McCain. In fact, if I were John McCain, I'd kick Rush's ass.
and perhaps Mr. Limbaugh didn't mean it but he should not have said it.
And that's all that Rush had to say. "I misspoke." Happens.
Instead, regressives have learned that they can repeat the lie over and over, regardless of what it is, and listeners will believe it. Never surrender, never admit you're wrong, never admit a mistake... we've had seven years now of that sort of government. And it's been a disaster.
It's an analogy I've used before, but it's like the cow that pushed it's head through a fence trying to get to the grass on the other side. Unfortunately, the cow got stuck and starved to death because it was too stupid to back up.
Nerzog, that's called "resolve".
McCain: "I'm a little disturbed about bringing that aspect into the political arena."
Was he "disturbed" about the MoveOn vote? How did he vote on that? He wasn't so disturbed then was he?
Yeah, a real straight shooter.
McCain voted to condemn the Moveon.org ad.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00344
I disagree with that vote (or the fact that the congress wasted their time on bringing such a stupid resolution to the floor), but it is at least somewhat consistant with his condemning Rush in this case.
Or "staying the course", perhaps?
I wish, I spent all day Sunday chasing a cow that crawled under a fence to greener pastures and then broke through more fences in the neighborhood. If I had any energy left I would come up with a snarky analogy, but no, nothing come to mind.
Mr. McCain if you need to understand why I am not supporting you this time arround your lack of straight talk is the reason.
I like it when McCain gets out of step with his Dark Side comrades. He's one of the few who'll kick ass on LimpBrain. He kicked butt on all the others too, and that was "Fair & Balanced".
If I had the money I would start a truly "Fair & Balanced" Fox News for the rest of us. Show me the money!
SAVE DEMOCRACY, VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!
Yet he was silent about Sen. Bob Kerry's service, a Special Forces commander whom was left with the most terrifying dilemma when he and his unit of Special Forces destroyed a village and its villagers. The war put men in unimaginable situations that are all too often used by the Republicans to slight those who would stand and volunteer!Bob Kerry was smeared in a way to make his smear seem like it came from Liberals screaming baby killer, when it was the Draft Dodgers in the RNC that were stoking the flames.
I am a Democrat! I don't agree with all it's positions, and with it's members, I believe that Democrats rule with respect for the rule of law, protect, defend, and preserve the constitution, and are competant when governing, and protecting the nation's security. History is undeniable in this regard.
The Republicans have proven themselves not to be trusted to respect the rule of law, the checks and balances of our American Democracy, and a complete disaster in protecting the nation's sercurity. They have proven beyond any doubt that they simply cannot govern without dissolving into Fascism!
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
Ask Rush if McCain opposed the war in Iraq would he be a phony soldier, too. The man did spend six or seven years in a North Vietnam hell hole prison at the time when Rush was exercising his deferments.