NPR's Liasson claimed there is a "kind of candor and honesty that people come to expect from John McCain"
On the July 15 broadcast of Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday, NPR national political correspondent Mara Liasson claimed that during a July 14 New Hampshire town hall meeting, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) "took questions for an hour and a half and answered them all, you know, with the same kind of candor and honesty that people come to expect from John McCain." Later in the program, Liasson claimed that McCain "is a candidate who always says, you know, he puts principle above politics." However, Media Matters for America has documented instances in which McCain -- whom the media have routinely described as "honest" and "authentic" -- has made contradictory statements or otherwise equivocated on a variety of issues, such as the Iraq war, Christian conservatives, ethanol, tax cuts for the wealthy, the Confederate flag, and abortion rights (see here, here, here, and here).
McCain has also made a number of dubious statements in 2007 regarding the Iraq war. As Media Matters documented, during a visit to Baghdad, McCain responded to a question from a reporter about his statement that he "could walk through" neighborhoods in Baghdad today by stating: "Yeah, I just came from one." McCain was apparently referring to his trip to Baghdad's Shorja market, during which he and other members of his delegation were accompanied by more than 100 troops and several helicopters. On the April 8 edition of CBS' 60 Minutes, McCain admitted that he had "miss[poken]" when he declared the market safe. In addition, as Media Matters has also noted, during a June 5 GOP presidential debate in New Hampshire, McCain stated: "I am convinced that if we fail and we have to withdraw, they will follow us home. It will be a base for Al Qaeda." McCain made a similar prediction during the May 3 GOP presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan presidential library. When he was asked what he would need to win the war in Iraq, McCain responded: "We must win in Iraq. If we withdraw, there will be chaos; there will be genocide; and they will follow us home." Yet, as Media Matters has noted (here and here), numerous media outlets have reported assessments of a wide range of U.S. intelligence officials, security experts, and military analysts disagreeing with the view that terrorists in Iraq will attack Americans inside the United States if U.S. military forces exit Iraq.
From the July 15 broadcast of Fox News Sunday:
BRIT HUME (guest host): Well, that's one way of looking at it, I suppose, if you're Senator McCain, that the campaign is fine. But a bunch of his aides -- top aides -- bailed out this week, and the campaign is thought to be all but broke. So, whither Senator McCain? Mara, you were with him in New Hampshire yesterday for what was thought to be a major speech. How does he seem? What's going on?
LIASSON: Well, he seems fine. I mean, it was the strangest campaign trip I've ever been on. I mean, the campaign staff are just walking around shell-shocked. A lot of them are not going to be around more than one or two more days. He is out of money. This has been a spectacular implosion. I don't know of any campaign that's kind of fallen this far this fast. From front-runner a year ago -- less than a year ago -- to underdog today. But what he's going to do is go back to the beginning, go back to his roots. He's going to campaign in New Hampshire, hold a lot of town meetings, kind of face-to-face encounters with voters, which he is great at. And he was in Claremont having a town meeting yesterday morning, where he took questions for an hour and a half and answered them all, you know, with the same kind of candor and honesty that people come to expect from John McCain.
[...]
HUME: Can he ever recover, though, from the opprobrium that he brought on himself among Republicans with his immigration stance?
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER (Washington Post columnist): I don't think so. But I think if the war emerges as the overriding issue, as it is, and immigration fades into the past, in some sense -- and it's going to be a dead issue now -- and it's all about the war, I think he has a chance.
LIASSON: Well, I don't know if he has a chance, but certainly the campaign that, at least, Bill [Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard] has outlined for him, it's a campaign that --
HUME: It's doable.
LIASSON: -- is doable and also something that he would enjoy. This is a candidate who always says, you know, he puts principle above politics. In this case, he did that. And you know what? Voters only reward you for that if you agree with them on a sufficient number of issues.
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It has been many a year
Since the "straight talk express" did appear
John McCain's now a phony
Talks flip-floppin' baloney
His lack of honor is clear
Yeah Julia real lack of honor. You should be in a POW Prison camp for 5 years then you can preach about lack of honor.
John the politician, is a different John
Yeah Julia real lack of honor. You should be in a POW Prison camp for 5 years then you can preach about lack of honor.-SueEld
Does being a POW give you total exemption from ANY criticism?
As the cost for Hurricane Katrina mounted, McCain told Chris Matthews the Bush tax cuts must be maintained. But McCain voted against the tax cuts.
John McCain once called Jerry Falwell an "agent of intolerance." Now he's going to be the graduation speaker at Jerry's Liberty University.
McCain opposes a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, but supported a ballot measure that would do just that in his home state of Arizona.
McCain’s bravery in support of his country is to be commended just as McCain’s willingness to say anything to get elected is open for criticism.
Please tell me where I said we can not be critical of McCain?
"Yeah Julia real lack of honor. You should be in a POW Prison camp for 5 years then you can preach about lack of honor."
Sueld
It certainly was implied by you response that you found criticism unacceptable. Maybe you should choose your words more carefully if you meant otherwise. You are the one that brought up his POW experience out of the blue.
I fail to see how being in a prison cam for 5years (as terrible as it must have been, and however heroic he was) qualifies either his honesty or ladership skills. But, thanks for playing.
Let me try again, as I'm having wireless keyboard problems (maybe low batteries)
I fail to see how being in a prison camp for 5 years (as terrible as it must have been, and however heroic he was) qualifies either his honesty or leadership skills. But, thanks for playing.
You might want to acquaint yourself with the facts before you post these kinds of comments. No, he shouldn't get a pass today because of prior actions, but, contrary to your comment, his actions as a POW were pretty damn honorable, courageous, and they exhibited considerable leadership skills.
How so? How does being a POW make you a good leader?
Sue, by that standard, I'm sure you voted for Kerry in 2004, a man who still carries shrapnel in his leg.
Yes I did vote for Kerry, not for those reasons though, but becuase he is a man of honor. Also I am not supporting McCain, but saying he has no honor was shameful. Be critical of him but do not say this man has no honor.
How about this one, then:
John McCain no longer has any honor. You got a problem with that? It seems pretty clear to me after watching him smootching GWB after what the man did to him and his family during the 2000 campaign, and after watching him discrace himself and let down the troops over the Iraq war issue for political gain that he currently has no honor. That says nothing about how much honor he used to have. I'm looking, but I don't see any right now. Maybe he'll find it again someday.
Go tot he!!
I'm a little tired of high and mighty types telling me or anyone else what we can or can not question.
McCain knows the horrors of war yet has been a rubber stamp and a toady for the Bush administration. He has become a politician more concerned with his political career than standing up for principle.
Exhibit A. his caving on Bush's torture policies he was so vocal about, then compromised. The only thing he compromised was his integrity and the rule of law. He no longer has honor, he sold out the troops. He is the worst kind of politician. You can disagree all you want but don't try to tell me this guy is honorable. No way.
Bye, bye John McCain.........
>>>>>>>>>>FLUSH<<<<<<<<<<
NEXT!
Fred.....your an actor......and you want to be president, well son, that actor turned polytishun thang worked out pretty well last time, saddle up, lets ride.
Yeah, go with Fred. Nixon's informant during Watergate, only military service in "The Hunt for Red October," the prop pickup truck, "Law and Order" candidate, but not a law and order candidate. The "Outsider" who was a lobbyist. Sounds perfect....
Oh no, that could be a problem..... I'm scared....... now I think I will go with Senator Clinton, but I want to make sure I make the right decision....what have you got on her Fryguy?
She's in bed with corporations and a free marketeer. Bad enough but not as shady as the actor.
She's not my fave either. Do you button your shirt like your namesake in South Park ;).
I beg to differ. Reagan's conservatism, dismantling of the safety netand war on labor have us in the economic pickle we are in now. Reagan quite possibly one of the most destructive to domestic policies we've seen since McKinnley. No more actors please. no more idiots who think government is some evil entity.
I know I just woke up.......dont know how long I slept but when I last went to sleep, when ever it was, the stock market was at an all time high, interest rates were low, inflation was not a concern, unemployment has been the lowest the longest, and the economy is the best in the history of the world, no terrorist attacks since 9/11, a number of attacks have been foiled many arrested, charged and are behind bars, I am poor because I am lazy yet I have all the food I can eat, (girl friends WIC, food stamps) I have state health insurance for $20.00 per month co-pay, a roof over my head, (HUD), 2 cases of beer in the frig. (girlfriends child support) and headed for the beach.....I'm in heaven MAN.
You are still asleep.
Your rhetoric is irrelevant. Our economy is working on borrowed money. Bush has spent us into the greatest debt we have ever known. Much of our debt is owned by the Chinese. We no longer manufacture goods in this country and the government is unwilling to bail out Americans in need. We are becoming an oligarchy run by fascists and you sit there thinking everything is fine. Have another beer, you are part of the problem. Wake up. Conservatism benefits a few at the expense of the many.
I'm doing alright myself but I'm not foolish enough to assume my situation is typical and my job is dependent on the military industrial complex that is also part of the problem. So my good fortune is on borrowed time as well. I just can't stand people who actually think the economy is just a-ok. That's profoundly ignorant.
And honestly Tweaker I have no respect for you because you didn't comment when I schooled you on Valerie Wilson. You have no credibility.
And another thing, I speak from experience. I grew up on food stamps while my parents worked two jobs to make ends meet when Reagan cut us off. Keep believing in the Welfare Queen myth there chief. Ignorance is bliss.
Bing, will have to look that thread up, not only do I not have any credibility, I have no credit, I have no car payment, mortgage payment...no debt period. When Regan was at your house taking the food out of your cupboards was he smiling or frowning?
At some point in your life you will come to the realization that your view of how the world should be will NEVER come to fruition. Your decision to accept or reject that fact will determine your own blissfulness. My best wishes to you and yours.
Since you could not refute the fact that Valerie Wilson was covert, am I supposed to think your vision of the future is at all accurate?
The answer is no. So I only have one thing left to say.
Screw you.
Bing, I have no idea if she was or was not...dont care. My "vision" of the world would include your happiness, and mine, everyones. But what reality brings is anyones guess. I or you have such a minuscule part in "the future" it is almost undetectable. We do, however have the capacity to improve the lives of those around us. Times are good in my house hold. Because of that fact I can refuse to accept your contempt for my existence. Cheers.
Good for you. If you're so freakin' happy then don't assume I have contempt for your existence. I'm merely stating my opinion and responding to your criticism. It's convenient you don't care that Valerie Wilson was covert as it was a prime and clear example of how conservatives lie. You should care as an act of treason occured at the highest levels of government. But you are doing fine and it doesn't effect you directly so who cares right? Well I care because I see outside my box as well as within.
cue sound of crickets in background.
Tweak gets schooled and becomes quiet all of the sudden. If it were only this easy all the time.
Tweak was at the beach.
Where no doubt you heard the sound of crickets, as I still do.
Ok, I'll say one more thing. Like many conservatives you seem to think the words opinion and fact are interchangeable. They are not. Your prediction of the future is an opinion not a fact. You might not like my positions that is your opinion. But my opinions are rooted in observation and research based on actual facts, like Valerie Wilson was a covert agent when outed. See that's a fact verified by her former employer. The likely hood they are lying for some reason is very low so I am inclined to believe them. Dick Cheney outing her for purely political purposes would be an opinion.
See the difference oh debt free one?
BING:
To a Rightwinger, the Government being EVIL is a self-fulfilling prophesy. When a GOPer gets POWER, they DO make government into an evil entity. Viola! They are proven correct, because the government is no better than the people sent to RUN it. They put THEIR stamp on it, with what they DO, and what they FAIL to do.
Here's the deal, Sue.
We respect and honor McCain's service to our country. It looks especially good next to our cut-and-run President's actions during the same period.
But it doesn't insulate him from criticism. Some of McCain's actions since then have been quite dishonorable: the Keating 5 mess; sucking up to Jerry Falwell; finessing both sides of every issue.
Sueeld, John McCain is a flip flopper and has abandond his former principles. Principles equal honor. I used honor in my limerick because of syllyble restrictions, but it still applies. The guy used to be principled. He no longer is principled at least politically. He was in a prison camp but that doesn't mean he is not being a flip flopper now. He is being obscene with his talk of bombing Iran and his unprincipled stand on remaining in Iraq, despite the evidence that it is an expensive fiasco.
Next time, try keeping your emotional responses to a minimum if you have nothing to back them up but hyperventilation. BTW you sound just like Taz.
Good point Julie. My problem with McCain is this war , his support of the war mongering administration. Sad.
If you search at dailyhowler.com, Somerby has several items up about how Al Gore was savaged by the press for taking everybody's questions at town hall meetings in New Hampshire during the 2000 campaign. When he did it, he was being inauthentic, and a know-it-all, and a bore.
But when McCain answers everyone's questions, he's authentic and honest.
The punditocracy has had a love affair with McCain for years that lets him get away with being a flip-flopper and ill-informed on many issues. It's killing the Beltway press that their boy is going down.
McCain the man has lived a life of service, and for that he should be honored, but POLITICS is a corrupting game. The average guy ... and that's McCain's greatest strength but most damaging weakness ... must have an unusual mindset to resist the temptations and pressures of running in political crowds.
McCain is sadly inconsistent and indecisive about how to go about politics. One day, he's the maverick, bucking the system and defying the party platform. The next day, he's acting like the head of President Bush's PR department, subjegating himself to try to bolster Bush's failing policies. In this flip-flopping, the "REAL" McCain gets completely lost, mired in contradiction and loss of focus.
He doesn't like fundraising, he's ill at ease on the stump, and the honor of his own service is an inconvincing fit with being a lackey to the NeoCons.
Most bothering, he seems to have completely forgiven and forgotten being savaged by his own party, a smearing necessary to diminish Bush's competition since Bush's own stature is so diminuative.
In short, it has become clear that McCain lacks the skills necessary to be EITHER a good president, OR a good enough street-fighting politician to gain that office. McCain will have to make his peace with rising no higher than Senator.
Right on as usual, Tex, and I just want to add that somebody or something got to John to make him abruptly sell out whatever maverick principles that made him attractive across party lines in the first place. It seems that only after that sellout occurred is when the friendly BushieCo press touted the hope of the maverick again.
Was it fear or power hunger? Either way it toasted him.
Bush NEEDED McCain's honor ... to use it up, in place of his own non-existance of honor ... and so, who knows what kind of "deal" was made? Bush probably appealed to his patriotism, to the necessity of respecting the chain of command, to McCain's instinct to follow orders.
Whatever the pitch, the "return" was obvious: We'll stop smearing you, and then maybe you can be president when Bush is gone.
Military people are a natural for Bush, because their honor, patriotism, and instinct to following orders are a natural for a USER. Colin Powell found this out; now his integrity is in tatters, but putting his honor on the line for Bush helped enable Bush to have his WAR for OIL.
The NeoCons find great use for the military, just like KLEENEX ... use and discard.
I am a little distressed that commenters here are focusing on McCain and NOT ON MARA LAISSON. There is little doubt about the facts concerning McCains behavior since he became a candidate for president! The man once respected for his war record, can't even get the support of his own partisans due to he obvious equivocating.
Why does Mara Laisson (supposed to be a jounalist) continue to promote the old image of Mcain which he himself has destroyed? I once respected her. I was mistaken.
My opinion is that this is an example of extreme intellectual and journalistic laziness more that anything else. I say that mainly because McCain is so unpopular within his own party that it does not seem to be a republican bias within the media this time. I think they just get stuck with a talking point and cannot let current events reshape that vision at all. It is much easier coming up with a world view and then shaping news stories into it than to critically evaluate news every single time like they should be doing. That would be exhausting.
Liasson has gone over to the dark side. Because she is on PBS, she is supposed to be the "Liberal balance" against Kristol, Hume, Krauthammer. But she has gone from tempering her speech with platitudes, to outright cheerleading for the rightwing causes. She does NOT present a strong rebuttal or alternative view ... her function has become "you may be right".
I don't know if FOX pays her enough money to where she now resides islolated from reality, maybe attending a rightwing cocktail party or two, and plays her part by simply showing up as a SYMBOL (not a reality) of balance, but if she ever WAS a "Liberal", she is not any more.
The Rightwing select folks like Liasson and Colmes precisely BECAUSE they are ineffective advocates FOR progressives, and AGAINST Rightwingers. They are props, and would do progressives more good if they just QUIT, and refused to be USED any more.
Tex, you have that right.
I wrote to her and basically called her out on this and implied she needed to get out more. Really, if every day people on this forum understand the narrative being advanced by the MSM and Republicans, you'd think Liasson would be a savvy enough newswoman to be able to counter at least a little bit. But alas she does seem like she's just playing the game. It's sad and depressing.