Matthews, Blitzer call McCain "maverick," "straight talk[er]," for calling for Craig resignation
SUMMARY: Continuing a pattern of uncritically calling Sen.
John McCain a "maverick" and a "straight talker,"
CNN's Wolf Blitzer and MSNBC's Chris Matthews suggested that,
because McCain has called on Sen. Larry Craig to resign, he is espousing
"straight talk from the Straight Talk Express" and "is very
much the maverick" -- despite other Republicans having called for
Craig's resignation as well.
On the August 29 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, while discussing an earlier interview by CNN senior national correspondent John King with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), host Wolf Blitzer said to King: "There was some straight talk from the Straight Talk Express," the latter being the name of McCain's campaign bus. Blitzer added that, although McCain "dodged some of your questions ... he also was pretty candid when it came to a very sensitive subject -- the future of Senator Larry Craig [R-ID]." King agreed, replying: "He certainly was, Wolf. He was blunt on a number of the pressing controversies of the moment." On August 8, Craig pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges following his June 11 arrest during an investigation of "lewd conduct" in a restroom at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
During the Situation Room segment, on-screen text read: "Frank Talk with Sen. McCain: Presidential Candidate Turns 71."
Similarly, on the same day's edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews noted that McCain had called for Craig's resignation and said that McCain "goes his own way and is very much the maverick, as we know." But neither Blitzer, King, nor Matthews explained what made calling for Craig's resignation "straight talk" or why they considered it the "maverick" position-- given that, in the days since Craig's guilty plea was first reported, Republicans such as Sen. Norm Coleman (MN) and Rep. Pete Hoekstra (MI) have also called on Craig to resign, as Matthews noted. Additionally, the Republican Senate leadership has recommended that the Ethics Committee mount an investigation, releasing a statement saying, "In the meantime, Leadership is examining other aspects of the case to determine if additional action is required." Think Progress has identified five additional Republicans who have since reportedly called on Craig to resign.
As Media Matters for America has noted, media figures frequently call McCain a "maverick" or cite McCain's "maverick reputation" -- sometimes apropos of nothing -- including Chris Matthews and Blitzer, without noting the numerous instances in which McCain has fallen in line with the Bush administration or the Republican Party establishment on issues large and small. Media Matters has further noted that Blitzer, Matthews, and many other media figures have called McCain a "straight talker" despite several flip-flops.
From the August 29 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
BLITZER: There was some straight talk from the Straight Talk Express. He dodged some of your questions, but he also was pretty candid when it came to a very sensitive subject -- the future of Senator Larry Craig.
KING: He certainly was, Wolf. He was blunt on a number of the pressing political controversies of the moment.
Let me digress for a second to say he is back in Phoenix at this hour going to his favorite Mexican restaurant tonight so he will have a birthday celebration beyond our interview -- but it came at a very difficult time for John McCain. At this time last year, he was viewed as a favorite for the Republican nomination, if not the favorite.
From the August 29 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:
MATTHEWS: Who else do we have joining us? I forgot. Who else is -- Mike Viqueira!
MIKE VIQUEIRA (NBC News congressional correspondent): It's me, Chris. Yes.
MATTHEWS: I think that -- haven't you just gotten promoted to something big lately? I've been listening to the blogs.
VIQUEIRA: No, I'm not going anywhere near that, sir.
MATTHEWS: No, I think you're going to greatness land. Let me ask you, Mike, about this hill. I just sat here today collecting the press releases from people like Norm Coleman of Minnesota, who's up for re-election, John McCain, who goes his own way and is very much the maverick, as we know. Pete Hoekstra -- is it "hook-stra" or "hock-stra" from Michigan.
VIQUEIRA: "Huck-stra."
MATTHEWS: Huck-stra. They are growing -- the number of people calling for this fellow, Larry Craig, to walk.
VIQUEIRA: Yeah, Chris, it's almost as if Republicans suddenly had an epiphany this afternoon after being stunned into silence over the last 24 hours over these revelations of Larry Craig. It's not that many people didn't suspect that he had -- that he engaged in gay sex. Those rumors have been going around for at least 25 years.
MATTHEWS: Really?
What a brave position, to call for Craig's resignation, when it is hurting and embarrassing the Republican party. Way to go out on a limb, McCain.
GOP = Grand Old Perverts
GOP = Grand Old Perverts
Heru, that's a good one ;-)
So, if McCain said Craig should stay, he would be a hypocrite and a partisan hack, but if he calls for Craig's resignation, he is opportunistic?
Tommy,
If you take the fact that McCain has continually flip-flopped on just about every position he speaks about (if only to pander to the conservative base....... yes..... he is an opportunist!
At this point it is hard to accept any Republicans stance or attempt at doing the right thing without being skeptical.
The criticism is on the news outlets for referring to McCain as a maveric, when his stance isn't the least bit outside of the Republican party, nor is it daring.
I'm a maverick, you're a maverick. Heck, we're all mavericks today. Media Mavericks For America.
More than McCain, that's for sure...
Yea Tommy that's what this is saying. Do you just never understand a thread? Here ya go. MM is pointing out that McCain is getting, as usual, an inordinate amount of postive press from the usual suspects. There has been this silly amount of adoration towards McCain from people like Matthews that belies any pose of objectivity. Especially when it comes to calling McCain a 'maverick.' Matthews uses any reason he can to use this term for McCain even when he isn't really going out on much of a limb here. Get it? Of course you do. You're just trying to confuse the issue as usual.
SUNDOG,
It's not really "Tommy", as in someone's name; it's "TOMMY" (an acronym).
Tirelessly Obfuscating, Manufacturing Meaningless Yammer
Hope that helps.
Thanks 68, that does help. I didn't want to be too hard on him because I thought maybe it was Tommy as in a confused little boy.
Agreed S-Dog... T-Dog is caught redhanded. He's smarter than that.
I'm confused. One liberal calls me "smarter than that", and the other says I manufacture "meaningless yammer". Usually liberals are more in lockstep with one another than this?
Mmmm-hmmm. It's obvious you understand what's going on. Therefore, your yammer is intended for the sole purpose of deflection or confusion... But, maybe I give you too much credit?
'lock-step' - that's rich!
One little tiny post of mine caused numerous posts complaining about confusion and deflection and yammer initiated from me? Ahhhhhhh, ok.
We were saving it up... every lock-step liberal has a breaking point :)
Yammering one, It's the aggregate that counts, not just today.
Oh, I guess I will have to post more relevant, "yammer-less" posts on Limericks Matters for America.
Ouch. Must be Friday!
I think Tommy's been on his period this week. I think he needs Midol.
My limericks are at least relevant. Your yammering isn't. But by all means do as you wish, my sweet. I have no ego about my limericks (except the meter carper). ;-)
Your limericks are relevant because they bash the right, my yammering is irrelevant because it doesn't rubberstamp the liberal line, that is what you are saying Pumpkin, now isn't it?
And I never intimated your rhymes weren't damn good, they are. I am a fan JJ.
Damn it! I was hoping Tommy would get a JJ limerick! Oh well...
He may get a limerick yet. I tend not to deal with him much though since he's a time waster. But he did call me pumpkin, that was pretty sweet ;-0)
(rubbing hands together for a good ole' college try).
Here lives a poster named JuliaJayne,
Who conducts the site's limerick train.
She's loved at Media Matters,
By all the liberal chatters.
Even at my existence, she's the bane.
:)
"Usually liberals are more in lockstep with one another than this?"
Brings to mind one of my favorite quotes:
"I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." -- Will Rogers
As much as I'd like to give props
Your try at the poem just flops
You used the word bane*
And you made it so plain
For this type of sport, you've no chops
*I could be wrong (but I'm not), but I already pre-empted a long list of words that you can't use in a limerick about me. You know, like pre-emptive war? Just a bit of ribbin' of course :-0)
The point is not McCain... the point is these media hacks jump at the chance to, again, call McCain - who has been anything but - a 'maverick'. It's absurd. Of course Craig should resign. He's an embarrassment to the GOP at this point.
Tommy, quite frankly, the answer is a resounding yes to both questions. When your party runs on the platform of moral and values superiority and someone in the party gets caught doing the very thing they spent their political careers campaigned against, that is exactly what happens.
Straight Talk indeed!
Gay Senator Craig - trolling, but not hooking up: BASH, BASH, BASH... "GTF outa the Senate you pervert!"
Straight Senator Vitter - hookering for years: "Yes, he has sinned, but now he is forgiven"... "Senator, your senate seat awaits you."
Gooooooood Puhhhhh-peeeees!
I was thinking the same thing today when I thought about the the Republicans calling for Craig's head. It's a misdemeanor, ferchrissakes. Big deal. Pay your fine, whatever. I think it's significant that he's a hypocrite, and that should make him easy to debunk in any debate, and I can see good reason for him to resign. But I don't see a reason he should be forcibly removed from the Senate.
Unless you're a Republican operative looking toward November 2008. THEN you want to remove the credibility-damaged Senator from his seat so that the Republican Governor can replace him with another Republican to give that replacement a leg up in the next election.
In the end, I guess Hypocrisy + Hypocrisy = Republican!
Merriam-Webster has the following definition of the word "maverick":
an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
The Republicans want Craig to resign. McCain is going along with them. So according to the dictionary definition, he's not a maverick.
MMFA is pointing out that the media persists in calling him a maverick despite the fact that he is not. That is the beginning and the end of it.
Maverick? Hardly. If he'd suggested Craig should stay he'd be a "maverick"...of course they wouldn't call him that. Most would call him a partisan apologizer, or something along those lines.
Straight-talker? I've no problem with that, except you'd have to dub anyone who called for Craig's resignation the same thing I suppose.
Matthews loves McCain. Blitzer is...well the guy is a suck up.
And McCain isn't gonna ride their praise into the White House.
He's pretty much a forgotten man.
Actually, if McCain called on Craig to stay, Matthews and the rest of the media would probably call him a Maverick. If McCain changed his mind the next day and announced that he wanted Craig to resign, he'd be called a Maverick again, and a Straight Talker to boot. If McCain called for a tax cut he'd be called Courageous and if he changed his mind on Iraq five times in one day he'd be called Flexible. The media is simply incapable of letting go of the McCain Myth, which they themselves created. They won't accept the Real McCain, because they fell in love with the one they made up back in 2000.
I backed McCain in 2000. No doubt in my mind he would have been better than what we got. But so would just about anybody.
Back then, McCain was a "maverick", a "straight-shooter", & had integrity.
At least I thought he did.
Maybe he's always been a fake...or maybe he lost whatever great qualities he had along the way.
The press did seem to love him. Maybe they just can't let go to the image they once had of him. I'm not sure why. I have.
Jeter nails it with that post. It's image. And more importantly story line that they hold onto. This is the part of the modern media that isn't necessarily right-wing but just damn lazy. They create and enforce 'conventional' wisdom and lean on it no matter how much circumstances change. Reminds me of how long Bush's 'likeability' rap lasted in spite of the fact that he makes at least half of the nation nauseous.
Sometimes I think this lazy thing has seemed like right-wing bias because the right has been more ruthless (and clever) in exploiting it.
- There was some straight talk from the Straight Talk Express. He dodged some of your questions - Blitzer
Pretty lame wolfie boy...but about what one would expect from a lightweight newsman.
mmfa continues to pound away at McCain for flip flops...while the guy that operates this site has pulled one of the all time monumental flip flops...David Brock...evoking an ironical chuckle.
Strawman! Strawman! Strawman!
Hehehe. I figured I'd beat some Liberal to it ;-)
Yeah Brock could be one of the Flip-Flop Poster boys...
So, I suppose a 'sinner' who 'sees the light' could also be considered a 'flip-flopper' ;)
David Brock may have flipped, but he didn't flop back. No sale, muffin.
Yes... that's true! Only half of a flip-flop doesn't count. Love it.
Ok my little short-cake ;-)
Actually sweetcakes that would be a flip-flop-flip.
A flip flop is changing your mind/opinions from A to B
Sorry, cookie. There's something lost in translation there since I don't speak Conservatese. Please get the translator. You only flip a pancake over once.
I'm with you... you flip once = switch sides, you flop back to the original position. That's a flip-flop.
Talk about a lame argument!
"In related news, McCain admitted to brushing his teeth before turning in to sleep last night," Blitzer gushed. "After a good night's rest, he candidly described to me how he woke up, and then, incredibly, TOOK A SHOWER in the morning. Amazingly frank talk with this maverick politician."
Here is the difference. Vitter, hooking up with somen, Craig trying to hook up with guys in bathrooms. So if a Senator does it with women, then it's OK. Senator does it with me, then it's not OK? I don't get it (as someone else posted this already). But quite possibly, here is the real reason why they are calling for Craig to resign, and not for Vitter to resign (other than the 'we don't want any gay guys in our party' thing).
Vitter, from LA correct? Last I saw, there was a democratic governor sitting in the State house in LA. Vitter has to resign, you can chalk up another seat in the Senate to democrats, increasing their majority in the upper chamber of Congress.
Craig resigns in Idaho, you have a republican sitting in their State house. Idaho governor would of course appoint a republican (I would think), and therefore, democrats DON'T pick up a new seat, as they would with Vitter.
And I believe therein lies the real reason why they want Craig to resign, and not Vitter, and then there is the whole cruising for guys in the bathroom thing as well, that's just icing on the cake for the republicans.
Magnolia, I think all of those reasons are correct. Their 'values' are directly related to getting and maintaining power. They will throw them aside whenever they need to. In other words, they aren't really values at all. It's bad enough that they pander so shamelessly to moralistic voters but they shouldn't get so much help with their image from what is supposed to be an objective press.
Which brings to mind something I heard on the radio this morning driving to work. A local radio show near me was talking about what are the "family values" that republicans keep talking about, and have been talking about for years on end. Nobody could really call in and say for sure what they mean by that when they extole family values over and over again. And the local radio hosts went on to go through the laundry list of scandals that have gone through the republican party in the last few years.
I think when they talk "values' or "family values" for some reason they want to see June Cleaver in a pretty dress, cleaning the house in pearls and heels, and making sure dinner is on the table when her man gets home from work. Watch one of those idealized 50's TV shows, and I'm pretty sure when they speak of "values" that's what they're talking about. Of course, once again, the truth, during those idealized times, was far and away from what was being shown on the TV.
Funny how Republicans like to think of real life in terms of TV shows. As I said above, Leave it to Beaver would be their great idea of family values, while 24 is their idealized version of how to fight terrorists, torture and everything.
I think when they talk "values' or "family values" for some reason they want to see June Cleaver in a pretty dress, cleaning the house in pearls and heels, and making sure dinner is on the table when her man gets home from work. Watch one of those idealized 50's TV shows, and I'm pretty sure when they speak of "values" that's what they're talking about. Of course, once again, the truth, during those idealized times, was far and away from what was being shown on the TV.
Mag, I realize not everyone had anything close to a Leave It To Beaver existence, but some of us can relate to that show as being a fairly accurate portrayal of our own lives growing up.
It gets frustrating at times when I hear folks claim that those 50's shows were unrealistic. For some they were. For the rest, myself included, they bring back memories of our own childhoods. Including my Mom in a dress [no pearls that I recall] making sure dinner was on the table when our Dad got home.
I'm not saying we should go back to those days [though quite frankly some of those old fashioned values would be welcomed in today's pretty much value-less society] but I get tired of people saying those days never happened.
I don't agree that we are valueless today. Not at all. There have been big social changes and maybe we need to catch up a little, but I think most people are pretty decent. Not so different from back then. In fact I never wish for a different time. I always enjoy going forward. My marriage is way better than my parents and I think my values are as good and possibly better than theirs. But lefties don't pine for days of yore. No point. Life progresses. But then I'm not one bit sentimenmtal.
Very nice JJ. It's good to hear that positive perspective. The conventional wisdom that things just aint what they used to be in terms of values is ironically something that people have been saying forever.
My mom was something of a June Cleaver just like Jeter's and it rocked to have a stay at home mom making breakfast lunch and dinner. I'm so grateful to her and yes, sentimental. That's why I've always been so aware of the right wing effort (starting with Reagan for me) to manipulate those sentiments. Trying to make it into a way to run government is totally insane. And, of course they ignore just where black people, gay people, women who want to have careers, men who want to stay home with kids and almost everyone else fits in. The Reagan speach writers were some of the worst exploiters in our history and also very successful. That's why we're still dealing with their BS now.
Magnolia, to me this is blatantly the type of stuff they're evoking. It's pure Reagan garbage. The people around him knew they could use his confused sense of reality to create an image they knew people were longing for. Reagan was always talking about the Good Old Days when people were shiny clean and moral. Someone like Matthews is a perfect example of one who understands this was intentional myth making but celebrates it anyway. Now we're supposed to celebrate the Reagan era as though he too was so squeeky clean. That radio show you heard was an incredibly rare occurance when people actually, publicly challenge the June Cleaver myth.
Amazing how much my and Jeter's posts seem to contradict one another. Jeter just to clarify, to me the June Cleaver myth isn't that there were never women like that but that the GOP somehow represents her or a chance to bring her back.
Yeah SunDog I noticed that too ;-)
My point was only that some say life as depicted on Leave It To Beaver was solely a figment of someone's imagination.
I agree that many on the Right lay claim to to that time & it's values...and that June Clever is a prototype of a Republican woman. That's bunk of course.
Of course life was never quite as perfect as Leave It To Beaver...but I grew up in that sort of neighborhood, with those sort of friends... the school Beaver attended even reminds me of the school I went to...along with that pretty teacher you had your first crush on ;-)
Sundoggy dog, that's what I was trying to express in my post. Not so much that this situation didn't exist, ala June Cleaver, but that it wasn't really the norm for a lot, if not most of the folks in the US. I know at least in my family when my mom was growing up, my grandmother was not like that at all, and we had great values, and a great family unit and all. My grandmother worked in the paper mill with my grandfather for a number of years, and then made shoes for a long time after that. And somehow, my mom and my dad both turned out OK (similar upbringings).
I do think if you were upper middle class, the June Cleaver scenario probably played out more, but at least for my parents, and my grandparents, everyone had to work to keep the entire famil afloat because they didn't have higher educations (no college, and for some no high school), and had no recourse except for cheap manual labor.
Anyway, something else that I heard this morning when someone called in, they were talking about how leaving the kids alone all the time was worsening our society, and how someone (ie women) need to stay home with the kids. I think that assertions like this are blatantly false, and that even if you have someone who stays home with the kids will it mean you end up with a good family and so called good family values, it all boils down to what kind of values each individual in each family has, and how those are taught to your kids.
Hey Mag, back in the day we were left at home alone all the time (parents working). We also had a lot more freedom than kids today do. That may be for good reason, but I used to go all over the place by myself. I liked the freedom. And being an independent and private sort, I actually liked when my parents were gone (they did fight a lot too). Were you listening to Dr. Laura per chance?
Same here for the most part, but I did grow up in a very small town in Western Maine, so therefore, it was pretty easy, and very safe to leave us alone for a short while after school during the school year, and alone during the summers for the most part with a grandparent looking in once in awhile, and Mom dropping by during her lunch hour (she worked less than a mile from home), but we pretty much ran around and do whatever we wanted. The thing was, if we messed up, the town was small enough so that we would get busted, and it would get back to my parents in some for another, it was actually hard to get away with any sort of mischief where everyone knows your name, and your parents, and your grandparents, and your aunts and uncles. I think growing up like that though, I grew a massive independent streak that is still with me today for certain. It was a good life, that's for sure. And we didn't lack for values that's definitely for sure.
I would never listen to Dr. Laura, only if tortured.
I am more like June Cleaver than my Mom ever was. But the difference is that my husband and I have a very egalitarian relationship and we don't ever take each other's contribution to the relationship for granted. We each thank each other every day for menial things and I actually appreciate the fact that he has to drive 45 minutes every day to work, work his shift and drive back again. I try to make his life easier and he does the same for me. And I am CFO of the finances because I am good at it. He does things for me that he's good at. We are a team. My parents fought for control constantly.
I think I'm in love with both of you. But luckily my wife and I are a lot like that too. I'm actually staying home with the kids these days; hence my time (nap) to do this sillyness. But of course, values, if they're true don't need such a fixed form. We apply them to our lives faithfully, treat each other with respect and then these traditional roles don't matter so much. It's obvious exploitation of people's memories and longings to pretend that the GOP can bring us all to Leave it to Beaver Land.
"But of course, values, if they're true don't need such a fixed form. We apply them to our lives faithfully, treat each other with respect and then these traditional roles don't matter so much" Sundog
You said that very eloquently. It resonates with me big time.
The sad part of this is that there once was a time when I respected McCain, when I could even have seen myself voting for him. That he has stuck with the ReNAMBLAcan party after the hack job Karl Rove did on him I find incredible.
But, sadly, he decided last year that his thirst for the presidency was greater than his principles, and he started courting the far right religious fanatics, and it's just been downhill from there.
Once respected, then pitied, now he's just become a sad joke.
My take on McCain is that he's probably a really good dude who stoically went through more in Vietnam than I could ever imagine. But he also happens to be wrong about a lot of things. If only he was the prototype for the conservative party instead of these twisted Rovian criminals infesting our White House today.
Hey, that's a good word. Rovian. See if that isn't used over time to describe how these creeps operate. McCarthyism has been pretty useful after all.
Where did John "straight-talker" go?
Long time passing...
He lost touch, and went below
Long time ago
Sold his soul to get ahead
Now his campaign's really dead
When will he ever learn?
When will he ever learn?
Well, I might be accused of the "rubberstaqmping thing" - rich of a righty to use that term - but I'm in love with Sundog and Mary.
There once was a heroic war vet
The nation is in this guy's debt
But he's dwindled good will
Shown his flip flopping skills
And sealed his fate, that's a bet
Well, I actually love the whole ding dong board (with a few exceptions perchance) ;-)
Wow, a rare media matters love fest. I'd write you a poem if I knew a rhyme from a hole in my head. Taking the kids downtown for some outdoor music. See ya'll next time. -SD
Thanks Julia, love you too & see ya later at the cyber-cafe.
David Brock:Remember when Democratic Senator Johnson got the brain tumor, there were immediately corporate media stories about the Republicans replacing the Democrat Johnson??? Now that Craig said he's resigning, not only aren't they mentioning stories like this, but the shoe on the other foot angle...BUT they aren't even naming Craig's replacement in any stories I've read so far! Does anyone think it's important to know Craig's replacement? The corporate media was ALL OVER conjecturing IMMEDIATELY that the "Republicans might get the Senate majority" with Johnson's brain tumor!!!