John McCain: Serial Cheater

Apparently Senator McCain was in his car while Obama was answering Rick Warren's questions at the Saddleback Civil Forum Saturday night.  Asked whether McCain heard any of the broadcast on his way there, Nicole Wallace indignantly assured us that McCain would do no such thing, ostensibly because he was a POW during Vietnam.  McCain sure hates to bring up his experience as a POW, doesn't he?

I took the whole "cone of silence" thing as a joke, the type of thing a preacher like Warren would say.  That members of the media took that term at face value is yet another example that no one in America is less connected to "values voters" and Heartland Bible Belt Church Going Christian Salt of the Earth Americans than the very pundits and reporters who confidently proclaim which politicians and policies appeal to them.  But I digress.

On the issue of McCain knowing the questions ahead of time, it's been clear to me from just a few minutes into his appearance that McCain had advance knowledge of the questions, since he mentioned "getting back" to a topic he and Warren had not yet covered.

In the following clip, McCain gives his definition of marriage.  Before Warren can move on to the next question, McCain interrupts him, asking if they can "get back to the importance of Supreme Court Justices."  Warren had not yet mentioned Supreme Court justices to McCain.  At the end of the clip, Warren mentions something about "my questions."  It's hard to understand because of the crosstalk, but I think Warren says, "you're anticipating my questions."

Let me know what you think:

I didn't care that McCain had the questions ahead of time.  I still wouldn't care if not for the way in which his campaign has decided that to suggest such a thing is to impugn his POW-granted integrity, honor and character.  So if McCain thinks it was cheating to listen to the broadcast and get advance knowledge of the questions, then clearly John McCain is a cheater.

But as his first wife can tell you, John McCain has a long history of cheating.

Comments

[Toast]

I read that POW quote on Eschaton this morning. I find the suggestion that simply being a POW says anything whatsoever about your character absolutely preposterous. It proves you can withstand pain and privation, and that's about it. It doesn't make you a saint.

[litbrit]

Holy SHIT, Stephen, I just listened to this with my noise-canceling headphones. One of my few talents is being able to carry on a conversation in one language while eavesdropping in another, if you will. So as you'd imagine, I am a crackerjack transcriber (which turned my B+ to an A in Broadcasting 101).

Anyway, Warren's words, verbatim:

"We will get to that...man, you've got all my questions--good!"

Now, will someone, somewhere in the MSM, please SAY something about this liar and cheat, for a change?

[litbrit]

(EXCELLENT catch, by the way.)

[Corvus9]

That last sentence, Stephen? SNAP.

Seriously, at this point I am waiting for the whole POW defense to jump the shark. I mean, I am already making fun of it in my head, but pretty soon I will start making offhand comments on it when the news is on in the breakroom at work. I have sympathy and respect for someone who suffered through all that, but you can only abuse it—yes, abuse it—so long before I just start being an asshole in your direction.

[jacqueline]

why isnt mccain coming under greater scrutiny?

because he is not scrutinized, he continues to evoke the safe and simplistically nostalgic and uncomplicated american images of norman rockwell paintings on the old saturday evening post magazine covers.
he evokes uncomplicated, patriotic, homespun fantasies for a great many people who are unwilling to leave the twentieth century.
it is like meeting an actor in real life, and confusing them with the part that they played in a favorite, old film.

[Stephen]

jacqueline,

Your comment explains the support for McCain's candidacy better than anything else I've seen. He's here to provide a numbing fantasy world for those who want to be coddled.

[jacqueline]

thank you, stephen.

.....by the way, stephen...
i seem to recall that it was a little over a year ago, at "the thinkery"...you had written
a beautiful and emotional post about bringing your daughter to her kindergarten class for the first time...
and the feelings you had, watching her, on the orientation.
as i recall, the date was about august 20th.
i imagine she is ready to move on to the wild and wooly world of first grade now!
time flies, doesnt it!

[has_te]

I-'m Ba-ack...the broken record.

He HAD the questions...was intensively prepped.
Intensively. In answering anticipated inquiry,
he looked intense, was tense, was trying hard
to do a verbatim.
It was difficult for him...you could see it in the face.

The man is in the early stages of a cognitive decline,
one flavor or another.

Bush's third term done by a latter day Reagan...Oh, my.

[jlarsen]

Stephen Suh...you sound like an idiot. Uncle..please stop! Stop crying...Hussein was destroyed and displayed why he can't and won't go head to head with McCain...Obama is an empty suit!