I never particularly liked (or disliked) John McCain, but his Presidential ambitions are turning into a sad, unintentional comedy in multiple acts. His bizarre, possibly drug-fueled assertion this weekend that Baghdad's streets are safe (after he and several Republican Senators strolled an open market under heavily military escort and in Kevlar vests) are to McCain what "The Scream" was to Howard Dean. It's over, and all subsequent efforts on McCain's part are simply going to look pathetic.
In short, the "Baghdad is Safe" speech is officially the point at which McCain 2008 Jumped the Shark (in case you've been living under a rock….here)
McCain visits the Bloomington Farmer's Market on Saturday
This man went to Iraq and, under the protective cover of 100 Army Rangers, two Apache gunships, 6 armored vehicles, and three Blackhawk helicopters, declared that Baghdad is a safe place to walk around (Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana described it as "like a normal outdoor market in Indiana"). Like all of the other war cheerleaders, he's simply desperate and flailing at this point. Like his Dear Leader, everything McCain says about Iraq sounds like hysterical ranting these days. He might as well just stand in front of the camera and scream, tears welling in his eyes, "It IS getting better! It IS! Why won't you fuckers report how WELL things are going? I HATE you. I hate ALL of you!"
Oh wait – that's basically what he just did.
John McCain showed his true colors 4 years ago when he decided to become an Offical War Cheerleader, but even I am starting to feel a little bit sorry for him given what a living, breathing joke this once-proud man has become. The punchline? Half an hour after the Senators held their condescending, media-scolding press conference, 6 mortars fell on the market and six US soldiers were killed by roadside IEDs. I think they died of irony.
Matthew says:
I think in this hypothetical plea, McCain would have put just as much weight on "FUCKERS" as he would on "IS" and "WELL," etc.
But that's just my reading.
Jake says:
Man — first Cheney then McCain. These Republicans keep JUST missing their chance for martyrdom over there. It's becoming our national shame.
cerb says:
I wouldn't call this a "scream" moment, rather Dukakis in a tank embodied. Gotta love it how the next day a truck bomb went off in the same area where McCain and co. were, and then 21 people were murdered in the same market.
Yup, just like an Indiana market, you fucking shitheel Pence.
Corey Robertson says:
I literally laughed out loud after reading Congressman Pence's comment. I live about 20 miles south of Indianapolis, and although I've never been to Baghdad, I'm pretty sure they are nothing alike. At least they are nothing alike at this point in time, but who knows when some market in Indianapolis might get the shit kicked out of it by mortars.