Sen. John McCain defended the Tea Party against Sen. John Kerry’s “tea party downgrade” remark on Meet the Press this morning.
“We could have reached an agreement a lot earlier, but the members of the House of Representatives had a mandate last November, and it was jobs and the economy and it was spending. And for them to then agree to tax increases and spending increases was obviously a repudiation of the mandate they felt they had from last November,” McCain said.
He said that much of the “dysfunction” in the current political system could be attributed to “the failure of the president of the United States to lead.”
“The fact is that the President never came forward with a plan,” McCain pointed out. “There was never a specific plan. There was always the so-called ‘leading from behind.’”
McCain defended the S & P downgrade, saying it would be a mistake to “shoot the messenger.” He said he hoped the downgrade would lead to the congressional super committee looking seriously at entitlement reform.
He also criticized the decision to decrease troop levels in Afghanistan, saying, “All our military leaders said it increases the risk. Why would we want to increase the risk to the lives of our men and women serving?” He said that the decrease had lead to a perception in Afghanistan and other nations of withdrawal, which was further damaging the Afghanistan mission.
It is a little helpful effort from the terrible Maverick - at least it is something after all his folly. A little too little, a little too late. The liar named Kerry is, or was his good buddy.
Too bad McCain has been "leading from behind" all these years, blowing with the winds to further himself - instead of doing his homework and offering sound efforts.
But such is the sad legacy of John McCain. A Beltway Celebrity without geniune accomplishment - detached from the real world, hiding in Capital glow, who used to boast about his respect for Hillary Clinton.
McCain's record will go down as a disaster in history, being part of the Senate which helped lead to the USA's economic demise today, negligently ignoring the threats of Radical Muslim Terrorism throughout the 90's, etc.
The fool who actually voted against the Bush Tax cuts, pushed Cap and Trade taxation, gave us the horrid McCain-Feingold disaster, etc. What a Maverick mess.
I was going to reply with, "Good for McCain," but then I read your reply, reminding me. A sincere thanks.
One-half cheer for McCain. It is time for him to go. I hope his constituents will see that soon enough.
But don't worry Senator. I am sure the Sunday morning talk-show set will still see you as the go-to guy to offset the likes of John Kerry whenever they need to be fair and balanced. You could install satellite hook-ups at your home in AZ for their broadcast convenience -- that is, if you actually leave Washington when you leave the Senate.
AGREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last week he was the one shooting the messengers (the Tea Partiers who are just sending a message to congree to stop the spending.)
Obviously, the GOP should combat this idiotic effort to blame the TEA party. Failing to do so would be evidence of complete incompetence. Any and all members of the GOP - especially those that have criticized the TEA Party in the past - are welcome set the record straight.
Anybody stupid enough to think that a movement based upon reducing government spending is somehow responsible for our massive debt and the problems it causes should be treated with a Montgomery Burns-style trap door in the voting booth. At the very least, they should be openly mocked when they are dumb enough to open their pie holes in public.
My captcha challenge of namby-pamby was perfect. McCain needs to make up his freaking mind. A week ago he was calling the tea party a pack of hobbits, and this week he's defending them against Senator find-me-a-rich-widow.
If the establishment GOP types are - at the very least - recognizing that they and their agenda will live or die by the TEA party, good. As for them actually adopting the views that government spending is *ridiculously* out of control and that individual freedom is king? I expect that, even still, will take quite a while longer.
Them not attempting to throw the TEA Party under the bus just because it is easy and would draw approving nods from the likes of Georgie Stephanupagus is what I'd call a positive development.
How can anyone treat David Gregory like he is anything other than a DNC hack spokesperson? He is an utter joke of a "newsman?" and needs to be either ignored by Republicans or called out on it.
Considering that all the chattering classes had been calling for bipartisanship for years, and the recent debt agreement, which they say the Tea Party is responsible for, is the first bipartisan agreement in a long time, with both equal opposition and equal support from both repubs and dems, should they be celebrating our newfound bipartisanship spirit?
But of course to them, bipartisanship means repubs agreeing to a dem bill. To me a bill is only bipartisan if it has both significant support, and significant opposition, from both parties, indicating a bill that is opposed by both extremes and supported by moderates in both parties. Obama never acheived that, since all of his big bills were passed with exclusive dem votes, but the Tea party did. Lets celebrate the new bipartisanship spirit engendered by the Tea Party.
It is a little helpful effort from the terrible Maverick - at least it is something after all his folly. A little too little, a little too late. The liar named Kerry is, or was his good buddy.
Too bad McCain has been "leading from behind" all these years, blowing with the winds to further himself - instead of doing his homework and offering sound efforts.
But such is the sad legacy of John McCain. A Beltway Celebrity without geniune accomplishment - detached from the real world, hiding in Capital glow, who used to boast about his respect for Hillary Clinton.
McCain's record will go down as a disaster in history, being part of the Senate which helped lead to the USA's economic demise today, negligently ignoring the threats of Radical Muslim Terrorism throughout the 90's, etc.
The fool who actually voted against the Bush Tax cuts, pushed Cap and Trade taxation, gave us the horrid McCain-Feingold disaster, etc. What a Maverick mess.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI was going to reply with, "Good for McCain," but then I read your reply, reminding me. A sincere thanks.
One-half cheer for McCain. It is time for him to go. I hope his constituents will see that soon enough.
But don't worry Senator. I am sure the Sunday morning talk-show set will still see you as the go-to guy to offset the likes of John Kerry whenever they need to be fair and balanced. You could install satellite hook-ups at your home in AZ for their broadcast convenience -- that is, if you actually leave Washington when you leave the Senate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAGREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last week he was the one shooting the messengers (the Tea Partiers who are just sending a message to congree to stop the spending.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePlease stop with the John McCain stuff. He is more Meagan than Reagan.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObviously, the GOP should combat this idiotic effort to blame the TEA party. Failing to do so would be evidence of complete incompetence. Any and all members of the GOP - especially those that have criticized the TEA Party in the past - are welcome set the record straight.
Anybody stupid enough to think that a movement based upon reducing government spending is somehow responsible for our massive debt and the problems it causes should be treated with a Montgomery Burns-style trap door in the voting booth. At the very least, they should be openly mocked when they are dumb enough to open their pie holes in public.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMy captcha challenge of namby-pamby was perfect. McCain needs to make up his freaking mind. A week ago he was calling the tea party a pack of hobbits, and this week he's defending them against Senator find-me-a-rich-widow.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI do not see a disconnect there.
If the establishment GOP types are - at the very least - recognizing that they and their agenda will live or die by the TEA party, good. As for them actually adopting the views that government spending is *ridiculously* out of control and that individual freedom is king? I expect that, even still, will take quite a while longer.
Them not attempting to throw the TEA Party under the bus just because it is easy and would draw approving nods from the likes of Georgie Stephanupagus is what I'd call a positive development.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRemember back when Meet The Press used to be prestigious?
Now they bring in McCain as the "pro-Tea Party" counterpart to Kerry?
Last time I saw a deck that stacked, it was all aces except for the 2-3-5-8-10 on the bottom...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSenator McCain and Senator Kerry: bipartisan evidence of what's wrong with the Senate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHow can anyone treat David Gregory like he is anything other than a DNC hack spokesperson? He is an utter joke of a "newsman?" and needs to be either ignored by Republicans or called out on it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseConsidering that all the chattering classes had been calling for bipartisanship for years, and the recent debt agreement, which they say the Tea Party is responsible for, is the first bipartisan agreement in a long time, with both equal opposition and equal support from both repubs and dems, should they be celebrating our newfound bipartisanship spirit?
But of course to them, bipartisanship means repubs agreeing to a dem bill. To me a bill is only bipartisan if it has both significant support, and significant opposition, from both parties, indicating a bill that is opposed by both extremes and supported by moderates in both parties. Obama never acheived that, since all of his big bills were passed with exclusive dem votes, but the Tea party did. Lets celebrate the new bipartisanship spirit engendered by the Tea Party.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse