McCain officially blows his chances with women. And (again) shows he's an idiot.

[bunnies]

McCain: "The Rights of the Unborn Are As Important as the Rights of the Born."

In a "virtual town hall" Saturday designed specifically to boost his standing with independents and disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters, John McCain did his best to project a moderate, bipartisan image - but wound up enunciating policy stances that sharply conflict with positions held by Clinton -- and by most women, and by most Democrats -- on such things as women's right to choose, gay rights, the composition of the Supreme Court, America's role in using force overseas, and even the importance of intelligence and academic success in a good President. Instead of effectively wooing social moderates, McCain instead has clearly delineated some significant differences between his views and those normally considered "moderate" -- and may have given those voters who were thinking of sitting out the November election, or of crossing party lines to vote for him, some new and compelling reasons to actively oppose his election instead:

McCain on Roe v. Wade:

"Roe v. Wade, we obviously will have a disagreement. I think it was a bad decision."


McCain on abortion rights:

"We have to change the culture of America. We have to convince people of our view that the rights of the unborn are as important as the rights of the born."


McCain on medically necessary late-term abortions:

"I am unalterably opposed to partial birth abortion."


McCain on the two or more Supreme Court appointments the next President is likely to make:

"I would find people along the lines of Justice Roberts."

"I wouldn't have selected Justice Ginsberg or Justice Breyer."

"I believe that interpretation of the Constitution, and only that, should be the criteria for Supreme Court justices."


McCain on gay rights and "don't ask, don't tell":

"Don't ask, don't tell: I want to rely on the advice and counsel of our military leaders. As President ... I will ask the Joint Chiefs of Staff to go back and review that and other policies to see whether those policies are appropriate, and I do rely on them to a large degree because they're the ones we entrust the leadership of the lives of our young men and women in our military. And I'm sure you may have a disagreement with that policy."


McCain on his own intelligence:

"You don't have to be real smart. I stood fifth from the bottom of my class at the naval academy, which shows in America anything is possible."


McCain's on what makes America great:

"We're the only country in the world that has over time sent our young Americans to shed our most precious asset - American blood - in defense of someone else's freedom."

(snip)

I tend to think that the DNC talking point that McCain would be "a third Bush term" is oversimplistic. On the other hand, though, in just one public appearance McCain has announced that he is pro-life, anti-Roe v. Wade (and other privacy rights), would appoint Supreme Court justices just like those that Bush appointed, bases his patriotism on ignorance of history (America is the ONLY country that's ever shed blood in defense of someone else's freedom?!?), and is dismissive of his own poor grades in a superb university that family connections got him into. If that's not "Bush III," I don't know what is.

(snip)

More at link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/m.s.-bellows/mccain-the-rights-of-the_b_107159.html

edit: typo

[Cha]

1. But, the repukes don't care about children or even

adults only about wedgie issues.

[bunnies]

2. But this is what he said to Clinton supporters.

This is how he thinks he'll woo them. :rofl:

[Cha]

5. He's brilliant..

"You don't have to be real smart. I stood fifth from the bottom of my class at the naval academy, which shows in America anything is possible."

Just like bush..below average. Those voters were for hilary for other reasons than her being a woman weren't they?

[thewiseguy]

6. What was the reaction of women in attendance?

:rofl:

[bunnies]

12. No clue. I cant wait to hear the audio.

Should be priceless. :)

[AlCzervik]

16. love the fetus, hate the child. That's the gop i know.

[Crazy Dave]

3. But just think about all the women voters who say they will vote for him...

Since Hillary wasn't the nominee :rofl:

[bunnies]

4. Hard to believe that anyone could be that stupid.

No female should ever vote for this assjack. Ever!

[earthlover]

10. it wasn't democratic women for Hillary who considered voting for McCain

it was women AGAINST OBAMA who considered voting for McCain. Many of these were not Democrats as we use the term in the first place. 99% of those FOR HILLARY will NOT vote for McCain. imho

[karynnj]

21. Though it was and is important for Obama to reach out to woman,

it would have been the case even if he would have won even more on SuperTuesday, so the HRC sexism issue would never have arose. In fact, just looking at the woman he married shows that he is comfortable with brilliant, powerful, successful women.

The fact is that the women who wanted HRC the most have so many issues where they agree with Obama and are 100% against McCain. This was an unusually close election and many HRC supporters did not read the writing on the wall in February or March. This loss is still new and painful. (It also hurts that the fiction of a popular vote made it seem more winnable than it was.) In 2004, Dean didn't come close - pulling out when Kerry had won 16 primaries and Dean zero - and with Dean polling to win just VT in the next set of primaries. (In the big states Kerry, NY, MA and CA) Kerry was polling more than 20 points ahead of everyone) There were some great posts from Dean supporters who said that in March 2004 (a month after Dean pulled out) they were 100% convinced they would not vote for or support Kerry - but by fall - the difference between Bush and Kerry were stark and they did both.

Give the HRC people time to mourn their lost hopes and dreams - that has to happen before they can move on. It will take times.

[charlie]

7. Jump in the pool, Debra Bartoshevich

The water's fine. He warmed it up for you.

[speedoo]

8. There are a number of things that disqualify McCain for the Presidency.

One of them is he has inadequate intelligence.

We've had more than enough of that.

[charlie]

17. Still a virtue among Republicans

I remember Phil Gramm running against Bob Dole in the primaries. In answer to a little girl's question, he gave a short "chin up in the face of adversity" speech which ended something like, "Ah flunked the fourth, nahnth, eleventh, and seventh grades." Which led Dole to crack, "Maybe we should hire her to tutor Gramm here."

[bluerum]

9. I have a problem with anyone who thinks that a few hundred cells in a petri

dish are as important as living breathing people. Especially when they can ignore the health, education an welfare of the living breathing people.

[bluestateguy]

11. Did he vote to confirm Breyer or Ginsberg?

nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

13. I'd donate my bank account if they'd make an ad showing all his statements about women.

[sandnsea]

14. Fifth from the bottom, another stupid President

And that, "my friends", is all we need to say until November.

[wurzel]

29. Another "success" that came from influential parents.

These Republicans are unbelievably full of crap.

[sandnsea]

31. A Legacy President

We need to get that idea out there.

[tblue37]

33. Remember what Ann Richards said about Daddy Bush?--

He was born on third base and thought that meant he had hit a home run.

[democrattotheend]

15. Abortion isn't the only thing women care about

I think the constant focus on Roe v. Wade by those seeking to bring Clinton voters back into the fold has been overly simplistic. Keep in mind that a lot of her core supporters are older women who are too old to get pregnant, and I think some of them even want to teach us younger women a lesson. I saw one DUer say that here, that she was too old to get pregnant and maybe it would not be so bad if the younger women who supported Obama had to fight for our rights the way women her age did, rather than taking it for granted. I actually agree with the point that many women my age tend to take equal rights for granted and not really want to talk about feminism much and that bugs me. But I don't think that being a feminist meant that I automatically owed Hillary Clinton my vote in the primaries.

I think that in talking to those women, we need to go beyond Roe v. Wade and talk about McCain's opposition to equal pay, and about some of the sexist things he's said, far worse than anything Obama has ever said. Point out that Obama was raised by a single mother and lives in a female-dominated household now, so it's insane to think that he doesn't understand women. Remind people that he has two daughters, and he's as concerned about their future as much as Hillary was about Chelsea's.

[Danger Mouse]

19. The people who said that were incredibly selfish because they had nothing to lose.

They simply think that Hillary is owed their vote and full support, and if they don't give it, then they deserve to be punished. Such childish behavior is not worthy of consideration.

[TahitiNut]

18. Are the "unborn" citizens? How? What if the mother gives birth in another country?

Can they be protected by habeas corpus? What straaange creatures these Republicans are!

[yardwork]

20. If the mother is an "illegal" then neither the fetus nor the child are human, apparently.

Such is the logic of right-wingers.

[charlie]

23. They should arrest moms

until they squirt the little rascals out. US rights include protection against kidnapping.

[janx]

26. No, not "unborn," TahitiNut--that was last century.

It is now referred to as "preborn." Get with the program! :spank:

[Danger Mouse]

22. Wow, way to woo those women voters. Why don't you tell them stories about your fat first wife?

That's sure to win over some more of them!
Why don't you regale them with tales of your calling your second wife a trollop and a cunt? I'm sure women everywhere will swoon in admiration!

This man is a neanderthal. He makes Bush look charming.

[Nedsdag]

24. I hope all those idiots who started PUMA and Women for McCain

are reading those remarks.

If that doesn't convince them that "McCain isn't conservative," then I don't know what will.

[charlie]

25. Nothing will

It's boilerplate McCain, nothing they haven't heard before. Just makes their revenge fantasies all the sweeter.

[krkaufman]

34. I *just* heard the term "PUMA" while listening to Young Turks ...

... and nearly spat-out my coffee.

Do these people have no inner critic, that might allow them to reflect on how ridiculous they seem?

What had me laughing... the demographic of "PUMA" being so similar to the modern slang "cougar" (perhaps shifted forward a bit), but with a polar opposite fetish. Are Pumas like Cougars, except instead of going after younger men, they prefer old dudes... reaaaally old dudes?

So move along now, with that image in your mind... all these PUMAs wanting to get-it-on with John McCain.

[Vinca]

27. I've got a feeling the "maverick" would change his tune on

partial birth abortion if one of his daughters was going to die without having it done. It's not like women line up to have these things done because they want to. It's extremely rare, but they want the sheeple to believe it happens all the time.

[charlie]

28. Yeah

He already tweezed out a half exemption for himself when he said his then-15-year-old daughter's choice would be a strictly family matter. She'd definitely get the care she needed if she was in danger, everybody else can go suck eggs.

[Cleita]

30. You know what? I think this election season

even the most rabid pro-choicer is going to be looking at his empty gas tank, his empty refrigerator and his empty wallet. Somehow I don't think this issue is going to be important to the majority of voters this time

[Triana]

32. They have to convince America that the rights of American men to control women...

... is more important than the rights of American women.

[DearAbby]

35. McCain needs to clarify his remarks

the GOP are only pro-life, up to... before or after the water breaks?