John McCain's Betrayals

[gottaB]

When Senator John McCain said that Iraq under Saddam Hussein was "a place of indescribable cruelty, torture chambers, mass graves and prisons that destroyed the lives of the small children held inside," he was speaking the truth on the one hand, while the other hand was busy stabbing a more urgent truth in the back. Every Senator knows that Bush's Iraq is a place of indescribable cruelty, torture chambers, mass graves and prisons that have destroyed the lives of the small children held inside. And it is Bush's Iraq that we have to deal with in this election.

It is time for the Kerry campaign to divorce itself from disingenuous senators. A record of honorable deeds cannot excuse the conduct of those who have abandoned honor. A friend who joins in the call for fairness and civility, and then aligns himself with the enemies of fairness and civility cannot be trusted. Senator McCain has earned a reputation for the eloquence and sincerity of his apologies. In this instance no apology is needed. John McCain's betrayals cannot be undone. Chalk it up to irreconcilable differences. It's time to move on.

gB

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Memo to John McCain:

1. The same torture chambers, execution parlours, mass graves, etc. were thriving when President George H.W. Bush initiated and prosecuted war against Iraq in 1990 and with his full knowledge. HE DECIDED TO LEAVE THEM ALONE, STATUS QUO, ETC. and turned 180 degrees. Obviously they weren't a problem back then. Why didn't you speak up loudly and often then? Why didn't George W. Bush pull on the sleeve of his father in 1990 and beg him to do the right thing and go into Iraq itself and do God's work? Think of the thousands of lives saved, the intact bodies. When did Iraq get to the tipping point of intolerant torture and murder?

2. Despite your premise that Iraq wasn't a bunch of folks gaily flying kites as depicted in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911, there is an element or two of facts that contradict you. Iraqi women had much MUCH more freedom and emancipation in Saddam's Iraq than now. There were free universities to women and men. Despite the U.S. getting the U.N. and the world to slowly starve Iraq with economic sanctions, the country was managing. Their economy couldn't protect a notable amount of citizens from poverty as it stood, but they were trying to improve things. The U.S. was torturing Iraqis ubiquitously with its sanctions. Saddam does not deserve all the credit.

3. If Iraq is so much better NOW, would you move there? As an Iraqi, you may be able to sleep better at night. But with an empty stomach, no fresh water to drink or to wash, and electricity as a sporadic surprise. Not to mention gunfire by American soldiers and "visitors" from other countries in the streets if you decide to leave your home.

Think about it John. Because if * steals this election, all of the above will be waiting for you in 2008 when you want his job. Oh, that is if Jeb decides to pass on his candidacy.

[Inland]

5. Saddam was a cruel inhuman tyrant

back when he was OUR cruel, inhuman tyrant--nobody thought it worth giving up our blood, money and security to remove him except post hoc, after the WMD failed to show.

[auburngrad82]

2. McCain's "flip flop"

I have always respected John McCain because he voted his conscience and convictions rather than falling into line with the party. He was one of the few bright spots left in the republican party. It's obvious now that he has sold his soul to the republicans in exchange for the nomination in 2008. I would probably have voted for him if he had remained independent of the republican party. IMO, he could have actually brought republicans and Democrats together to make good things happen.

I no longer respect him and cannot support him. I think that we should start an e-mail campaign to McCain telling him that we were Democrats/Independents (whichever the case may be) who would have supported him but that he has lost our support through his recent actions.

[linazelle]

3. John McCain is crazy as Bush made him out to be in 2000...

Bush said he was crazy, that his wife was crazy. I didn't totally believe them then, but the more flip flopping McCain does, the more I believe him.

[TexasSissy]

4. Betrayals to whom?

He is being loyal to his party. Who is he supposed to have betrayed? The Dems? Kerry? He is neither a Democrat nor a Kerry for President supporter. No surprise there.

McCain is bucking for the 2008 nomination. He is a Repub. He is supporting the Repub candidate. It is very straightforward. No surprise. I don't see any betrayals in his statements.

The Democrats are not doing themselves any favors by dissing who is probably the most popular politician in the country right now, popular esp. with that sought-after Independent group. Why Dems would expend all that effort and energy on going after someone who is a non-issue in this election is beyond me.

But why McCain would let Bush kiss him on the forehead, like he's a short kid, is beyond me. Must've been a Bush moment that McCain didn't see coming.

[gottaB]

6. betrayal of the truth, betrayal of honor....

Betrayal of those he stood with to condemn cowardly smears against the integrity of veterans.

Betrayal of the citizens of Arizona and the United States who deserve a Senator who will speak the truth about what has happened in Iraq.

No dis is necessary. A parting of ways is.

[gottaB]

7. p.s. betrayal of McCain-Feingold

The Bush campaign has violated in spirit the law that Senator McCain has staked so much of his reputation upon. If he was right to argue that the American people needed to be able to trust that their politicians weren't being bought and sold, and needed this legislation to protect the integrity of the political process, then he has betrayed the American people in that respect as well.