McCain doesn't know what office he's running for!

[Truth2Tell]

Chris Edelson at the Seminal made a good catch earlier tonight:

I saw John McCain on TV, declaring that he is running for "the office of commander in chief". There is no such office. Serving as commander in chief is just one of the president's constitutional duties. McCain's declaration makes as much sense as saying he's running for "the office of bill vetoer".

This may sound nitpicky, but it's an important point. We don't live in a military state. Under our Constitution, the president is commander in chief of the army and navy, not of the whole nation. Civilians are not obligated to follow the president's every command. Presidents do a lot more than act as commander in chief (or should, at least, if they're doing their job).

More at: http://www.theseminal.com/2008/05/26/mccain-doesnt-know-what-hes-running-for-or-why/

McCain isn't the first person to refer to the President as simply "The Commander in Chief." Journalists, pundits, Congress members and candidates from both major Parties have been using this frame of reference for many years.

While Edelson may be right that the President has more in his portfolio than war-fighting, he is sadly naive when he states that "we don't live in a military state." We do in fact live in a military state - our economy and our identity are wrapped so tightly to our war-fighting machine that it's often difficult to know where our culture ends and our empire begins.

Maybe what Edelson should have written is that we shouldn't live in a military state, as it's not what the Founders intended. Maybe someday we won't. But quite obviously someday won't come soon if John McCain is the next "Commander in Chief."

[Pineywoods Sam]

1. McCain doesn't know his burro from a burrow n/t

[Truth2Tell]

2. Or poop from polish. nt