The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

McCain wants us all to learn FRENCH now!? At least Spanish would be useful!

McCain would be lucky to even be the JV President!

When being condescending, it helps to check one's spelling before posting. Perhaps "chease" is popular in Czechoslovakia, or in the Iraq/Pakistan border region, or even with President Putin of Germany -you'd have to ask John McCain about such things given that he's spoken of such whilst campaigning- but the correct aspersion from The Simpsons regarding the French is of "cheese eating surrender monkeys".

Can he get more pathetic?

The translation is not good indeed, but that was probably done on purpose, mastering French meaning being an elitist chease-eating surrender monkey nowadays....

It should have been something on the lines of "...laissée à l'arrière pour couvrir l'Amérique".

Can't believe the Obama team fell in the trap of being associated with the French. Of course McCain was going to play this card, and the liberal media are handing it to them on a sliver platter.

These Captain American campaign message militia men are really flailing around, arent' they? Swing and hit. Swing and miss. Swing and fall flat on your face.
Personally, I think Jean M'Cainne and his jet-setting Vogue wife, Cindee, are a little too 'french' for me. Voila!

What - the effete, elitist McCain campaign doing (bad) jokes in FRENCH? In FRENCH?

Imagine the uproar if the Obama campaign joked around in French - ala John Kerry?

So - who are the elitist, country club types now, Karl Rove?

Well first peter, McCain asked for it with his repeated barbs at Obama to "go and see for yourself"... Second McCain is not winning Ohio, just the last poll taken in Ohio. (by Rasmussen nonetheless)Maybe just in findlay ohio? (thank you eli saslow)

McCain got what he asked for. Obama went and checked things out for himself and now for some strange reason he is getting world leaders to endorse his plan!!! Maybe becasue he actually has a plan? Unlike McCain who couldn't even get his op-ed published because it was nothing more then attacks on why obama is wrong and not his plan.

Careful of which you ask John McCain
you might just get it.

Obama better hope the media coverage doesn't backfire. While he is doing Europe and the Middle East ala Evita Perone- McCain is winning Ohio where he is now up by nealy 10% in some polls. The Obama people better get smart and run the campaign here and not worry about how many people show up to see him in Berlin. The people in Ohio are more concerned with gas prices and health care and don't want to be electing the President of Europe.

McSenile!

WaPo bloggers are an eclectic group, Charlies Boy. If you are going to constantly bit*h and moan about what transpires here - you have a choice - don't come in!

Charles in DC: This is the level of Wahington Post bloggers. Take it or leave it.

Sure would be nice if someone at the Post were monitoring the boards. Trolls should get one chance and then subsequent flame-baiting garbage should be deleted.

Can we raise the level of debate, please?

The drop in price is just the market. The new oil that could be produced is 10 years out. The market react to things that happen within hours. If Mccain is "ACTUALLY THIS STUPID" he is in no way qualified to be the president. And if he is this much a liar, same conclusion

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WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Republican John McCain is crediting the recent $10-a-barrel drop in the price of oil to President Bush's lifting of a presidential ban on offshore drilling"

McBum go back to Arizona and stick a drilling rig up your OLD DUMB A S S !!!
Read a paper...oil prices drop over supply
NOT BUSH...

Want the TRUTH ELECT OBAMA...Want your kid killed for republicans to profit elect
McShame!!

Posted by: 1-20-09 | July 23, 2008 11:45 AM

Time to choose: dummy or doofus.

WILKES-BARRE below ... typical Obama voter. VERY classy.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Republican John McCain is crediting the recent $10-a-barrel drop in the price of oil to President Bush's lifting of a presidential ban on offshore drilling"

McBum go back to Arizona and stick a drilling rig up your OLD DUMB A S S !!!
Read a paper...oil prices drop over supply
NOT BUSH...

Want the TRUTH ELECT OBAMA...Want your kid killed for republicans to profit elect
McShame!!

We Americans have been screwed! On the Republican side we have a septuagenarian war monger with a plastic bimbo Barbie wife, and on the Democrat side we have an egalitarian, effete Eastern Ivy snob, with a "my stuff don't stink" attitude.

What to do? VOTE LIBERTARIAN.

you're right, i'm changed! obama will save the country. thanks for correcting me, you are a true credit to the campaign and the american republic.

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I am afraid you are the one drinking the Kool aid. You are fed lies and just accept them without question like a good little follower. Then come on here a parrot them out like a mindless drown. Are you able to have an original thought or do you always just do what you are told like a good little boy?

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Truth? All right, you've had enough kool aid. back to the change-mobile, l'il boy.

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I have no doubt to John Mccain or someone like you. What do you care about the truth.
++++++

Dude below: Your version of history on a WaPo chat board means exactly nothing.
Posted by: | July 23, 2008 10:48 AM

Did he make sure that the ONE media member that greeted him at the NH airport got one?

Boy it's a shame to see what mccain has reduced himself to.

I am afraid you are the one drinking the Kool aid. You are fed lies and just accept them without question like a good little follower. Then come on here a parrot them out like a mindless drown. Are you able to have an original thought or do you always just do what you are told like a good little boy?

++++++++
Truth? All right, you've had enough kool aid. back to the change-mobile, l'il boy.

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I have no doubt to John Mccain or someone like you. What do you care about the truth.
++++++

Dude below: Your version of history on a WaPo chat board means exactly nothing.
Posted by: | July 23, 2008 10:48 AM

John McCain made a mistake this evening, According to John McCain, Iraq is the central front in the "war on terror." If we are going to have an Iraq-centric policy, he should at least understand what he is talking about.

The Awakening began in Anbar Province more than a year before the surge and took off in the summer and fall of 2006 in Ramadi and elsewhere, long before extra U.S. forces started flowing into Iraq in February and March of 2007. Throughout the war, enemy-of-my-enemy logic has driven Sunni decision-making. The Sunnis have seen three "occupiers" as threats: the United States, the Shiites (and their presumed Iranian patrons), and the foreigners and extremists in AQI. Crucial to the Awakening was the reordering of these threats.
This is not controversial history. It is history that anyone trying out for Commander in Chief must understand when there are 150,000 American troops stationed in Iraq. It is an absolutely essential element to the story of the past two years. YOU CANNOT GET THIS WRONG. Moreover, what is most disturbing is that according to McCain's inaccurate version of history, military force came first and solved all of our problems. If that is the lesson he takes from the Anbar Awakening, I am afraid it is the lesson he will apply to every other crisis he faces including, for example, Iran.

John McCain has simply no idea what is actually happened and happening in Iraq.

Posted by: | July 23, 2008 10:14 AM

McCain is a little upset, that's all. Maliki double-crossed him at the behest of Chalabi, a "friend" to whom McCain has channeled millions of dollars in US funds over the past ten years. Do "a google:"
http://www.nysun.com/foreign/maliki-bets-that-obama-will-prevail/82374/
http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/07/chalabis_revenge.php

Truth? All right, you've had enough kool aid. back to the change-mobile, l'il boy.

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I have no doubt to John Mccain or someone like you. What do you care about the truth.
++++++

Dude below: Your version of history on a WaPo chat board means exactly nothing.

So you are saying that the lowest one can be is a republican? They sets the bar for low achievement?

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Can you imagine electing a guy who lost to Jr in a Republican primary?

Posted by: jm |

Hey jm, the entire Democratic Party lost to Jr - Twice in a row. Can you imagine voting for anyone from that group of "high achievers"?

Posted by: Don | July 23, 2008 10:39 AM

I have no doubt to John Mccain or someone like you. What do you care about the truth.
++++++

Dude below: Your version of history on a WaPo chat board means exactly nothing.

Posted by: | July 23, 2008 10:32 AM

Can you imagine electing a guy who lost to Jr in a Republican primary?

Posted by: jm |

Hey jm, the entire Democratic Party lost to Jr - Twice in a row. Can you imagine voting for anyone from that group of "high achievers"?

maybe the McCains could have served the journalists some cheese with their 'whine'.

Dude below: Your version of history on a WaPo chat board means exactly nothing.

Watch out for what you ask for...

Yesterday, McCain complained that the press was ignoring him.

This morning, McCain misstates the timing of the Surge.

This afternoon, McCain cancels his press availability.

John McCain made a mistake this evening, which as far as I'm concerned, disqualifies him from being president.  It is so appalling and so factually wrong that I'm actually sitting here wondering who McCain's advisers are.  This isn't some gaffe where he talks about the Iraq-Pakistan border.  It's a real misunderstanding of what has happened in Iraq over the past year.  It is even more disturbing because according to John McCain, Iraq is the central front in the "war on terror."  If we are going to have an Iraq-centric policy, he should at least understand what he is talking about.
The Awakening began in Anbar Province more than a year before the surge and took off in the summer and fall of 2006 in Ramadi and elsewhere, long before extra U.S. forces started flowing into Iraq in February and March of 2007. Throughout the war, enemy-of-my-enemy logic has driven Sunni decision-making. The Sunnis have seen three "occupiers" as threats: the United States, the Shiites (and their presumed Iranian patrons), and the foreigners and extremists in AQI. Crucial to the Awakening was the reordering of these threats.
This is not controversial history.  It is history that anyone trying out for Commander in Chief must understand when there are 150,000 American troops stationed in Iraq.  It is an absolutely essential element to the story of the past two years. YOU CANNOT GET THIS WRONG.  Moreover, what is most disturbing is that according to McCain's inaccurate version of history, military force came first and solved all of our problems.  If that is the lesson he takes from the Anbar Awakening, I am afraid it is the lesson he will apply to every other crisis he faces including, for example, Iran.
This is just incredibly disturbing. I have no choice but to conclude that John McCain has simply no idea what is actually happened and happening in Iraq. 
Update: It gets even better. Marc Lynch points me towards an article (PDF) that Col. MacFarland wrote summarizing his experiences in Anbar and how they helped turn the war in the Sunni parts of Iraq and started the Anbar Awakening. This is essentially the official military history. The timeframe he discusses is June 2006-February 2007. The first surge troops were just arriving as MacFarland and his men redeployed out of Anbar.

Maybe McCain would get better coverage if he knew how to use a computer.

Using email isn't essential for a leader of the free world. But the thought of electing someone who lacks the basic curiosity and intelligence to figure out how to go online is pretty scary to me.

At least this is harmlessly funny...

...sometimes I feel that is the image McCain wants to project. A harmlessly funny President - instead of the steaming ears a**hole he's known for in the Senate.

Gaffes?

57 states????

Oh yeah. Obama never misspeaks.

I love it. While Obama is overseas in Middle East and Europe discussing general perceptions and strategies with American commanders, Prime Ministers, and country rulers on important national security matters, McCain is back in the U.S. complaining about the media coverage, releasing "Obama got media love videos", and passing out funny press passes for attention.

Instead of using this time while Obama is away to hone and detail a campaign message focused on issues important to American voters, McCain chooses to attack Obama about the Iraqi surge and complain about media coverage.

Since I never voted republican before, I never payed much attention to McCain, but now thanks to being so disgusted by Obama's overweening hubris and the endless rhapsodizing of the mindless and the press (redundant? One wonders), I think McCain's humorous gesture is very amusing. Instead of just voting the lesser evil, I am looking forward to voting for McCain. It will be a pleasure.

Hmmm. Terrorist in Iraq Pakistan border, Yugoslavia....is it just lack of knowledge of geography & history or dimentia/senility? Poor old idiot, kept nagging Obama about visiting Iraq, Afghanistan....Timbactu etc. until the day before the elections, so that Obama will be out of his way. But things work out better for Obama than anybody thought. Careful, what you wish for.

Alas, the RNC have given McCain more ways to embarass himself and his political party....

He cant even describe when the "surge" had actually started and had AGAIN made a fool of himself on CBS News yesterday see www.jedreport.com/2008/07/video-of-the-mc.html....how sad, its as if the RNC WANT him to lose so that they can concentrate on the Senate elections instead.....

I hate to give anyone older than me advice(its insulting to talk down to the elderly) but if McCain wants to succeed and get the press to spend more time with him and his "Straight Talk Express" bus/airplane/loveseat.....he needs to get into the 21st century and here is how....

Cindy should buy him a "Bluetooth" ...(not the one you put in your mouth)... a "Blackberry"...an IPOD...and of course a GPS device...and maybe he'll finally get his facts straight....

Now for the heart of the matter at hand, for the VP...I dunno, it seems that whoever he picks has to be young, healthy, smart, good public speaker, a republican,....wait a minute....there is but no other choice but Bobby Jindal..

...but that will need to be for another time he's currently performing exorcisims at the RNC....Karl Rove has been invaded by George Carlin......

This current rant he is on is very telling.

If he is imploding over something as simple as less press coverage, what will he do when he runs into a brick wall with opponents debating legislation?

With all the events of yesterday, I forecast something close to speaking in tongues. The 'c' word. Or worse.

Is the GOP really serious with this candidate? I am starting to think not.

Re: new tactic called "phi"

Do not imagine. This is real.

i was never going to vote for mccain, but in the last few days since obama departed i actually find it difficult to imagine a president mccain. his off-the-cuff style and his easy annoyance just seems contrary to what many people usually desire out of a leader, namely specificity and a steady-hand. and when he speaks in such stark terms about iraq--winning vs losing, victory vs surrender--i can't help but wonder if he sees enough grey in the world for him to make sound judgments.

I guess McCain will have to throw another BBQ to get the reporters to kiss his a$$ again.

Shorter McCain: Waah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah.

Of course, McCain denies being envious, but the facts are there. This is no fault of the media. They are simply following the wishes of the people.Follow the winner; follow the news;follow interest; follow what's good and right and that's Obama. Instead of admitting he is wrong, by endorsing and supporting an unnecessary war, McCain is boasting about Surge. Why did we need the surge anyhow? It is because he had endorsed a useless war. So when he talks about win and success... Win what? Win who? Which success? Even Gen. Petraus some months ago distinctly stated and reiterated that the win and success cannot be measured and predicted It goes from day to day,and situation to situation, ongoing... Yet MCcain keeps contradicting his own people.
Instead of blaming the media , McCain needs to work on his strategies, his appeal, his policies and yes even his emotions.And bring our beloved troops home.

As a former JV scrub myself, I find this a hilarious way to mock the media.

But it is incredible that even though liberal media elites are admitting bias themselves, such as Howie Kurtz, people commenting here don't seem to understand that.

No wonder so many people don't understand that Obama is not WRIGHT for America! These days the blogs are about the only place to go for unfiltered news. Check out www.notwrightforamerica.com, a rising star in the blogosphere!

As a former JV scrub myself, I find this a hilarious way to mock the media.

But it is incredible that even though liberal media elites are admitting bias themselves, such as Howie Kurtz, people commenting here don't seem to understand that.

No wonder so many people don't understand that Obama is not WRIGHT for America! These days the blogs are about the only place to go for unfiltered news. Check out www.notwrightforamerica.com, a rising star in the blogosphere!

Yeah, McCain and the mainstream media share a lot of history and a lot of dirty little secrets.

They both are so deep into the game that they have no concept of what the truth means anymore....

The lame thing about this media narrative concerning bias towards Obama... is that the stats McCain uses are based on the number of stories about Obama.

He just doesn't mention that most of those stories are NEGATIVE.

So yeah... more stories, more bias... AGAINST Obama. Not for him.

This guy McCain must think his voters are farm animals or something. Note to McCain: middle Americans aren't that stupid. They may not be the brightest bulbs in the joint... but that's insulting their intelligence.

The media is just as guilty of propagating this nonsense about pro-Obama bias as McCain is.

The day the US media get serious about critiquing their war hero go to guy for flip flopping quotes on any issue... well, that'll be the day.

Just tonight, Couric covered up a HUGE McCain mistake wrt his surge lies... she actually spliced the tape in order to change McCain's answer to her question... and they aired it.

Wow. Media bias? I think the bias is clear. America sees what's going on.

This is a perfect example of McCain using Rove for advice. They're accusing the other team of something they're themselves guilty of... they do it first so it's harder to make it stick to themselves.

Rove and McCain. I was just shocked John let him on board his campaign. Sliming himself with a CIA outing treasonist like that is just dumb... bad politics.

?

And McCain says Obama is elitist? What the hell is that even suppose to mean?

In other news... I think I now realize why McCain lost to Bush in 2000... you can tell when he's being insincere. Maybe that's why they call him straightalk express. Not because he actually tells the truth, but because you can tell how full of bs he is

He's really bad. Wow. He's got that fake smile... so creepy. He goes from sounding extremely calm, like he's forcefully holding back the Hulk inside... (or maybe he's on a prescription during the campaign?)... and then sometimes he'll just expolode.

The guy's a walking freakshow. But at least you can see it on the surface... which is why he was just second banana in 2000.

Can you imagine electing a guy who lost to Jr in a Republican primary?

After the last 8 years? Worse than Bush?

Ugghhh.

Clearly the US media has more interest in a puerile story than in helping inform the good people of this country about which candidate has the best policies for peace, prosperity, health care, education, and the environment.

Repugs always play the military card and talk about sacrifices, but nobody here is ready to make even the most modest intellectual sacrifice about being honest with the issues.

The media would rather be white than right. And it is willing to let McCain skate free on the FEC thing, the Mr Enron thing, the surge bribe thing, the long history of voting against energy independence thing, the Maliki timeframe thing, and just about everything else.

Bush has made us a country of lollygaggers. The press and the people are weak. Nobody here even has plans for what to do in case of an emergency because the powers that be don't want to deal with the TRUTH.

I thought that was this paper's mission.

Very sad.

Ahem,

Cough-cough...,

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ :-(

Just as EXCITING as Bingo Night;

at the Convalescent Home. :[

Hum the McMedia ignores McCains huge gaffe that CBS edited out. I know Broder told you guys McCain is above reproach. but come on.