TPMtv: Flip-Flop in the Wilderness

[smith401287]

I like how they bring out the negative side of a candidate without showing favor to either side!!!!!!

[shroomduke]

It's not even the negitive aspect it's the fact that they are blatantly biased even though they project an air of fairness.

In fact I would be happy to hear all the negitive crap as long as they were Fair & Consistant but they are NOT, they are very selective in their reporting!

The International Media Cartel is little more than a Lobby Platform for the wealthy.

This has been the struggle from the earliest days of humanity and it continues!

[Diffie64]

Thank you, TPM, for giving us straight talk on the "not so straight talking" John McCain.

[brownie8519]

Thnx TPM! Keep up the good work.

[windycityrose]

If the past 8 years have taught us anything, it's that presidents can act independently and screw the nation up. McCain is a threat to repairing the damage done by Bush/Cheney and for continuing the policies that got us here in the first place.

[JackWhistle]

Umm.. veto's.

[GlobalSufi]

McCain wishes he was Obama, lol!

[smackdat]

black and endowed with a huge member / basketball skills? Probably.

[Richardgwm]

George W McCain will be lucky to carry five states. I peg them as Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. That is right, he will lose his home state of Arizona.

[waltb44]

i am from Oklahoma, and i don't resemble that remark at all. there are those us, who have had enough already.

[truthforamerica]

Obama is the biggest flip flopper there is! Just go and watch the Iraq documentary on John McCain's channel.

[Sinistertino]

mccain's channel ... clearly no bias there

[kryptonsean]

because Lord knows McCain's adds have been lauded for there factual accuracy. No wait, nonono sorry, I meant laughed at on a regular basis for gross mistatement or outright lies. I'm all for intelligent debate, but it should be over the facts

[azas1949]

The MSM continualy gives Mc Dumb a pass on all

his idiotic mistakes. The man suffers from dementia Maybe McCain would get the additional troops from Czechoslovakia ?

[annarboriter]

It's simply easier for the media hacks to retell the same story repeatedly. The truthiness also is easier to sell. Asking people to think and suggesting that they might be mistaken and must  revise their understandings, that work is less cost effective.

[Johnrosssssss]

oh look Obama's internet defender... real fair news you know... atleast Fox admits there a diffrient voice from the Liberal Media Super power machine, the news never shifted to Afganistan the Liberal Medias know Iraq cant make Obama win so they all turn to afganistan for a new strategy... thats whats going on dont be rediculous lol.. the only thing is Liberals are looking to tell us about death and Iraq just dont seem so appealing anymore for BAD NEWS thanks

[chico945]

Refining? Fine tuning?  How about "fudging." I think that's the word you were looking for.

[oppesdaman]

McCain knows very well that;

More troops in Afganistan equals more Haliburton contracts which equals more kick-back money in McCains pockets.

[RonPaulClips]

They BOTH flip-flop. They are BOTH no good for the country. I'm a true republican and I think Obama is the "lesser of the two evils"

[vuducile]

Well, I wouldn't say that..unless I were a complete idiot. Refining a strategy to meet the changing situation on the ground is one thing, changing your position to parrot the more popular strategy of your opposition is something else.

The whole 'Flip-Flop' thing is just another political device used to keep your eye off the ball. They don't want you thinking about the actual issue, so they use devicive arguments that say, "Hey, Look over here!" instead of examing the 'fact of the matter'.

[ltlillil]

The fact of the matter is John McCain promises to add more failure to the disasterous past 8 years of Republican mistakes. Not only has he adopted Bush's programs, but he has said he will take them even farther: like executing Bush's plan to abolish Social Security and handing over America's energy policy to the oil companies.

[vuducile]

I agree with you, 'RonPaulClips' offers up both a false-dichotomy to disquise the 'real' message he's conveying: BOTH McCain AND Obama are flip-flop (utter bull$hit, IMO). He attempts to disarm his opponents, who will undoubtedly be Obama supporters, by aligning with them at the same time he's denegrading them.

I was merely trying to state that McCains change in position is purely political, and based on the more favorable reception of Obama's- which in my mind, qualifies as a 'flip-flop'.

[patsagainstrats]

"True Republican" is code for Ron Paul moonbat. In other words, a dismal failure.

[vuducile]

So, McCain is suggesting our military attempt to 'surge' in two different countries concurrently? Another campaign device that suggests they have no idea how to proceed and are just parroting what they think the public wants to here. You can definitely see Rove pulling the strings on this one- another Rovian rhetorical transposition.

[schwirzl]

veracifier, you miss the point. The point is America can´t win the war in Afghanistan either. Too big, huge mountains, Pakistan, corruption, no money,

It s awful but obama gonna be the next war president

[gjdemas]

Did we ignore Pearl Harbor? Should we ignore 9/11?

[GlobalSufi]

we DID ignore Pearl Harbor, (not even a State then) and we ARE ignoring 9-11, an event whose magnitude woudl NOT have been carried out by a bunch of idiots, not to mention that 6 of them a STILL alive in Saudi Arabia... hell, we ignored the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which was admitted as a lie, why not these?

[patsagainstrats]

And why is Afghanistan becoming more of a problem? Could it be because al Qaeda is fleeing Iraq--for Afghanistan--because they're being annihilated there? The truth is most of the NATO forces(the few that have been committed) in Afghanistan refuse to engage the enemy.

[patsagainstrats]

I'm looking forward to Obama's Dukakis moment when he goes on his belated Iraq trip. I see him looking fragile, even girl-like, in his codpiece(requested to protect his black snake) body armour.

[annarboriter]

You have a lot of repressed homoerotic tension is you are anticipating seeing Obama in a codpiece.

[patsagainstrats]

On the contrary, I see Obama looking like little league catcher who's been trying on his older brother's high school gear. This should be fun for all to witness.

[Miroku6510]

Oh yeah, and Obama has NEVER flip-flopped ever!

[nothankyoumam]

McCranky flip flops every time he opens his mouth. But it doesn't matter. Low information voters will continue to ask for more of McSame.

[smith401287]

I like how they bring out the negative side of a candidate without showing favor to either side!!!!!!

[shroomduke]

It's not even the negitive aspect it's the fact that they are blatantly biased even though they project an air of fairness.

In fact I would be happy to hear all the negitive crap as long as they were Fair & Consistant but they are NOT, they are very selective in their reporting!

The International Media Cartel is little more than a Lobby Platform for the wealthy.

This has been the struggle from the earliest days of humanity and it continues!

[Diffie64]

Thank you, TPM, for giving us straight talk on the "not so straight talking" John McCain.

[brownie8519]

Thnx TPM! Keep up the good work.

[windycityrose]

If the past 8 years have taught us anything, it's that presidents can act independently and screw the nation up. McCain is a threat to repairing the damage done by Bush/Cheney and for continuing the policies that got us here in the first place.

[JackWhistle]

Umm.. veto's.

[GlobalSufi]

McCain wishes he was Obama, lol!

[smackdat]

black and endowed with a huge member / basketball skills? Probably.

[Richardgwm]

George W McCain will be lucky to carry five states. I peg them as Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. That is right, he will lose his home state of Arizona.

[waltb44]

i am from Oklahoma, and i don't resemble that remark at all. there are those us, who have had enough already.

[truthforamerica]

Obama is the biggest flip flopper there is! Just go and watch the Iraq documentary on John McCain's channel.

[Sinistertino]

mccain's channel ... clearly no bias there

[kryptonsean]

because Lord knows McCain's adds have been lauded for there factual accuracy. No wait, nonono sorry, I meant laughed at on a regular basis for gross mistatement or outright lies. I'm all for intelligent debate, but it should be over the facts

[azas1949]

The MSM continualy gives Mc Dumb a pass on all

his idiotic mistakes. The man suffers from dementia Maybe McCain would get the additional troops from Czechoslovakia ?

[annarboriter]

It's simply easier for the media hacks to retell the same story repeatedly. The truthiness also is easier to sell. Asking people to think and suggesting that they might be mistaken and must revise their understandings, that work is less cost effective.

[Johnrosssssss]

oh look Obama's internet defender... real fair news you know... atleast Fox admits there a diffrient voice from the Liberal Media Super power machine, the news never shifted to Afganistan the Liberal Medias know Iraq cant make Obama win so they all turn to afganistan for a new strategy... thats whats going on dont be rediculous lol.. the only thing is Liberals are looking to tell us about death and Iraq just dont seem so appealing anymore for BAD NEWS thanks

[chico945]

Refining? Fine tuning? How about "fudging." I think that's the word you were looking for.

[oppesdaman]

McCain knows very well that;

More troops in Afganistan equals more Haliburton contracts which equals more kick-back money in McCains pockets.

[RonPaulClips]

They BOTH flip-flop. They are BOTH no good for the country. I'm a true republican and I think Obama is the "lesser of the two evils"

[vuducile]

Well, I wouldn't say that..unless I were a complete idiot. Refining a strategy to meet the changing situation on the ground is one thing, changing your position to parrot the more popular strategy of your opposition is something else.

The whole 'Flip-Flop' thing is just another political device used to keep your eye off the ball. They don't want you thinking about the actual issue, so they use devicive arguments that say, "Hey, Look over here!" instead of examing the 'fact of the matter'.

[ltlillil]

The fact of the matter is John McCain promises to add more failure to the disasterous past 8 years of Republican mistakes. Not only has he adopted Bush's programs, but he has said he will take them even farther: like executing Bush's plan to abolish Social Security and handing over America's energy policy to the oil companies.

[vuducile]

I agree with you, 'RonPaulClips' offers up both a false-dichotomy to disquise the 'real' message he's conveying: BOTH McCain AND Obama are flip-flop (utter bull$hit, IMO). He attempts to disarm his opponents, who will undoubtedly be Obama supporters, by aligning with them at the same time he's denegrading them.

I was merely trying to state that McCains change in position is purely political, and based on the more favorable reception of Obama's- which in my mind, qualifies as a 'flip-flop'.

[patsagainstrats]

"True Republican" is code for Ron Paul moonbat. In other words, a dismal failure.

[vuducile]

So, McCain is suggesting our military attempt to 'surge' in two different countries concurrently? Another campaign device that suggests they have no idea how to proceed and are just parroting what they think the public wants to here. You can definitely see Rove pulling the strings on this one- another Rovian rhetorical transposition.

[schwirzl]

veracifier, you miss the point. The point is America can´t win the war in Afghanistan either. Too big, huge mountains, Pakistan, corruption, no money,

It s awful but obama gonna be the next war president

[gjdemas]

Did we ignore Pearl Harbor? Should we ignore 9/11?

[GlobalSufi]

we DID ignore Pearl Harbor, (not even a State then) and we ARE ignoring 9-11, an event whose magnitude woudl NOT have been carried out by a bunch of idiots, not to mention that 6 of them a STILL alive in Saudi Arabia... hell, we ignored the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which was admitted as a lie, why not these?

[patsagainstrats]

And why is Afghanistan becoming more of a problem? Could it be because al Qaeda is fleeing Iraq--for Afghanistan--because they're being annihilated there? The truth is most of the NATO forces(the few that have been committed) in Afghanistan refuse to engage the enemy.

[patsagainstrats]

I'm looking forward to Obama's Dukakis moment when he goes on his belated Iraq trip. I see him looking fragile, even girl-like, in his codpiece(requested to protect his black snake) body armour.

[annarboriter]

You have a lot of repressed homoerotic tension is you are anticipating seeing Obama in a codpiece.

[patsagainstrats]

On the contrary, I see Obama looking like little league catcher who's been trying on his older brother's high school gear. This should be fun for all to witness.

[Miroku6510]

Oh yeah, and Obama has NEVER flip-flopped ever!

[nothankyoumam]

McCranky flip flops every time he opens his mouth. But it doesn't matter. Low information voters will continue to ask for more of McSame.

[wdcsucks1]

spread the message, do everything you would of done if you where living in the 30s and you knew what hitler was up to. imagine yourself living back then and you noticing that the tide of evil is rising around you, what would you of done?!!! you got to bring new perspectives into your life and start living accordingly! it is an emergency! do you know that there were jews that didnt believe what was going on, not even when they were on the trains! it is only up to you personally now!!!

[doctorgt3]

so are you saying to trust in Jesus?

[wdcsucks1]

waaahhhtttt???!!!

[wdcsucks1]

waaahhhtttt???!!!

[ltlillil]

Our buddies in the press? Like David Broder, Bob Schieffer and Charles Krauthammer? I could have sworn they were all in the tank for McCain.

[speakmymind01]

you far left Libs control the House and Senate because of 2 things, Macaca and Mark Foley,

yet you campaign like you have this incredible mandate from the voters.

If it wasn't for your buddies in the Press, you guys would have a chance in hell of winning elections....

[jimbojim68]

Funny, but I see the exact opposite. The press is as conservative as GE, Disney and Murdoch lets them. The press ignores all McCains gaffes such as multiple confusions just on Czechoslovakia and Shiite/Sunni. Taking credit for new GI Bill he opposed. Saying he named Steelers defensive line to Vietnamese when it was Packers. Saying he wasn't an expert on economy, then lying. All ignored by mainstream press. Bush call Dems weak when he gave up on OBL and Afghanistan. That's why you'll keep losing.

[vallejoelgrande]

Obama's commitment is to end the war. His goal is to do it in 16 months.

I wish I knew what McCain's commitment and goals are in Irak, but I don't think he's figured them out yet.

[Zile77]

Since the surge has worked as planned, some troops can be moved to Afghanistan to finish the work there. Dems are proving themselves wrong at every turn. The libs only think short-immediate gratification terms, never about the long term consequences, which is why they lose so often.

McCain has much more experience than Obama, who only has 143 days worth. His votes were mostly non-votes, because like his dick, his little mind is limp!

[jimbojim68]

Let's wach them get moved then. Not as easy as all that. Short term plan was to get in and out. 5 years later something's happening. And we were wrong? Why didn't Rumsfeld surge? We were wrong. We went into Afghanistan 6 years ago and are still there. How many Iraqis died? How many Americans? Do you even care? How many damaged and torn up? People dislocated, homes lost? And we were wrong? People died in Iraq TODAY! Newsflash: It ain't over and Bush ain't won anything.

[burger1376]

You said that dems need to "stop looking to have their damn hands held by the government", right? Can you explain to me why mccain receives 58,000 USD per year from the government for disability?

[Zile77]

Minor nuances? Puleese!

Obama opposed the surge not because of "factors" but because he thought it would fail. He said, on January 10, 2007, on MSNBC: "I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse."

Obama's judgement sucks. His buddy Tony Rezko is in jail. His pastor is a racist White hater. His "wife" is an anti-American racist who's finally proud of her country since they became millionaires.

[someguyouknow]

Wow. I am not even close to an Obama supported but all of your examples of his "poor" judgement are BS. There are plenty other reasons why he shouldn't be president. There are even more reasons why McCain shouldn't be president. Neither one is qualified in my eyes.

[jrkenney]

What about McCain's judgement going into Iraq in 2002/03?

McCain told CNN's Larry King on Dec. 9, 2002. "I don't think you're going to have to see the scale of numbers of troops that we saw, nor the length of the buildup, obviously, that we had back in 1991."

"I know that as successful as I believe we will be, and I believe that the success will be fairly easy, we will still lose some American young men or women." [CNN, 9/24/02]

Some = 4,100 dead troops? Fairly easy = 5 years, 800 Billion?

[moejardines]

I just can't believe people aren't put off by how confused he looks at times? He's lost his edge big time, because he used to be a formidable guy. Now he's doddering about looking his age.

I'm amazed how many people are willing to get on board his tired stage coach when its time for an SST. I just get the feeling he's not with it anymore. Anyone wanna chime in on this?

[paultherolls]

John McCain will say anything to appear on target. Unfortunately he changes his line depending on the venue. He then denies he changed his viewpoint. He is either a liar or forgets his previous statements. It appears that he is both a liar and senile. It is lucky for Mccain that much of America buys the swiftboating Muslim bullshit and many citizens don't trust black people. This seems to be what is holding the McCain candidacy together. Mccain is a train wreck.

[burger1376]

Mccain quotes:

*"We're not going to get into house-to-house fighting in Baghdad. We may have to take out buildings, but we're not going to have a bloodletting of trading American bodies for Iraqi bodies.

*"But I believe, Katie, that the Iraqi people will greet us as liberators

*"The issues of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should.

[burger1376]

cont.

*"I'm going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." Denied saying this in a primary debate.

*Concerning Cheney: "I don't know if I would want him as vice president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.

*"I hated the gooks. I will hate them as long as I live.

[burger1376]

cont. mccain

*Voted against extended Medicaid access for Katrina victims.

*Voted against extended unemployment assistance for Katrina victims.

*Voted against the Katrina Commission (twice).

[Zile77]

burger1376, Those are more reasons McCain might have my vote. Dems have to stop playing the victim. America can no longer be a victim and survive in this world, meaning dems need to get real and stop looking to have their hand held by the damn government!

[quicksite]

what a piece of shit liar McCain... "Thanks to the success of the surge, these troops are now becoming available"

what can you say?

The only voice that can challenge this propoganda is TV journalism. Conglomerates won't challenge McCain... but Josh, as always, great work for diving inot that hole and handling all their diversions and refusal to report on McCain's Daily Bullshit.

[covertone81]

McCain really is just making this up all on the fly. What a joke.

[HaloedG]

Fucking McCain. If Russert were still alive, this would've been on the news this morning.

[covertone81]

Here Here!

[quicksite]

(( Fucking McCain. If Russert were still alive, this would've been on the news this morning. ))

Really? you think so?

I don't.

Perhaps on a sunday grilling, but on regular network news? forget it.

[terrence0258]

Anybody who wants to have the media report on this story should go to the CNN and Fox News websites and e-mail them.

[ltlillil]

McCain often seems not to know if he's talking about Afghanistan or Iraq, Shiite or Sunni, Al Qaeda or the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. For the voter, the question is whether they're choosing McCain or Cyndee, because McCain is simply not up to the job.

[rab2591]

Barack Obama promised not to vote for FISA, and voted for it...(FISA, one of GWBush's genious unconstitutional bills that will allow your government to tap your phone legally). McCain is bad but Obama is just as bad. Research who you vote for! It is your duty as Americans! Our liberties have been trampled on by McCain and Obama. We must take back our rights! please research those you vote for! Thank you!

[jimbojim68]

Rab, you want me to research who I vote for? Whoda thunk? Obama wants to get us out of Iraq and has been against it from the beginning. MCCain is the opposite. DO NOT equate those men. Obama would appoint responsible justices to the Sup Ct and McCain would appoint conservatives who would move the court so far right it would take decades to move back to the center. Obama voted for amendments to the FISA bill that other Dems did not support. Don't insult informed people here with your nonsense.

[rab2591]

I'm not insulting anyone! I am just asking people to research who they want to vote for. sorry if I offended you. I just want people to be well informed about the people they put into power...people voted for Bush and look at what he has done...sorry for comparing Obama to Bush, but sometimes, people, like Bush, promise things that they totally flip-flop on...like Obama did with FISA. sorry again, I just want people to research who they vote for.

[clmdiva]

You are doing shotting reporting to get people on your side. Obama supported the bill only after changes were made. And maybe that is something that should be reported properly but I guess it isnt news worthy. Thats what the Senate and the House does. They negotiate to get a more viable bill. McCain has flip-flopped on oil, the war, and doesnt understand the ecomony. RAB it seems that you are the one that needs to do some research.

[sdzinda]

The media coverage has been a complete joke. It makes me sick to see how pathetic the media in America is. McCain has been caught in at least 50 lies in the past two months alone, blatant, known lies...and they RARELY call him out on it, and if they do, he makes shit up that makes NO SENSE and the reporters don't keep drilling him.

Our media is failing us as much as this horrible administration is failing us. If McCain wins America will fall to #2 or #3 in world power, IF we're lucky.

[2004JETTA]

o my goodness John McCain is...........i dont even know what to say

[milkmantx]

seems to me that old john dosn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

[ecertal]

You know why? Media wants to keep tis race as close as possible to keep the money rolling in. We know that Obama is supposed to be up by 15 in polls. The media focuses on the poll with the smaller margin, the race polls, etc. they are not reporting on state by state polls.

[pipermen22]

Great report!

[asdffd]

I'm not a huge Obama fan but anyone who chooses McCain over Obama is one of three things:

1. a complete dumbass

2. a racist

3. a asshole

[AdamnationZ]

Virtually.

[wntoply6]

add to that list a "christian"republican. and just to clarify, do not mean christians!

[snipzor]

4. 1&2

5. 1&3

6. 2&3

7. All of the above.

[GrownupPhan]

Rachel Maddow tried to point out that McCain was following Obama while filling in for Olbermann on MSNBC's Countdown yesterday.

[beserker45]

Another McCain flip-flop! the young, naive, and inexperienced OBAMA WAS RIGHT! about Afghanistan. Wow all McCain can do is say "Me too!"

[hypnofan35]

All that drug money that comes out of afghanistan could be lost if the taliban has their way. If the troops cannot protect the poppi fields there will be no heroin for Americans to sell around the world. It is just like the oil biz in Iraq, it you don't claim control and steal it the people who live their will take over and spend the money on their selfish selves and then we would not have to blast them and that would be a waste of military resources. That is the evil truthful way to say that.

[RyanFavre]

Its not about fitting into the narrative or not fitting into the narrative. Its about the fact that Iraq withdrawal was a huge part of Senator Obama's campaign during the primaries. Not beefing up troop levels in Afghanistan was not a huge part of Senator McCain's campaign during the primaries.

[hypnofan35]

John McCain is an official expert and a bona fide idiot. This coincides with the first law of presidental power, that is Bullshit gets packed into a custom tailored suit and wears a flag lapel pin and calls you "my friend".

[assive2007]

If you look at McCain very closely, you'll see he's mostly incompetent on every topic. I mean, its not hard at all to see through the man... Though Obama is probably full of shit too, McCain simply isn't and shouldn't be the choice of any rational human being. The man is just WRONG.

[osiris33]

That's interesting.... "Campiagn Narrative" I like that... you should talk more about it.

[FreedomFox1]

I'm not a McCain guy, but isn't McCain supporting a surge in Afghanistan because he believes it has worked in Iraq? This has been covered extensively and it's not a classic flip-flop.

[GrownupPhan]

Yes it is because previously he said Iraq was the priority and deploying more troops was something desirable but not critical. He'd basically been content to just put more pressure on NATO countries and hope they step up (which they should, but they have reason to be pissed at us for screwing up by not finishing the job when it would have been easier).

[osiris33]

It's summer-time Josh... flip flops are in fashion

[tomsoppe]

Josh says if you find examples of the media picking up on McCain's flip flop send them to his email address.

That's going to be one lonely inbox.

[Mel1334]

The Media is so fucking Biased. When Obama said he would refine, FLIP FLOPPER! McCain adopts Obama's Position. NOTHING!

McCain is getting a free ride.

OBAMA O8!

[loki3692]

And they have the nerve to call it a Liberal media.

[ngarey]

"But McCain is a WAR HERO!"

God, I hate this country...

[dylanzwick]

First to comment!

[MarkG45]

pirst fost!

[lamouchemorte]

Mitt Romney is a douche bag.

[brawnymike]

lamouchemorte,

That is an insult to douche bags everywhere!