Holtz-Eakin: McCain’s admitted lack of econ knowledge is ‘a small joke.’
By on Mar 27th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Holtz-Eakin: McCain’s admitted lack of econ knowledge is ‘a small joke.’
In December 2007, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) admitted to an audience in New Hampshire that “the issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.” Trying to explain away McCain’s comment, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s senior economic adviser, claimed to ABC News that McCain was merely joking. “He has this wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor and out of his months comes things sometimes like ‘yeah, I’m not that good on the economy’ in an effort to make a small joke,” said Holtz-Eakin. Unfortunately, for Holtz-Eakin, McCain has admitted his lack of econ knowledge on multiple occasions throughout the years.
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It's no joke. McBush knows nothing about economics. Period.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:32 amYeah, they made light of Bush's lack of knowledge (on just about everything) too.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:33 amI'm good enough at economics to add up all of McCains little jokes, and see a really big joke.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:36 ambad joke...
oh, and TP - you got a typo: "out of his months"
March 27th, 2008 at 10:39 ami'm guessing...
Good grief. How stupid do these people really think we are? Do they honestly believe that the vast majority of the American people don't pay attention to what they hell they are saying and doing?????
March 27th, 2008 at 10:39 amThe real joke is McCain's lack of knowledge about the economy at a time when we need leadership in that area. His "joke" is not the only evidence. His recent speeches demonstrate his lack of knowledge more firmly than any sound bite. He still supports deregulation even while the markets are teetering on the brink of collapse due to Bush's failed deregulation experiments. He has no concrete proposals to address the crisis in the mortgage industry. On issue after issue he pledges to continue or renew Bush's disastrous policies on student loans, Social Security, medicare, health savings accounts, etc. George Bush has provided the poorest economic leadership since the Great Depression. McCain promises more of the same.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:39 amIf this dork is elected, the joke will be on us. And it won't be a little one, either.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:40 amRepublicans think ignorance is an essential qualification for president. If we allow them to install yet another dumbass in the Oval Office, the joke will once again be on us.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:43 amMacky-Mac, you prankster. Like that joke about 100 years in Iraq? Guffaw, guffaw, guffaw.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:44 amIgnoranceIsNotBliss Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Good grief. How stupid do these people really think we are? Do they honestly believe that the vast majority of the American people don’t pay attention to what they hell they are saying and doing?????
I think it's clear that these republican bastards think Americans are idiots.
I fear that they are right...
March 27th, 2008 at 10:45 amTo the rich this "small joke" is really funny, to the rest of us who've lost 11% on our houses this aint funny at all
March 27th, 2008 at 10:48 amBut his dad was a vet. So all the major networks will ignore this.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:48 amMore stupid jokes and more bad policies, just a continuance of Bush if McCain is elected. If Obama and Clinton and their supporters don't stop the bickering and sniping at each other the joke is going to be on us.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:52 amThere are commoners, the types who get their instruction from talk radio to tactically vote for Hillary as an "easier" opponent vs. McCain, who blush at the prospect of the Pentagon's budget approaching or exceeding $1,000,000,000,000.
But listen up, Social Security and Medicare is the real threat in America. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:54 amIt's only "self-deprecating" if it's true! McCain is not econ-savvy. What he is is a weather vane that's only affected when the wind blows from his right.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:58 amI can't believe that a lack of economic knowledge would be tossed off as being so trivial. This insane spin that McCain is really an economic whiz who's simply being self-deprecating is insulting to the intelligence of all of us.
McCain's knowledge of economic matters is deficient. If he's faking that, I suggest that now is the time to reveal his hidden brilliance.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:59 amYes, McCain's understanding of economics is a joke. On Us, if he gets elected.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:01 amBut hey! He's got the best lobbyists around to advise him!
McCain knowledge on Economics is bordering on stuppidity....just kidding...lol. See how you like it. Give me a break. This is a lame duck candidate. Once the spot light is on him, do you really think the American public is going to put up with this man after 8 years of Bush?
March 27th, 2008 at 11:02 amWasn't this Holtz-Eakin head of the Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan governmental group? How can he now pretend that more tax cuts for the wealthy will improve our budgetary condition?
March 27th, 2008 at 11:04 amMcCain is also being advised by Kevin "Dow 36,000" Hassett. So whatever McCain's own shortcomings, his own experts happen to be the laughing stock of the economics fraternity.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:05 amDoesn't really matter how ignorant, or how old, or how much a whore McCain is, Hillary may secure his victory as next POTUS by default.
If she gets the nod it will only be by political maneuvering that will turn off a sizable chunk of Democratic voters, this one included.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:10 amHere's McCain on the budget:
Already tight household budgets are getting tighter.
Now, that's a brilliant statement if I have ever heard one.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:17 amBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Here’s McCain on the budget:
Already tight household budgets are getting tighter.
Now, that’s a brilliant statement if I have ever heard one.
And incomplete. He left off the ending: "but, my friends, at least we have endless war."
March 27th, 2008 at 11:19 amWe may be disappointed with Hillary's lies right now, nanlichi, but I'm going to have to disagree with you.
Democratic voters are registering in great numbers, and I highly doubt that Republican voters are going to be motivated to this polls at the same rate this fall.
I could go on, but Hillary, if she takes the nomination, would have 70% of what Obama has to offer, while McCain has 0%.
It's increasing less likely that Hillary will take the nomination, take some comfort, but this can't be all-or-nothing for the dems.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:20 amNUKE IRAN
HAHAHAHA......what a wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor
only the brain dead believe this drivel.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:22 amSorry for the grammar errors in post #24.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:23 amWhile he was running for president a woman shouted to Adlai Stevenson "Every thinking American is voting for you."
Adlai yelled back, "That's not enough madam, I need a majority."
March 27th, 2008 at 11:32 amMcCain knows exactly what he's saying. Republicans ALWAYS vote for the stupidest, least qualified candidate.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:37 amMcWars,
I hope you are right. I started out a Hillary fan, swung to Obama during the debates, and am getting a really bad taste in my mouth as I see Hillary willing to hurt the party for her selfish motives.
I didn't think there was any way we could lose in 04, after watching the Chimp destroy our country and was proved wrong. The R's will always and forever pull the R lever, regardless of whose name is on it. If the D's don't coalesce soon, we may see McCain.
My scotch budget isn't big enough for another disappointment.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:48 amI saw data yesterday showing 30% of Hillary voters would vote for McCON instead of Obama, if Hillary loses the nomination.
Nice.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:50 amnanlichi, hope for NC and Penn to go to Obama and we will be fine. Obama would take it from there. With Hillary, we'd have to push antsy dems that she's likely than McCain to be open-minded to stopping the war, though she's more war-minded than Obama.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:06 pmIt's really bizarre, Zimzone. This is the all-or-nothing mindset we have to dispose.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:07 pmThe R’s will always and forever pull the R lever, regardless of whose name is on it. If the D’s don’t coalesce soon, we may see McCain.
I think that may change this time. I know five people who were once a Republican who are now either registered Democrats or Independents. I also know a couple more Republicans who are going to vote for Obama. There is the 28% who will always vote for the "R" rather than the most qualified candidate, but that won't win an election. By the time of the election, the Republicans will be exposed for who they are and what they stand for and since a majority of Americans are in need of a change, that will not bode well for the Republicans.
As far as the infighting between the Democrats is concerned, I wouldn't worry about that. Once the nomination is in the bag, I really think that all Democrats will settle down and get behind the candidate (except for the bigots, there's nothing we can do about them). I really can't see any self-respecting Democrat voting for McCain. I know a lot of Hillary supporters say that's what they will do (and even a few Obama supporters), but in the end I believe they will do what is right for the country.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pmHar-de-flucking-har.
Up yours, Ol' Warmonger.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:48 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
As far as the infighting between the Democrats is concerned, I wouldn’t worry about that. Once the nomination is in the bag, I really think that all Democrats will settle down and get behind the candidate (except for the bigots, there’s nothing we can do about them). I really can’t see any self-respecting Democrat voting for McCain. I know a lot of Hillary supporters say that’s what they will do (and even a few Obama supporters), but in the end I believe they will do what is right for the country.
I hope you are right, but the cult of Obama progressive activists have been such rabid rove like forces, they've turned off way more Hillary supporters than the other way around! It's ironic too, because you guys keep saying Hillary will do anything to win, but based on the number of lies, smears, and hateful things your camp has been spewing for the last few months, those of us that are less cult like in our devotion to a candidate experience the hypocrisy and dishonesty in the Obama camp - and that's what prevents many (not myself) from being willing to support Obama.
You guys really need to turn down the rhetoric, and stop whining about someone being a troll the instant they criticize Obama - while continuing to hurl your own invectives incessantly. (see #29 nanlichi for example). If I were to say the same about Obama, you and the rest of the uncivilized zoo would be on me like a cheap wwf wrestler. If you strongly believe Obama is going to be the candidate in the fall, I'd suggest you stop turning off all of Hillary's supporters! At this point where we sit, you guys are more like Bush supporters than progressive honest Democrats!
March 27th, 2008 at 1:24 pmZimzone Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I saw data yesterday showing 30% of Hillary voters would vote for McCON instead of Obama, if Hillary loses the nomination.
Nice.
Yes, and the main reason is because the cult of Obama is such a turn of to so many of her followers.
In typical Rove like fashion, you forgot the rest of the poll, which said that 20% of Obama supporters would vote McCain. Nice - huh?
If you want to gain back Hillary supporters, you might stop hurling baseless insults and smears from Huffpo/KOS daily...
March 27th, 2008 at 1:26 pmSounds as though McCain knows only enough about economics to keep Bush's tax cuts and war spending in place.
March 27th, 2008 at 1:40 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins, I agree that Bush has opened the eyes of a lot of R's, I hope the digsust for the fratboy carries through to a general feeling for the Repug party.
RHF, please explain the process wherein Hillary will get the nomination? Doesn't it have to include the superdelegates voting contrary to the popular vote? Or some pledged delegates swithing their votes?
I will vote for whichever of the two is nominated, since another 4 years of Repugs could be the ruination of the country.
March 27th, 2008 at 1:44 pmI think McCain was calling Holtz-Eakin a small joke. No wonder hes upset.
March 27th, 2008 at 2:32 pmYeah, and the joke is on the American people. I'm not laughing.
March 27th, 2008 at 6:55 pm