Media Rally To McCain’s Defense, Give Him ‘The Benefit Of The Doubt’ On Draft Comments
Media Rally To McCain’s Defense, Give Him ‘The Benefit Of The Doubt’ On Draft Comments
During a townhall meeting yesterday, an audience member asked a long-winded question that ended with a call to enact the military draft in order to “chase bin Laden to the gates of Hell.” McCain immediately replied, “I don’t disagree with anything you said.”
Brushing off his instant response, some journalists are refusing to take McCain’s statement at face value. “Does McCain favor a draft? Nope,” the Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder wrote on his blog yesterday, deriding liberals for “having a conniption.” When asked about the quote last night on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, NBC Political Director Chuck Todd declared he was going to “give McCain the benefit of the doubt,” unbelievably claiming McCain was simply advocating some form of national service:
TODD: Let me just go there and give McCain the benefit of the doubt as to what he might have thought he was agreeing to. Which is that he has been a big advocate on the national service front, as has Obama, as sort of mandatory service in some form, that you see a lot of politicians take. So it is possible that that’s what he was talking about.
Watch it:
Given the context, it is impossible to believe McCain was talking about a kind of “mandatory service” program, not only because he never addressed such an idea in his full answer, but also because, unlike Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), McCain has no national service plan.
It’s possible McCain’s statement was directed at the portion of the question regarding veterans health. But it’s equally possible that he is leaving the door open to a military draft. After all, McCain has said he “might consider” a draft, and has also said it would take “an all-out World War III” to reinstate the draft — something he believes may have already begun.
Considering this record, journalists should be inquiring further about McCain’s views on the military draft rather than automatically assuming McCain didn’t mean what he actually said.
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The media raises no doubts in the first place; they just paid Obama lip service in the beginning so they could move in slowly and see that the scary black guy doesn’t get elected. The bid of the old white guy must always be assured.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:35 amI wonder what happened to this John McCain:
August 21st, 2008 at 11:35 am
And another “senior moment” gets glossed over.
Enough in the bank? Hell, McCain IS the bank. I think there’s literally nothing he could say that would cause a media backlash. Nothing.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:35 amgood_golly4
You still didn’t answer my question from yesterday. Is McCain’s answer more than just an embryo?
August 21st, 2008 at 11:36 amYeah, I saw that last night on Keith. Typical.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:37 amIt’s past time for the media to STOP giving McCain the benefit of the doubt. What is the benefit of the doubt about his not remembering how many houses he owns? The fact that he’s a super OLD fart. And, that is coming from one who knows.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:37 amPOLYGAMY !!!
Obama should start talking about POLYGAMY and how John McCain has ignored the abuses in Colorado City, Arizona for over 20 years! In my film, BANKING ON HEAVEN, Senator Linda Binder (Mohave County, AZ) describes how she asked McCain for help, but McCain wouldn’t even return her calls.
What qualifies John McCain to be president when he won’t even take on the cowardly thugs in Colorado City, Arizona who abuse women and children? John McCain is a cold-hearted, self-serving hypocrite who hasn’t lifted a finger to stop the raping of young girls in his home State.
DO NOT vote for John McCain!
http://www.bankingonheaven.com
— Laurie Allen, Producer, Sedona, Arizona
August 21st, 2008 at 11:37 amThe only “benefit of the doubt” that I think applies is that McStain has a short attention span, and speaks before he thinks.
Either way, he makes for a very bad CiC.
PEACE
August 21st, 2008 at 11:37 amThe new meme with the MSM is that, even when McCain is speaking he isn’t speaking for his campaign, himself or he doesn’t mean what he said!
WTF?!?!?
Rachel’s show can’t get here soon enough.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:38 amThe woman prattled on and on with a “question” and by the time the draft comment came out, I’m sure McCain’s attention span had long since waned and he was dreaming of of a nap and warm milk. He agreed with everything she said just to shut her up.
It’s a lame defense for McCain, but considering the alternative…
August 21st, 2008 at 11:39 amgood_golly4 Says:
——————————————————————————–
How about playing McCain’s entire answer instead of engaging in creative editing and cutting the tape off in mid answer?
August 21st, 2008 at 11:34 am
You mean like CBS did , twit ?
August 21st, 2008 at 11:39 amI’m reading Al Gore’s Assault on Reason and there is no longer any doubt – the Free Press has transformed into a Free Pass for Republican candidates.
What a sad and sorry state we’re in…
August 21st, 2008 at 11:40 amI’m not sure the straight-shooting maverick has a complex enough mind to confuse two such disparate ideas as national service and military service. His use of the double negative is a tip-off.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:41 amJohn McCain needs the benefit of the doubt, over and over and over. He’s not a doltish old grandfather, sitting in a recliner. The man is running for President of the United States.
What does that say about him?
And what does that say about the media covering for him?
August 21st, 2008 at 11:41 amI really don’t understand what is going on with Chuck Todd. He is starting to sound like he’s taking a tilt to the right. This is not the first time he has given an “get out of jail free” card to McCain.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:43 amThis is the same thing the reporters do with George Bush. You can listen to a Bush speech and understand the thrust of his words without too much difficulty. But the coverage of the speech will usually relate the meaning of the speech entirely differently. The White House immediately corrects anything Bush says and the reporters cover that rather than what was actually said from the podium.
I would like to see this country elect a President who can speak well enough that we can accept the plain meaning of his words rather than spin from his handlers.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:43 amYou mean like they did Rev. Wright’s sermon?
August 21st, 2008 at 11:44 amThe John Mcwars protection society is at it again,these are the people that are making the race so close, it isn`t the fact that Mcwars has a good campaign or that he is a good candidate, it`s the press and undying love for Mcwars so their bosses in the industry can make money from the ads being run.We all know it`s not a close race at all.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:45 amMcWars Says:
good_golly4
You still didn’t answer my question from yesterday. Is McCain’s answer more than just an embryo?
You really don’t expect goony to answer a question do you?
August 21st, 2008 at 11:49 amchristopher wiwi Says:
The John Mcwars protection society is at it again,these are the people that are making the race so close, it isn`t the fact that Mcwars has a good campaign or that he is a good candidate, it`s the press and undying love for Mcwars so their bosses in the industry can make money from the ads being run.We all know it`s not a close race at all.
I don’t think the MSM really is in love with McBush. They would be doing the same thing for any right wing candidate. Since the MSM is a wholly owned subsidiary of the RNC, they will skew the news in favor of whatever right winger is running. They are desperate to keep the Democrats from taking control of our government because they know once that happens, their ability to manipulate our news will be in jeopardy.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:52 amJohn McTeflon isn’t held accountable for what he says but Obama is responsible for what everybody he knows says.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:52 amMcIIIrd’s dodge at the end of the lengthy statement which really wasn’t a question at all could have been taken to mean he agreed with the woman’s assessment of veteran care, or the draft, or that he’s just a weasel.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:53 amGigi, why don’t you type out the part of his comment that you say shows he wasn’t agreeing with the need for the draft. Or else why don’t you just be quiet.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:55 amThe fix is in everyone. McCain is the next Prez. Amerika is dead. Good luck out there.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:55 amSince when are you an authority on what makes no sense?
- Oh – look who I’m talkin’ to…
Never mind.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:56 amHow did this old goof ball make it through High School?
August 21st, 2008 at 11:57 amRUCerious Says:
McIIIrd’s dodge at the end of the lengthy statement which really wasn’t a question at all could have been taken to mean he agreed with the woman’s assessment of veteran care, or the draft, or that he’s just a weasel.
And the answer is… weasel!
Plagiarizing
Opportunistic
Weasel
PEACE
August 21st, 2008 at 11:57 amHigh school was easier back then. For one thing, they had a lot less history to learn.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:59 amWell of course the MSM is giving him a pass on it, that’s what they do.
Last nights specials on McSame and Obama was a total “Praise McSame” “Smear Obama” corporate hit piece.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pmCome on now people , how do you expect the US to do WWIII without a draft . Geez…
August 21st, 2008 at 12:01 pmJust another example of how the McCain campaign is winning the war.
Any doubt that there is a DIRECT relationship between things such as this, and the recent letter from the McCain campaign complaining to NBC about their comments?
This is a WAR. There’s no coming in second.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:02 pm[...]he has been a big advocate on the national service front, as has Obama, as sort of mandatory service in some form
Right, otherwise known as draft. Duh.
On top of that, this twit is hiding behind Obama? Tsk, tsk…
August 21st, 2008 at 12:02 pmjb Says:
How did this old goof ball make it through High School?
Don’t know, but what we do know is that he bearly made it out of Annapolis. 894th out of 899.
And I think there’s substantial evidence that he shouldn’t have made it out of flight school. Crashed five planes in how many years?
PEACE
August 21st, 2008 at 12:03 pmSurprise, surprise, surprise. Chuck Todd wouldn’t know a substantive issue to discuss on national tv if it slapped him in the face. All he was trying to do was divert the conversation back to his vapid horse race talk.
See, if he actually discussed the topic in depth–draft, no draft, each candidate’s position on the subject–it would take time away from the all-important parsing of the latest polls, or who his fantasy VP picks are.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:04 pmEven if these preposterous translations were actually valid, what confidence can one have in someone who is so inarticulate that his words constantly have to be translated?
August 21st, 2008 at 12:05 pmOt galls me no end that blatant stupidity is so well rewarded, accepted and promoted.
Chuck Todd should just STFU.
He’s been covering for that wrinkled, old white guy way too often.
WTF? In his job, he’s supposed to non-partisan.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:08 pmWhen is ANYONE going to ask him what “win” the war in Iraq actually means.
And then they can ask him how on earth the Iraqis are going to reconcile when stuff like
Iraq leaders shun Sunni ex-insurgents
is going on.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:08 pmMedia Rally To McCain’s Defense, Give Him ‘The Benefit Of The Doubt’ On Draft Comments
ha! told ya so!
August 21st, 2008 at 12:09 pmTPM has the Obama response to McStain’s uncertainty over his house count:
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/new_obama_ad_hits_mccain_on_nu.php
Apparently, it’s a national ad, and I hope they just keep ‘em coming!
PEACE
August 21st, 2008 at 12:12 pmThe right does not want a Commander in Chief, they want a Collaborator in Chief and McCain is their man. Anybody with less than 3 houses will be so screwed. The only way they can possibly foist this old fool off as presidential material is have the media lying non-stop, disenfranchising as many voters as possible and then cheat on the counting. They’ve done it before and they will do it again.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:15 pmRUCerious Says:
When is ANYONE going to ask him what “win” the war in Iraq actually means.
I’d like to see someone, anyone, ask him what he means by
“I know how to win wars and I know how to win this one”
and
“I know how to capture Osama bin Laden”
If either of these statements is true, why is McStain holding back that information until after the election? While troops are in harm’s way and dying? While another “turrist” attack may be in the works?
That’s what I’d like to see answered!
PEACE
August 21st, 2008 at 12:18 pmWell you can’t pin mccain on anything because it changes from day to day so you either have to get in his face or let it go. We know what they will do in that situation.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:18 pmgood_golly4 Says:
McWars question makes no sense.
Mission accomplished: I have fluently spoken your language.
Now, excuse me while I dehypnotize myself back to reality.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:21 pmYeah, Media Matters has Todd’s number. His critiques have leaned to the right ever since he took up his post at NBC.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:24 pmYou got your reason for it not becoming an issue with the MSM right there in Todd’s response: “If McCain advocated the draft, Obama’s numbers among 18-25 age group would double”.
We can’t have that. We need to keep it close to keep the viewers coming and the sponsors paying.
What a crock. McCain has said several times that he would consider the draft and has not made any plans for mandatory national service.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:31 pmopinionatedoldfart Says:
“It’s past time for the media to STOP giving McCain the benefit of the doubt.”
it’s also past time for Obama to come out swinging!
August 21st, 2008 at 12:43 pmi have no doubt that if the election were held today, McBraindead would win. Obama needs to go on the offensive and he needs to act NOW! show no mercy, gawddammit! McBraindead has given him PLENTY of material to work with!
DO SOMETHING!!!!
Geesh!
i said it in the other thread, and I’ll say it here, too: the media’s free passes to McCain on important issues that he seems to be clueless about — or worse, uninterested in — ARE affirmative action.
That’s what I want to hear every time someone says Obama got the nomination through affirmative action.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:53 pmUpdate:
The McCain campaign just released this statement in response to McCain’s comment about reinstituting the draft:
Let us just go there and give McCain the benefit of the doubt as to what he might have thought he was agreeing to. However, John McCain does not speak for the McCain campaign, so it is impossible for us to know what he was talking about.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:54 pmThe leg-humping media gives old Grampy McGaffe a pass…?
SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW??
August 21st, 2008 at 12:57 pmI heard a clip yesterday, where he said that both he and obama want to end the conflict and bring the troops home, but the difference is that mccain wants to win, and obama doesn’t care. does this even make sense? especially in light of the fact that *no one has defined “victory”*?
I also heard some discussion about how bush himself has said in the past that there’s no way to define “winning” in the war on terror. Which of course is exactly the point: start a war against a nebulous, geographically undefined enemy, based on vague principles as well as outright lies, to benefit corporate entities in perpetuity. If you can’t win the war on terror, you just go on fighting it forever, precluding peace and reconciliation.
he can say stuff like he’s said above because it’s completely irrelevant and therefore you can’t prove him wrong:
“I know how to win wars” = I know how to get shot down.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pm“I know how to win this one” = By declaring victory and getting the hell out. It’s not a war, it’s an occupation, and you can’t *win* an occupation unless everyone else leaves.
“I know how to capture Osama bin Laden” = But apparently george bush never asked me how to do it. Oh, that’s right, he doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about UBL. He spends more time closing down the task force that’s been chasing him for years.
speaking of flip-flops (and this hasn’t even been updated since May)
August 21st, 2008 at 1:21 pm.
So, what’s benefit of doubt when it comes to signing coerced statements obtained under acts of torture?
“It’s O.K. when Johnny McTorture does it… but one of those Gitmo detainees… that’s a different story.
.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:25 pmHow much evidence do we need that the “media”, that is cable and broadcast news/entertainment departments/networks along with radio and newspaper coverage (ex. NPR, AP, talk radio) are heavily propagandistic. There are a few exceptions of course: Olbermann, Maddow, crusty Jack Cafferty on occasion; but these are few and far between the ubiquitous Chuck Todd and his ilk, all of whom seem to be auditioning for Minister of Truth in the new Republic of Gilead.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:26 pmMcCain for president? The idiot-wannabe? Doubt it. Like Bob Dole, he’s best suited for preparation-H commercials. Get those rhoids flaring Maverick!
August 21st, 2008 at 1:33 pmOK. Let me take it at face value.
McCain does **NOT** support a draft. McCain is gonna raise the number of military in Afghanistan and, on the advice of his advisers (who happen to be paid lobbyists of Georgia – although that is irrelevant) is gonna put us defending Georgia.
Simple math – where are the troops going to come from ? The Troop Fairy ?
August 21st, 2008 at 1:52 pmTo Laurie Allen, Producer, in Sedona,AZ…Thank YOU!!! I also live in AZ, and I’ve been trying to tell everyone I talk to on these, that the man has NEVER done a thing for this state! Hell, I think he moved here because there was a vacancy in the Senate and he thought he might as well buy ANOTHER house! By gosh, I think he may even be taking a nap at his house in Sedona today…one stump a day is all the old geezer can stand! Mike Watkiss may have run into the same McCain you know with regard to the poligomy issues.He ignores it..hoping it will go away on it’s own, I guess. I will check out your film. Something weird about McCain and sex. Sorry, but the man is CREEPY! Anyone that thinks making jokes about rape is funny and can offer up his wife as Sturgis fodder probably doesn’t much care about underage sex/marriage. Despicable behavior for a wanna be President…or anyone for that matter. Actually, I don’t think he has a caring bone in his body for woman and women’s issues. Pay attention, ladies…and all the men that really love them. Thanks, Laurie. Keep talking about this…
August 21st, 2008 at 2:36 pmHe didn’t hear the question.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:55 pmI’m so tired of all this giving McLiar the benefit of the doubt. When do we get serious out there in the press and tell the people the truth. Mcliar was NOT talking about social service programs. the last thing the woman said was the draft statement. considering his memory, THAT is what he was referring to. Ig Obama said it, you KNOW we’d be hashing it for a week which we have done with ridiculous mcbeak assertions.
I suggest that Chuch Todd is afraid to say anything truthful about Mccain because of what happened to Andrea when she did. She mentioned that perhaps mccain wasn’t in the cone of silence.
Well, he not only wasn’t in the cone of silence, BUT, he was in a limo with Charlie Black a lobbyist with Burson Marstellar, the same lobbying firm that lobbies with the military dictatorship in Columbia, as well as Charlie Black and his CEO partner of Burson-Marsteller lobbying to buy the gangster voting paper-less machines used in 2000 and 2004 and 2008 presidential elections.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Iraq has taught the “Overlords”, the masters of the Empire, that they need a much larger army than they can raise by recruiting volunteers or by enlisting help from allied and vassal states. To hold on to Iraq, take down Iran and Venezuela, contain and intimidate Russia and hold Arabia, Central Asia, Nigeria and Pakistan they need more troops, many more. Which means a draft. McCain has pulled back the veil. They need a draft.
The problem they face is that under present conditions Congress is not about to pass a draft, the American people are not about to put up with one, and conscripted soldiers are unlikely to be cooperative. So how do they change this situation?
Clearly their plans require some kind of event or situation that will dramatically change the way people are thinking. This will require something that at least matches – or perhaps tops – 9/11.
A further problem they face is that a majority now doubts their story about 9/11 and their justifications for the Iraq war. The options they have for dealing with this are to either have the event be something so scary that most people will panic and put aside their doubts, or something that will justify taking actions to shut down debate and discussion. Or both.
There are many possible scenarios, and there is no way to know which the Overlords will choose, when they will strike or whether there is a chance that their scheme can be thwarted. But the logic of the situation, and signals such as McCain’s remarks, strongly point to the likelihood that the Overlords will try something big, soon.
We need to do everything in our power to expose and block their schemes and deceptions, now, while we can. Failing that, we need to be prepared to keep our own heads – and those of the people around us – clear, and to preserve ourselves and them from getting caught up in media-fanned hysteria and lies, and the natural urge to join the “bandwagon”. Furthermore, we need to be looking at how we will stay in communication with our networks and with each other under much more difficult conditions.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:31 pmmore and more it seems as though the fix is in on this election .the media covers for mcspin,obama refuses to attack mcspin,congress refuses to do oversight on der fuhrer(or much of anything thanks to the GooPers blocking everything).i am getting frustrated,but i am not giving up.i hope if the fix does turn out to become reality,that people dont let it drop so easily like the last two times.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:38 pmspencers mom Says:
The only “benefit of the doubt” that I think applies is that McStain has a short attention span, and speaks before he thinks.
Either way, he makes for a very bad CiC.
PEACE
You have to admit if he didnt speak BEFORE he thought it would most likely end up in him never speaking at all. He just isnt the swiftest calf in the pasture
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:13 amdesertflower1 Says:
You said it. I also live in AZ. Flagstaff actually
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am