Scarborough Lambastes McCain And Graham On Iran: They’re ‘So Shortsighted I Find It Stunning’
Scarborough Lambastes McCain And Graham On Iran: They’re ‘So Shortsighted I Find It Stunning’
Since the disputed June 12 presidential election in Iran, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has been routinely criticizing President Obama’s response to the crisis. Yesterday on CBS’ Face the Nation, McCain echoed the GOP’s party line, saying “the United States hasn’t done anything” and sought fervently to cast Obama’s actions as “tepid.” Appearing on ABC’s This Week, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) demanded that Obama “lead the free world and not follow it.”
But this morning on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough broke ranks and called the senators’ criticism “an exercise in doing things that make us feel good about ourselves” while labeling it “outrageous.” Scarborough — called the “new face” of the GOP by Christopher Buckley — went on to say that those rebelling in Iran would be punished more severely if Obama were to follow McCain’s advice:
SCARBOROUGH: All we would do is undermine those people in the street, who the second that they are attached to the United States of America, the country after all that’s been known in Iran as the great Satan since 1979, we will undermine their cause … It’s so shortsighted I find it stunning. […]
What would John McCain and Lindsey Graham specifically have the president say? All of those people that are emailing in and telling me that I’m being liberal? Oh really? I’m being liberal? No I think it’s called restraint. Showing a little bit of restraint. Looking at the battlefield in front of you and not just running up Pickett’s Charge and getting gunned down. If you want to feel good about yourself — and you can only feel good about yourself by screaming about the evils of Iran — fine do that. But our leaders in Washington don’t need to do that because people will be routed in the street the second they are identified with the United States of America.
Watch it:
Despite McCain and Graham’s claims to the contrary, Obama has expressed U.S. disapproval of the Iranian government’s actions. Obama released a statement on Saturday condemning the violation of human rights while steering clear of the politics. In an interview with CBS’ Early Show this morning, Obama responded similarly to Scarborough, saying the U.S. has to guard against being used as a scapegoat by the Iranian regime:
“The last thing that I want to do,” the president said, “is to have the United States be a foil for — those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States. That’s what they do. That’s what we’ve already seen. We shouldn’t be playing into that. There should be no distractions from the fact that the — Iranian people are seeking to — let their voices be heard.
McCain and Graham are growing increasingly isolated, as Republicans in Congress and conservatives in the media endorse Obama’s measured response.
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McStain was and remains very clear in his view that the US needs to bomb Iran. Anything less is “soft” in his myopic world view.
When Scarborough is the most reasonable one in the Party, it shows clearly just how far right the GNOP has gone.
Time to fall off the edge, Flat Earthers.
PEACE
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:56 pmSCARBOROUGH: … It’s so shortsighted I find it stunning.
Scarborough apparently can’t come up with his own disses, just recycles the slams others used on him:
‘Unoriginality,’ thy name is conservative…
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:01 pmScarborough Lambastes McCain And Graham On Iran: They’re ‘So Shortsighted I Find It Stunning’
– - Joe mst’ve ben schold ovr the wknd by Zbig.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:01 pmWow. Sense …from Joe Scarborough????
*thud*
Pardon me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:02 pmEven Scarborough is being short-sighted here (no surprise there).
It is events like what is presently happening in Iran , that leads to significant change(s) , including a democracy (of sorts).
I am not claiming that Iran will become a democracy now , but these are signs of those who want freedom(s) ; if something like this had occurred in Iraq , maybe that would have then been a signal to liberate that country.
As it stands , we tried to foist our own beliefs and views on a nation and a people who weren’t asking for any ‘help’ , let alone our involvement there.
Sometimes letting situations develop makes a lot more sense , as opposed to jumping in with both hands and both feet and forgetting one’s head…………
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:02 pmJoe can sometimes sound very reasonable. Like Chris Matthews said on another blog, republicans are there to oppose Pres. Obama, whether it makes sense… that is why i cannot understand how they can truly say that they love america.
Wasn’t it McCain and the rest of the Repubes who called obama naive for wanting to talk with the iranians?
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:04 pmDon’t be fooled by Joe.
IMHO Joe, it seems is a media hack that sees the writing on the wall. He knows the conservobot run is just about over and he likes his position. And will say or do anything to remain on the TV.
As we sweep the old pols out and replace them, we need to not accept the sudden epiphany’s that some of these hacks are about to have.
Make them go out and get a real job.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:06 pmSince we have our very own unresolved human rights issues, I think it is prudent for the President to keep our nose out of another countries business.
And to claim the US should “lead the free world and not follow it.” we’d be better off starting at home.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:07 pmWow – mccain was embarrassed on a national level just last fall. Very few Americans have any interest in what he has to say.
Scarborough is not the brightest bulb either – if he finds McCain and Graham (2 thoroughly discredited politicians) “shortsighted” why is this blog-worthy?
Oh yeah – there is a HUGE breaking story since last week that needs obscuration. From TPM:
Public (Option) vs. Congress
So if folks hammered this home, with White House taking lead, healthcare reform would happen – rarely is the public so united.
So one has to wonder why some would rather talk about the backwash talkin’ about the BACKWASH!
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:08 pmMcCain wants to bomb bomb bomb Iran. He wants to board a North Korean ship and precipitate a new Korean war.
So so happy that McWars and Caribou Barbie did not win.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:08 pmThe critics of Obama on this issue, and any other for that matter, has nothing to do with what the policy of the United States should be. It has to do with opposing Obama on every other issue, no matter what.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:09 pmWTF! I’ll wait a couple of days and let Joe get his bearings back before giving him any props for making this logical remark. Or until Limbaugh speaks to him.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:12 pmPrecious of “Clueless Joe” to co-opt Mika’s Daddy’s opinion of him and try to weave an attack out of it.
See how Joe mimics Zbigniew? Isn’t that cute?
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:14 pm11.Wiz Says: The critics of Obama on this issue, and any other for that matter, has nothing to do with what the policy of the United States should be. It has to do with opposing Obama on every other issue, no matter what.
One can disagree with Obama on several issues without having an anti-Obama ‘agenda.’ To ‘poison the well’ by implying that being critical of Obama equates to across-the-board blind opposition is to stifle real substantive issues and evidence to the contrary.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:19 pmEven though Obama is not my favorite person right now, I’m soooooooooo glad McThusaleh did not win. He would have us in 2 more wars by now!
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:24 pmI agree with you, hanshiro. Wiz is being intemperate at best, and is approaching the territory that Republicans made their own the last eight years — “criticism of the President is treason”.
We don’t need that kind of crap on the left.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:24 pmSince Corker (what a name “Corker”…) didn’t want to be cordial and meet with the SCOTUS nominee…maybe he should do the gracious thing and recuse himself from actually voting up or down on Judge Sotomayor?
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:27 pmIf the Republicans really want to show they support the Iranian people they should all sign a letter asking President Obama to not buy another drop of oil from Iran, until a real election is held!
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:34 pmFreeMarketLiberal,
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:36 pmWhat does Jim Jones have to do with George Soros? I thought Jim Jones was dead!
What is a Unioncractic Party, and how big are they? How come you’re the only person ever to hear about this party
Ah, so Joe does have more than 2 brain cells.
Nearly all of the time I find the logic in conservative thinking to be very flawed, they do tend to overreact to most anything.
Must be the neanderturd, knuckle dragging gene.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:37 pmI wake everyday happy that Insane McCain and Miss Moosejaw didn’t win. I am not happy with every single thing that Obama has done , but within the limitations of the Presidency I think he is so far superior to what might have been
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:38 pmAll we would do is undermine those people in the street…
Which is exactly what I believe McInsane and the rest of the chest thumping moronic right wants: blood on the streets with tanks and guns mowing down the protestors.
Then they can blame Obama – which they will no matter what transpires – and demand we intervene militarily.
Bottom line: whatever is worst for America and Obama, is what the right wants.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:38 pmsomewhat OT, but willie geist just now on ed schultz…
he and ed talked a bit about the iran troubles, and when asked, ed said he thought that obama was doing it correctly, hands off…
willie agreed, somewhat… he made what i think may have been a rather crass remark, about the story in all the papers about the young Neta (is it?) who was killed…
he said, paraphrasing, ‘it looks like they’re taking care of it themselves’, which sounded akin to ‘they’re killing themselves’…
i dunno… anyone else listening?
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:38 pmIt is not our fight. We need to stay out of it. No matter how it ends, we will have to deal with these people. Obama is right on this one. (And no, no bombing Iran!)
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:39 pmWow. That was an impressive load of manure.
Well… not manure, exactly. Manure, after all, is useful.
More like dogshit.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:40 pm19. — What ARE you talking about?
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:41 pmFML appears to be spamming the threads with his comment, just for splatter effect.
It does resemble cow poo on a flat rock.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:44 pmFreeMarketLiberal Says:
——————————————————————————–
I see a college education doesn’t provide dignity nor does it cure a bad case of linear thinking.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Yeah , one needs to look no further than Obama’s useless predecessor for proof of that , jackass…….
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:47 pmJoe — You call it restraint. I call it using your brains for once and being smart about how you handle this situation. It’s dicey enough the way it is.
One does have to ask: Is what the Republicons want is to start a full-blown civil war? Oh, wait — that might give them the excuse they think they need to start bombing.
After all, they’ve got one “navy pilot” on board (McCain) and I’ll bet Lindsey would LOVE a chance to wear a cod piece a la Dubya to try and impress some of his special friends.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:48 pmIf I am not mistaken, didn’t Pres. Obama use tough language about Iran in his speech in Cairo? This was before the protesting in Iran surrounding the outcome of their election. I wouldn’t doubt that the pro-West results in Lebanon and the unrest happening on the streets of Iran are in direct correlation with the wonderful and frank message that our President sent to the Middle East, was something that the mullahs, the clerics and the young people in the Tehran streets have never heard before from an American President, and he struck a cord of “change” with them just like he struck a cord of “change” here in the U.S. So McCain, Graham and all the other staus quo Ronald Reagan leagacy-myth pushers can whine and moan that Pres. Obama will never be a Ronald Reagan, Pres. Obama and his supporters a can rest assured that Pres. Obama does not want to be the second-coming of Reagan, because Reagan wouldn’t have the cajones or the spirit or credibility to go into the lion’s den that is the Middle East, like Pres. Obama has….and change the course of that region’s relationship with the U.S. Pres. Obama makes me feel good about being an American again.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:52 pmI have to defend my position that Republicans will oppose Obama on any issue regardless. There is ample evidence this is true, it would be easy to put a list together of things that they have opposed Obama on, but it would take a long time. I would think it would be a lot easier to give examples of what they have supported Obama on. I will leave it to those who took issue with my comments to do that. For those who think that comments like this “poison the well”, I would point out that Obama’s critics would be a lot more credible if they actually supported him on some issue, any issue.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:57 pmObama is currently taking the right tact on Iran.
If we care about freedom and democracy, not just for Americans, but for everyone; the Iranian story is today’s ground zero.
Here’s some CNN coverage of the Neda story and Twitter’s involvement:
http://news.aol.com/article/neda-video-iran/536010
It looks more and more that the election was rigged. The Iranian government is attempting to blackout information on the circumstance. And feels more compelled to forcefully end the dissent than they are to openly answer the questions surrounding the election.
Although the President is striking the right balance, the gloves should come off here.
If we are shining the spotlight on where we need progress, focus the beam on the Iranian government – not just U.S. domestic differences on how to respond.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:01 pmHoly cripes…Congressional and media conservative Republicans? Backing up Obama on Iran?
It’s 95 degrees right now, but I think I feel a distinctly chilly breeze blowing from Hell…
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:01 pmAnd I should add: Good for them. Good for them. They’re not completely insane, and that’s something.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:02 pmWiz, I think the issue was your language “The critics of Obama on this issue, and any other for that matter” which would clearly include well-meaning progressives disappointed with the President’s deliberate pace on some issues.
It sounds like you’re demonizing anyone who criticizes Obama. That’s what I objected to, and I believe hanshiro as well.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:02 pmMcCain and Graham are grandstanding for their audience. It is good they are being ignored and castigated. Maybe they will think before they speak.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:03 pmJoe Scar is yesterday’s news. No one cares what he thinks. He was a flash in the pan congressman who RESIGNED rather than complete his term. He QUIT for reasons only he knows so that’s his track record.
He talks too much and says too little.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:06 pmWhere is the input from the Islamic countries? What’s Fox’s spin on the lack of viewpoint from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Pakistan and the like?
This movement would appear to be more of a geographical, religious and logistical (terms of oil) concern for the middle east but nary a peep. But half a world away there’s a great demand to here rhetoric.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:08 pmRalph: Whatever demonization of Obama’s critics you perceive that I made, is trivial compared to how those critics have demonized Obama. I would like to know a single issue where they have supported an Obama policy, if I could get even one I would reconsider my point.
Actually I was not thinking of the progressives in my formulation. I don’t take progressive comments as critical but a legitimate discussion. What the right is doing is very different.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:16 pmFair enough, Wiz, but hanshiro got pummeled pretty good yesterday for his criticisms of Obama. Some folks called him a troll and I think he’s still pretty sensitive about it.
I understand what you were trying to say; I just don’t think it came out right.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:19 pmI’m no fan of Joe Scarborough (even though I do watch the first hour of Morning Joe), but on his behalf, he has pretty much been saying this all along. He doesn’t think the POTUS should get any more involved than he already has. And I agree.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:20 pmhellinabucket. you’re right. But, what’s going on here?
Opponents of Obama may be misguided. And that point of view should be put forward.
But, in the big picture, what is the bigger problem? Republicans disagreeing with how Obama is addressing the situation in Iran, or the Iranian government killing relatively passive protesters on the streets of Tehran?
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:23 pmDidn’t see anyone addressing the real BIG problem here: “Scarborough — called the “new face” of the GOP by Christopher Buckley” OK, so Buckley isn’t a fan of Rush, but regardless, why are the Repuklicans being led by a couple of talking heads? That’s their problem. There’s no credible leadership – all due to eight years of a cowboy and his Rasputin.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:23 pmWhat hanshiro does is demands real truth to power.
I understand that many here disagree with conservatives and Republicans. What hanshiro seems to understand is that conservatives and Republicans are now much less relevant, because they don’t have much power.
He also seems to understand that just because a leader is a progressive or a Democrat, they aren’t perfect. And if you want positive change, you should question the people that can actually make a difference.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:29 pmRalph: I get what you are saying. I am disgusted by the name calling, if someone wants to make a point, they may do so. we do not want to become what Fox Nation is, a forum for hate. If my comments were less than clear, I will certainly try to ensure clarity on future comments as much as is within my ability.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:30 pmYeah , one needs to look no further than Obama’s useless predecessor for proof of that , jackass…….
Still no cure for BDS, yet?
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:35 pmAnonymouse. pointing to the failures of someone else is way easier than proposing solutions yourself.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:37 pmbackup Says:
With proof!
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:41 pmScrew Joe and all the other blank faces on that show. One would be better staring at ants than wasting time watching that pap.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:44 pmoh look who came in from the pasture.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:47 pmIf the Republicans are for it, do the opposite. You can’t go wrong!
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:48 pmThere’s a cure for BDS. But you mistakenly think it afflicts those that opposed Bushs’ policy. Common mistake. The more appropriate diagnosis for the GOP would be Bush Ignorance Syndrome.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:58 pmI’m thinking about using this strategy to start up a mutual fund. I’ll call it the Backup Short Fund.
Anything I invest in, the fund will short.
Who wants to be a millionaire?
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:58 pmp.s. I’ve got the track record to prove it would be a successful strategy.
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:01 pm32.Wiz Says:I have to defend my position that Republicans will oppose Obama on any issue regardless. There is ample evidence this is true, it would be easy to put a list together of things that they have opposed Obama on, but it would take a long time. I would think it would be a lot easier to give examples of what they have supported Obama on. I will leave it to those who took issue with my comments to do that. For those who think that comments like this “poison the well”, I would point out that Obama’s critics would be a lot more credible if they actually supported him on some issue, any issue.
First, regarding your first statement at #11, you said “critics” but in post #32, you modify it as “republicans.” You can be one and not both.
As far as my “poison the well,” comment, your conclusion that critics don’t support Obama on anything is also a wrong conclusion.
The issues of criticism that have been presented are mainly issues that Obama specifically ran on to get elected; passionate issues, foremost of which was, for example, transparency.
(via Greenwald:)
Those who supported him in his campaign have indeed worked to support him, and are well within their purview to raise objections when the looming issues they based votes on are documentedly ignored or treated contrary to the promises. Nor, do I believe, is it a sound idea to require compliance with what you or other supporters deem a test of credibility before cogent and sourced criticism can take place.
When an issue is urgent and passionate people are involved, which the campaign for both parties did little to discourage, it should be expected that when a president acts contrary to his stated goal or promise, it is incumbent on him to make it very clear why he has taken that course in opposition to his promise, particularly the very issues he objected to as a candidate.
Make no mistake, the issues that helped to get Obama elected are large and pressing and when they are stifled, with poor reasoning as was telecom immunity, it establishes a strong wariness as was the case when the dems won in 2006 and promptly took impeachment off the table. That is infuriating.
From a progressive viewpoint, I’m less likely to comment on the paint job if the car is burning. Bush is still free with no prospect of investigation. I find no excuse for that, among other alarming events and actions.
After eight years of being lied to and abused, I’m not sanguine about being unceremoniously and euphemistically told that my concerns are either regarded as “looking to the past,” or “it’s all national security” and I have no right to know what’s being done in my own government.
(From the above linked Greenwald piece:)
Greenwald asks some very good questions:
This is what I’m talking about. I borrow heavily from Glenn Greenwald because he expresses my frustration and anger much more concisely than I. To sum up, Greenwald again expresses my position perfectly (emphasis mine):
If I strenuously object to it from bush, I strenuously object to it from Obama or anyone else. That’s the difference in being a progressive, imho.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:06 pmDid Scarsborough just grow a new brain cell here or what?
Republicans don’t usually have new thoughts…
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:13 pmI forget which show it was on last Friday but the were talking to an Iranian-American that strongly supported the protests in Iran. He went out of his way to comment on John McCain and focused sharply on his “bomb bomb Iran” comment, saying bascially that McCain was nuts.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:32 pmwiz – i got your message (11) at the first read…
whatEVER obama does WILL BE objected to and obstructed by the Rs…
always. every time. it’s their job.
(you should always be specific, but i got it…)
…
so, no one else heard willie on ed’s show?
i thought he sounded like an old time racist, recalling the old meme about the blacks in the cities killing each other…
maybe it’s not that old either…
ah well…
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:51 pmimho hanshiro the antlion’s post at 57 is far more influential and effective in tone. It is far more fitting of the value’s I think hanshiro represents. I can recommend it but once.
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:20 pmI think the thing that is lost when we contemplate what a McCain presidency would be giving our nation about now, is that Palin would have been the V.P..
My guess is she would have had moose-sized safes in her office, and Todd would be spying on who he pleases. By the way, you are electing Todd when you vote for Palin. Sorta like electing Hillary when you voted for Slick Willy.
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:12 pmimho hanshiro the antlion’s post at 57,
The reasoning in your posting got me thinking. When you go to drain the swamp and find your up to your a$$ in alligators what are you suppose to do?
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:54 pmKey posts in Obama’s administration are still opened. He is still managing a Cheney/Bush government. The election may have been won, but not with a plurality of the vote that would give him a mandate. The loyal opposition is anything but loyal, polarizing every issue on the table.
Pressing issues such as the economy, healthcare and the mess in the Middle East are eating into the political time.
I am by no means excusing Obama. The realities are he has some big alligators to deal with.
Posts like yours are fundamental in reminding the establishment about “draining the swamp”.
Keep them coming!!!!!
All of those people that are emailing in and telling me that I’m being liberal? Oh really? I’m being liberal? No I think it’s called restraint. Showing a little bit of restraint. Looking at the battlefield in front of you and not just running up Pickett’s Charge and getting gunned down.
This just illustrates the knee-jerk reactionary nature of the wingnuts. If you disagree with them, it doesn’t matter your conservative bona fides, you become a liberal…
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:26 amInteresting take on the election. video: Iran Election Questions: Noam Chomsky’s Speculation
June 23rd, 2009 at 7:47 am