You Expect Me To Believe ...

by Natasha Chart, Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:50:33 PM EST

Via DailyKos:

Reporter: I guess her statement was that it was unfair that health insurance companies cover Viagra but not birth control. Do you have an opinion on that? ...

McCain: I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer ...

Flat out, anyone who's been the parent of a teenage daughter has a considered opinion on birth control. And no one in McCain's age and income bracket, male or female, can credibly say that they don't have an opinion on Viagra.

The question is simple. His answer, unbelievable.

I mean, I can believe that he's enough of an overprivileged prat to consider himself above learning how to type, in spite of having a white collar desk job that requires a lot of information processing. But that in spite of campaigning and voting on reproductive health issues for years, having several women in his household, and having the best of gold-plated health insurance for some time now, he doesn't know enough about these topics to answer a very simple question, I can't believe.

There's just no way that even a Republican is quite that out of touch with his surroundings and the people in his life.




Tags: John McCain, birth control, Viagra (all tags)

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Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (2.00 / 1)

GOD!  That's like not having an opinion on the war.

I'm going to just assume that he's terrified to open his mouth.  As he should be.


by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:52:27 PM EST

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (2.00 / 1)

Yeah.

When your party's base calls birth control pills "Baby Killer Bullets" it's probably smart to keep your mouth shut.


by Bush Bites on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:11:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Tips for Fiorina, and women in high profile (none / 0)

positions. This would never have come up had he not placed Fiorina in such a trusted, high-profile position in his campaign.

This is why getting a few more women in power empower all.


by catfish2 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:56:06 PM EST

Re: Tips for Fiorina, and women in high profile (none / 0)

No tips for Fiorna.


by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:07:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

When two parties want your vote (none / 0)

you win.


by catfish2 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:19:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: When two parties want your vote (1.50 / 2)

I've never heard of a political party turning away votes.  We're all winners.

Or whiners if you're a McCain supporter.


by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:34:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Fiorina is a stalking horse. (2.00 / 1)

Oh PLEASE...

Fiorina is out there trying to pull the wool over the eyes of women, that McCain is some kind of supporter of womens rights.

Catfish, you should know better then to support this kind of Republic trick.


"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past... Still I remain tied to the mast"...Don Fagen, Poet and Piano Player
by WashStateBlue on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:29:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fiorina is a stalking horse. (2.00 / 2)

She does know better.  She thinks the rest of us can't tell what Fiorina is doing.

A direct assault on trolls like catfish just isn't working.  There are too many and, in my case, it brings out the worst in me.  Thanks for posting a diary about McCain.  I recced it. Maybe out-diarying the trolls is how we can silence the trolls.  I doubt it but you never know.  


Consider that everything which happens, happens justly, and if thou observest carefully, thou wilt find it to be so. -Marcus Aurelius
by Blue Neponset on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:33:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (2.00 / 1)

Another example of McCain being out of town with the average person.

And - he voted on this just a few years ago. He must have had an opinion then, right?


We care about politics because we know politics matters for people's lives and opportunities.
by politicsmatters on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:59:08 PM EST

He leaves town with average people? (none / 0)

Think you meant touch.

A lot of men, I suspect Obama didn't know this either. It's why we need more women and people of color in high-profile positions of power.


by catfish2 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:06:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I suspect Obama didn't know this either (2.00 / 2)

It's your judgment that is suspect. Nobody could sincerely think Obama is as clueless as McIgnorant -- except a closet McIgnorant supporter.


by Beren on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:10:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Maybe it never occurred to him (1.00 / 1)

he's been pretty clueless talking about women. He said women should not get abortions if they're just "feeling blue" which reinforced a negative stereotype that women are frivolous and emotional.


by catfish2 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:18:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Maybe it never occurred to him (2.00 / 2)

It's occured to everyone here that you are a simple McTroll.


by Beren on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:27:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Maybe it never occurred to him (1.00 / 1)

Actually that's the RNC you're quoting.  


by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:28:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

What do you mean "know"? (2.00 / 2)

It's an opinion question, or became one when McCain professed not to remember his vote.

I'm quite certain Obama would have offered an opinion. No doubt it would have been nuanced/vague, but he would have offered one.

BTW, your first sentence seems dissonant with your second, considering Obama is a "people of color". Did you just mean "It's why we need more women"?


by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:23:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Because we got a black we don't need women? (none / 0)

What are you talking about?


by catfish2 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:49:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I actually (2.00 / 2)

Don't know how to respond to that. I assume it would be silly to just retype my post =). So never mind.


by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:07:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: He leaves town with average people? (2.00 / 2)

WHAT?! You are really heading off the trail, dude. You think Obama doesn't understand the issue of BIRTH CONTROL?! Under insurance?! You've GOT to get off those other sites more often before opening your mouth here. They're poisoning you beyond common sense.

Obama isn't a moron.

Neither is McCain. The issue isn't that McCain doesn't know this subject, it's that he has to be careful because he knows if he says he's against birth control or shows his true colors on the issue of abortion, he'll lose. On many issues he doesn't even realize that his opinion is wrong or contradictory, but he knows on this issue. Why? Because he did the same thing last year in an interview. So either he completely forgot his stance on an issue after being caught unprepared for something in an incident that was given a rather nasty report in a major media outlet... or he's just blatantly being dishonest this time. I could see it going either way, but it's probably the latter.


If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.
by vcalzone on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:49:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Obama does not understand abortion (none / 0)

his "mental distress" comment was a gaffe, unless he really does share the paternalistic worldview with Scalia and Thomas that the comment indicated he did.


by catfish2 on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:50:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Obama does not understand abortion (2.00 / 2)

Obama understands abortion. He understands that it's more important to address concerns and bring people together than take a stand on ideology that is difficult to morally justify. One stance says to the world, "I want the possibility of abortion to be left open", the other says, "I want anyone to be able to get an abortion anytime".

You grant a little common ground so you can break through a barrier. Again, common sense stuff. Most of my family is pro-life and I use that argument myself when talking to them. It's very effective.


If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.
by vcalzone on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:05:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (2.00 / 1)

Well, so much for his surge in supprt.


by spirowasright on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:03:13 PM EST

It's too bad for McLame that.... (2.00 / 1)

they don't make viagra for poll numbers.


by Beren on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:13:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

If the DNC doesn't make an ad with this line... (2.00 / 1)

Dean should be shot.

John McCain on the ecomony?
" I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer ..."

John McCain of who we're fighting in Iraq?
" I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer ..."

John McCain on just about any issue a president should know about?
" I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer ..."

Do Americans want another president who doesn't know enough about it to give them an informed answer?


by Beren on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:07:33 PM EST

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (2.00 / 3)

This is a guy who, by his own admission, spent a big chunk of time screwing around with cocktail waitresses, pilot groupies and exotic dancers too.

Guess he figured birth control was their problem.


by Bush Bites on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:09:43 PM EST

the real translation is... (2.00 / 2)

"I know enough to realize that answering this question will either piss off my base or everyone else."


John McCain is a Bush ally on Social Security.
by John DE on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:09:44 PM EST

You really have to watch the clip (2.00 / 2)

The quote listed doesn't do justice to the 90 seconds of pained grimaces preceding it. It was obvious McCain was trying to think on his feet, and in the end he just punted.


by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:16:05 PM EST

more Natasha Chart posts! (2.00 / 1)

Are you saying that McCain is prone to boners?

Not that this matters to most Republicans, but remember that McCain ranked 894th out of 899 graduates at the Naval Academy in the class of 1958.


Our Moment Is Now
by mboehm on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:29:41 PM EST

Way too many Christians support this (2.00 / 1)

This is one of the main reasons why I have very serious problems with modern American Christianity.  I would rather see it the other way around.  I mean, come on, if you can't get it up, isnt that a sign that God doesn't want you to have children?


by monkeyga on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:33:26 PM EST

Re: Way too many Christians support this (2.00 / 1)

That's brilliant!! The hypocrisy is astonishing, but not surprising since a man's virility is a thing to be cherished, but a woman's decision to enjoy sex without the fear or reproducing is obviously a bad thing.


by Dari on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:52:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

In Defiance Of God's Will... (NSFW) (2.00 / 1)


If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.
by vcalzone on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:56:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (2.00 / 3)

My guess is when he voted against the bill in Congress he didn't give it much thought.  He was just told "the party doesn't support this - vote against it"  If he has a personal opinion on birth control I doubt he would express it anyway.

And I agree that having a woman out there who works for his team and she is talking about this stuff is good in that it highlights how McCain will never stand up for women's issues whether he personally agrees with them or not.  The maverick of the past is gone and he has become a complete lock step puppet.


by JustJennifer on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:39:18 PM EST

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (none / 0)

I suspect he was being a politician -why answer the question? It is a no win situation -smart move I'd say,


by Bornagaindem on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:06:48 PM EST

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (none / 0)

I'd REALLY love to meet the people who think health insurance should cover Viagra and not birth control.


by MeganLocke on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:32:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You Expect Me To Believe ... (none / 0)

Really? They're not really so great once the novelty wears off. If you want to meet one, look for an old evangelical Christian. Btw, what country do you live in, that you haven't ran across any?
by spork on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 05:45:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Come on, this is just politics. (none / 0)

When he says that he has no opinion on it, we know that means that he has no good answer to give, and isn't going to wing it. And we know why: The evangelicals would bury him with rotten tomatoes if he hinted that insurance should subsidize fertility control. But because pandering to them makes an incoherent-looking policy, he'd just rather not talk about that aspect of it.

So let's not pretend he hasn't thought about this. He reacted in the best way he could. He's stuck defending a dumb view, and he doesn't want to talk about it - so he's being political. I'm not saying that's OK, but it's also not what the article suggested.

by spork on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 05:42:37 PM EST

I pretty much agree (none / 0)

but what's funny is how awful his camp's message discipline is. Both Gramm and Fiorina landed body blows to their candidate.

I'm waiting for one of his surrogates to say he supports RvW.


by Neef on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 10:05:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]


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