McPOW: "I spent some years without a kitchen table, without a chair..."

[jefferson_dem]

McCain Himself Invokes POW Past To Deflect Criticism Of Houses Gaffe
By Greg Sargent - August 24, 2008, 10:33AM

John McCain himself is now POW-POW-POW-ing to deflect criticism of his number-of-houses gaffe.

McCain slipped a reference to his war captivity into an interview McCain did with CBS that's airing today. He appeared to be referring to Joe Biden's crack yesterday that McCain has trouble considering people's kitchen table issues because he has to decide which of his own seven kitchen tables to use...

"I am grateful for the fact that I have a wonderful life," McCain said. "I spent some years without a kitchen table, without a chair, and I know what it's like to be blessed by the opportunities of this great nation...So the fact is that we have homes, and I'm grateful for it."

The McCain campaign appears to see that the Dem attacks on the houses gaffe risk being effective as character attacks, in that they are designed to portray him as out-of-touch and even pampered in a way that undercuts his down-to-earth war-hero bio and its intended contrast with Obama as an effete, untested celeb. Hence the frequent response invoking his war service.

But the "McCain-as-POW" currency the McCain camp is printing at such a furious rate -- and throwing wads of at every controversy that comes along -- is now losing value faster than the German mark after World War I.

POW-POW-POW hyperinflation alert!

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/mccain_himself_invokes_pow_pas.php

[TwilightGardener]

1. Wow. Self-parody. Not sure if it's funny or pathetic.

[Bonn1997]

9. I think it's a smart response on his part

We Dems need to keep attacking on this issue but if I were a Republican supporting McCain, I'd say what he just said.

[TwilightGardener]

14. No--he's totally cheapened his experience to the point where

people are starting to roll their eyes. America knows his story--the fact that he constantly refers to it is starting to make him look like he feels entitled to the Presidency because of it. And he's not exactly a self-made man, either--his "blessings" come from cheating on his wife and porking a wealthy young heiress.

[MadMaddie]

32. Not only his experience but all of the other POW's experience.

Some of those POW's and other soldiars who are living on the streets because they can't get mental care or housing because of men like McCain.

[renate]

49. that's a hell of a nutshell you put that in

"his "blessings" come from cheating on his wife and porking a wealthy young heiress"

Very pithy, and equally undeniable. I wish I could K&R your individual post--maybe you could start its own thread. :applause:

[Muttocracy]

2. I hope McCain buries himself with this. Bless Biden for going for it. nt

[liberalmuse]

3. I thought this was satire...

Jesus, he really said that? Pathetic.

[livetohike]

4. He's pitiful and the POW sympathy routine got old long ago

I don't think it's just me that is sick of hearing about it. It's pathetic that he has to drag his POW stories out as a recourse to every criticism. It'w wearing thin.

[Skidmore]

5. This is the man who basically reminds our current vets when they have

difficulties that they are volunteers and their problems are part of the deal. Do we need to remind him of his votes?

[NYC_SKP]

6. I saw that. We shouldn't drop the houses gaffe,

We should enhance it by introducing a few other elements.

The last time he took public transportation.

The salaries of the staff for those homes. (and what pay and benefits do they have)

There must be dozens of ways he's out of touch that the POW crap can't be used to deflate.

:patriot:

[KittyWampus]

24. AWESOME! McCain has been trying to kill of Amtrak for years

[NYC_SKP]

26. Hi cryingshame...

I didn't know that, you know Joe commutes by Amtrak, this would be a great way to go, it ties in with the working class AND the energy issue!!!

Always loved your Avatar, who is the artist and what's the name of the piece?

I'm familiar with it, but draw blanks trying to name it.

:hi:

[KittyWampus]

43. Mary Cassatt, she was an Impressionist during the late 1800's. Lovely work she did.

the painting is Children at the Beach.

She is famous for her paintings of women and mothers with children.

[NYC_SKP]

44. Thanks so much...

I'm going to get a print.

:hi:

[samdogmom]

35. How about simply pointing out the pathetic treatment veterans get once they return stateside?

VA hospitals are rotting from lack of maintenance, many veterans are denied coverage for mental health issues and other expensive treatment problems; and many veterans* have to pay for things out-of-pocket! WOW.

*One example: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200705/ai_n19162827
(This guy has to find his own ride to get treatment? GIVE ME A BREAK!)

A true investigative look by an enterprising reporter could, once and for all, demonstrate how "disposable" our current leadership views the men and women in our military. I just wish this true story would get out!

[MidwestTransplant]

7. I thougth this was a joke. I can't believe he keeps it up. That will be his excuse for calling his

wife a c*nt too.

[sufrommich]

8. He's becoming Rudy/9-11.

Apparently his handlers don't believe in overkill. The trouble with using his prisoner of war record as an explanation for everything is that sooner or later,even his most ardent supporters will start seeing it as a cynical ploy for votes. I've always respected his tendency to downplay his POW status,he's treading a dangerous path by using it to garner votes.It won't work and will most likely turn a lot of people off.

[PCIntern]

10. As they said in the movie:

"...looks like you're doing OK now, Miss Daisy."

[Thrill]

11. Keep putting him on the defensive.

[saltpoint]

12. Many homeless people spend some years without furniture as well,

Senator McCain.

[KittyWampus]

17. Homeless VETS! OMG! I am starting a thread with your point. It could crush him

[calimary]

34. And they're doing that THIS. VERY. DAY, mr. mcsame. BINGO, Old Crusoe!

Without the advantage of chasing thin young blonde heiresses while you're still married.

[rucky]

13. A DU-er totally called this one yesterday.

:applause:

[C_U_L8R]

15. No he didn't !!! Tell me this is a joke !

OMG !!! What a senile ass clown.
Is being a POW McCain's excuse for everything??? That's freaking classic !!!

The issue isn't that McCain has lots of houses and kitchen tables and limos and servants...
it's being so OUT TO LUNCH that he doesn't even know how many houses he owns !!!

If the McMansions can't even find his home, how is he expected to lead the country ?????

DOH !!!

[pdxmom]

16. I just heard Arlen Specter use the POW as an excuse meme in

talking with Wolfie. How McSame has faced more adversity in his life than anyone in Congress, so he can relate to the working man.

It's getting disgusting.

[TwilightGardener]

18. This must be really damaging--they are panicking. Good--batter them till they're bloody on this.

[TheCowsCameHome]

19. This POW stuff is getting like Giu911iani. It's getting old quick

It's lost it's edge, John.


Now pick a house and stay in it.

[jerryster]

20. Olbermann pointed it out recently

It was Howard Fineman, if I remember correctly, to whom Olbermann suggested that the POW thing is becoming the McCain campaign's default response to everything. It was after the not knowing how many houses thing that their campaign said "this is a guy whose residence for five and a half years was the Hanoi Hilton".
I see from your post that he did it again himself. It's starting to sound Giuliani-esque. 9-11 9-11 9-11.
Giuliani managed to reduce even that terrible tragedy to an empty sound bite. McCain may do the same with his.

[MidwestTransplant]

21. I think his aides must know this is getting stupid but are affraid to tell him becaause they

don't want to get punched.

[Hatchling]

22. The more he says POW...

the more I think PTSD. I highly doubt the man has had effective treatment for the abuse he received as a POW.

I don't want someone that mentally damaged in control of my country.

[Hansel]

52. Fully agree.

His stand on Iraq is pretty much evidence of PTSD. I think he wanted to invade Iraq immediately after 911 because he needs the victory we didn't get during the Gulf War or Viet Nam.

He was tortured in a POW camp in which he was held for years. And after all of that we "lost" the "war". His sacrifice was for nothing. I think Iraq is McCain's chance to win in Viet Nam. He knew we couldn't defeat Al Qaeda because it's not a state, so he needed something to attack where victory was obvious. And what better place than where there was unfinished business.

I believe he really hates Obama because he is trying to take that victory away from him. It's frightening because there is really no victory to be had in Iraq. What in the hell is in McCain's mind that looks like victory in Iraq? Someone should really push him on that because the answer might be quite eye opening.

We don't need McCain's closure on Viet Nam to be in the form of WWIII. And I'm afraid that that is exactly the way McCain sees the presidency. His chance for closure. His chance to show everyone how to achieve victory and do it right. Him saying "I know how to win a war" is evidence of that.

[Robeson]

23. McCain was a POW? That's the first time I've heard that....

...;-)

[rasputin1952]

25. Kind of nice to watch a man destroy himself w/the same old tired

garbage...last time it was Rudy, this time it's McCain, not bad, not bad at all.

He can't get past 4 decades ago, and people are seeing this every day. Most Americans are looking for something in their future, they don't care about 40+ years ago. The GOP hasn't delivered on anything, and McCain has been one of the roadblocks while in the Senate. This is the guy who collects benefits from his experience, but denies others the same benefits. A man who was tortured, and I gather didn't like it too much, but is more than willing to take the side of those who would torture...I truly wonder about this man's sanity.

[TheCowsCameHome]

27. They play the same worn-out cards. Some don't have a full deck.

I can name at least one.

[Overseas]

28. Janglin' keys, janglin' keys, bring this liar to his knees-- McPow to McFizzle. /nt

[izquierdista]

29. Noun Verb

POW

Amazing how consistent Repub candidates can be.

[Cheap_Trick]

30. Repeat after me

A Noun, A verb, I was a POW.

[unblock]

31. living in the powst

[calimary]

33. Just start saying - "he's trying to GUILT you into voting for him."

A noun, a verb, and P.O.W.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Noun-A-Verb-and-P-O-W-by-Mary-Lyon-080823-951.html

[polichick]

36. Biden can burst his POW bubble with one finely-crafted sentence - hope he does it soon!

[denem]

37. Recently, I've spent some years without my marbles.

[moondust]

38. And you're not the only one, little Johnny.

But you seem to be the only one despicable enough to use it as a magic shield to protect you from reality.

You know, Johnny, that big bad Russian bear doesn't give a shit if you were born in a POW camp on a waterboard.

[John Q. Citizen]

39. "If I only had a chair..."

[Vinca]

40. It's time for the military people who are pissed off at McCain and his POW tour

to speak out. This is ludicrous. You look at McBush cross-eyed and he blurts out "POW."

[JerseygirlCT]

41. Maybe this is the only possible response to him:

http://www.cmoore.com/funstuff/humor/mp.script.weweresopoor.php

[rainbow4321]

42. Speaking of POW, Sen. McCain, why is it that you compared your POW time as

being a Vice President of the United States and HOW do you think that makes the people on your short list feel????


http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/johnmccain/a/mccain-quotes.htm

"I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States?"





http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6731083&mesg_id=6731083

[greguganus]

45. Reminds me of Steve Martin's The Jerk. "All I Need"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2X3vVMdh-s lol

[NotThisTime]

46. I think some of us do not currently have a table or have not in the past - get a grip John

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

47. The self pity is kinda offset by the zillionaire beer heiress'

bank account, Grampy. You live a life the average voter can't even conceive of.

[northernlights]

48. please...show some compassion

the man was a prisoner held as a POW in a prison during a long war, where there was a prison where he was held POW. and then cindi came along and delivered him from hanoi hilton prison to hilton prisons around the world, where he is still held captive as a prisoner, and a POW as a prisoner of war. so he should be president, so finally he'll have some tables and chairs. in a matching set, too.

[goodgd_yall]

50. This is the epitome of "a noun, a verb, and POW"

:rofl:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

51. Let me get this straight...

Having endured hardships in this life means that you DESERVE to have a $100 million trophy wife and to live off your father-in-law's wealth? How about the 50,000 of your comrades who didn't come home from that war, you fucking twit. How about the 100,000 Vietnam Veterans who have taken their own lives in the years since the war ended, or the hundreds of thousands who still suffer from disabilities and have been intermittently homeless during the past forty years. Where's there bimbo wife with the massive trust fund.

Somebody posted this elsewhere, and I think I'll second the opinion: This bastard is worse than Bush. He might even be worse the Bush and Cheney combined.