McMeltdown

So McCain finally rejects and denounces the pair of looney pastors whose endoresment he sought, the Reverends Parsley and Hagee:


"I obviously find the remarks and others deeply offensive and indefensible and a repudiate them," McCain said in a statement released late Thursday afternoon.

Referring to the Hitler comments, McCain denied foreknowledge of them, but also used his statement to differentiate his "pastor problem" from Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's.

McCain's statement continues, "I did not know of them before Reverend Hagee's endorsement. I feel I must reject his endorsement as well. I've said I do not believe Senator Obama shares Reverend Wright's extreme views but let me also be clear Reverend Hagee was not and is not my pastor or spiritual advisor and I do not attend his church. I did not attend his church for 20 years. I have denounced statement he made immediately upon learning of them and I do again today."


Notice that the "maverick" who not long ago spoke so movingly of running and "honorable" and "civil" campaign focused on the "issues" of course did not bypass the opportunity to invoke Wright again.


Now, as I've mentioned, I have about as much use for religion as a tortoise has for a snowboard, so maybe I don't get it. But isn't it just as bad -- if not worse -- to be linked to a nutty pastor by virtue of your own avid attempts to seek said nutjob's political endorsement as opposed to attending a church led by a loon?


In the latter case, you may be voluntarily subjecting yourself to stupefying nonsense, but it's on your personal time and not in the pursuit of a political goal. Therefore, it seems to me that there are fewer inferences that could be made about the political implications of your attendance than can be fairly made when you specifically seek a political endorsement. That's this godless heathen's take anyway.


Purple prose

McCain had another hissy fit yesterday in response to a statement Obama made about his (McCain's) failure to support Jim Webb's GI Bill:

Both Senator Webb and I are united in our deep appreciation for the men
and women who risk their lives so that the rest of us may be secure in our
freedom. And I take a backseat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion
to veterans. And I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was
his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard
for those who did.

That's about 1/100th of the statement, which can be read in all it's whiny, unctuous, self-serving, lengthy glory here. It reviews a history of McCain's involvement in the Navy from birth to WWII to Vietnam and beyond. The bottom line implication seems to be that McCain cannot be criticized on any military issue by anyone who did not serve in the military.

This seems an odd stance for a presidential candidate in a nation committed to civilian rule to take. If Grandpa Simpson gets elected, we're in for not only four more years of Bushian policy but will also be treated to junta-like rhetoric and long, flowery speeches that will rival Fidel Castro's May Day marathons.