I'm finding that in this campaign and perhaps politics at large, hyperventilating about an issue tends not to help. Witness McCain and this Clark silliness. Clark and Webb's statements were pitch perfect, and the longer McCain wants to go down this road, the more it is to his detriment.

With all of the problems going on in this country, THIS is the kind of BS political reporters (TPM included) spend their time covering?

One thing is for sure: This entire discussion, and the fomenters of it (political media, McCain camp, etc.) shows one thing writ large: THE ESTABLISHMENT DOESN'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT AMERICANS' PROBLEMS.

Personally, continued discussion on this non-topic is pointless, divisive, and disruptive of our political process. I am disgusted by all parties going after Clark, and through him Obama, on an "issue" that has zero relevance and zero resonance with the American public, other than as a backdoor attack on Democrats in general as "not respecting the troops."

TPM, among others, should step up, say this is utter CRAP, and stop covering it. End of story.

This is the exact same argument that he used against Lindsay Graham last year in their Meet the Press interview regarding objections to giving troops adequate dwell time at home.

Yep. The same video I linked in the other thread.

I say if McSame wants to talk about his military career and of course the adoring media will comply, then let's talk about it. It ain't pretty, the only redeeming spot would be serving as a POW and being tortured. The rest is pure elite son of an admiral special treatment.

I love the way Webb can steal the frame away from a media whore. The part about being calm is sooo good when addressing McSame. We always need to remember we're not fighting just McBush but the media too and people such as Webb, who is smart and can cut through media framing is just what the doctor ordered.

However, McCain is trying to immunize himself against any suggesting that being a war hero doesn't make one all knowing. His POW status is one of prime issues. He can't run on republican policies without being laughed off the stage.

By setting up the meme that the Democrats, already painted as not supporting the troops, will now be accused of not respecting McCain's service and thus, not free to mention his bogus claim to leadership.

The only thing that stands in the way of this narrative are people like Webb and Clark. So hey, let's Swiftboat them as they did yesterday and again today on a conference call with the Swifties and republican senators during which the attacked Clark's service.

To date, the Democrats and the press seem perfectly willing to go along.

How are they swiftboating Clark and Webb? No one has attacked their service, and that's what swiftboating is.

Frankly, I'm not at concerned at this juncture about the Democrats on this - I think it's going fine. The idea got out there that McLame's POW status doesn't mean he's automatically presidential.

From there it's been a matter of who threw which spitwad first.

...And from which direction.

I think it's happened so many times it is now considered a 'variant'
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/judgement

I don't think the screaming & crying by the McCain camp is an attempt to 'swift-boat' Webb & Clark. Whether deserved or not, McCain's got enough military cred with enough voters that criticism from Webb & Clark isn't going to do too much damage.

What I think they are trying to do is to portray Obama as a normal politician waging despicable personal attacks on McCain through surrogates. That's the theme of all of their whining. Last week it was flip-flopping on campaign finance (regular politician), this week personal attacks (regular politician). You can hear it now: "Now, that's not change you can believe in (deliver stiffly while weakly smiling at the camera)."

On the other hand, I think there's a little of bit of goading of McCain going on in the Obama camp. They seem pleased to let McCain get worked up over various things, and once he gets worked up, they seem pleased to let it go on for a while.

I just finished reading Webb's latest book, A Time to Fight, in which he makes the point that military service, specifically combat troops in theater, should not be used to score political points.

As the statement points out, Webb has also expressed this view on the talk circuit to push back against the "let our troops win" and "withdrawal is surrender" nonsense.

I am delighted with the way this is unfolding. It is all good for Obama.

Where to begin?

Start with irony:

--NO DEMOCRAT, not Clark, not Webb, not Obama or anyone remotely connected to these men or Obama's campaign has actually questioned, let alone criticized McCain's service.

--The only people (other than some fringe blog sites) who ever have are Republicans--the Bushies. I.e. Karl Rove and the boyz, who spread the rumor back in 2000 that McCain had willingly collaborated with the North Vietnamese, and was mentally unbalanced as a result of his imprisonment.

Move on to outrage:

--When the Swift Boat Liars cranked into gear, launching a campaign which directly attacked John Kerry's war record, the MSM feebly analyzed their attacks, concluded (the obvious) that they were complete BS, then never examined the strong evidence that the likes of Rove were directly involved, and allowed Bush to evade giving a definitive answer to whether he believed that there was any truth to their slanders.

With the Clark non-contraversy, the media are all aboard in the defense of St. McCain, who has always said he will never tell you that he is a war hero.

I could go on, but none of it would be news to any of one you...

Sigh.

Robert

Remember when:
If you oppose the war you are against the troops.
Today it's
If you mention McSames military experience.
Your attacking him.
Right out of the Rove playbook!