Questions for the "Country First" Crowd

@anniepa (27955)
United States
October 9, 2008 3:12am CST
This is short but sweet and is a perfectly legitimate question which I'd really love to know the answer to. Last night's debate was the most recent time McCain has stated that : 1/ He KNOWS how to win wars, and 2/ He knows how to capture Osama Bin Laden. He said it, clearly and plainly. It was the kind of "straight talk" from the "Straight Talk Express" that his supporters love so much. My question is, how could he really mean his campaign slogan "Country First" when he's obviously waiting until he's President to give away these secrets he apparently has? Didn't he also said he'd rather lose an election and win the war than win the election and lose the war? If he REALLY puts his country first as he says and as all the signs at his rallies say why would he not tell the current Administration or whoever will listen how to get the man behind the horrible attacks on our country that occurred on September 11, 2001? OK, this wasn't as short as I'd originally intended but I wanted to make sure I made myself clear. It also wasn't actually just one question but in a way it is - how does McCain put his country first when it seems his true first priority is to win this election and then, and only then, will he deliver on what he so confidently promised? Annie
3 people like this
8 responses
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
9 Oct 08
McCain's comment about how he knows how to win wars really irritated my husband and was a topic of discussion at the V.A. Medical Center in West Palm Beach where he had an appointment yesterday. McCain was a pilot who crashed his plane and was captured. He has no tactical experience on the ground and bombing the he11 out of a place is not the best way to win a war...unless you *want* to kill innocent civilians as most Vietnam vets were accused of doing upon returning home. As far as the Bin Laden comment, total campaign rhetoric. He knows no more than anyone else, that Bin Laden is hiding in hard to reach areas of Pakistan...and I hope he's enjoying his cave. I believe McCain was suggesting that he has the best plan for locating the snake but, no matter who has what plan, it's not going to be an easy task.
4 people like this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
9 Oct 08
I thought it was funny how he all of a sudden knows how to fix everything. The president is his part of his party and he could go directly to Bush and say I've got the answers on how to fix all the problems facing this nation. He would come off as a hero instead of the empty suit that he sounds like now.
3 people like this
• United States
9 Oct 08
Bingo.
3 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
9 Oct 08
So you honestly think that Bush would take his advice when he disregarded advice from many of his advisers. How do you know McCain hasn't already given Bush advice in the past that was ignored? Reagan ignored his advice when he was right and Reagan was obviously a much wiser president than Bush.
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Oct 08
ZephyrSun, Ditto! You said this just as it needed saying. I agree. But then, I've never seen Bush as being anything but a pion in his daddy's game plan. McCain is about as senile as Bush is. I stand by my statement that we need NO ONE in ANY government office over the age of 65.
3 people like this
• United States
10 Oct 08
The 'secrets' he supposedly has will be revealed to us after we sign-up for the 'program' with the $39.95 monthly membership fee. Doesn't it sound like he's selling us one of those 'get-rich-quick' schemes? Or those far too perfect home businesses? So, if we vote for him, he will magically solve all our problems? Well then, why didn't he say so? Everyone, quick! Jump on his bandwagon! He can fix everything! I'm voting for Arnold.
2 people like this
@pismeof (855)
• United States
10 Oct 08
John McCain is currently a senator. He doesn't have an administration or authority to give orders as executive of the U.S. until he's President.Secondly..you don't announce state secrets to the public like "That One" did.Have no doubt John McCain as President will get Bin Laden.
1 person likes this
@pismeof (855)
• United States
10 Oct 08
What good is a plan with no ability to carry it out? We've had Bin Laden in our sights a couple of times but chose not to for diplomatic reasons having to do with Pakistan.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
9 Oct 08
All of the information that we receive via the media is public not only to us in America, but also to the people of all other countries - including those who are not friendly to the United States. Any kind of specific plans regarding military efforts SHOULD NOT be aired publicly - Why would you tell your enemy your military strategy? I also do not believe that it is in the best interest of our country for everyone to know specifics of our military's strategy - we know nothing about these matters and should leave it to those who do have experience in them to do what is right for America.
• United States
9 Oct 08
You've been listening to McCain too much. If you are referring to what he said about Obama "telegraphing" his punches, McCain is full of it. Obama never gave one detail of how he would do anything. Warning people off is one way the US has always had of preventing trouble. It works most of the time. Obama's comments were a warning. To put anything else into his comments requires an overactive imagination.
2 people like this
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
9 Oct 08
"why would he not tell the current Administration or whoever will listen" - I did not interpret that to mean just the current Administration.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
10 Oct 08
CherylsPearls - making an attempt at warning someone off can have dangerous results - it can also be viewed as "talking the talk but not walking the walk" when the person issuing the warning doesn't follow-up. I also do not feel that a political campaign is a forum in which such "warnings" should be issued - at this point neither candidate has the power or authority to follow through.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Oct 08
after the first debate when all mccain could talk about was making sure we didn't come home defeated i was sooooo upset. no one in their right mind should ever say something so ridiculous. i would never think that our soldiers are dishonored. we are fighting a fight we cannot win. and every day we neglect the needs of the american people that is a day that takes us one step closer to ruin. does anyone realize that we're not getting anywhere in iraq?? this man is just full of pride. there comes a time when you need to just accept the facts. show a little humility and back down. if your country is really first then you should take care of your country.
2 people like this
@pismeof (855)
• United States
10 Oct 08
Medney,You must be really young and nieve.Apparently you never learned about Korea or Vietnam when we cut and run.You obviously don't watch the great things that are happening in IRAQ.Why don't you take a little pride in your country and look at the big picture.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
9 Oct 08
You know I've answered this one before Annie. I'm curious as to whether democrats think he's referring to some special button to push that will win the war, or some magic password that will make bin Laden appear in a jail cell. He's speaking about strategies and tactics. He's made it clear that he didn't like the strategy Bush used in the early years of the Iraq war. He supported the surge which has clearly been successful to the point that even Obama has stopped denying it. Do you know how many times I've had better ideas to accomplish goals than my managers at jobs? I'm sure everyone has had better ideas than their managers at some point. The problem is, when you're not in charge you don't make those decisions and your boss may not be willing to acknowledge the ideas of others.
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Oct 08
Oh, Annie, McNasty doesn't know anything. If he did, don't you know he would have made an announcement, suspended his campaign, and been on the first plane to Washington to meet with Bush? lol I was quite surprised when I heard him say that. I really don't think he meant to say it quite like he did but desperation made a fool of him. He is so desperate to win. That's why he has his hench-ladies out on the trail, spreading vulgar lies and innuendo about Obama. He knows he doesn't have any other way of winning without continuing to attack Obama personally, hoping to scare off some of the undecided voters. Anyone who has followed McCain over the years knows that he does not put "Country First." McCain puts McCain first.
1 person likes this