John Flips Again! Now It's Only A Phone-In Crisis For McCain

Just How Many Faces Does This Guy Have?

McCain flip-flopped his image by insisting he attend the Capitol Hill meetings about the economic crisis, threatening a postponement of the Presidential debate, attending one day's worth of meetings, then going back to the Mississippi debate (spurning David Letterman in the process)and then going back to Washington for meetings on Friday. He spent yesterday "phoning in" his stance from his Arlington, VA condo.

By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer

McCain flew to Washington from Mississippi to resume work on the bailout, arriving shortly before dawn. Obama continued his campaign schedule, appearing at rallies in North Carolina and Virginia.

After making a dramatic entrance on Capitol Hill Thursday to be part of the bailout negotiations, McCain stayed away Saturday as lawmakers inched toward an agreement. He made phone calls to the White House and GOP leaders from his suburban condominium and later at campaign headquarters.

From all accounts, McCain's actual appearance on Capitol Hill was more hindrance than help. He then accused Obama for "politizing" the crisis!?

I agree with David Letterman: "Someone in his campaign is screwing up! This isn't the John McCain we know." It's too late in the game to fire Rick Davis, the "ex" lobbyist (as of last May?). McCain is sending mixed signals to the press and the public. He should go back to the campaign trail and continue with the debates.

He should also cut the "maverick" image thing, because he's doing just what a young maverick steer would do: trying to run in all directions at once. John, the image is not working for you anymore. You look totally panicked and undisciplined. Telephoning hundreds of Congressmen from your condo or campaign headquarters is as easy as it would have been from Mississippi BEFORE the first debate. Have you never before been in a video conference? Technology has stepped up a bit in the last 10 years. In a flash, you could have requested and received state-of-the-art equipment in Mississippi. You could have shown people what a great leader you would be for the 21st (and not the early 20th) century. Instead you wasted congress' time, your own campaign time and, yes, the public's time by going back and forth, tither and yon.

The McCain campaign is nothing if it is not sloppy. The Palin debacle shows it. "Let's pick a...Fundamentalist WOMAN! ah, from a huge but barely populated state, put her in the public eye, no wait, keep her away from the press and pick her quickly to show everyone how good we are at snap decisions, then if we find out anything shady about her, we'll teach her how to stretch the truth like a true Washington lawmaker and trooper!"

The list of McCain flip-flops has been upped to 76 major issues. Steve Benen in The Carpetbagger Report has them all with solid reference to McCain's votes and contradictory speeches and quotes. I'm particularly to #65:

65. In May 2008, McCain approved a ban on lobbyists working for his campaign. In July 2008, his campaign reversed course and said lobbyists could work for his campaign.

Then there's his opposing views on gay marriage: (Chris Matthews, Hardball, Oct. 19, 2006):

MCCAIN: I think that gay marriage should be allowed, if there’s a ceremony kind of thing, if you want to call it that. I don’t have any problem with that, but I do believe in preserving the sanctity of a union between man and woman.

(Again, with Chris Matthews at the Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University, in Ames)

"On the issue of the gay marriage, I believe if people want to have private ceremonies, that’s fine. I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal.”

To which he surprisingly received a chorus of "boos"!

To some people, McCain is "McSame." While to others, he has several more (aggressive) faces:















Which one do you want?

Just a thought.