William Kristol gets offended a lot these days. Especially when someone points out the fact that what John McCain said about staying in Iraq for a hundred years was probably the stupidest thing he's said all year.
I’m not persuaded. Having slandered a distinguished general officer, MoveOn has now moved on to express contempt for all who might choose to serve their country in uniform.
Their new and improved message is presented in a 30-second TV spot, “Not Alex,” produced in conjunction with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. It’s airing for a week on local broadcast stations in markets in the swing states of Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, and on two national cable channels, with a reported buy of over half a million dollars.
The ad is simple. A mother speaks as she holds her baby boy:
“Hi, John McCain. This is Alex. And he’s my first. So far his talents include trying any new food and chasing after our dog. That, and making my heart pound every time I look at him. And so, John McCain, when you say you would stay in Iraq for 100 years, were you counting on Alex? Because if you were, you can’t have him.”
Take that, warmonger!
Now it might be pedantic to point out that John McCain isn’t counting on Alex to serve in Iraq, because little Alex will only be 9 years old when President McCain leaves office after two terms.
And it might be picky to remark that when McCain was asked whether U.S. troops might have to remain in Iraq for as long as 50 years, he replied, “Maybe 100” — explaining, “As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, it’s fine with me, and I hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world. ...”
In other words, McCain is open to an extended military presence in Iraq, similar to ones we’ve had in Germany, Japan or Kuwait. He does not wish for, nor does he anticipate, a 100-year war in Iraq.
But it is surely relevant to point out that the United States has an all-volunteer Army. Alex won’t be drafted, and his mommy can’t enlist him. He can decide when he’s an adult whether he wants to serve. And, of course, McCain supports the volunteer army.
So much bullshit, so little time. Petraeus was never slandered, he, himself, was writing op-eds for the Washington Post that supported the Bush Administration. McCain made a tremendous gaffe that he's never going to recover from. No amount of spinning is going to undo that harm--it was his "I actually did vote for the 87 billion dollars before I voted against it" moment. Kristol doesn't have the moral courage to mention the Balkans--how'd that quagmire work out for us? Kristol thinks he can make a funny against people who oppose the war--well, who's on the wrong side of history on THAT subject? I mean, really. If you're on the wrong side of history, you don't get to take shots at the people who got it right the first time. They have "credibility" and you do not. And how is it a volunteer army when, as soon as you volunteer, you can't leave when what you volunteered to do is completed? Explain that one to me.
I haven't checked with my better half on this subject yet, but I think it's safe to say that John McCain can't have either of our kids, nor can they have the Blue Girl's grandkid, nor can they still get the ones that are old enough to enlist right now. I'm pretty sure I can say that. Someone holler if I can't, Okay?
Vote McCain and you can count on them expecting your kids to fight an endless war in Iraq. After all, the operative phrase here is "extended military presence" which is a polite neocon word for "occupation."
--WS
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