McCain Forgets to Mention the Americans Being Held Hostage in Colombia

John McCain announces he's going to visit Colombia--was this a veiled swipe at Barack Obama's admitted use of cocaine? And why didn't McCain mention the three Americans being held hostage by FARC rebels--wasn't that important enough to merit a mention?

John McCain announced Tuesday that he will make a campaign trip to Colombia next week. The Republican presidential candidate is expected to talk about trade relations — a trade deal between the two countries is pending–and drug traffic from the Latin American country.

“It is a vital ally in our struggle against the scourge of drugs, a great amount of cocaine that comes into the United States of America as we know comes from Colombia,” the Arizona senator said during a press conference in Riverside, Calif.

McCain told reporters he has traveled to Colombia before, and he emphasized his strong relationship with President Alvaro Uribe.

“I know the struggle that nation has undergone,” McCain said, adding that he was going there to thank Uribe for his efforts to strengthen the ties with the U.S.

Now, someone did remind him to ask about the US citizens being held hostage there, right? Or did that slip his mind? One would think that McCain would be savvy enough to maybe casually mention the the names of the three men who are being held down there and that he would promise to try to do whatever it takes to secure their freedom and bring comfort to their families, right? Well, if all you care about is free trade and cocaine and making sure people remember that, yes, Obama used cocaine that probably came from Colombia, well, the fate of three hard luck aviators shot down and held hostage doesn't really rate a mention when you're campaigning for President, does it?

And, right on cue. Someone at Fox News sure was being cute today:

In announcing the trip and citing his friendship with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, the Arizona senator sought contrasts with his Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

McCain said Obama opposes U.S. anti-drug aid for the world’s largest producer of cocaine and also is against the free-trade agreement, despite having described himself as a proponent of free trade.

Gee, what are you implying? That Obama wants Colombia to let more cocaine into the US?

Do you think this might explain why?

[posted April 3, 2008] Colombian President Alvaro Uribe revealed his worry about the US presidential contest this week to the Bogotá daily El Tiempo: “I deplore that Senator Obama, aspiring to be president of the US, ignores Colombia’s efforts.”

By “efforts,” Uribe referred to his administration’s public relations campaign to improve Colombia’s deserved reputation as the hemisphere’s worst abuser of human rights, particularly as they apply to workers and unions. Senator Barack Obama, on Wednesday, had cited “the violence against unions in Colombia” as his primary reason for opposing a proposed US-Colombia “free trade” agreement.

There you have it--John McCain is now enlisting Alvaro Uribe in his campaign for the Presidency. How else to explain the decision to travel down there? It used to be that when a US presidential candidate even made a casual mention of being a "favorite" of foreign leaders, the right wing in this country would go ballistic.

My, how the times have changed.

[And, yes, I usually do mess up and spell it "Columbia" - thanks!]

--WS

Another Wingnut Radio Host Shoots His Mouth Off

Is it even news when these jackasses pull this shit anymore? How high is the bar these days? A big tip of the hat to the Minnesota Monitor for this one.

The Twin Cities' newest conservative talk show host has an idea for managing the thousands of protesters coming to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in September: machine guns.

Chris Baker, formerly a talk radio host in Houston, took over the morning spot on KTLK in early March. On Friday, he took issue with the debate among Minneapolis law enforcement personnel as to whether police should limit the use of Tasers and pepper spray on protesters in Minneapolis [ I'm not linking to the audio file--it's 38 minutes long, it has a commercial in it, you can go to MN Monitor's site and check it out if you like.] Baker's suggestion is violent suppression of what he calls "stinky protesters" that are part of "an industry funded by billionaires and communist organizations (and) they are well-coordinated and incredibly dangerous."

Baker continued: "So we've been talking about police protection during the upcoming convention when all those stinky protesters are coming. There seems to be a big debate over whether or not police officers will be able to wear helmets, carry shields, use pepper spray and Tasers on this crowd. You know, I'll tell you what works on a crowd like this -- a machine gun, that always works very well."

Baker's co-host, "Jordan," agreed: "Mow 'em down, baby!" he added.

"You must have order, you cannot have a civilized society without order and if that means cracking a few skulls, so be it," said Baker. "A good ole boy network is what you need and hand out some ax handles."

Uh huh. Neither of these two pussies has ever been near the operating end of a machine gun or an axe handle, so I doubt whether this manly threat would ever get carried out. And talk about opening up a can of unintended consequences--that last bit about good ole boy network and axe handles brings to mind Lester Maddox and a whole other kind of crowd suppression tactic that most stations will just outright can you for bringing up.


[photo credit-AP. On occasion, Lester Maddox would sign the ax handles sold in his restaurant. They came to symbolize his resistance to the civil rights movement.]

You can tell a lot about these types from what they write about themeselves on a web page. Bear in mind, a radio station is paying this intellectual giant to share his ideas with a public that has granted this station free use of the airwaves. I shit you not--these nuggets come right from Baker's bio:

*I am an independent conservative with 3 small children and a wife who I love more than anything I could have ever imagine.

--This means that his manly talk show act ends when he walks through the door at home. The tough guy act ends when the foot hits the front step and doesn't start up again until said subject arrives at work ten minutes late and eats that first donut. Males who are insecure, maladjusted and intimidated by their wives often act like jackasses in public. In the case of Mr. Baker, there's an open microphone nearby.

*Politically I don't see one qualified person running for the office of President nor do I think that it matters at this point. I see politicians as nothing more than puppets and gangsters and that is regardless of party. Mexico owns this election.

--Nothing wrong with that statement except the whole part about Mexico. And pretty much everything else. Hooo, and he's well versed on American political discourse as well.

*The candidates I supported were Fred Thompson and Ron Paul.

--It's like he has it tattooed on his forehead--I'm a preening manchild, and I don't know what the fuck I'm doing.

*I believe in the concept of the individual. We are all individuals to start and we join groups as we grow but it is the concept and acknowledgment that we are individuals that is supposed to keep us on the right path. When our group goes down the wrong path then it is up to us as individuals to make a decision as an individual to leave the group and walk a path of righteousness.

--Except when the government forgets to take care of me. Then, I fall down on the ground shrieking hysterically that it's NOT FAIR and someone NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF MY NEEDS and stop TELLING ME WHAT TO DO.

In other words, the guy is a fucking baby.