Post #280,421
4/2/07 10:56:12 PM
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NY Times story on McCain's visit to Baghdad.
[link|http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/world/middleeast/03mccain.html?hp|NY Times]: BAGHDAD, April 2 \ufffd A day after members of an American Congressional delegation led by Senator John McCain pointed to their brief visit to Baghdad\ufffds central market as evidence that the new security plan for the city was working, the merchants there were incredulous about the Americans\ufffd conclusions.
\ufffdWhat are they talking about?\ufffd Ali Jassim Faiyad, the owner of an electrical appliances shop in the market, said Monday. \ufffdThe security procedures were abnormal!\ufffd
The delegation arrived at the market, which is called Shorja, on Sunday with more than 100 soldiers in armored Humvees \ufffd the equivalent of an entire company \ufffd and attack helicopters circled overhead, a senior American military official in Baghdad said. The soldiers redirected traffic from the area and restricted access to the Americans, witnesses said, and sharpshooters were posted on the roofs. The congressmen wore bulletproof vests throughout their hourlong visit.
\ufffdThey paralyzed the market when they came,\ufffd Mr. Faiyad said during an interview in his shop on Monday. \ufffdThis was only for the media.\ufffd
He added, \ufffdThis will not change anything.\ufffd
[...]
\ufffdThis area here is very dangerous,\ufffd continued Mr. Youssef, who lost his shop in the February attack. \ufffdThey cannot secure it.\ufffd
But those conversations were not reflected in the congressmen\ufffds comments at the news conference on Sunday.
Instead, the politicians spoke of strolling through the marketplace, haggling with merchants and drinking tea. \ufffdThe most deeply moving thing for me was to mix and mingle unfettered,\ufffd Mr. Pence said.
Mr. McCain was asked about a comment he made on a radio program in which he said that he could walk freely through certain areas of Baghdad.
\ufffdI just came from one,\ufffd he replied sharply. \ufffdThings are better and there are encouraging signs.\ufffd
He added, \ufffdNever have I been able to go out into the city as I was today.\ufffd
Told about Mr. McCain\ufffds assessment of the market, Abu Samer, a kitchenware and clothing wholesaler, scoffed: \ufffdHe is just using this visit for publicity. He is just using it for himself. They\ufffdll just take a photo of him at our market and they will just show it in the United States. He will win in America and we will have nothing.\ufffd
[...] Emphasis added. It's just shameful that McCain won't open his eyes. Cheers, Scott.
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Post #280,432
4/3/07 4:06:57 AM
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Oh, I don't think that's really true
it's not that he won't open his eyes, it's that he's decided that becoming pres is more important than telling the truth.
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Post #280,571
4/4/07 5:44:12 AM
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He's gotten Berkyopia
The sudden and often selective case of myopia specific to a certain species of Republican presidential wannabee.
jb4
"It's hard for me, you know, living in this beautiful White House, to give you a firsthand assessment."
— George W. Bush, when asked if he believed Iraq was in a state of civil war (Newsweek, 26 Feb 07)
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Post #280,436
4/3/07 5:32:32 AM
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As shameful as when he hugged Bush -
despite all that earlier slime flung all over him by the Rove Machine.. a dance right out of The Green Table (lacking only the death mask.)
And to imagine that [the editorial 'we'] would fall for ANY characterization of some spot in Baghdad, in 4/07 as ~~
..where a Murican might walk through, with no more care than a Shrub trolling for crawdads in Crawford:
..means he's not even a mediocre Liar
He's dead, Jim.
Maybe as dead as wossname? "Mr. : Powell"
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Post #280,441
4/3/07 8:48:03 AM
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Your not the first to notice
McCain has a huge problem, he has spent the past 8 years selling out to the radical right in an attempt to setup for this run. Unfortunately for him, it has done him no good. The radical right want a true believer, and they know McCain isn't one.
And his previous support among moderates and independents was often based in his distance from the radical right. Thus his support among that group has gone down.
I would say his chances of getting the nomination are nill, except there are no good Republican candidates. Every one running has major problems, thus giving McCain at least a sliver of a chance.
Jay
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Post #280,445
4/3/07 10:02:24 AM
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Yup. Wouldn't surprise me to see several implode.
The cynic in me thinks that several of the candidates, on both sides, are "running" just to raise money for their other campaigns. They'll simply transfer the money to their Senate or House or Governor's campaigns when it becomes clear that they've milked the cow as much as they can.
McCain is striking me as if he's inherited Bob Dole's karma. "I was the runner-up in 2000, and I've been around for 30+ years, so it's my turn!" McCain's had a reputation, in some circles, of being too malleable (e.g. after the Keating 5 scandal, he had to push the Campaign Finance Reform wagon to gain credibility. Now that that is "done" he can morph into the "true Republican standard-bearer" that the talking-heads say is required to win the nomination.) - I think it's going to bite him this time.
IMO, it's still too early to know who will win. McCain has problems with Iraq, with "conservatives" and now with moderates. Giuliani has lots of baggage and people are questioning his [link|http://blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2007/04/president_911_inc.html?nav=rss_blog|cashing in on 9/11]. Romney's even more of a chameleon than McCain. Fundraising means little at this point - otherwise Connally and Graham would have been President.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #280,548
4/3/07 10:48:05 PM
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A cartoon to go with it....
[link|http://www.truthdig.com/cartoon/item/20070330_bs_express/|BS Express].
Alex
When fascism comes to America, it'll be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. -- Sinclair Lewis
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Post #280,551
4/3/07 11:16:48 PM
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Yup.
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Post #280,633
4/4/07 2:10:33 PM
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Some security progress - 21 market workers killed in bombing
The latest massacre of Iraqi children came as 21 Shia market workers were ambushed, bound and shot dead north of the capital. The victims came from the Baghdad market visited the previous day by John McCain, the US presidential candidate, who said that an American security plan in the capital was starting to show signs of progress.
[link|http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1604931.ece|http://www.timesonli...rticle1604931.ece]
Seamus
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