Who said what.

John McCain isn’t my favorite. I sat with him in the Daily’s office eight years ago and then again a month or so before this year’s NH primary. If he wasn’t "John McCain — The Personality" he would have put every one to sleep. The same old answers robotically delivered and seldom addressing the actual question. The only surprise was how many times he managed to bring up how “green” he is which I found interesting and it gave me something to write about. My somewhat conservative paper would not be happy with what I would have liked to write.

What happened last Sunday morning is the kind of stupid gotcha politics that makes all the players look like jerk-off kids pointing and laughing at someone who has just farted. Bob Schieffer broke in on what Wes Clark was saying to ask with a tone of incredulity, “Are you saying riding around in planes and getting shot down” isn’t a big deal? And Clark responded with Schieffer’s own words, “No. ‘I’m saying riding around in planes and getting shot down’ doesn’t qualify him to be president.” I think most of us would agree. George McGovern flew 35 missions in B24s during WWII and received the Distinguished Flying Cross but he didn’t even come close to giving Lt. Nixon, a poker playing supply officer, a run for his money. Today the chicken hawk Rs revile him as a namby pamby lefty.

Clark gets dumped on by the carnival barkers because they leave out what Schieffer said and it makes the story: War hero General Clark dumps on war hero Candidate McCain. Clark stated over and over again that John McCain’s military experience won’t be an asset should he ever get to be pres. McCain meanwhile is learning to live with the fact that he foolishly said he doesn’t care if we have troops in Iraq for 100 years. Neither do I, if it’s less than a dozen soldiers and they are inside the Green Zone drinking beers with all the civilians. But that isn’t what is being barked at. News that I watch wants to portray his numb-nut gaffe as wanting to fight the war for 100 years. Obama mentions it when ever he gets a chance, just like the Rs play the Rev Wright tape over and over.

In (my) perfect world the candidates would be touting their plans to address what Presidents can actually do to make the country better. But that would bore the hoi polloi to pieces. If you want to know what the country wants to know, turn on the Today show at 7 am some morning. They make a ton of money giving people what they want. You will doubtlessly be shocked at how much time they spend talking about “pain at the pump” and stranded air line travelers, even as the administration fails us on every front and affronts us unassailably.