MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

McCain Blogger Call

• Posted by Beth on May 15th, 2008 filed in 2008 election, Afghanistan, Blogs, Candidates, General, International, Iran, Iraq, Islamofascism, Israel, John McCain, Journalism, Lebanon, Politics, Terrorism, The War    

I just got finished at today’s blogger call with John McCain. I take horrible notes from these things anyway, and I don’t have time at the moment to clean things up (gotta go get the little one from school) so I’ll post my raw, unedited notes below the fold, and send you to Fausta’s blog for a much more coherent version. I’ll probably add more links (as well as links to the questioners’ sites) later.

NOTES:

Talked about this morning’s speech, what he wants America to look like after his first term in office. Aware that this depends on the good will of Congress, but he thinks these things are DOABLE and that Americans are tired of gridlock and partisan bickering.
We will have won in Iraq - Winning = Maliki govt in control, sporadic problems with terrorists, but IA will be handling the problems, will have security arrangement w/Iraq akin to Korea, post Gulf War I, etc. but troop presence is way down.
Wants to debate Obama on whether we are winning, surge is working.

Jennifer Rubin:
1. What is view of developments in Lebanon?
Proxy war btw US and Iran; UNSCR calling for Hez disarmament has never been enforced. BO wants to sit down with the guy who calls Israel “a stinking corpse,” WHY? What does he expect to accomplish with the state that sponsors terrorism and is responsible for the deaths of Americans?
2. Bush speech in Israel made DNC/BO go nuts
Bush said he wasn’t talking about Obama, he was talking about appeasement and there are plenty of examples to point to it. Reaction because it takes the highest degree of naivete and inexperience to think sitting down and chatting with the likes of the Iranians is going to help.

Michael Goldfarb (TWS):
What should be discussed w.r.t Iran?
Have Iran renounce intentions to “wipe israel off the map”
Get Iran to renounce ambition for nukes
Get them OUT of Iraq’s business
End state sponsorship of terrorism i.e. Hezbollah
Only then can negotiations take place - “preconditions” - Iranians can signal such intentions easily
Crocker says Iranians haven’t shown the slightest inclination to do this. What does BO expect to accomplish with these people? What do you want to talk to them about?
Chatting w/them enhances their prestige.

Jim Geraghty:
On Monday, NYT article said it’s not true that BO wants to negotiate with rogue states, how to combat these lies?
Hopefully rely on media and new media to tell the truth, and the American people knowing the difference? Plenty of examples where Obama isn’t held accountable for things he’s said and that are ON THE RECORD. Not just inconsistency, but outright contradiction

Weekly press conferences? Blogger calls too?
Will try to do them, because it’s very important to keep contact

Doug Lambert (Granite Grok):
“Doing what is doable” - sounds like what Newt’s said; have you been talking to Newt?
I’ve talked to him for years, and have listened to him on TV and read him. Would be pleased to have more conversations with him; he is a great thinker. Intends to talk to him more because he is a very smart person.
Not modeling Contract with America, nor the Reagan Revolution. Just believes in the same need for change and vision for the future.

Kate Shepard:
Climate change: not for subsidies but for nuke power?
- Problems with nuke power are our own making - goes back to Carter years, overregulation after Three Mile Island and Chernobyl ended up killing nuclear power generation; also Yucca Mountain issue
Wants to encourage research & development, including electric/battery powered cars
Unashamed and unembarrassed about support for nuke power.
Also for R&D on clean coal technology, as well as other tech.

Erin Kovicka(?) Kotecki -
Why announcing withdrawal timeline in 2013?
NOT a withdrawal timeline - see the speech. The withdrawal is an expected natural consequence of progress in Iraq. NOT a withdrawal timeline, and 2013 would be the end of his first term. Facts on the ground will dictate withdrawal.
Announce a date for w/d - enemy sits back and waits, then brings chaos and genocide when we’re gone and Iran moves in. Announcing date = announcing surrender.
What to do for troops?
Rec’d highest support from veterans organizations because they know he cares about not just nat’l security but their needs. Improving health care for vets, increase education benefits. GI Bill (Webb) - wrote letter to Webb about making it where it will encourage retention.

Joanne Bamberger:
Bipartisanship - what dems would you consider in your administration?
I don’t id specific posts for Democrats in my administration. I want best and brightest, and if it does happen to be a Dem, then okay.
Specifics?
No, haven’t considered it. Wants to get a VP first.
Open to D’s?
Will appoint a D if he or she is the best candidate for the position.

A post-call note from me:
Anyone here think someone from Red State or LGF or whatever would be allowed to ask questions in a hypothetical Barack Obama blogger call? FAT CHANCE. Take note of where Joanne Bamberger writes. I’m still looking for where Erin Whatever writes, but I strongly suspect she’s either a journalist or a Democrat (redundancy is redundant!), since they’re going with the meme that the 2013 speech and ad means a timetable. I saw on FNC earlier that journalists had asked McCain repeatedly today about it being a “timetable for withdrawal.” I mean, how freaking stupid and/or dishonest do you have to be to actually ask such a question? Honestly, John McCain was a whole lot more respectful in his response than I’d have been, although he did ask if the questioner had heard or read the speech.

I should note that I’ve seen talk around the moonbatosphere lately that a good tactic for them would be to drive a wedge between the angry conservatives and John McCain. CLEARLY, Bamberger was desperately trying to get McCain to commit to naming a Democrat to his cabinet, but he didn’t bite. Too bad, Joanne - you FAIL.

Now to track down the Timetable for Withdrawal Genius. If you were in on the Blogger Call and caught her name, please let me know.

UPDATE: BUSTED. Big time.
(Also updated to add links to other questioners.)