Politicizing War, the McCain Way

So what will the media pick on after witnessing John McCain’s reaction to the conflict between Russia and Georgia? As you read the following lines from the NY Times or watch the included video, think back on the Republican outrage over Barack Obama’s demeanor abroad, where he undercut Bush by acting “presidential.” We spent an entire week talking about his arrogance and overconfidence with world leaders, acting as if he had something "presidential" to offer them, even before his nomination. See how the press handles McCain’s presidential power play. I hope you’re not expecting the same sharp criticisms? In fact, it’s an admired quality.

NY Times: …It was all part of a continuing effort by the McCain campaign to seize on the events overseas to appear presidential. He also said he was sending Mr. Lieberman, of Connecticut, and Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, to Georgia, as both stood beside him at a flag-bedecked news conference here.

Amazing isn’t it. While the media repeated the Republican talking points fed to them about the galling Obama presumptive "presidential arrogance," McCain never heard a negative peep from the press. If anything, they said he “appeared presidential.” He even has the pre-presidential power now to send Lieberman and Graham to Georgia. All of this is ok for John McCain to "undermine the power of the president," but Obama apparently doesn’t yet know his “place.” And Sen. Lieberman's grotesque politicization of the conflict is stunning and shameless.

And when the press did ask McCain about his fawning shadow, Sen. Joe Lieberman, straying “over the political line when he said that Senator Barack Obama had shown inexperience in his initial response to the war between Russia and Georgia,” he dodged the question and appeared dumbfounded." The politicization of the war was so blatant, even Fox News couldn't avoid asking the obvious question.

The video provides the “straight talk.”

And he tried to tamp down earlier charges from the Obama camp that he was responding to the Russian crisis with a belligerence that could only make the situation worse.”