Back Towards The Locus

The format of the VP debate ensured that neither candidate could be properly challenged, because moderators couldn’t answer back. Thus, we were never going to a have a repeat of that Couric interview because Palin would never be pressed to make specific statements.

I wondered, though, what questions could be asked after one cut through the “Joe Six-Pack”, “hockey mom”, “doggone it” bollocks.

Thanks to CNN for the transcript.

Domestic Policy

“Now, John McCain thankfully has been one representing reform. Two years ago, remember, it was John McCain who pushed so hard with the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reform measures. He sounded that warning bell.”

You still haven’t found another example of his maverick spirit, have you? Tsh, there goes your first promise.

“John McCain, in referring to the fundamental of our economy being strong, he was talking to and he was talking about the American workforce.”

O rly?

“Barack Obama even supported increasing taxes as late as last year for those families making only $42,000 a year. That’s a lot of middle income average American families to increase taxes on them. I think that is the way to kill jobs and to continue to harm our economy.”

Bollocks.

“I am because he’s got a good health care plan that is detailed. And I want to give you a couple details on that. He’s proposing a $5,000 tax credit for families so that they can get out there and they can purchase their own health care coverage. That’s a smart thing to do. That’s budget neutral.”

This was one point that Biden handled brilliantly:

“Now, with regard to the — to the health care plan, you know, it’s with one hand you giveth, the other you take it. You know how Barack Obama — excuse me, do you know how John McCain pays for his $5,000 tax credit you’re going to get, a family will get?

He taxes as income every one of you out there, every one of you listening who has a health care plan through your employer. That’s how he raises $3.6 trillion, on your — taxing your health care benefit to give you a $5,000 plan, which his Web site points out will go straight to the insurance company.

And then you’re going to have to replace a $12,000 — that’s the average cost of the plan you get through your employer — it costs $12,000. You’re going to have to pay — replace a $12,000 plan, because 20 million of you are going to be dropped. Twenty million of you will be dropped.

So you’re going to have to place — replace a $12,000 plan with a $5,000 check you just give to the insurance company. I call that the “Ultimate Bridge to Nowhere.”"

“We’re tired of the old politics as usual. And that’s why, with all due respect, I do respect your years in the U.S. Senate, but I think Americans are craving something new and different and that new energy and that new commitment that’s going to come with reform.

I think that’s why we need to send the maverick from the Senate and put him in the White House, and I’m happy to join him there.”

And why is he a maverick again?

Foreign Policy

“We do have a plan for withdrawal. We don’t need early withdrawal out of Iraq. We cannot afford to lose there or we’re going to be no better off in the war in Afghanistan either. We have got to win in Iraq.”

But..but McCain’s already declared victory! Several times!

What, Sarah, do you define victory as?

“Your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq and that is not what our troops need to hear today, that’s for sure…”

Sarah, this comment might (and, in fact, did) help you to lose the debate. Thousands of American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died, and you haven’t given a coherent plan of withdrawal or even stated the conditions under which you’d support a withdrawal.

Wanna start now?

“Now a leader like Ahmadinejad who is not sane or stable when he says things like that is not one whom we can allow to acquire nuclear energy, nuclear weapons. Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il, the Castro brothers, others who are dangerous dictators are one that Barack Obama has said he would be willing to meet with without preconditions being met first. And an issue like that taken up by a presidential candidate goes beyond naivete and goes beyond poor judgment.”

Sarah, when we know that Israel wants to bomb Iran don’t you feel that it’s a matter of some urgency? When Kennedy spoke to Kruschev did he quibble over preconditions?

And, incidentally, how on earth can you equate Fidel Castro and Kim Jong Il? Are you back to good guys versus bad guys?

“We will support Israel. A two-state solution, building our embassy, also, in Jerusalem, those things that we look forward to being able to accomplish, with this peace-seeking nation, and they have a track record of being able to forge these peace agreements.”

How on God’s mostly-blue-but-a-bit-green earth are Israel forging peace? And why, while acknowledging the need for a two-state solution, do you pass over the Palestinians?

Let me guess…could it be that they hate America?

“Dr. Henry Kissinger especially. I had a good conversation with him recently. And he shared with me his passion for diplomacy.”

Sarah, you cretin, how dare you lecture the world on “dangerous dictators” and then praise that repulsive little war criminal (okay, okay, I’m aware that that’s hardly surprising in America but let me have my fun).

“The surge principles, not the exact strategy, but the surge principles that have worked in Iraq need to be implemented in Afghanistan, also. And that, perhaps, would be a difference with the Bush administration.”

Er, what the hell are you talking about, Sarah? Do you support sending more troops or are you suggesting that America pays off the Taliban?

“Now, Barack Obama had said that all we’re doing in Afghanistan is air-raiding villages and killing civilians. And such a reckless, reckless comment and untrue comment, again, hurts our cause.”

Reckless and untrue, eh? Well, how about last month’s attack on the village of Azizabad that killed ninety civilians? Bloody enough for you?

“McClellan did not say definitively the surge principles would not work in Afghanistan. Certainly, accounting for different conditions in that different country and conditions are certainly different. We have NATO allies helping us for one and even the geographic differences are huge but the counterinsurgency principles could work in Afghanistan.”

Psst! It’s McKiernan, not McClellan.

“John McCain knows how to win a war. He’s been there and he’s faced challenges and he knows what evil is and knows what it takes to overcome the challenges here with our military.”

That would be why, in 2003, he said: “We’re going to win this victory. Tragically, we will lose American lives. But it will be brief.  We’re going to find massive evidence of weapons of mass destruction . . . It’s going to send the message throughout the Middle East that democracy can take hold in the Middle East.”

Clever guy.

“Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president’s agenda in that position.”

Flexibility in the Constitution? I…oh…*weeps*.

“That’s what John McCain has been known for in all these years. He has been the maverick. He has ruffled feathers…a team of mavericks…he’s ruffled hockey moms…middle america…mavericks…middle American mavericks…

Shit, I’ve had enough of you and your maunderings. I’m off….

H/t – Liberal Conspiracy, because it really does need to be recognised that we’re in deep excrement here. Incidentally, those excited by the words ’say it ain’t so, Joe’ should consider getting out more; she’s reading from notes, nitwits.

Update: Hehe…