Politico: McCain gaffes pile up; critics pile on ("Are the gaffes the result of his age?")

[Pirate Smile]

McCain gaffes pile up; critics pile on


A string of erroneous word choices is helping opponents make his 71 years a matter of age, not experience.
Photo: AP

Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said “Iraq” when he apparently meant “Afghanistan” on Monday, adding to a string of mixed-up word choices that is giving ammunition to the opposition.

Just in the past three weeks, McCain has also mistaken "Somalia" for "Sudan," and even football’s Green Bay Packers for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ironically, the errors have been concentrated in what should be his area of expertise – foreign affairs.

McCain will turn 72 the day after Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) accepts his party’s nomination for president, calling new attention to the sensitive issue of McCain’s advanced age, three days before the start of his own convention.

The McCain campaign says Obama has had plenty of flubs of his own, including a reference to "57 states" and a string of misstated place names during the primaries that Republicans gleefully sent around as YouTubes.
But McCain's mistakes raise a serious, if uncomfortable question: Are the gaffes the result of his age? And what could that mean in the Oval Office?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11939.html

Gaffe list from article:

- “I'm afraid it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border," McCain said. The ABC posting added: “Iraq and Pakistan do not share a border. Afghanistan and Pakistan do.”

—“Somalia” for “Sudan” — As recounted in a reporter’s pool report from McCain’s Straight Talk Express bus on June 30, the senator said while discussing Darfur, a region of Sudan: "How can we bring pressure on the government of Somalia?"

Senior adviser Mark Salter corrected him: “Sudan.”

—“Germany” for “Russia” — A YouTube clip from last year memorializes McCain referring to Vladimir Putin of Russia – following a trip to Germany — as “President Putin of Germany.”

—This spring, McCain said troops in Iraq were “down to pre-surge levels” when in fact there were 20,000 more troops than when the surge policy began.

—Also this spring, McCain twice appeared to mistake Sunnis and Shiites, two branches of Islam that split violently.

—In Phoenix earlier this month, McCain referred to "Czechoslovakia,” which has been divided since Jan. 1, 1993, into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He also referred to Czechoslovakia during a debate in November and a radio show in April.

—In perhaps the most curious incident, McCain said earlier this month that as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, he had tried to confuse his captors by giving the names of Pittsburgh Steelers starting players when asked to identify his squadron mates. McCain has told the story many times over the years – but had always referred correctly to the names he gave as members of the Green Bay Packers.

[rAVES]

1. Age and general ignorance... more the ignorance...

[mwb970]

2. And, crucially, an inability to learn new things.

mccain is as mentally deficient as bush (and St. Ronald, for that matter). He continues to make errors of fact (Czechoslovakia, Sunni/Shia, how to pronounce "Nevada", etc., etc.) even after they have been pointed out to him. He says he is "going to learn to get online someday". Bully for him! My niece had her own website with her own scanned-in artwork on it when she was 12! Can't the Old Dog at least learn the "do a Google" trick?

The man is an embarrassment. We've already had a shameful embarrassment as our "leader" for eight years. Please, not more of the same!

[mediaman007]

5. I agree that its more ignorance. You can't be 894 out of 899 at Annapolis

without a little ignorance. We'll get to see it on display when Obama and McCain debate in the fall.

[C_U_L8R]

3. stumblebummery

but lets not underestimate the capability of this country to elect a world-class idiot.

[jeff30997]

4. I can bet you that...

If you told him that you went from New-York to London in a car he would believe it.

McBush is an ignorant moron.

[Somawas]

6. What would it mean for th Oval Office?

a leadership style like Reagan's without any of Reagan's charm.

[zbdent]

7. On the "Iraq/Pakistan" border - a caller to Bill Press had a point ...

McCain may have had a Freudian slip ...

Iran is between Iraq and Pakistan - and McCain wants to invade and take over Iran now, too ... so maybe he's letting the cat out of the bag that Iran may not exist when he gets into office?

[jeff30997]

8. That guy obviously needs help!

Well they both do but McInsane even more.

[Pirate Smile]

9. KICK

[opihimoimoi]

10. Its not his age, not dementia, not feebleness...he is a Fraud caught in the headlights of Truth

He is truely stupid.....listen to the dude answer questions using canned points.

[JaneQPublic]

11. Being a POW does not make him a foreign affairs "expert" and that's all he's got

There are senators who are indeed foreign policy wonks, but McCain is not one of them.

For example, Joe Biden knows the inner workings of international relations and national security matters down to minute detail. By contrast, John McCain has opinions, not command of the facts.

But then, he doesn't need stinkin' facts! He John McCain, dammit! a POW! a war hero!

[caledesi]

12. Like Rudy and the 9/11 bit. That's all he had! NT

[opihimoimoi]

15. We had enough of Shallowness from the GOP...they think in terms of MEism and Selfinterest

McLost is truly lost when out of his Realm....which is Bimbos, Booze, and Bombs...

He is a WAR guy.....he don't realize the PEN is where its at...he don't understand the concept...he will try but fail ...Peace is not his Forte.

Solutions are not his expertise dispite his length of time in Gov't....utter failure in solving the big picture because his realm is too tiny.

[Pirate Smile]

13. kick

[Ganja Ninja]

14. I don't think the gaffs are age related.

He's a republican. They've been telling lies and spinning so much for so long they can't tell reality from the fantasy world they've constructed in their minds. They believe they are all knowing and always right so they don't even bother with research and won't listen to or acknowledge facts. And even if they once knew differently they've been so caught up in party solidarity that their falsehoods have become their facts.

[Franks Wild Years]

16. Could Obama be planning to...

...unleash a "shock and awe" campaign closer to election time with the treasure trove of McCain gaffes that he has available to him? There are so many of them yet it seems the Obama campaign could be drawing more attention to them - even with broadcast media in McCain's pocket - if it *really* wanted to....

[seasat]

17. He also make the "Czechoslovakia" gaffe eight years ago

Bush used it to attack McCain's foreign policy credibility during the 2000 campaign. I've come to the conclusion that McCain is just dumb as a stump. He got to where he is by pandering on a few selected issues and kissing the butt of the traditional media. Other than a few selected issues he is one of the most lockstep conservatives in the senate. He really is Bush redux. The only reason he didn't get the nomination in 2000 is that Bush was better at that kind of pandering than McCain.