Should McCain be attacked for graduating near the bottom of his class?

[Quixote1818]

Might be effective but could also have some blow-back.


Great video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbX26vp57c

[liberal N proud]

1. Use is as a comparison to his mentor bu$h

See where 8 years of that leadership has gotten us.

[bahrbearian]

17. Leaders that lead from the rear.

Soldiers love that.

[donco6]

2. For one thing . . .

I hope people have come to the realization that maybe the president SHOULDN'T be stupid.

[book_worm]

29. But that really doesn't mean that he is stupid because he was at the bottom of his class

It means that others did better, but many people don't even go to college or are able to complete college. I think if we made this an issue it would just come out sounding elitist.

[donco6]

31. I was being more of a smartass than anything.

Yes, attacking him for being at the bottom of his class isn't a good way to go.

But attacking him for being uninformed is fair game. Especially about the computers. That brings up the Grocery Scanner Debacle for Bush 1.

[mucifer]

3. Let me start by saying mccain is an idiot. That said, many brilliant people

have had trouble with school. Albert Einstein was told by a grammar school teacher he'd never amount to anything. But, he did well in college.

But, we also have to take into consideration that some Americans love the idea of having an idiot for president and this goes to mcstupid's advantage.

[Quixote1818]

9. I agree, thats why I am unsure about such an attack

I wasn't a very good student either yet excelled after collage.

[my3boyz]

13. Also, there are some people that have book smarts but lack common sense. Luckily

with Obama we a candidate that has both.

[undeterred]

4. Well, that's a Republican tradition, isn't it?

Have your rich daddy get you into the best school money can by, and then your teachers will feel obligated to pass you, just barely.

[mwb970]

5. Even then, he couldn't learn anything new.

We already have a stubborn, stupid doofus in the White House. America seems to crave his clone, even as they reject the original.

mccain's academic failure, as well as his recent repeated errors on Czechoslovakia, Shia/Sunni, surge/Awakening, etc., which he continues making even after being corrected by Holy Joe and others, shows that he is simply not capable of learning. You would think this would be a fatal flaw in a prospective leader. It would be in Europe. Fortunately for mccain, this is America, where we like 'em dumb.

[NYC_SKP]

6. No, not directly....

First, they'd spin it into, "Barack Obama hates your underachieving sons and daughters", "Barack is elite, only cares about the top of the class" and other bullshit.

And, if we don't play John's game of creating petty ads we look much better. So far, John is off in a corner calling people names and he looks really stupid.

Is it a fair topic to discuss? Sure, it adds to the argument that he's underqualified.

But I think it should be left alone unless we find a way to weave it into a larger argument that doesn't seem like an attack; it needs a rich and rational context.

IMHO.

[Quixote1818]

11. Good points. nt

[cloudbase]

7. No.

The federal academies are unlike any other schools. A person who might do well in another university might never make it through a plebe year at one of the academies, let along graduate. It's not for everybody, and I'd never use a person's class rank to hammer them with.

[sarge43]

21. Agree. The academies are demanding academically with

four years of basic training to boot. Further, a cadet/middie can be a powerhouse intellectually and academically and still collect a box full of gigs (blowing class rank) for goofing off on the military bs, ie shoeshine, giglines, etc. A future gentleman has to be damn near maniacal to stay in the top ten of class rank.

No, stay away from McLame's class rank unless used as another indication of his total lack of intellectual curiosity and interests.

[KittyWampus]

32. although class rank determines who goes ahead and becomes an elite pilot, no?

[sarge43]

33. In McCain's case, I'd say it mattered much more that

Dad and Grandpa were admirals.

All I can say about class ranking is it didn't seem to be factor in the AF as to who got to buzz around in the unfriendly skies. In fact, it wasn't recorded in the AD records. The Navy could have been different, but I doubt it.

[Botany]

8. He was not near the bottom he was @ the bottom

either 2nd to last or 5th from last.

[my3boyz]

10. People don't care! I learned that after Bush

My ex-supervisor is a Republican. She told me that when people attacked Bush and said he was stupid that made her like him more (because he was just a regular guy). I don't want a regular guy as president. I want someone so smart that they make me look like a complete idiot when discussing policies. I think she learned her lesson about picking a regular guy though. This year she is backing Obama.

[geek tragedy]

12. He should be attacked for everything

possible--from his poor academic record to his marrying of Paris Hilton.

[CK_John]

14. A lot more voters were in the bottom of their class than the top. n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. On the plus side, the whole class would have fallen out if he wasn't there to plug the hole

[AllentownJake]

16. No because being stupid in the country

seems to be a plus with some of the electorate.

[GoesTo11]

18. So is he getting dementia or was he always this stupid?

[Willo]

19. Definitely: Bush was a C student and mentioned it often

Jedreport did a great montage "McDumb as Bush"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsiADdmoh3E&feature=related

Highlighting the similarities between Bush and McCain on their policies, education levels and numerous dumb comments, should be constant.

[stray cat]

20. I suspect McCain is at least as smart and competent as Dan Qualye appeared to be

[BrotherBuzz]

22. Custer was attacked while trying to attack - I call that blow-back

I'm just saying. :shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

23. The problem is that virtually all of America is as stupid - and nobody likes being called stupid....

That's how stupidity gets entrenched.

[azmouse]

24. It's ancient history.

Really, really ancient history. Of course, everything about McBush is ancient. :evilgrin:

[DFLforever]

25. I wouldn't 'attack' him

but I sure would let everyone know who I thought would think poorly of him because of it.

[depakid]

26. It would be helpful if people knew he was the priviledged son on an admiral

who didn't earn his way into Annapolis- screwed up while he was there- and divorced his loyal first wife to marry into big money.

If he were a Democrat- everyone and their aunt would know that.

[book_worm]

27. No, it would back fire.

there goes that elitist Obama again.

[Overseas]

28. Cadets Gone Wild? /nt

[berni_mccoy]

30. No. Even the bottom of a class at the Military Academies is a huge accomplishment

Even the drop-outs have made big names (ever hear of Edgar Allen Poe?).

It's a mistake IMO.