Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
You've probably seen the video by now of McCain's interview with the Des Moines Register. Some of it is really fascinating to watch. Like this video of him defending Palin's experience. He's alternately obstinate, condescending, seething and totally out of touch with reality.
He says he's unaware of conservatives calling for her to leave the ticket and expressing their disappointment, and he does so just before declaring that he has never told anything but the "100% absolute truth." No one can seriously believe that. He surely knows that George Will, Charles Krauthammer, Kathleen Parker, David Brooks, David Frum and other prominent conservatives have blasted the pick.
Here's the clip of him claiming never to have told a lie during his entire political life. He's defending the accuracy of ads that even Republicans have admitted are extremely dishonest, including the infamous "teaching kindergartners about sex" commercial.
"I've always had 100% absolute truth...and an assertion that I've ever done otherwise I take strong exception to." Talk about being out of touch with reality.
The whole interview is really weird. He was defiant and obstinate throughout the interview. He looks like he's about to explode. Given how the polls have gone lately, that's not a surprise.
Politics
Comments
Delusional alcoholic? Another Nixon?
Posted by: Monado | October 5, 2008 9:57 AM
The response videos like this have gotten on some of the blogs I reads that include a lot of conservatives is that they're all edited to look totally different than they actually are in an effort by the biased liberal media to throw the election.
To which I responded, media bias is like porn to a Republican. They know it when they see it, and brother do they spend a LOT of time looking.
Posted by: Jeff Hebert | October 5, 2008 10:06 AM
The straight-talk express derailed a long time ago.
All they do now is ban the press from the wreckage.
Posted by: Farb | October 5, 2008 10:06 AM
Too little coffee -- obviously that should be "blogs I read", without the "s" in that first sentence.
Posted by: Jeff Hebert | October 5, 2008 10:08 AM
Other blogs have asked a very good question -- what the heck McCain was doing in Iowa in the first place? He's trailing badly in the polls there and has virtually no chance of winning the state in November.
Conducting a hostile press interview in what is essentially enemy territory would seem to be yet another symptom of a poorly run, erratic campaign -- at least in comparison to Obama's.
Posted by: tacitus | October 5, 2008 10:41 AM
One of the most interesting questions of this election season is what happened to the old John McCain, or is the McCain we've experiencing since the Paris Hilton ads the real McCain that was aptly hidden from the public until now.
My perception of what I saw in these clips is highly similar to what occurred to President Bush 43 after he was elected in 2000. McCain appears to be in a cocoon where no raw data is allowed to enter nor are any substantial arguments to his positions being considered. His opinions are therfore based on an incredibly weak or false set of assertions, including his own honesty.
This speaks for personal qualities and a general approach to work that are incredibly scary. You can't make solid decisions and execute those qualities if your worldview in no way matches reality.
I was particularly amused and concerned about McCain comparing Palin's experience to Reagan and Clinton given her 20 months vs. their 8 and 10 years of experience respectively, not to mention the years Reagan put into to ardently studying foreign policy after his governorship. Is that a shallow sound-bite answer or is McCain deluded enough to believe Palin's experience matches Reagan and Clinton's?
It appears in this clip it was an honest perception, McCain believes her experience matched their's rather than a knee-jerk sound-bite rebuttal with his knowing better. Either way, it is concerning to me that McCain is not holding up well.
Given how well Bush campaigned in 2000 yet how incapable he was of performing at the levels of pressure inherent in the office of the Presidency, McCain's performance here corroborates other moments of his flailing away, e.g., the bailout project. This does not bode well that he has the personal attributes sufficient enough to even show up every day and get shit done in a somewhat competent manner where his delegates will know the marching orders and move forward in any coordinated fashion. I can't imagine being a Cabinet head of his, it'd be like operating in a state of anarchy.
By the way, three of my conservative friends who previously only had a conservative viral email and Fox News perspective of Obama admitted to me after their watching the first debate that Obama appeared to have far superior personal qualities to be President than McCain. They too observed McCain appearing at the edge of control. Of course they're still supporting McCain cause he's either a Muslim or a Commie or possibly both.
Also, what is McCain doing in Des Moines wasting his time with a liberally biased editorial board that will in no way endorse him? Obama is ahead by 10 to 16 points in that state with solid opposition for McCain given his position on farm subsidies! More evidence of running an incompetent campaign. Prepare for some very ugly mud slinging given he can not win on the merits.
Posted by: Michael Heath | October 5, 2008 10:43 AM
"and he does so just before declaring that he has never told anything but the "100% absolute truth."
That's disgusting. Here is McCain himself, admitting to a national audience, that he has lied to further his political career!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj2pmBW1Xb0
Posted by: Gingerbaker | October 5, 2008 10:58 AM
The DMR is not hostile to McCain. Indeed, it endorsed him in December 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0psoa1FNiY
Posted by: Jur | October 5, 2008 11:58 AM
Actually, I think she does match Reagan's grasp of the world, as his was based on falsehoods and his own, strange, universe. Not much reality in his head.
I would propose, however, that McCain actually believes what he is saying about faith in her experience and ability, and his own history of always telling the truth. The process of repeating the same statements, year after year, day after day, blurs the memory. What he repeats may not be the truth when history and facts are examined, but he has compartmentalized them as such, and that guides him.
One more comment: the news I have on currently has representatives from both campaigns on, discussing the move by McCain's campaign will be going "dirty" in the coming weeks. Going dirty, of course, is the take of the Democratic consultant: the Republican's take is "well, people don't really know about Senator Obama, because he's been quiet about his past. We'll simply be telling the truth about him and his programs, and what it would mean to the country."
I need a shower after hearing that: I really don't want to see the ads.
Posted by: dean | October 5, 2008 11:58 AM
"He looks like he's about to explode."
That may now be the best plan. He has a sudden physical breakdown, due to the strain of fighting the evil Obama, and must quit the campaign. Palin moves into postition to shoulder the burden, selecting some reasonable sounding running mate. Voters, in a wave of sympathy for the poor woman, flock to the polls to cast their ballots for her.
That for Mr.'s Bush and Cheney find their 'October Surprise.'
Posted by: sirhcton | October 5, 2008 12:00 PM
Rolling Stone has a brilliant piece out on just who the real John McCain is: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23316912/makebelieve_maverick/print
Posted by: Gingerbaker | October 5, 2008 12:09 PM
Jur stated in an apparent rebuttal to tacticus and my point regarding the wisdom of McCain spending time in a state he'll lose big-time with a newspaper editorial board destined to support his opponent:
The DMR endorsed the least conservative GOP candidate in the primary where it also endorsed Hillary Clinton on the Dem side, in spite of the fact that Romney and Huckabee spent much more time and money in that state. tacticus and I are referring to the race itself, not the primary, which is irrelevant to what the campaigns need to do now to win.
The DMR started endorsing candidates in 1988. In 2000 and 2004 they endorsed Democrats. I could not find an article that showed the complete list, however here is one article that confirms their position over the past two election cycles: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17307593
Posted by: Michael Heath | October 5, 2008 12:16 PM
Gingerbaker;
Thanks for the RollingStone link. That should be required reading!!
Posted by: DonM | October 5, 2008 1:29 PM
Robert Anton Wilson explained it well:
Explains a whole lot dontcha think? You betcha!
Posted by: Joe Max | October 5, 2008 3:08 PM
McCain's ads have been 100% negative lately, how is he going to "go negative" from that point?
Too little coffee -- obviously that should be "blogs I read"
I read them all myself, and I find it makes me extra bubbly, gives me a faux folksy accent I didn't have 2 years ago, and I wink a lot.
Posted by: QrazyQat | October 5, 2008 3:58 PM
As a life-long Iowan, let me throw my own state under the bus to a tiny degree.
Here's all you need to know about the state of John McCain's campaign: He voluntarily goes before the editorial board of a newspaper of a state that carries a mere 7 electoral votes during the same week that his campaign pulls up stakes in Michigan, which has 17 votes. And Iowa is, as noted, likely to go to Obama.
Not a very good strategy, John. In other words...keep it up!
Posted by: Paul Lundgren | October 5, 2008 4:21 PM
QrazyQat, McCain still has plenty of room to go more negative. Yes, most of his ads are attack ads already, but he has, until now, mostly attacked on the issues, even if some of them are bogus.
If he starts inserting Ayers, Rezko, and especially Rev. Wright into his ads, then that is certainly more negative than he has been up to this point since the attacks will be almost entirely ones that question Obama's personal character and integrity.
Although I doubt Obama will go there, there is no shortage ammunition for him to reply in kind:
1) The Keating Five (esp. in light of the current financial crisis)
2) His continued friendship with indicted Arizona congressman and former McCain campaign chair, Rick Renzi.
3) His continued friendship and association with that totally unrepentant criminal from the Nixon era, G. Gordon Liddy.
4) His close friendship, employment, and reliance on his chief advisor, Charlie Black who, in his time, has been paid millions of dollars to lobby personally on behalf of some of the most despicable dictators and warlords in recent history. Don't recall Black being particularly repentant about his past client list.
5) Most of all, of course, McCain's shameful treatment of his wife after he returned from Vietnam.
For a man who claims to have integrity beyond the normal bounds of the common man, he sure has his fair share of dubious associations when you dig just a little under the surface. Obama past may not be as pure as the driven snow, but McCain is in no position to lecture him on who you choose as friends and allies.
Posted by: tacitus | October 5, 2008 4:42 PM
Ed:
"He's alternately obstinate, condescending, seething and totally out of touch with reality.";
and this differs from his behavior of the last several years?
Posted by: demcommie | October 5, 2008 5:39 PM
You have to see what the McCain presidency will be like on Day 1, hilarious and scary at the same time: http://brainrageblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/mccain-presidency-day-one.html
Posted by: James B. Webb | October 6, 2008 12:21 AM
Maybe it's just the format of the interview, but to me, McCain looks obstinate but utterly beaten. It's like he's resigned himself to the inevitable and the only thing he can do now is repeat talking points because that's all he has left. He just looks straight up depressed.
Posted by: Jerry | October 6, 2008 9:01 AM
Jerry - beaten down and depressed, yes . . . I would be too if I were 72 slogging it out hard for 1+ years now and my team's so incompetent they've got me being interviewed in front of a liberal paper in a state I know I have no chance of winning.
Posted by: Michael Heath | October 6, 2008 9:24 AM
And the polls seem to be showing that more people are finally catching on to what we've understood about McCain for a long time.
Posted by: gary l. day | October 6, 2008 10:31 AM
With regards to McCain looking depressed, there is a level of genuine tragedy in his campaign. He must know, deep down, that he's sold himself out to the same people who tried to ruin him in 2000; that he's sold out his wartime heroism while doing his level best to ensure that the tortures he experienced can be legally practiced by his country; that he's going to end his political career in an ignominy that, prior to this decade, would never have seemed to be his fate. I find it hard to believe he's doing all this unknowingly. I'm torn between feeling pity for him that it's come to this and revulsion that he isn't turning around and telling his handlers to stick it.
Posted by: Der Bruno Stroszek | October 6, 2008 12:25 PM
I don't think you've read the Rolling Stone article... McShame is a sleaze.
He deserves NO pity!!
Posted by: DonM | October 6, 2008 1:09 PM
Joe Max, sounds like you're talking about The Plan
Posted by: Abby Normal | October 6, 2008 1:12 PM