McCain's Jealous & Pouting for Attention

John McCain, like a young man courting, is jealous of Barack Obama and the attention he's getting. And he has pretty good reason to be, in my opinion. But his jealousy, anger and negativity are showing and they are ugly.

There's the Excitement Deficit. People are excited about voting for Obama and while there will be people who vote for McCain, they're not excited about it and many times they're only doing it so Obama won't win (for various reasons).

For now, the numbers favor Obama: 38 percent of his supporters say the election is exciting compared with 9 percent of McCain's. Sixty-five percent of Obama's backers say they are hopeful about the campaign, double McCain's, and the Democrat's supporters are three times likelier to express pride.
...
By 2-to-1 or more, McCain backers are likelier than Obama's to say the campaign makes them bored, angry and helpless.

Obama supporters are "hopeful", huh? And McCain's are "bored, angry and helpless"? That perfectly describes the candidates these days... Hmmm... Is there a pattern here?

But more importantly, in March, McCain ALSO visited Israel, Iraq, Britain, and France, but he skipped over the wounded troops in Germany and apparently forgot completely about the NOW all important Afghanistan.

Yet, he Chides Obama for making the trip, after goading him into it...

McCain took a swipe at his rival in his weekly radio address on Saturday.

"With all the breathless coverage form abroad, and with Senator Obama now addressing his speeches to the people of the world, I'm starting to feel a little left out. Maybe you are too," he said.
...
But Obama sought to turn that back on his critics. He said McCain had earlier been "telling me I was supposed to take this trip. He suggested it and thought it was a good idea."

"John McCain has visited every one of these countries post-primary that I have," he said in London. "So it doesn't strike me that we have done anything different than the McCain campaign has done, which is to recognize that part of the job of the next president, commander in chief, is to forge effective relationships with our allies."

So, he "feels left out"? Well, boo-hoo... What is wrong with McCain? That he would jealously criticize Obama for doing the very same thing he himself did just a few months ago? Does he think that people are as forgetful and daft as he, himself is? He must. And judging by all the negative comments about Obama's trip on this board, I think he might be right...

How dare McCain attack Obama for making this trip and skipping over a visit to wounded soldiers when he did the exact same thing?! Is he 2?

Grow up, Mr. McCain. You're 72 years old. Stop acting like a pouting, whining, desperate, jealous high school boy. Take responsibility for your own actions.

You'll get the attention you crave when you do something that warrants it. Whining, pouting and attacking Mr. Obama will get you attention, but not the kind you want...

On second thought, go ahead and cry. I'm going to hope that the people are smarter than you give them credit for.

Thanks for reading. Any comments welcome.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by Benevolent Heretic]

I have the same take on it as you, BH. The stop at a German restaurant in Ohio the same day Obama gave his awesome speech at the Tiergarten in Berlin really gave it away. This opinion poll from Fox news gives McCain even more reason for concern, as if he needs it.

21. Regardless of how you plan to vote, who do you really believe will win the 2008 presidential election -- Barack Obama or John McCain?


Obama McCain (Too soon to say) (Don’t know)
22-23 Jul 08 51% 27 13 9
Democrats 71% 13 9 7
Republicans 25% 51 13 11
Independents 53% 18 22 7

source (page 6)

Overall, 51% think Obama will win. Even McCain's own party only has 51% thinking he will win. Look at the numbers for Independents: 53% to 18% for Obama.

McCain is just digging himself a bigger hole with the way he is responding to Obama's popularity, imo.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by Icarus Rising]

I can't really disagree with most of that. Its one thing for his supporters to complain about the media coverage, but its another entirely when McCain himself starts whining about it. McCain himself needs to quit complaining about the media. It looks like he's whining.

As I see it, he has one chance to generate excitement about his campaign and that's with his VP choice. I think he can win with a large enthusiasm gap, given the fact that the Republican base is generally quite reliable in November, but it will not be easy. He needs to do something to close it at least somewhat.

I do think the troop visit thing you mentioned is going to hurt Obama, possibly seriously, but that's another matter. Still, even that's not a reason to vote *for* McCain, but against Obama, for those who have a problem with what happened.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by vor78]

[edit on 27-7-2008 by vor78]

who cares?

the whole election is like professional wrestling anyway. john mccains supposed to be the bad guy. obama the knight in shining armor.

well they both suck and they both work for the same globalists.

who cares what obama or mccain say or do? they are both taking this country straight to hell, hand in hand.

McCain's New Ad attacks Obama for not stopping to see the wounded troops in Landstuhl. The troops McCain didn't visit in March. The troops that would benefit from the GI bill that McCain fought all the way.

How low can this guy go?

Chuck Hagel (R), who also was on the overseas trip, said on CBS this morning that the McCain ad "was inappropriate." He said, "I think it would be totally inappropriate for [Obama], on a campaign trip, to go to a military hospital and use those soldiers as props... We saw troops everywhere we went on the congressional delegation. We went out of our way to see those troops. We wanted to see those troops."

And as one Obama aide points out to First Read, the footage the McCain TV ad uses when saying Obama went "to the gym but cancelled a visit with wounded troops" is when Obama was playing basketball with US troops in Kuwait. "It undermines the credibility of the ad" and proves that the ad is "nothing more than a political attack," the aide says.

You'll notice in the ad that the "gym" picture is all blurry and you can't tell what's in the background. That's because the "gym" is full of TROOPS!



I'm starting to kind of hate McCain...


[edit on 27-7-2008 by Benevolent Heretic]

well now McCain knows what it is like to be a third party running in this country.
Maybe he should do something about that.

Obama better start do more pandering to the Jewish-American voters.
Percentage of Jewish-American voters:

2000 79% for Gore

2004 75% for Kerry

currently 60% for Obama

Source: Chris Matthews

that's a huge dropoff from Kerry to Obama. Wonder if that has anything to do with racism?

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


He shouldn't have used that image for the ad, I agree, but the ad is fundamentally accurate. Barack Obama did go to the gym in Germany and he did cancel a trip with injured troops.

The message he's trying to send with the imagery is obvious: Barack Obama had time to play basketball on his trip, but not to visit injured soldiers at Landstuhl. Again, its fundamentally accurate, but I agree, given that it was on a military base, its partially self-defeating. There was a picture of Obama leaving the gym in Germany. He should have used that instead.

In the end, Is it a low blow? Yes. But is the ad fundamentally accurate? Yes.

So attacking Obama for deciding not to see soldiers when he found out that he wouldn't be able to take cameras with him? I'd attack him too.

Well done BH, I especially like this one :

But more importantly, in March, McCain ALSO visited Israel, Iraq, Britain, and France, but he skipped over the wounded troops in Germany and apparently forgot completely about the NOW all important Afghanistan.

Highlights yet again the hypocrasy coming from the righties its so easy to catch em out, but so long as the forum is flooded with angry misguided righties, such evidence will be covered.



[edit on 27-7-2008 by southern_Guardian]

reply to post by southern_Guardian


The problem for Barack Obama is one of reputation. The Democratic party in the US has developed a reputation of being soft on national defense and for not being supportive of the military. We can argue the reasons why all day, but the fact is, that reputation exists. Obama's own reputation isn't good in that regard, either, as evidenced by that poll a week or so ago showing McCain with a commanding 20+ point edge on the question of better Commander in Chief. This is also why McCain gets a 'free pass' on the issue. I'm not saying that's necessarily fair, but its the truth.

By doing this, it is, in many people's minds, a validation of that reputation. This is the reason that, while I believe his stated motive and that there was no ill-intent, I also have absolutely no sympathy for him in the aftermath. This is a mess of his own making. Anyone with any political sense whatsoever and who knows the Dems reputation on military matters knew what would happen if he cancelled this visit. Its turning into a political nightmare. Their decision to lay the blame at the Pentagon's doorstep isn't helping matters, either.

He could have avoided this whole mess if he'd just left the entourage behind and made the visit. There would have been charges that he was politicizing it, but when the act was fundamentally the right thing to do, those charges would have faded quickly. Now? He's going to be hearing this one for the remainder of the election and it will resonate among national security voters, again, because of the Dems longstanding bad rep on the issue.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by vor78]

Originally posted by vor78
He could have avoided this whole mess if he'd just left the entourage behind and made the visit. There would have been charges that he was politicizing it, but when the act was fundamentally the right thing to do, those charges would have faded quickly.

I actually agree with you. He should have gone. And when it came right down to the decision, he didn't do what would be best for HIM in the campaign (Make the visit and take the flack for politicizing it). He did what he thought was the right thing BY THE SOLDIERS. He honored THEM, even though he knew he'd have to pay for it.

His detractors refuse to acknowledge that, though, because they'd rather take advantage of a chance to nail him with what looks to the ignorant like a selfish decision, when it was just the opposite.

As far as "fundamental" accuracy. That's just a partial truth clothed in a lie. And that's what the ad is. "He made time to go to the gym, but canceled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras."

There is ONE truth in any situation. And that's not it. You can rationalize all you want about how each statement in itself is true, but put all together they make a lie. Now I don't know how your mama taught you, but I was taught (thankfully) that a lie is a lie, no matter how pretty you dress it up.

To say that the above is true is like saying that Bill Clinton "did not have sex with that woman" is true. And if you can call that the TRUTH, then your mama didn't teach you right.

No offense intended. I appreciate your ability to see through the rhetoric.

I think the funniest example of McCain's jealousy was displayed on his website, which I saved a screen capture in this post. The website has changed since then, but the video may still work. I can't tell because youtube is blocked here at work.

I agree that McCain shouldn't complain about the coverage of Obama's trip, because he was the one that said he should go. I guess now we know why McCain wanted them to go together.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I understand fully what you're saying and the truth is, I agree with it! I do think that the way it is stated in the ad, it is to imply some wrongdoing by Obama. But the ad itself is technically factual. Its another of those 'matters of interpretation', I suppose.

As my later post stated, I actually do not believe that there was any ill-intent initially on Barack Obama's part here. I think the lack of a photo op may have played some role (and I have less of a problem with that than many), but for the most part, I buy the argument that it could've been politicized. I just think that he's made a big political mistake by doing this and since then they've botched the situation beyond belief, but yes, it all started with something that was probably relatively benign.

I am not arguing that there was initially anything sinister here. There probably wasn't. Just that they've screwed up royally in the aftermath, including passing blame, and the fact is, its ultimately a mess they've made themselves. A tiny bit of political savvy could've prevented this whole mess in the first place.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
John McCain, like a young man courting, is jealous of Barack Obama and the attention he's getting. And he has pretty good reason to be, in my opinion. But his jealousy, anger and negativity are showing and they are ugly.

What exactly has he got to be jealous of? They're both two sides of the same coin in my opinion. they're politicians, and anyone would be foolish to believe a word that came out of either of their mouths.

There's the Excitement Deficit. People are excited about voting for Obama and while there will be people who vote for McCain, they're not excited about it and many times they're only doing it so Obama won't win (for various reasons).

People are desperate for something different, that's why their excited even though they have no clue as to what type of change Barack Obama is proposing to make. Will they be happy with communism or a dictatorship? That would definitely be a change!

Is the notion thatsome people may vote for McCain just to keep Obama from winning really that different than 90% of African-Americans voting for Obama simply because he's black?

I think if he actually gets elected, they're going to be sadly disappointed. He's not on their side anymore than John McCain is. He'll be harder on them then any Republican could ever hope to be. Ghaddaffi is spot on in that regard concerning Back Obama's intentions.

So, he "feels left out"? Well, boo-hoo...

What is wrong with McCain? That he would jealously criticize Obama for doing the very same thing he himself did just a few months ago? Does he think that people are as forgetful and daft as he, himself is? He must. And judging by all the negative comments about Obama's trip on this board, I think he might be right...

How dare McCain attack Obama for making this trip and skipping over a visit to wounded soldiers when he did the exact same thing?! Is he 2?

Grow up, Mr. McCain. You're 72 years old. Stop acting like a pouting, whining, desperate, jealous high school boy. Take responsibility for your own actions.

I imagine most Americans are feeling the same way BH. Why is he campaigning in Europe? They don't vote in our election. He's trying to make himself look more presidential, when he's really just a candidate. He has no right to speak on behalf of the American public, no more than you or I have a right to speak on the behalf of all members of the ATS forum.

BTW, you know as well as anyone, Barack didn't visit the wounded troops because he couldn't take his camera crew with him. Surely he realized beforehand that people may perceive his visit as a camapaign ploy, so why cancel when the DOD said as much? He was more than welcome to visit without his media entourage.

You'll get the attention you crave when you do something that warrants it. Whining, pouting and attacking Mr. Obama will get you attention, but not the kind you want...

Barack obama has done more than his fair share of whining as well about his poor wife being attacked in the media, less educated Americans don't like him as well as the more educated do, etc..

On second thought, go ahead and cry. I'm going to hope that the people are smarter than you give them credit for.

Thanks for reading. Any comments welcome.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by Benevolent Heretic]

I'm surprised that you any faith at all in the American public.. Barack is embarrased of how ignorant we all are compared to Europeans.


[edit on 28-7-2008 by LLoyd45]

McCain's newest attack ad shows that he is SO jealous of obama's Celebrity!

"He's the biggest celebrity in the world, but is he ready to lead"?

WTF does that mean? Is there some sort of message here that being popular with the people is somehow incompatible with being a good leader??? Quite the opposite is true, in my opinion.



McCain would LOVE to have just a little of the adoration, popularity and celebrity that Obama has! He's so jealous and nasty.

I don't think it's jealousy. It's just politics. And just like politicians they try to make their opponent look bad at every given moment. They also know that most voters love talking about BS non related issues more than real issues. If we had spent all that energy and time over the Monica Bill scandal on real issues, we probably could have fixed some things that America is facing today. So Obama or McCain didn't visit injured troops, I don't care about that. Personally it is a dog and pony show at the veterans expense. If they really want to do something for the troops then they need to put it in writing and pass legislation. And if they do visit the troops leave the damn cameras at home and don't dare make it a media event. Jealousy or not McCain and Obama need to leave the troops out of their BS propaganda.

Are people really excited about Obama or is it because of race, because it is somebody other than Bush, because he is the best out of two evils, or many other variables along these lines. People act like Obama is the hottest thing since spread butter and use all these polls to back it up. Polls are not always perfect. I will say Obama's camp is more vivid than McCain but there are still many election days left.