Reckless

UPDATED



Because we can't afford another reckless president.

[MoveOn.org] plans to spend about $100,000 to air a commercial on network and some cable television stations in Iowa and New Hampshire, states that hold early contests in the presidential nomination process, spokesman Alex Howe said Friday.

McCain, campaigning Wednesday in South Carolina, answered a question about military action against Iran with the chorus of the surf-rocker classic "Barbara Ann."

"That old, eh, that old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran," he said. "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, anyway, ah ..."

His audience laughed, but MoveOn.org called the comment dangerous.

McCain's response to his critics: "Lighten up and get a life."

This is good. I'm glad McCain made that stupid, inappropriate joke. I'm glad that he is demonstrating that he has no idea how stupid and inappropriate it was. These are the sorts of things voters need to know about candidates for high office.

It's good to know that John McCain doesn't consider initiating military action against Iran to be any more consequential than, say, invading and occupying Iraq. I mean, look how well that is turning out!

A serious, sober candidate for the presidency would have given a serious, sober response to a question about Iran's nuclear ambitions. McCain, on the other hand, reverted to a novelty song war cry from the Iran Hostage Crisis.

America cannot afford another thoughtless, careless, reckless president. John McCain seems determined to prove he is all of those things... and less.

UPDATE

Think Progress notes that "get over it" wasn't McCain's response last year when a certain Democratic presidential hopeful's attempt at a joke... um... bombed.

McCain’s reaction represents yet another flip-flop. When Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) botched a joke about military service last fall, McCain was among Kerry’s first and most vocal critics. McCain repeatedly said that even if Kerry was joking, he should still apologize.

Here’s McCain on ABC’s Good Morning America on 11/1/06:

McCAIN: Well, I’ve read and watched the statement over and over and I’m not sure how you could construe it that way, but if that’s the case, an apology is in order and we can move on. I have made a number of mistakes in my life, which I’d not like to chronicle all over again. But I’ve found that if you — if it is just a botched joke, then apologize and move on.

And again on Fox News on 10/31/06:

Well, my reaction is it’s hard for me to understand that [it was a joke]. But I’ll be glad to give Senator Kerry the benefit of the doubt. He should apologize.

McCain’s botched joke is actually probably less of a concern than his botched credibility.

Frankly, it's even worse than it sounds because the two situations aren't comparable. John Kerry messed up a joke that would have been funny if he hadn't blown the punchline. McCain, on the other hand, carried off a joke about something that isn't remotely funny, and he doesn't possess the self-awareness or the decency to be embarrassed about it.

Kerry botched a joke. McCain is a joke.