Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and President George W. Bush (AP Photo)
McCain: I'm No Bush Echo
GOP Presidential Hopeful Offers Solid Proof That He Is a Different Man
By Bruce McCall
06/20/2008
| 3 Comments
An angry Sen. John McCain masterfully detached himself from the deeply unpopular President George W. Bush and his policies today during a press conference. It was packed with solid proof that McCain is his own man, with his own agenda, going into the November general election.
“I wear an entirely different brand of cowboy boot,” McCain revealed. “I wear a different size, with totally different leather carving motifs. My S.U.V. burns 12 percent more fuel than the president’s. We have never ordered the same movie from Netflix. I was a Navy man and he was in the Air Force Reserve. I don’t know how I can make it any clearer that John McCain blazes his own trail -- in life and in politics.”
Nudged by constant companion and adviser Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, McCain quickly added, “And I’m reminded that I live in Arizona, which is nowhere near – well, pretty far away as the crow flies from – Texas.”
Reporters had barely scribbled down these facts before the senator launched a further storm of evidence of his independence from Bush and the current administration.
“Our president has delivered eight State of the Union messages and I have delivered none," McCain asserted. "Unlike myself, he has met the premier of Iceland and owns three chain saws. He cannot pronounce ‘Myanmar,’ and I can. 'Myanmar.'
"Perhaps most telling of all in the sharp differences between us," McCain continued, "President Bush is an abstainer, while I’ll take the occasional drink or two on purely social occasions -- like when I’m holed up in a hotel room on the campaign trail sleepless at 3 a.m.”
A White House aide to the president quickly confirmed the gist of McCain’s contention, while adding a further example of their fundamental differences. “President Bush sends his wife to hot spots like Afghanistan,” he noted, “and Sen. McCain only sends his wife to the bank.”
Bruce McCall, a humorist, is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. He is the author of "All Meat Looks Like South America: The World of Bruce McCall" and "Zany Afternoons."
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© 2007 The Washington Independent
Comments:
Posted 06/25/2008 04:27pm with
Suspect the newness of this site [which already Ive promoted to toolbar worthy – as “WIND”] is Y the comments numbers are down.
But this is McCall. IYAM not a worshipper of celebrities stars or heroes [have several stories on this] but IYAM a “fan” of a number of earthlings present & past [still working on future] – including [random sampling] Mozart – the late Dart [sage canine] – Bill James on baseball – Darwin [both to some extent but more the grandson for his writings on sports in general & golf in particular] – Sy Hersh for delivering hard truths but keeping it tabloid fun – Colbert of course – & Bruce McCall’s hubristic ironical fantasy futurism drawings.
This post suggests he has a ‘too serious’ side. Makes sense but requires balancing.
Here’s the deal: I promise to always look for a Bruce McCall piece & post a comment to it in exchange for Mr McCall agreeing to add at least one bit of whimsy to each of his pieces – preferably of drawing no matter sparse or crude [I’m still finding details in some of his works copied even years ago] because it provides a window into chararacteristically individual take on whatever the subject might be.
EG Ann Telnaes would not rise further above the rest as the Washington Post’s finest editorial writer if she were to abandon her current approach.
Gotta go for a walk.
Posted 06/25/2008 04:28pm with
Suspect the newness of this site [which already Ive promoted to toolbar worthy – as “WIND”] is Y the comments numbers are down.
But this is McCall. IYAM not a worshipper of celebrities stars or heroes [have several stories on this] but IYAM a “fan” of a number of earthlings present & past [still working on future] – including [random sampling] Mozart – the late Dart [sage canine] – Bill James on baseball – Darwin [both to some extent but more the grandson for his writings on sports in general & golf in particular] – Sy Hersh for delivering hard truths but keeping it tabloid fun – Colbert of course – & Bruce McCall’s hubristic ironical fantasy futurism drawings.
This post suggests he has a ‘too serious’ side. Makes sense but requires balancing.
Here’s the deal: I promise to always look for a Bruce McCall piece & post a comment to it in exchange for Mr McCall agreeing to add at least one bit of whimsy to each of his pieces – preferably of drawing no matter sparse or crude [I’m still finding details in some of his works copied even years ago] because it provides a window into chararacteristically individual take on whatever the subject might be.
EG Ann Telnaes would not rise further above the rest as the Washington Post’s finest editorial writer if she were to abandon her current approach.
Gotta go for a walk.
Posted 06/30/2008 12:37am with
You are missing the point! There is a plan that will work (McCain’s plan) and a plan that prevents the American people of earning over 200K with their own businesses…. Obama’s BS plan.
JOHN McCAIN’S 3R ECONOMIC PLAN 2008
Abbreviated version
Progressive Republican Candidate John McCain comes through for America with his 3R economic plan. In the persona of Theodore Roosevelt, McCain’s plan just makes sense.
NUTS AND BOLTS of the plan are simple.
The US needs a separate tax revenue source before it can move away from fossil energy fuels which supply hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes for state and federal agencies.
Here is the John McCain 3R solution.
McCain’s 3R is about technical, closely monitored and rapid hands on training from pros to create new pros. Thousands of currently-job-displaced “once leaders in the manufacturing arena” will be asked to train and play instructor rolls in the 3R plan.
Paid, of course, as these new leaders will help create a whole new style of prosperous America. A massive restructure providing thousands of new American MFG companies means millions of new jobs for infrastructure alone.
1. RETHINK: America must see globally on what America is capable of in our current state of technology, engineering and meet the demands that face the world.
“RE-Think” the basic job goals involve the dwindling retirement, health care and social security plans that are failing Americans. With a strong base and a higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) America has a new bargaining chip in the way we live and the ways we retire.
Private Sector framework is in place and current laws allow the 3R to happen. The Progressive attitude of John McCain to get things done by crossing party lines will resurrect America.
2. REFORM: The American people must demand higher quality products and less restricted trade routes for Made in USA components. We will lead the way of MFG again!
The USA will reform its dead manufacturing base to create the most innovative and green-engineered products possible. We will compete in a world market along with other high quality products. Our Private Sector teams are making this reality now.
3. REINVENT: America and Americans must reinvent themselves to reach and maintain these standards and by sheer American ingenuity, control the world’s marketplace in the competitive manner, as the USA has always been proud to be #1.
Americans are going back to McCain’s 3R-schooling program where they are paid to reinvent their skills and learn new skills to design and lead their personal LLC, Corporation or joint venture company. That’s easy enough to comprehend and just as easy to implement.
The 3R plan is designed as a six-month rapid advancement system. Graduates may return for additional skill enhancements from time to time, or step up after new advanced training in executive management.
While manufacturing is a very important part of this plan, thousands of other new businesses must to be created to meet the new surge of 3R manufacturing industries to create a new era of prosperous Americans.
Initial estimates of 1 in 5 students will begin his or her own company and drive even more Americans into a viable lifestyle with real jobs, real benefits and a retirement to look forward to.
This 3R plan will be done without costing taxpayers (or the government) additional funds. America has the means to follow through with John McCain’s 3R plan, ready and in place across the USA. The buildings we need sit vacant for the most part. By assuming leases on abandoned stores and factories across America with MC-3R schools and mini-manufacturing training centers, the USA made products can be sold and support the stores. Building owners write off the loss in taxes over a few years if they donate the space!
This is the new place for financial speculators to invest!
The speculators who first drove the economy with mortgage investments and most recently with crude oil investments have a better arena for their investments. America as nation of industrious individuals who want to work and want to succeed will make them huge profits. The supply of eager Americans with ideas and dreams to prosper is limitless.
Although the thousands of new businesses manufacturing USA Made products is exciting enough, the real excitement comes from the massive amount of additional jobs that will be created to provide the new housing, new buildings, new parks, shopping, grocery stores, schools, government outlets and so much more.
McCain’s Progressive nature embodies Theodore Roosevelt more than any US presidential candidate in history since the original Rough Rider blazed the greatest era of growth in America.
We need John McCain to lead our nation with the same type of change.