Running Mate?

Air Bud: Dog And Pony Show [Wherein The McCain Campaign Has A Former Kerry Swiftboater Defend McCain's War Experience]

This is George Everett "Bud" Day—a former U.S. Air Force pilot who served during the Vietnam War, was a POW cellmate of Sen. John McCain, and spoke out against John Kerry in the above Swift Boat Veterans For Truth ad.

You would think they'd pick a less controversial member of the "McCain Truth Squad" to deal with the recent Wesley Clark non-troversy, but they didn't(!), and so, life is hilarious again.

Despite McCain being one of the first to condemn the ads attacking Kerry's war record in 2004, his campaign had Bud refute Clark's statements during one of their regular conference calls with the press—audio of which can be heard here at tpm election central. In addition to McCain's record, Bud also defended his own participation with SBV's4T saying, "The Swift Boat 'attacks' were simply revelation of the truth."

I hope this makes it on the Daily Show tonight! This is like a "gotcha back quote" for this unfair "gotcha quote."

Being shot down in a plane: Scary? Yes! Crucial presidential experience? Perhaps Not...

Wesley Clark's comments on McCain's war record...with some much needed context:

"In the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of understanding risk," [Wseley Clark] said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "It's a matter of gauging your opponents and it's a matter of being held accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces, as a prisoner of war.

"He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he has traveled all over the world, but he hasn't held executive responsibility," Clark said. "That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded _ that wasn't a wartime squadron."

Moderator Bob Schieffer, who raised the issue by citing similar remarks Clark has made previously, noted that Obama hadn't had those experiences nor had he ridden in a fighter plane and been shot down. "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president," Clark replied.

[CBS's Face the Nation]

McCain, with trademark whipsmart humor, lashes out at wife

(On why he didn't choose Gov. Jim Gibbons to chair his Nevada campaign?)

I appreciate his support. As you know, the lieutenant governor is our chairman.

(Why snub the governor?)

I didn’t mean to snub him,. I've known the lieutenant governor for 15 years and we've been good friends….I didn't intend to snub him. There are other states where the governor is not the chairman.

(Maybe it's the governor's approval rating and you are running from him like you are from the president?)

(Chuckling) And I stopped beating my wife just a couple of weeks ago….
[transcript from the Las Vegas Sun]

McCain Launches Facebook App!

Will it's straight talk outplay Scrabulous to become the highest ranked app ever?? So far 22 active users and counting...

(CNN) – John McCain’s campaign has launched its first official Facebook application. Dubbed “Campaign Cribs: The Straight Talk Express,” the new tool allows users to watch Davis White, the director of the McCain camp’s advance team, as he gives a video tour of the presumptive Republican nominee’s campaign bus.

Oil Schmoil, the Perpetual Loop

First McCain proposed a $300 million prize for whoever can develop a better automobile battery, and $5,000 tax credits for consumers who buy new zero-emission vehicles.

But then...
Sen. John McCain called yesterday for an end to the federal ban on offshore oil drilling, offering an aggressive response to high gasoline prices.

"We must embark on a national mission to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil," McCain told reporters yesterday. In a speech today, he plans to add that "we have untapped oil reserves of at least 21 billion barrels in the United States. But a broad federal moratorium stands in the way of energy exploration and production. . . . It is time for the federal government to lift these restrictions."

We're going to drill it because we hope we'll eventually not need it. OK, sure.

President Bush is also calling for an end to the offshore drilling ban.

"Since then offshore drilling and exploration have only been allowed in the Western and Central Gulf of Mexico regions plus parts of Alaska.

The federal bans were enacted in part to protect tourism and lessen the chance of oil spills washing on to beaches"

"We are in this situation because of our dependence on traditional petroleum-based oil," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican.
He advocated "new technologies and new fuel choices for consumers" instead. "

Read more here on how long it would take to get to a production phase and the environmental costs.

First Aide?

McCain aide Charlie Black's quote from Fortune:
"The assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December was an "unfortunate event," says Black. "But his knowledge and ability to talk about it reemphasized that this is the guy who's ready to be Commander-in-Chief. And it helped us." As would, Black concedes with startling candor after we raise the issue, another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. "Certainly it would be a big advantage to him," says Black."

As the AP points out, McCain himself used the Bhutto assassination to boost his own candidacy:
"My theme has been throughout this campaign that I'm the one with the experience, the knowledge and the judgment. So perhaps it may serve to enhance those credentials to make people understand that I've been to Pakistan, I know (President Pervez) Musharraf, I can pick up the phone and call him. I knew Benazir Bhutto."

Our first peekaboo at the HTML-encoded treasures to be uncovered on johnmccain.com. The pork barrel itself proved beyond the reach of my spacebar, but then, I always elected to be the Banker in Oregon Trail....

Some Basic Information on the Candidate

Here is the Wikipedia listing for John McCain and his current wife, Cindy.