McCain's vision of future: Iraq war over, bin Laden gone

Sen. John McCain predicted Thursday that most U.S. troops would be out of Iraq by the end of his first term, leaving behind a fragile but functioning democracy.

[John]

Smoking some good weed this time McCain?

[American Voter]

John McCain Trades Straight Talk for Unadulterated Fantasy

John McCain unveiled his new campaign strategy today: invite the American people to take a magic carpet ride with him to the land of Eternal Sunshine.

In a speech this morning in Ohio -- backed up by a companion TV ad -- McCain hopped into an imaginary time machine and took us all to the year 2013, offering a sneak peek of what the world will look like at the end of his first term as President.

And what a wonderful world it will be: "The Iraq War has been won": "Iraq is a functioning democracy"; "al Qaeda in Iraq has been defeated"; Osama bin Laden has been captured or killed; there's been no major terrorist attack in the U.S.; Iran and North Korea have renounced nuclear weapons; "the size of the Army and Marine Corps has been significantly increased and are now better equipped"; there's been "a substantial increase" in veterans' benefits; the genocide in Darfur has been stopped; "the United States has experienced several years of robust economic growth, and Americans again have confidence in their economic future"; "the world food crisis has ended"; "test scores and graduation rates are rising everywhere in the country"; "health care has become more accessible"; Medicare and Social Security have been fixed "without reducing benefits" or "increasing taxes and raising premiums"; America is "well on the way to independence from foreign sources of oil"; "our southern border is now secure" and "illegal immigration has been finally brought under control." And, oh yeah, there are a lot fewer fat kids trudging their way through PE class.

Sounds pretty great, doesn't it?

There's only one problem: it's pure, unadulterated fantasy. The political equivalent of the trippy tour the Beatles gave us in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds -- only instead of rocking horse people eating marshmallow pies, we have "professional and competent" Iraq Security Forces and an Iraqi government "capable of imposing its authority in every province" and "defending the integrity of its borders."

Despite starting his speech by saying how important it is for candidates to lay out "what they plan to achieve not with vague language but with clarity," McCain then proceeded to spin his cotton candy daydream with nary a hint of how his lofty and admirable goals will be accomplished. He's taking us on a trip to Fantasyland...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffing...

[Idiot McWar USA]

McWar must be smoking crack or having or is dislusional how desperate can this idiot be he just goes with the flow of what the voters say they want what a president he would make it is a real sorry ass.

[StaberDearth]

I'd much rather go down the road of change that has still been undescribed and undefined... Afterall, the vagueness has been spoken of so eloquently and sincerely.

None of those nasty pesky goals or solid visions to get pinned down with as we move into the future of change...

Better the march of a solid drum than the lilt of a palavering flute. Although sometimes I wonder whether we should burn them all and start over with new candidates...

[StaberDearth]

American Voter wrote:

John McCain Trades Straight Talk for Unadulterated Fantasy
John McCain unveiled his new campaign strategy today: invite the American people to take a magic carpet ride with him to the land of Eternal Sunshine.
In a speech this morning in Ohio -- backed up by a companion TV ad -- McCain hopped into an imaginary time machine and took us all to the year 2013, offering a sneak peek of what the world will look like at the end of his first term as President.
And what a wonderful world it will be: "The Iraq War has been won": "Iraq is a functioning democracy"; "al Qaeda in Iraq has been defeated"; Osama bin Laden has been captured or killed; there's been no major terrorist attack in the U.S.; Iran and North Korea have renounced nuclear weapons; "the size of the Army and Marine Corps has been significantly increased and are now better equipped"; there's been "a substantial increase" in veterans' benefits; the genocide in Darfur has been stopped; "the United States has experienced several years of robust economic growth, and Americans again have confidence in their economic future"; "the world food crisis has ended"; "test scores and graduation rates are rising everywhere in the country"; "health care has become more accessible"; Medicare and Social Security have been fixed "without reducing benefits" or "increasing taxes and raising premiums"; America is "well on the way to independence from foreign sources of oil"; "our southern border is now secure" and "illegal immigration has been finally brought under control." And, oh yeah, there are a lot fewer fat kids trudging their way through PE class.
Sounds pretty great, doesn't it?
There's only one problem: it's pure, unadulterated fantasy. The political equivalent of the trippy tour the Beatles gave us in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds -- only instead of rocking horse people eating marshmallow pies, we have "professional and competent" Iraq Security Forces and an Iraqi government "capable of imposing its authority in every province" and "defending the integrity of its borders."
Despite starting his speech by saying how important it is for candidates to lay out "what they plan to achieve not with vague language but with clarity," McCain then proceeded to spin his cotton candy daydream with nary a hint of how his lofty and admirable goals will be accomplished. He's taking us on a trip to Fantasyland...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffing...

Huffington Post? You are actually serious... LOL!

[Nite Grandpa]

My Grandpa used to tell me the nicest bedtime stories in that gentle voice of his. I'd feel so calm, and quiet, and safe, and loved. As much as I'd try to stay awake to hear the end, more often, I'd drift off to my own dreamland, just as his story was intended. I don't understand all of the flap over what Sen McCain said about ending the war. Wasn't a date for withdrawal what the Democrats have been after all along? Now that I'm grown, I miss those days of long ago, Grandpa's voice and the stories. I think I'd vote for my Grandpa if I could.

[Elitist Bob]

StaberDearth wrote:

I'd much rather go down the road of change that has still been undescribed and undefined... Afterall, the vagueness has been spoken of so eloquently and sincerely.
None of those nasty pesky goals or solid visions to get pinned down with as we move into the future of change...
Better the march of a solid drum than the lilt of a palavering flute. Although sometimes I wonder whether we should burn them all and start over with new candidates...

Ah yes, Stabby, the secure beat of the corporate drums, so comforting against the backdrop of eternal war that supplies never ending profit. The occasional clash of the cymbal punctuates the lockstep march of the middle class as they dutifully head for the cliff. But change is messy, and it may interfere with profits, so let's just listen to the mesmerizing drumbeat as we take the last step over the edge.

[Norbert]

It's very strnage that McCain expressed himself in present tense during much of this out-of-body experience. He's going downhill fast.