There's an interesting interview in GQ where McCain has the following exchange:
GQ: In the past, you opposed any "surge" of fewer than 30,000 troops. Now you support the president’s surge plan with 20,000. What changed?
McCain: I still think it would be better if we had more troops. But I looked General Petraeus in the eye, and he said we have enough. So I don’t dispute that. But I would still love to have more.
GQ: The polls indicate that Americans oppose this plan. Do you believe those polls?
McCain: Sure. Americans are angry and frustrated.
GQ: Then how can you support sending the military on a mission that the American people don’t support?
McCain: Because I know what’s best for the security of this nation. And if we don’t show signs of success, the American public will force us to pull out.
So why should McCain be fitted for a straitjacket? On the flip...
One might look at the statement and say, "What the hell makes John McCain think he knows what's best for the American people?" ThinkProgress certainly thought this; in fact that's the question they posed on their site.
But I had a different take, and I came to it by channeling my Inner English Teacher. Let's take the last part of exchange I quoted:
GQ: Then how can you support sending the military on a mission that the American people don’t support?
McCain: Because I know what’s best for the security of this nation. And if we don’t show signs of success, the American public will force us to pull out.
OK; I'm going to redo this exchange as if McCain said everything. Why? Simple: by using "because" in his reply, he's acknowledging and accepting the question being asked. He didn't imply that the interviewer was asking the wrong question, or saying something out of context.
So if we combine the two into one long statement, we get:
McCain: I can support sending the military on a mission that the American people don't support because I know what's best for the security of this nation; and if we don't show signs of success, the American public will force us to pull out.
I guess my question is: how can McCain dismiss current polls that go against his position, yet be willing to adhere to them sometime in the not too distant future?
Unless, of course, he's nuts?
If he isn't nuts, fine...but he certaintly comes off as being horribly incoherent. And I think we've had enough of that in a President.