Obama hits McCain HARD: He's "Losing his bearings"! (updated)

In an outstanding response to John McCain's demagogic stupidity on the "Hamas endorses Obama" non-issue, Obama masterfully plants the seed of doubt regarding John McCain's competence to be president:

link

"This is offensive, and I think it's disappointing," Obama told Blitzer, when asked his thoughts about McCain’s comments that the terrorist organization Hamas wants Obama to be president. "Because John McCain always says ‘I am not going to run that kind of politics,’ and to engage in that kind of smear is unfortunate, particularly because my policy toward Hamas has been no different than his.

"I’ve said it’s a terrorist organization and we should not negotiate with them unless they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and unless they are willing to abide by previous accords between the Palestinians and the Israelis. So for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination. We don’t need name calling in this debate."

Mmm, yeah. That's what I like to see.

Do you think Hillary would have the guts to go there? Hell no. This is why he's the nominee. Deserves to be the nominee.

Memo to Grandpappy McSame?

We're about to drink your milkshake.

UPDATE: This is what he was talking about when he said "I won't have as much restraint with the Republicans" (near the end, around 4:15):

•  Tip Jar

  for hitting McCain in the mouth.

  by jkennerl on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:20:28 PM PDT

  •  and here's hoping

    it'll end up like this

    by voila on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:24:56 PM PDT

    •  Also Obama declares May 20th Game Over

      http://thepage.time.com/...

      The Illinois Senator tells NBC’s Brian Williams that the Kentucky and Oregon contests could be the deciders in the nomination fight.
      “That will be an important day. If at that point we have the majority of pledged delegates, which is possible, then I think we can make a pretty strong claim that we’ve got the most runs and it’s the ninth inning and we’ve won.”

      by Steven R on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:26:47 PM PDT

      •  So I should plan to pop the cork on my champagne.

        ... on the 20th?

        I hope I hope I hope I hope...

        by highacidity on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:58:24 PM PDT

        •  Mmmm champagne!

          I brought a special bottle back from France that I'm saving for a special occasion. Nomination, or Presidency?? Now, that's the question. :)

          by Feeling Blue on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:04:01 PM PDT

          •  Oooh, that is a difficult decision...

            ... may be get another bottle of something good for the nomination, and break out the elitist French bubbly for November ;-)

            by highacidity on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:06:30 PM PDT

            •  Excellent plan!

              I think I'll do just that!

              by Feeling Blue on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:34:18 PM PDT

            •  If it were me,

              I'd save the good stuff for 1-20-09.

              by rb608 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:35:29 PM PDT

              •  three bottles of champagne are called for

                one the night he accepts the nomination in Denver.

                one when O wins the election in November.

                and one when we all meet in DC for the inauguration on 1-20-09!

                by TrueBlueMajority on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:41:47 PM PDT

              •  Drink it tonight and go back to France for more

                by abarefootboy on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:08:36 PM PDT

                •  That sounds like a "Liberal Elitist"

                  if I ever heard one.  Great Idea.  But going to the local liquor store is probably a bit cheaper.

                  by dangoch on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:44:51 PM PDT

                  •  I was just havin' some fun writing ....

                    .. and being playful with the words .

                    jeesh .. I wish I could be anywhere in Europe this evening.

                    peace out

                    by abarefootboy on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:10:49 PM PDT

              •  Thanks, I appreciate that nt

                by 1 20 2009 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:13:36 PM PDT

            •  We have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot

              chilling in the fridge (since New Year's eve -- how pathetic is that?).  I think we can drink it on May 20 --- I can hear it calling to me now.

              by edsbrooklyn on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:00:00 PM PDT

          •  My plan...

            I've had a bottle on ice since January...that'll be for the nomination clinch on May 20th.  The good French bubbly (Veuve for me) is waiting for November 4th.

            by rashomon on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:33:30 PM PDT

            •  Champagne for the nom

              My plan is: - Champagne for the nom

              -good champagne for the election

              -25 year old Glenmorangie watered with the tears of Republican lobbyists for the inauguration

              by Magorn on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:07:56 PM PDT

              •  Uh oh, don't let droogie hear this...

                .... he'll decry the watering down of your Glenmorangie with water... even if it is the tears of repub lobbyists.

                (damn, and we will have worked hard for those tears too)

                by highacidity on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:22:18 PM PDT

              •  It is to laugh.

                "25 year old Glenmorangie watered with the tears of Republican lobbyists for the inauguration"

                Comment of the century.

                by pylonsound on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:55:59 PM PDT

              •  Stolen!

                Had to edit it for the 160 character limit, but your comment is now my sig line (unless you tell me not to).

                by On Puget Sound on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:40:33 PM PDT

                •  be my guest

                  I'm honored

                  by Magorn on Fri May 09, 2008 at 07:37:22 AM PDT

          •  Quick info

            Just in case you don't know. Champagne is not like a good wine vintage. It doesn't keep and age as well.

            by Deltones on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:45:35 PM PDT

            •  So...

              the stuff in the fridge that was waiting for Rove's indictment is no good any more?

              by sallyfallschurch on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:51:20 PM PDT

              •  Depends on whether it comes in a can or a bottle

                I'm referring to Miller High Life, of course /snark

                Good French Champagne that is fermented in THIS bottle will last for a long time.  The bubbles get smaller with age.  That makes it tickle your noise better.  "Champagne" that has a bottle cap needs to be drunk weeks after bottling :)  The bubbles come from the CO2 container next to the bottling machine.

                by dangoch on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:50:50 PM PDT

                •  I remember

                  a tale from a wine course I took a few years ago. The teacher said that one day, a guy came with a question about a 1966  Dom Perignon he kept for a special occasion. He had to inform the poor guy that he could open his bottle and just empty it in the sink.

                  I'll always remember something else he said to the guy: "Sir, death is a special occasion. There is never a wrong occasion in life to enjoy a good bottle"

                  by Deltones on Thu May 08, 2008 at 06:53:27 PM PDT

              •  Buy yourself

                a good Porto instead. By the time Rove is indicted, in sometimes like 40 years, you'll have a hell of a fine product.

                by Deltones on Thu May 08, 2008 at 06:55:17 PM PDT

          •  Presidency!!!!

            I can see your conundrum, though.

            by wethepeople on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:31:00 PM PDT

          •  FRENCH?????

            I brought a special bottle back from France that I'm saving for a special occasion.

            You're giving your hard-earned dollars to the cheese-eating surrender monkeys?  Why do you hate America?  You should be drinking good old Freedom Champagne from Cooks or Andre!

            (Oops...wrong party...)

            ;-)

            by regnaDkciN on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:05:55 PM PDT

            •  I think Andre went belly up years ago

              I used to like their Christmas commercials but they have been gone for years.  I think Cooks is from San Francisco, all those tall ships sailing to the Far East don't you know

              by dangoch on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:53:14 PM PDT

        •  Reading this subthread

          Gives you absolutely zero idea why we're painted as elitists?

          by gmhowell on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:22:22 PM PDT

          •  Hey! I drink Coors and Pabst!

            along with my brie

            by NWTerriD on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:25:51 PM PDT

            •  Tips for PBR!

              by platypus on Thu May 08, 2008 at 05:50:25 PM PDT

        •  I'm a working class African American

          So, I'll get a six pack from my favorite small brewery and pop the cap.  

          by Russ1985 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 05:03:36 PM PDT

      •  The voters of Kentucky and West Virginia...

        will hopefully make a statement through their votes that they are NOT going to partake in Clinton's race-baiting, that they will not be used as tools of racism.

        What's needed is for Democrats of all states to vote against racism by refusing to vote for Clinton.

        Tell her "NO. My vote will NOT be a vote for racial divisions."

        Tell her through a vote for Obama to unite the country behind a true, democratic leader.

        by Eyeball Kid on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:01:31 PM PDT

      •  That baseball analogy

        dovetails nicely with George Will's column using the 1960 World Series.  It was diaried today: HERE

        Will noted that Clinton may believe (or say) that the Yankees won because they:

        trounced the Pirates in runs scored, 55-27, over seven games . . .

        However, Will notes, the rules of baseball actually are concerned with when the runs were scored and in which games.  The Pirates won four games, winning by a total margin of 7 runs.  Yanks won 3 games, with a total margin of 35 runs.

        As you would expect, Pirates still won the series.

        Hopefully 9 innings (27 outs) will become the standard analogy from here on out.  Transient goalposts are loathesome to me now.

        by mengelhart on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:06:28 PM PDT

        •  And of course

          the main difference is that runs scored isn't a particularly good metric for Clinton, either.  More like, if we only count the second, fourth, and ninth innings.  We all know the middle innings don't really count.  And batting practice must be included.

          by deminva on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:41:48 PM PDT

          •  And, of course...

            ...any runs scored or driven in by anyone other than working-class whites don't count.

            by regnaDkciN on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:07:38 PM PDT

            •  I Was Going

              to respond to the substance of your post and say that perhaps Clinton will next lament that, like quarterbacks, presidents have traditionally been white, and if we allow a (more qualified) black man become president, it'll open the floodgates.

              Then I saw your UID and flipped.  Just yesterday, my brother emailed to say he was in a conference call with an echo on the line and he kept thinking "Wait! Didn't I say that on the other side of the record.  Where am I?"

              by deminva on Thu May 08, 2008 at 07:15:14 PM PDT

        •  Yeah, but to be fair, her analysis is intended

          as an appeal to superdelegates, who don't have to follow "the rules."

          Here's the logic: let's say that right after the 1960 World Series, the Pirates and Yankees are going to play another seven-game series.  (That's the equivalent of the general election, in this analogy.)  Based on the "55-27, 4 games to 3" results, who do you think is going to do better in that next series?

          That's the argument she's making about electability.  The problem is not that it's stupid, it's that she's not actually ahead 55-27, or even at all, and that if the superdelegates didn't choose the winner of the World Series, there would be blood.

          Will's argument is usually used to defend the Electoral College.  And it does work to defend what the rules are, just not what they should be.

          by Seneca Doane on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:54:50 PM PDT

        •  highly rec'd - great analogy!

          by NWTerriD on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:26:38 PM PDT

      •  Allright, I'm willing to donate to Hillary...

        ...to help her retire her debt, if she bows out gracefully on 5/20.  She'll have until the convention to raise enough money to pay herself back - if enough of us pledge to help her out, do you think we'll get what we want?

        by AnotherMassachusettsLiberal on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:57:59 PM PDT

        •  I will not donate to Hillary.

          I will donate to Barack to give it to Hillary.  But it is important to me that it be very visible and transparent that the money is coming from HIM, not from her ability to attract donors.

          by NWTerriD on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:28:29 PM PDT

    •  Losing his bearings

      As in, ball bearings?

      As in, losing his marbles?

      What a great use of language!

      by smileycreek on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:27:26 PM PDT

      •  "Bearing" is also a term used often by

        Officers in the military.

        Especially when one is a subordinate officer and vehemently disagrees with a lawful order of a superior officer.

        Absolutely perfect term for Obama to employ against former military man, McCain.

        by XOVER on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:19:09 PM PDT

      •  It could be the "bus in the ditch" too!

        Obama does a really nice job of weaving a consistent narrative.

        by mjd in florida on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:51:04 PM PDT

      •  I don't think it refers to senility

        You can read into it that he's attacking him for being an addled old man who doesn't remember the way home, but I think that's a stretch. From the context it's clear that he's talking about McCain's moral compass.

        A man who once counseled his fellow POW's as a room chaplain has been corrupted by too many years in Washington. He has lost his way.

        by davidfry on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:59:26 PM PDT

        •  His moral bearings

          I heartily agree that Sen. Obama is talking about McCain's moral bearings.  He wouldn't criticize McCain for his hypocrosy in taking the low road and then in the same breath, basically call him a senile old man.  BTW, the "senile" stuff is exactly how the McCain camp is twisting Sen. Obama's statement right now, whipping out a full deck of victim cards.  I don't think we should push the idea that Obama mentioned this is an ageist way. It goes against everything the campaign stands for.

          by myelinate on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:31:30 PM PDT

          •  yep, 'as he pursues this nomination' ie morals

            however - if teh average white t-shirt (no collar) folk git to thinkin' that Grampy McSame has lost a marble or two...

            by JVolvo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 05:40:22 PM PDT

      •  yes .. and as .." Lost at sea " bearings

        by abarefootboy on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:09:56 PM PDT

    •  well, metaphorically like that...(eeeww)

      by JVolvo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 05:27:38 PM PDT

      •  damn, this goes waaay up there with the predator

        vs bloody dinner pic...

        by JVolvo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 05:41:30 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for a diary

    that involves the two actual candidates.  I'm looking for more of these so I don't have to just express my outrage against Clinton.

    by gchaucer2 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:27:30 PM PDT

    •  It's the least I could do to promote Democratic

      unity.

      by jkennerl on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:31:37 PM PDT

    •  I diaried as much

      and rec'd this one; I'd really like to see an Clinton-free rec list soon!

      by sab39 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:21:08 PM PDT

  •  I love, love, love this

    "Losing his bearings" is pitch perfect.

    Fortunately, McCain offers a goldmine of material along these lines.

    "Senator McCain referred to Czechoslovakia the other day. He must have been on his wife's private plane when that country broke up."

    "Senator McCain thinks we need a League of Nations. I'm sure he has fond memories of the original. But he seems to have forgotten that it ended in failure."

    by Joe Beese on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:36:45 PM PDT

    •  Huge and should get more media attention

      He was giving that speech on judges the other day at Wake Forrest and forgot which state he was in.  Let me say that again:

      The man forgot which state he was in!!!

      by Tex Kosmaniac Dem Lady on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:44:01 PM PDT

      •  after he visited

        Europe a month or so back, he recounted his stopover to meet with the German leader, President Putin.

        by jfromga on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:58:09 PM PDT

        •  LOL This really is going to be too

          easy, isn't it?  I almost feel guilty.

          by Tex Kosmaniac Dem Lady on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:00:39 PM PDT

          •  You are right

            mcsame puts his foot in his mouth everyday

            by mpc 12 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:04:11 PM PDT

            •  Are those bearings?

              They look more like marbles to me.

              by Blank Frank on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:06:43 PM PDT

        •  "Where's my friend Konrad Adenauer" nt

          by ekthesy on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:15:42 PM PDT

          •  You mean Der Alte?

            That's  "the old guy" in German, for those not familiar with the language, BTW.

            I think that McCain has more in common with Kaiser Wilhelm II  than with Adenauer, though.

            Adenauer led Germany out of WW2, whereas McCain led Germany into WW1.

            Which one sounds more like something McCain would do?

            by dabize on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:37:28 PM PDT

            •  Shouldn't that be the Kaiser rather than McCain?

              leading Germany into WWI?  See, slips happen (referring more upthread than to this comment).

              by ColoTim on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:52:27 PM PDT

            •  Sorry, the role of Kaiser Wilhelm has already

              been filled -- by the current President.  You need to pick a different disaster.

              by Seneca Doane on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:56:37 PM PDT

              •  Do remember

                Gramps' father and grandfather were admirals.  They must have been in the first and second war so the slip may not be that much of a slip after all.

                by dangoch on Thu May 08, 2008 at 04:00:44 PM PDT

        •  This one isn't as easy to forgive

          You might not remember which auditorium you're in, and you might not see a sign clueing you in to which state you're in as an easy visual reference, but there's only one Putin.  Angela Merkel (sp?) and her predecessor have names nowhere close to Putin, so this one isn't excusable.

          by ColoTim on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:51:21 PM PDT

        •  are you kidding me.. he said that?

          Naah.. No one can be that dumb.. err.. maybe he can.

          by futureliveshere on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:07:48 PM PDT

      •  To be fair

        I don't see that one as that big of a deal.  When you're bebopping around the country on a jet and running on 6 hours of sleep, it can be pretty easy to get mixed up about things like that. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Obama make some similar mistakes.

        by Drocket on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:02:11 PM PDT

        •  running the presidency will be less stressful?

          if he can't keep it straight on the campaign trail, why do we assume he will keep it straight in the oval office?

          by geejay on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:21:39 PM PDT

          •  Obama said father when he meant grandfather ...

            in his speech on Tuesday. Slipups happen to everybody.

            by edg on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:04:55 PM PDT

            •  He's also said millions instead of billions

              ...or trillions. Then again, it's hard to comprehend how much money the Republicans have wasted on their poorly-executed dreams of empire, castles built on sand and sky.

              by SciVo on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:08:46 PM PDT

              •  It's mind boggling.

                it's hard to comprehend how much money the Republicans have wasted

                And sad.

                by edg on Thu May 08, 2008 at 03:28:53 PM PDT

        •  Seeing as Kerry got smeared for mispronouncing

          the name of the stadium in Wisconsin, I'd say McCain not knowing what state he's in is fair game.

          by R Rhino from CT4 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:34:55 PM PDT

          •  Barack should travel to WVU...

            and make a point that he knows the difference between Morgantown and Winston Salem.

            by phatcat cane on Thu May 08, 2008 at 02:43:53 PM PDT

        •  Yeah, by itself that was no big deal

          Both are two words, both begin with one-syllable words that start with W.  When you're wound up to 8,000 rpm on a campaign, that's an easy flub.  Of course, as part of a pattern, it's a different story.

          by rb608 on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:39:20 PM PDT

      •  Some medical people have speculated...

        that McCain is in the early stages of Alzheimers--hope not for his and his family's sake, but it would explain a lot of what seems to be more than just fatigue.  St. Ronald of Raygun had a last term in which Papa Bush was the real president--Reagan was already too impaired to know much of what was going on.  I think we need to be softly talking to Republicans about this--after the nominees are set.  McCain may not get the nomination after all--I think that is why Romney is putting himself in front of the cameras all the time.  I don't know why he bothers, Romney would be even easier to beat than McCain.

        by Wings Like Eagles on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:42:56 PM PDT

      •  This I can actually understand

        When he's travelling so much (the other day he was in three different states over the course of the day), I think a slip can be forgiven.  Now if he made a habit of it, I should think it would be worrisome.  One gymnasium/concert hall/auditorium looks very much like another one after you've seen hundreds over the course of a short time.

        by ColoTim on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:49:50 PM PDT

    •  Wasn't it Fred Thompson

      who actually didn't appear to know that the Soviet Union had broken up?  

      by ohiolibrarian on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:46:52 PM PDT

      •  Sounds more like Dana Perino

        by Joe Beese on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:52:14 PM PDT

        •  She knows, but just denies

          I think she's smart enough, but just knows her job is to lie, obfuscate, smear, misdirect...

          by ColoTim on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:54:18 PM PDT

        •  This one made me smile

          I always enjoy a good rip into Ms. Perino.  She annoys the crap out of me.

          by SheLawyer on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:57:38 PM PDT

        •  No, SHE was the one who didn't know

          what the Cuban missile crisis was about. I actually heard her say so on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!

          by ohiolibrarian on Fri May 09, 2008 at 06:15:37 AM PDT

    •  Bearings...

      Sounds like he's losing his "ball bearings" aka marbles.

      Great wordsmithing... clearly a response to McSame's apparent age-addled mis-statements, while subversively implying he's crazy :-)

      by sacrelicious on Thu May 08, 2008 at 12:59:44 PM PDT

      •  Or simply steel ball bearings

        as in The Caine Mutiny.  

        Let's all cheer for a national mutiny against McCaine come November.

        by tle on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:07:41 PM PDT

        •  Wonkette calls him "Walnuts". I'll call him...

          ... "Strawberries".

          by Joe Beese on Thu May 08, 2008 at 01:49:28 PM PDT

    •  The Trick

      will be keeping the media from saying that Obama is beating up on McCain.  I trust Obama in this area.  If there's some covert irony in the "losing h