Thanks to the Daily Kos for bringing this McCain interview to light.
Normally I would just let you click on the hyperlink, but this is too important (see below). While this happened nearly a year ago, most Americans don't even know about it because the media has given John McCain yet another free pass on his ignorance. If this were Senator Obama, they would have crucified him and handed Senator Clinton the nomination. Instead, like the lack of knowledge McCain demonstrated last week, the media love fest allows this man to be only steps away from the White House, fulfilling a recent American tradition of electing the not-so-bright to the highest office in the world.
It is time we hold our presidential candidates accountable – not for other people of whom they may be associated, but for THEMSELVES!
---
March 16, 2007, McCain Stumbles on H.I.V. Prevention, By ADAM NAGOURNEY
A transcript of the encounter follows. (Weaver is John Weaver, his senior adviser, and Brian is Brian Jones, his press secretary, and Dr. Coburn is Oklahoma Republican Senator and physician Tom Coburn):
Reporter: “Should U.S. taxpayer money go to places like Africa to fund contraception to prevent AIDS?”
Mr. McCain: “Well I think it’s a combination. The guy I really respect on this is Dr. Coburn. He believes – and I was just reading the thing he wrote– that you should do what you can to encourage abstinence where there is going to be sexual activity. Where that doesn’t succeed, than he thinks that we should employ contraceptives as well. But I agree with him that the first priority is on abstinence. I look to people like Dr. Coburn. I’m not very wise on it.”
(Mr. McCain turns to take a question on Iraq, but a moment later looks back to the reporter who asked him about AIDS.)
Mr. McCain: “I haven’t thought about it. Before I give you an answer, let me think about. Let me think about it a little bit because I never got a question about it before. I don’t know if I would use taxpayers’ money for it.”
Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?”
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.”
Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”
Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”
Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”
Q: “But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Would you say: ‘No, we’re not going to distribute them,’ knowing that?”
Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before.”
This went on for a few more moments until a reporter from the Chicago Tribune broke in and asked Mr. McCain about the weight of a pig that he saw at the Iowa State Fair last year.
---
*"I haven’t thought about it" - You are running for President of the United States and you haven't thought about it? Your only supposed endearing quality is experience in foreign affairs and you don't know how you feel about an issue that has devastated the lives of millions of Africans.
*“You’ve stumped me.” - I'm pretty sure the average 13 year old knows the answer to the question you were just stumped on, Senator.
*(Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it." - First of all, you may be ignorant about contraception, the AIDS epidemic in Africa and across the globe, but at least have enough decency to not laugh when asked about a disease that has killed so many people. Second, get informed! Reminder: you are running for President of the United States of America.
*"I’ve never gotten into these issues before.” - Well then, maybe you shouldn't be running for President, or even be a US Senator, or even on a local school board, and certainly not a parent.
No comments:
Post a Comment