The Epistemology of John McCain

When I read Ezra Klein's brief comment on Howard Fineman's unsupported assertion that "McCain is a warrior. He knows the world, its dangers and wonders; he knows the military, its powers and its limitations," I was initially just going to say "right on!" After all, I see no evidence whatsoever that McCain believes the military has any limitations. The only criticism I've ever seen John McCain make of either Bill Clinton's foreign policy or George W. Bush's foreign policy is that he has, at various points, accused both men of being unduly reluctant to start wars and then, once wars have been started, to accuse both men of sending an insufficient level of manpower and firepower to fight in the wars.

In short, it's McCain has the record of someone who doesn't think there are any limits at all. Fineman's article turns out to be full of this stuff. McCain "has a big campaign organization, and substantive knowledge of most every issue." Really? The candidate who first thought about AIDS just a couple of months ago? Even better, McCain "deserves credit for courage, too." What about the pandering? "Yes, he has pandered to the Bush crowd and religious conservatives (though he seems uncomfortable doing it, or overcompensates by being too enthusiastic, and all in all looks like he is following a dance-step chart)." In short, McCain courageously chose to pander unconvincingly, thus indicating to Fineman via a secret decoder ring of some kind that he's still willing to take courageous stands as long as he doesn't need to take them publicly or pay a political price for doing so.

Comments

Don't waste any neurons worrying about McCain. He's toast. If it weren't for his flippant disregard of rank & file Republican concerns about the immigration bill, I'd say I could live with either him, Romney, or Giuliani as our nominee. Not that any of the three is strong on immigration, but McCain is the worst, because he refuses to listen to any intelligent objections to his policy of allowing massive unskilled immigration. McCain's told us to fuck off one too many times. Now it's time to return the favor.

Posted by Fred | May 24, 2007 2:57 PM

Cheez-whiz, Yglesias. A two-fer vivisection.

Posted by Jeffrey Davis | May 24, 2007 3:04 PM

I've never understood why McCain's military experience is supposed to give him great insight on matters of war and peace. Granted, he's not a chicken hawk, but wtf does a fighter pilot know about ground combat, much less military strategy?

Or is it jus genetic--his pa and grandpa had 4 stars apiece, so he must know what he's talking about?

Posted by rea | May 24, 2007 3:15 PM

Well, sure, McCain's a Warrior, but is he, you know, like Shane?

Posted by ed | May 24, 2007 3:20 PM

Don't waste any neurons worrying about McCain. He's toast

This does seem to be the case, despite the media's best efforts to elect another guy with whom they'd like to have a beer.

Today's NY Times polling numbers show that only 27% of Americans agree with Bush's immigration policy, which is essentially McCain's immigration policy. I can't imagine what the numbers are like for potential GOP primary voters. Not good, I'd wager.

Posted by Ben | May 24, 2007 3:36 PM

If a politician is a Republican, combat experience makes him intrinsically credible on national security issues, as well as gloriously manly. On the other hand, if a politician is a Republican, a past that includes dodging the draft and deserting the National Guard makes him intrinsically credible on national security issues, as well as gloriously manly.

Posted by Gator90 | May 24, 2007 4:28 PM

Gator's right, but it's not clear WHY things are this way.

My best theory of the moment? All these pundits, politicians, and press people are still locked in the battles of their youth - 60s, Cold War, etc. So they assume the Republicans are belligerent but prudentish. They haven't realized that the entire party changed almost 15 years ago.

My other theory - the existence of a real exterior threat (the communists & soviets) made all the parties conduct themselves as adults. Today, the Republicans have abandoned that because no true exterior threat exists.

Posted by MDtoMN | May 24, 2007 5:13 PM

If the human race was being attacked by Giant Space Ants who were intending to round us up and make us toil in their underground sugar caves, I'd vote for McCain. He'd be a fine leader in a war to the death against the Galactic Gooks.

Until that happens, however, I'll be looking for a less bloodthirsty candidate.

Posted by Steve Sailer | May 24, 2007 6:47 PM

How does getting shot down make one a "warrior"?
He wouldn't even have Commander if he hadn't been a POW.

Posted by merlallen | May 25, 2007 3:00 AM