You know, there was once a time that I actually admired John McCain. It seems like another lifetime ago. Of course, I lost all respect for him after the disgrace of his 2008 presidential campaign and, of course, the selection of Sarah Palin, something I will never forgive him for, as no decent, intelligent person concerned for the future of this country should. But I still felt some pity for him, seeing him as a man who sacrificed every principle he ever had in his desperate bid for the Presidency.
No more. McCain's appalling attacks on Susan Rice (supported, of course, by his little huckleberry Lindsey Graham) has caused my pity to evaporate like smoke. Now we can all see him for what he really is; an angry, petty, spiteful, bitter old bastard who is so full of rage and so desperate to get back at that no-good young punk who stole the Presidency that was rightfully his (in his mind anyway) that he'll lash out in the most extreme and dishonerable ways.
I should also add "stupid" ways as well, because this attack is backfiring badly on McCain. As you've probably all heard by now, the man who is so eager to get to the bottom of Benghazi failed to show up to a Senate intelligence briefing on that very subject because he was too busy having his "Old Man Yelling at Clouds" press conference at the very same time (at least he wasn't the only Republican to be absent). To make matter worse, when confronted by CNN's Ted Bartlett on his absence, McCain lost his infamous temper and gave these reponses:
Asked why he wouldn't comment, McCain grew agitated: "Because I have the right as a senator to have no comment and who the hell are you to tell me I can or not?"
When CNN noted that McCain has missed a key meeting on a subject the senator has been intensely upset about, McCain said, "I'm upset that you keep badgering me."
This is not a U.S Senator. This is an unhinged, angry old man who sounds about five seconds from picking up the shotgun and telling Bartlett to get the hell off his property before he gets buckshot in his ass.
McCain's behavior, of course, is no suprise to anyone who has followed him. He's had a longstanding history of grandstanding on issues he knows nothing about and posturing as a grand old savior before failing miserably. That was the case during the immigration reform debate of 2007, which culminated in this ugly exchange with John Cornyn and it was especially the case during his disastrous "I'm going to solve the economic collapse" showcase the following fall, which culminated in the bailout meeting where he did nothing but sit like a bump on a log. So his recent Benghazi antics should come as no surprise. The only real difference is the level of bitter anger, which probably comes from him thinking he's got the hated Obama dead in his sights. Why else would he be spouting nonsense like this that seems like it came from the mouth of Sean Hannity (for whom Benghazi has replaced Bill Ayers as his Obama obsession) or Fox News (which should be renamed The All-Benghazi Network)? (Oh and that request was from before the election, so the Watergate comparisons aren't a new thing for Grampy.)
But to make an already bad day for McCain worse, he doesn't seem to have much support for his temper tantrum...I mean requests for a Watergate-style committee to prope the attack. Sure Graham is by his side (the better to ward off a primary challenge in 2014, my dear!), but the third member of his little Three Stooges, Joe Lieberman, who actually attended that intelligence briefing, had this to say:
Lieberman later emerged from a closed-door briefing with a much different message: A special congressional committee is unnecessary - at least for now. Lieberman says his Homeland Security Committee could handle a broad investigation into the deadly Benghazi assault just fine.
McCain's response: "
Et tu, Joe?" And there's more:
Main Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, backed up her chairman, Lieberman and dinged McCain a member of the panel, for missing Wednesday's nearly two-hour briefing in the Capitol.
And Collins is not the only Republican disagreeing with McCain on the subject.
Marco Rubio,
Jim Risch,
Bob Corker and
Rand Paul have all said they won't "pre-judge" Rice or something similar. Hell, even Kelly Ayotte, who stood by McCain and Graham for McCain's televised snit fit (perhaps she's a Lieberman replacent, like Shemp replacing Curly)
appears to be hedging on all-out opposition to Rice. (Oh, on the Democratic side, if you any doubt on what side Maine's Angus King is on, look at him
smacking back at McCain and Graham today on
Morning Joe.)
Yes, it's been a bad day for John McCain. And reminding him about his and Graham's full-throated support for Condi Rice despite her many lies probably will only piss him off further. But he deserves it.
Do us all a favor and go away, Senator. It's too late to salvage your reputation, but I'd like to make sure you're away from anyone else when you finally snap and go for the shotgun.