By now we've all heard John McCain claim he "knows how to get Osama bin Laden", as he did during the debate last night. This is hardly an original comment, but since the MSM seems generally useless at any actual analysis of McCain's statements, it's worth repeating: If McCain knows how to get bin Laden, why is he keeping it a secret?
More importantly, if there should be an October Surprise involving a (cough) "terrorist attack" on the US or elsewhere, shouldn't the American public and especially the media hold McCain responsible? After all, according to Saint John himself, bin Laden is working night and day to destroy everything we stand for and believe in.
(For the record, I think Osama bin Laden died years ago of renal failure [I'm not a doctor, but I work with dialysis patients and I assure you it would be pretty hard to provide thrice-weekly dialysis in some Pakistani hideaway, and the various videos of "bin Laden" over the years are unconvincing to say the least]. And it's always worth remembering that Al Qaeda was virtually an American invention to begin with... but that's another story...)
Quotes from McCain below.
"My friends, I look you in the eye and tell you, I will get Osama Bin Laden," McCain said. Whatever he said next was drowned out by a roar of approval.
--Feb 8, 2008, Oregon Live
In which the esteemed Wolf Blitzer proves himself to be as great a tool as usual:
BLITZER: Let's talk a little bit about some national security issues. You're president of the United States, you've vowed that you will capture Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
Now we know that President Bush since 9/11 has been doing the best he can. [WTF??? --Ed.] What would you do differently?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I'm not going to telegraph a lot of the things that I'm going to do because then it might compromise our ability to do so. But, look, I know the area, I have been there, I know wars, I know how to win wars, and I know how to improve our capabilities so that we will capture Osama bin Laden -- or put it this way, bring him to justice.
BLITZER: All right. If you capture...
MCCAIN: We will do it, I know how to do it.
BLITZER: If you capture him alive, what do you do with him?
MCCAIN: Of course you put him on trial. I mean, there are ample precedents of -- for that. And it might be a good thing to reveal to the world the enormity of this guy's crimes and his intentions, which are still there and he's working night and day to destroy everything we stand for and believe in.
--July 25, Cable "News" Network
[Former President] Clinton had opportunities to get Osama bin Laden. President Bush had opportunities to get Osama bin Laden. I know how to do it, and I'll do it," McCain said.
--Sept 3, As much of the alphabet as she knew how to use (See sig)
"When Sen. McCain was cheerleading the president to go into Iraq, he suggested it was going to be quick and easy we would be greeted as liberators. That was the wrong judgment," he said. Obama vowed to get Osama bin Laden and defeat al Qaeda. "We will kill bin Laden, we will crush al Qaeda," he said.
McCain responded in equally strong terms: "I'll get him. I know how to get him. But I am not going to telegraph my punches as Sen. Obama did."
--Oct 7 debate, mid-day.com and elsewhere.
So John, you're not going to "telegraph your punches" (BTW, the phrase is "text" or "email" in the 21st century) while bin Laden is working day and night to destroy everything we believe in. Is that putting your country first or your campaign first? Or do you simply not have any idea what you're talking about?