The idiotic, useless media trying to give McCain's strategist a pass for his despicable comment

[ProSense]

*** Charlie Black's gaffe: Yesterday, McCain chief strategist Charlie Black -- who already has drawn controversy for his past lobbyist work -- made one of those classic Washington gaffes, as Michael Kinsley once put it: accidentally speaking a truth that many people on both sides of the aisle believe. In an interview with Fortune, Black said that a terrorist attack would be a “big advantage” to McCain, a comment the all-but-certain GOP candidate immediately distanced himself from. Not only did the controversy distract McCain from his message of the day (that $300 million prize for inventing a new car battery), but it also resurrected the politics of 2004, which as we’ve argued before might not benefit McCain’s prospects. But for what it's worth, there's been chatter among some Democrats that the big fear Obama aides have is just what Black spoke about -- some sort of national security crisis popping up in October. This is why most Democrats who have given their two cents to the Obama VP vetters seem to come away convinced Obama will picked a No. 2 who has obvious national security credentials. That said, what the impact of a national security crisis in October is unknown for this reason: It depends on who initiates it. If it's an outside force, then Black's probably right. But if it's something that President Bush sparks, then Obama could benefit.

link

:wtf:

The idiotic and useless the U.S. media did the same thing when Bhutto was killed, trying to use her death to hype Giuliani, a candidate who couldn't even get 6% of his party's support:

Before news of Bhutto’s death was reported, Rudy Giuliani’s campaign unveiled a new ad this morning, entitled “Freedom,” to begin airing nationally tomorrow. “As voters refocus their attention on the race, this was the right time to remind people what this election is really all about. We need a tested leader who is ready right now to tackle the most serious challenge facing our country,” spokeswoman Maria Comella said of the ad in an email.

In the one-minute ad Giuliani discusses the strength of America and references Sept. 11, 2001, in the ad — which the former New York City mayor rarely uses in campaign spots. “The Islamic terrorists would make a terrible mistake if they confuse our democracy for weakness,” Giuliani says, “But when you come and try to take away from us our freedom, when you try to come here and kill our people, we’re one and we’re going to stand up to you and we’re going to prevail.”

What the hell did that idiotic statement, from a corrupt moron with no foreign policy experience, have to do with the situation in Pakistan?

McCain: Giuliani has no national security experience

Kerry: John McCain must address these comments from his political guru, not wave them away.

[fascisthunter]

1. the Corporate/government Media is their to Cover Asses

and push products....

[ProSense]

3. Some people here seem to want to help them do their job. n/t

[blondeatlast]

2. Abrans lit into the RW bobblehead he had on the show yesterday on this

and Olbermann and Richard Clark slammed McCain and Black pretty solidly--but yeah, McCain will pretty muchwalk away from this one.

[fasttense]

4. A McBush mouth piece just invited terrorists to the US

and the corporate media ignores it. Just another day in America. The republicans and the corporate media really need to change their pre-9/11 mindset.

[EarlG]

5. Chuck Todd on MSNBC this morning:

(Paraphrasing) "What you have to understand about Charlie Black is that like his boss, he's a straight talker..."

Chuck Todd doesn't usually bother me, but it was disturbing to see him toss out that piece of BS spin without even blinking.

[ErinBerin84]

6. yeah, Chuck Todd bothered me too.

And the MSM is attempting to blame this on Obama too. Chuck Todd said that he thought the Obama campaign "doth protest too much", and that it shows that his campaign is worried about McCain having an up on them on terror. Contessa Brewer was having a faux outrage for the Obama campaign's response and withering "What's so 'digraceful' about those comments? Isn't it true?" Christ, even RW tool Brad Blakley said last night that the comment's were inappropriate on Dan Abrams. No, the top stories this morning are all about how evangelicals hate Obama, and the Obama campaign "snubbing" Muslims. I think they need to work on being less transparent.

[book_worm]

7. If it had been Rev. Wright who said something like this would help Obama you can guess it would be

non-stop coverage for days!

[ProSense]

8. McCain Adviser May Have Struck a Nerve

McCain Adviser May Have Struck a Nerve

By Jonathan Weisman and Anne E. Kornblut
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 25, 2008; Page A04

Sen. Barack Obama and his surrogates continued to criticize Charles R. Black Jr., a top adviser to Sen. John McCain, on Tuesday for saying a terrorist attack before the November election would help the presumptive Republican nominee. But behind their protests lay a question that has dogged Democrats since Sept. 11, 2001: Was Black speaking the truth?

"I don't think anyone knows the answer to this question," said Tad Devine, a senior strategist on Sen. John F. Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, which confronted the same internal debate. "On the one hand, Republicans say they made America safe. That argument goes by the wayside if there's an attack. On the other hand, an attack would change the entire framework of this election."

Black's comment to Fortune magazine that a terrorist attack "certainly would be a big advantage" roiled the presidential campaign for a second straight day. Obama -- who has made a determined effort to shore up his credentials on national security since clinching the Democratic nomination, arguing that the United States is less safe now than before President Bush took office -- wasted no time in trying to counter Black's statement. Obama dispatched Richard Ben-Veniste, a member of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, to hold a conference call with reporters in which he called Black's comments "a candid and very disappointing glimpse into the thinking of one of McCain's closest advisers." He did not directly call for Black to step aside.

"I think the remarks were so out of place that they call for some recalibration in the thinking and perhaps a greater adherence to principle here in staying away from the politics of fear," Ben-Veniste said.

more