Quote Of The Day: ‘McCain Was on Wrong Side of Vietnam War’
And he thought he could debate Michelle? If Mark Finklestein hadn’t reported it, I would believe it, but alas, it was said on Hardball.
Says Mark:
Host Chris Matthews ended today’s show by airing, not for the first time during the hour, McCain’s campaign TV ad which in turn includes a clip of his boffo line from the last GOP debate. McCain was criticizing Hillary Clinton’s proposal to spend $1 million for a museum commemorating the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Said the Arizona senator, humorously alluding to the fact that in 1969 he was a guest in the Hanoi Hilton:
“Now my friends, I wasn’t there. I’m sure it was a cultural and pharmaceutical event. I was, I was tied up at the time.”
If he can joke about it, more power to him. It’s his right to say it, and it is a nice slam no matter how you slice it. So how does Ezra Klein react to the ad?
“It’s a pity how desperation and ambition have humbled one of the few apparently principled politicians on the scene.”
Keep that in mind as you read this transcript:
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Ezra, how many politicians get standing ovations at debates?
EZRA KLEIN: Not many, although look –
MATTHEWS: Oh, here we go. I knew he was going to dump on it. Okay.
KLEIN: I’m not of the boomer generation. I don’t want to see us have another fight over who’s a hippy and who’s a soldier. I find it dull.
MATTHEWS: I don’t. I find it inspiring.
JENNIFER DONAHUE : You know who doesn’t find it dull? The military moms don’t find that dull. Voters don’t find that dull. There’s a war going on and they find that important. Mccain’s using his sense of humor. This is the straight-talk, quirky McCain that people like.
KLEIN: McCain’s on the wrong side of that war. It may be sense of humor but he was on the wrong side of the war.
