Words from the "Straight Talk Express"

John McCain likes to think of himself as an especially "honourable" man. He named his campaign bus "straight talk express". But here's an example (from a Maureen Dowd op ed in the NY Times) of how this Arizona senator speaks with a forked tongue. I've bolded the key bit:

Before Admiral Mullen and Secretary of Defense Bob Gates even made their opening statements, John McCain went on the attack against overturning the policy. Noting that gays and lesbians had served “admirably” and even given their lives, he said: “I honor their sacrifice, and I honor them.” Just as long as they deny their identity and pretend to be something they’re not.

The conservative senator who has always been known for honor and clarity cited “vast complexities” as a reason not to change the hypocritical policy, whatever that means, as well as the fact that “the Senate vigorously debated it in 1993.” (One complexity was our failure to realize that, with two wars in the Middle East, we might need some talented gay translators fluent in Arabic and Farsi.)

Yeah, nothing’s changed since 1993.

...

McCain jumped on his even-keeled fellow Republican, Bob Gates, and accused him of usurping Congressional authority by saying the military was pre-emptively preparing for a repeal of the law. I guess the former war hero doesn’t believe in military readiness.

The Arizona senator said the law was “imperfect but effective,” even though Admiral Mullen’s military journal, Joint Force Quarterly, called it a “costly failure” and denied that the cohesion of the forces would be hurt if gays and lesbians could be open about their sexuality, as they are in Britain and Canada.

Three years ago, McCain told a group of college students that he would drop his objections on the issue “the day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy.’”

But, on Tuesday, when that day came, McCain ignored the top brass and found his own military emeritus. He waved a letter at Gates and Mullen, saying it was “signed by over 1,000 former generals and flag officers who have weighed in” against changing the policy.

The hypocrisy of the right in America is incredible. They sabotage any reasonable attempt at compromise. They get into power and create a shambles then when a Democrat takes over they blame the mess on him rather than accept their own incompetence and flawed ideology.