McCain Defends Czechoslovakia, A Non-Existent Country -- Again

[tricky]

At a press availability today, John McCain expressed concern about relations between Russia and a country that hasn't existed for quite some time. According to a rough pool report transcript, he said:

"I was concerned about a couple of steps that the Russian government took in the last several days. One was reducing the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia. Apparently that is in reaction to the Czech's agreement with us concerning missile defense, and again some of the Russian now announcement they are now retargeting new targets, something they abandoned at the end of the Cold War, is also a concern."

Czechoslovakia, of course, split into two separate countries in 1993.
It isn't the first time McCain has made this mistake, as TPM's Greg Sargent points out:

Around three months ago, McCain told Don Imus that he would "work closely with Czechoslovakia and Poland and other countries" to install the European Missile Defense System in Poland, according to the Democratic National Committee. (The slip-up was referenced elsewhere, too.)
And during a GOP debate in October 2007, McCain said: "The first thing I would do is make sure that we have a missile defense system in place in Czechoslovakia and Poland, and I don't care what his objections are to it."

There are more: in 1994, McCain suggested NATO be expanded to include Czechoslovakia. At a dinner in 1999, he "twice thanked the ambassador from 'Czechoslovakia' for his efforts," according to the Washington Post.
In fact, George Bush himself dinged McCain for this blunder back in the 2000 primary. Steve Clemons writes:

Second, before Republicans condemn Dems for being picky on this, let's not forget that in the 2000 campaign, when McCain also screwed up Czechoslovakia, it was none other than George W. Bush who said it deserved to be a campaign issue: "A guy gets up and quizzes me [on world leaders] ... but John McCain says something about the 'ambassador to Czechoslovakia.' Well, I know there is no Czechoslovakia [there's a Czech Republic and a Slovakia], but yet it didn't make the nightly national news."

This longstanding confusion persists despite McCain's numerous visits to both the Czech Republic and Slovakia (he described his 2001 meeting with Czech President Vaclav Havel as "an experience . . . I can tell my Grandchildren about.") In fact, the former U.S. ambassador to Slovakia endorsed McCain's candidacy for president. Maybe he should offer the candidate some geography lessons too.







This guy is comedic gold...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/0..._n_112650.html

[xian]

This is exactly the kind of stupid shit that stupid people buy that I was talking about Tricky.

What Obama going to do when he gets to the 57th and 58th states?

Obama 57 States

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you peddle crap - I'll see you and bump you one youtube bunch of substanceless crap

[tricky]

Hah, there is a veritable gold mine with McCain. not so much with Obama. McCain is not qualified to run a cheerleader car wash, let alone this country

[xian]

Originally Posted by tricky

Hah, there is a veritable gold mine with McCain. not so much with Obama. McCain is not qualified to run a cheerleader car wash, let alone this country

Yes, there's lots out there on Obama... just listen to him tell us how he could no more disown Rev. Wright than his own crazy uncle or his racist grandmother. Wait... what?

Obama's qualifications are non-existant. You can disagree w/McCain but he's got the skins. Obama I disagree with and he's got none.

McCain's gaffes are silly goofs... Obama's are his life long associations with racist ministers, felon influence peddlers from Chicago's south side, his misundserstanding of history etc etc etc etc

[djetaine]

so im assuming hes talking about the Czech Republic and Slovakia (and maybe Transcarpathia) right ?
so he called them by their old name, who the fuck cares?

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone since Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks

[tricky]

Originally Posted by xian

Yes, there's lots out there on Obama... just listen to him tell us how he could no more disown Rev. Wright than his own crazy uncle or his racist grandmother. Wait... what?

Obama's qualifications are non-existant. You can disagree w/McCain but he's got the skins. Obama I disagree with and he's got none.

i googled "john mccain experience"

2nd result was this.

John Mccain Experience

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On to his real experience, what is it? He admits not knowing much about the economy and a 100 year commitment to Iraq. He done anything else?

[tricky]

Originally Posted by djetaine

so im assuming hes talking about the Czech Republic and Slovakia (and maybe Transcarpathia) right ?
so he called them by their old name, who the fuck cares?

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone since Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks

It speaks to his unfitness to serve. He also constantly confuses the sunni and shiites. It's not all there upstairs.

[xian]

Originally Posted by tricky

On to his real experience, what is it? He admits not knowing much about the economy and a 100 year commitment to Iraq. He done anything else?

both of these are even better examples of stupid people buying stupid things because they are easy... and you wouldn't do that would you?

He said he knew nothing about the economy because he was asked an economics question and standing next to him was a cat with a PhD in economics. He was making a joke and suggesting that the other guy would be able to answer better. However, that kida spoils the story doesn't it?

100 years.. you're perpetuating a story you know to stand for a point that you refuse to acknowledge. You're practising a deceit Aaron. You know he meant that if hostilities end, as they did in Germany, Korea, Japan etc it won't matter if we have troops there for 100 years... just as it doesn't matter that we have troops in Germany, Japan and Korea. He did not mean he is advocating fighting for 100 years.

So, now, if you were not aware of either of the whole stories you now are and we can spared further bullshit from you on them?

[djetaine]

Originally Posted by tricky

It speaks to his unfitness to serve. He also constantly confuses the sunni and shiites. It's not all there upstairs.

Dude, it was czechoslovakia for like 75 fucking years. The entire time he was growing up, the whole time he was in the military, basically his whole life. Of course he's going to get mixed up. I'm sure hes not the only one either. That doesn't mean he's not fit to lead.
There are MANY more reasons that you might not want to vote for John McCain other than the fact that he mixes up country names and religious groups while speaking.
This is the same type of bullshit that everyone is pulling on Obama.

Vote on policy, vote on ideas, vote on choices.
Don't vote on meaningless media banter and sound bytes.

[xian]

Originally Posted by djetaine

Vote on policy, vote on ideas, vote on choices.
Don't vote on meaningless media banter and sound bytes.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[xtramedium]

Originally Posted by xian

both of these are even better examples of stupid people buying stupid things because they are easy... and you wouldn't do that would you?

He said he knew nothing about the economy because he was asked an economics question and standing next to him was a cat with a PhD in economics. He was making a joke and suggesting that the other guy would be able to answer better. However, that kida spoils the story doesn't it?

100 years.. you're perpetuating a story you know to stand for a point that you refuse to acknowledge. You're practising a deceit Aaron. You know he meant that if hostilities end, as they did in Germany, Korea, Japan etc it won't matter if we have troops there for 100 years... just as it doesn't matter that we have troops in Germany, Japan and Korea. He did not mean he is advocating fighting for 100 years.

So, now, if you were not aware of either of the whole stories you now are and we can spared further bullshit from you on them?

"stupid people buying stupid things" And you sure are sucking it up when it comes to Obama. So much that you had to even make a thread about OBAMA.

[xian]

Originally Posted by xtramedium

"stupid people buying stupid things" And you sure are sucking it up when it comes to Obama. So much that you had to even make a thread about OBAMA.

Huh? I said his whistling esses annoy me. Which is true. I didn't say Obama believes pink monkeys make good bureacrats and therefore you shouldn't vote for him. Which would have been both false and stupid. See the difference?

[xtramedium]

Originally Posted by xian

Huh? I said his whistling esses annoy me. Which is true. I didn't say Obama believes pink monkeys make good bureacrats and therefore you shouldn't vote for him. Which would have been both false and stupid. See the difference?

Yes I do.

[xtramedium]

Did McCain happen to say anything about Transylvania?

[Dionysos]

Originally Posted by djetaine

Dude, it was czechoslovakia for like 75 fucking years. The entire time he was growing up, the whole time he was in the military, basically his whole life. Of course he's going to get mixed up. I'm sure hes not the only one either. That doesn't mean he's not fit to lead.
There are MANY more reasons that you might not want to vote for John McCain other than the fact that he mixes up country names and religious groups while speaking.
This is the same type of bullshit that everyone is pulling on Obama.

Vote on policy, vote on ideas, vote on choices.
Don't vote on meaningless media banter and sound bytes.

I'd say basic understanding of geography is a legitimate issue for the leader of the free world. I don't expect him to name their top imports & exports from memory, but the fact that they split 15 years ago and he's still calling them by the wrong name is a sign he's not paying enough attention. Is it the pre-eminent issue in the campaign? Of course not. But this is the president of the US we're talking about, the bar on geography needs to be set a little higher than it is for a GED exam. The fact that we're signing defense agreements with them means both candidates should at least know the name of the friggin' country.