Dean: McCain must repudiate Tancredo’s comments about the Pope
posted at 4:19 pm on April 18, 2008 by Allahpundit
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I can’t decide if this is a revealing insight into what a consummate dishonest doofus Dean is or just politics as usual, as routine as two centers under the basket elbowing each other to jockey for position. Doubtless the national committees send out crap press releases whining about the sins of the other side all the time; what’s interesting about this one is that not only does it demand a response from the opponent’s nominee, it neglects to explain what’s offensive about the comments to which such great offense was supposedly taken. The best the DNC can do by way of something “provocative” is pointing to Tanc’s accusation that Catholic demographics might be affecting the Pope’s politics. Why this should be controversial isn’t clear, unless you take the view that the Church is entirely above, and immune from, political reality. Pssst: It isn’t.
Tancredo issued a press release yesterday attacking the “Pope’s comments regarding U.S. immigration policy” and accusing his position of stemming from an interest in “recruiting new members.” Dean issued the following statement:
“If John McCain is serious in his pledge to run a respectful campaign, he should immediately denounce Tom Tancredo’s insulting remarks about Pope Benedict XVI.
“After years of failing to address immigration reform, the Republican party has instead used the issue to scapegoat people to win elections. If McCain believes, as he has said, that ‘these are God’s children,’ he should not stand by silently as Tancredo or anyone else in the Republican Party continues using immigrants as scapegoats or playing politics with immigration legislation.”
“The American people don’t want four more years of a President who will callously use issues to divide us rather than working to unite us.”
“Playing politics with immigration legislation” is left-speak, of course, for “bringing up an issue during a presidential campaign that might hurt Democrats.” Exit question one: Why, precisely, is it McCain’s responsibility to say something? Tancredo’s supporting him, granted, but their relationship isn’t exactly warm. Does Dean think McCain, who’s banking on the Latino vote to neutralize Obama, wants Tancredo popping off about this? Exit question two: Dean sure does like to opine about who God’s children are, doesn’t he?
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Dean, they are gonna throw you out of the Democratic party if you can’t bring this election home. Soon, you’ll be a hack without a country or a party. Go Maverick!!!
THE CHOSEN ONE on April 18, 2008 at 4:23 PM
in case the DNC didn’t already know this….
WE DON’T WANT TO BE UNTIED WITH YOU!
you’re wrong in sooo many ways we can’t even stand to look at you much less be united…
Kaptain Amerika on April 18, 2008 at 4:24 PM
This is a game where anything that any Republican says or does that can be twisted will be held up to Maverick. Can you even imagine the energy it would take to apply that same strategy to the Democratic candidate including all supporting loon organizations, terrorist groups and nations that are calling for a Democratic victory?
Hening on April 18, 2008 at 4:25 PM
The pope just wants us to have mercy and compassion for the stranger. I wish we could just seal the border airtight, just make it unpassable, and then have a path to citizenship for the ones here. Just do both things.
MarkJudge on April 18, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Every electron used up to report this story is one less electron on the Hillary fiasco. Look for more stories like this to be thrown around, just to see what sticks.
pedestrian on April 18, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Dean is just warming up. He’s holding back his really damaging (to the Dem party) material for the general election. God Bless him.
Syd B. on April 18, 2008 at 4:27 PM
McCain doesn’t have to say anything. Everybody knows his position.
ninjapirate on April 18, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Translation: John McCain should repudiate a guy he famously disagrees with on major issues because that other guy told the truth.
amerpundit on April 18, 2008 at 4:27 PM
.”
I don’t find either Democratic candidate to be as loathsome and repellent as I find Howard Dean.
mymanpotsandpans on April 18, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Dean . . . blow it out you ear or the orifice of your choice. This is a cute little ploy but it won’t work. McCain has no control over Tancredo and even though McCain supports immigration control, he is nevertheless a friend of the Latinos.
rplat on April 18, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Good lord the things I want to say about Howard Dean, but aren’t allowed on this family website.
I guess I’ll just have to wait for HotAir to have an “R rated” commenting section.
wise_man on April 18, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Deano is not getting enough attention…Hey, look at me, look at me.
d1carter on April 18, 2008 at 4:30 PM
…. much better than I would have been able to come up with, as the clean version of what I was thinking.
+1 for you.
wise_man on April 18, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Wow, you really have to be a democrat with twisted logic to make this connection, but what the heck, I’ll play.
Hey Howie, since you care so much about the Pope, have you denounced Bill Maher yet? How about you set an example and take it one step further and ask all Democrats to boycott his show and refuse to appear as guests.
Okey dokey?
Buy Danish on April 18, 2008 at 4:32 PM
This should be worth a link in the top section.
Who made the flag pin an issue? Obama
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/who-made-an-iss.html
ninjapirate on April 18, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Dean just looked at the calendar and saw that it’s
politically expedientclose to May 01, and the next stupid marches, which will guaranteed hurt the libs, and those who’ll march.He’s a
midgetgiant genius, but they can have him.Entelechy on April 18, 2008 at 4:32 PM
OK, as long as the Dems bury all those millions of rusty coathangers they love so much..
TexasJew on April 18, 2008 at 4:32 PM
I think Dean is an idiot and I don’t think McCain has to apologize for anything Tancredo said, but it was a stupid thing for Tancredo to say. He should have just let it go. That crack about “new members” is just stupid.
Terrye on April 18, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Can’t say it any better. Dean’s on his cyclical power trip. Talk tough to the superdel’s, may has well get a shot in at McCain…
JetBoy on April 18, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Apparently U.S. citizens do not qualify as God’s children or at the very least, are the least of God’s children.
Revoke the Catholic Church’s tax exempt status based upon it’s political meddling.
voiceofreason on April 18, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Wait ’til Dean asks the Pope to build a bike path. Then he’ll be singing a different toon.
MayBee on April 18, 2008 at 4:35 PM
This is BS
however, I have to say. I just scanned the front page real quickly and there something I don’t understand.
Is there nothing positive going on in the rupublican party? Why is the entire front page (save the Ben Stein thing, and the sheik) a negative page against the left?
I’m not a “Everything is good” kind of guy…but there has to be more good things going on for Republicans than simply the bad things happening to the democrats…
It’s Friday, give me something positive to read!
Sorry, if there were a place for me to express this view and have it be on topic, I’d do it there for sure.
beefytee on April 18, 2008 at 4:37 PM
I hope you’re kidding. If we’re going to discuss political meddling by religions, let’s crack out multiple denominations of Christianity, Islam, and even Judaism.
amerpundit on April 18, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Jake Tapper really is doing an outstanding job. I’ve enyoyed reading everything from him that I’ve seen linked from hotair.
wise_man on April 18, 2008 at 4:37 PM
This. “United” in Liberalese means “You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.”
Darth Executor on April 18, 2008 at 4:38 PM
by “This is BS”, I do mean the business with Dean…what a frickin tool
beefytee on April 18, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Immigration is a wedge issue within the Republican party. I think that’s what Dean is after… he’s just trying to get McCain to speak out against Tancredo and piss of the ant-illegal-immigration wing for the Republican party. If he doesn’t, Dean and the Dems will point to it as evidence that McCain is a racist. He’s just trying to set a gotcha trap. You have to give Dean points for shamelessness.
Spolitics on April 18, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Does McCain need prompting to condemn Tanc’s immirgation policy? Really?
VolMagic on April 18, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Dean should complain to “Mr. None of the Above Democrats.” That’s who Tancredo is really supporting.
RBMN on April 18, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Although you make a good point, I think you give him too much credit.
beefytee on April 18, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Based on his debate performances, I think the last thing McCain wants to talk about at this point is immigration.
Spolitics on April 18, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Who cares what Coward Dean has to say about anything in the world?
Move on, next topic.
Indy Conservative on April 18, 2008 at 4:43 PM
McCain isn’t running with Tancredo, he has no obligation to praise or denounce anything Tanc says. Just Deano trying to see what will stick.
makes an outstanding comparison with the Maher flap.
Tim Zank on April 18, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Dean just doesn’t understand principled criticism. His view is, honestly, irrelevant.
Spirit of 1776 on April 18, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Probably. But if there is one thing the Dems know, it’s identity politics.
Spolitics on April 18, 2008 at 4:45 PM
I don’t remember Dean saying this to Obamasiah when the Rev. Wright was preaching “god-damn America”. Huh???
belad on April 18, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Perhaps John will finally tell a Demonrat to stuff it, but I’m not holding my breath.
…”he’s just trying to get McCain to speak out against Tancredo and piss of(f) the ant-illegal-immigration wing for (of) the Republican party.” Don’t forget the Indies and non-partisans (like me) who want to preserve the borders, language and culture of this great nation.
Spolitics is right tho, Dean’s doing the ‘gotcha either way’ schtick.
Christine on April 18, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Crap. I have to do a better job proof reading my posts.
Spolitics on April 18, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Howard Dean … proof that Darwinian theory has loopholes.
darwin on April 18, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Are you sure about that? What was Darwin’s explanation for the Dodo bird? I expect the same would apply to Dean.
Spolitics on April 18, 2008 at 4:49 PM
The Dodo bird never really died out. It simply evolved into Howard Dean.
amerpundit on April 18, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Wouldn’t MoveOn.org call this a distraction? Maybe Howard Dean didn’t get the memo. The DNC, and democrats in general are funnier than the Keystone Cops.
darwin on April 18, 2008 at 4:51 PM
Did Tancredo endorse McCain? I seem to have forgotten that.
funky chicken on April 18, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Absolutely. He’s just in that place, so as to not be in the run for president, again, and to avoid even more embarrassment.
Entelechy on April 18, 2008 at 4:56 PM
The American people will not tolerate such a grave injustice! Everyone knows that Christianity means love everyone, let the chips fall where they may! (And that Job is the best book in the NT).
When a man leaves his church over environmental concerns - and, by the way, is running a party trying to run a race-baiting, America-hating “Christian” who had far greater reason to leave his church, and chose not to - he can shut up about just about everything. Except handbags; he’s probably got good advice on those.
I also note that, for someone who’s mad at people “playing politics,” he used Republican twice in a paragraph. Oh, Howard Dean; could you not embarrass yourself, if you tried hard enough?
emailnuevo on April 18, 2008 at 4:58 PM
I agree with Tancredo.
Dean is flapping his gums as usual in a vain quest for relevancy, and the Pope would have done better to keep his moth shut.
If you want to get right down to it, there are things outsiders might suggest the Catholic Church rectifies in its own house before making pronouncements about other people’s policies.
MrScribbler on April 18, 2008 at 5:07 PM
McCain should respond to Howie is a dignified manner: “Howard, in all seriousness, just STFU until I ask for your opinion on how to run my campaign… and from the looks of the head-on slo-motion trainwreck you have allowed your party’s campaign to become, that isn’t very damn likely.”
drunyan8315 on April 18, 2008 at 5:16 PM
I agree with Tancredo. The Pope’s on a recruiting tour. Maybe we can give plane tickets for all our illegals to move to the Vatican. Thank God we have at least one politician in this country who’ll stand up for Americans. No offense to the Pope, but thanks for coming.
orlandocajun on April 18, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Howard Dean is the orchestra leader aboard the Titanic- determined to make some noise, distracting attention from the obvious.
localmalcontent on April 18, 2008 at 5:30 PM
2008 The Year of the Apology
THE CHOSEN ONE on April 18, 2008 at 5:33 PM
The pope (the pope’s guards) would kick them out on their asses.
wise_man on April 18, 2008 at 5:43 PM
McCain’ll get right on it…just as soon as Chairman How(ie)
repudiates say, Jimmy Carter for being friends with terrorists, or maybe the comments of Westboro Bapstist Church (Democrats one and all) about, well, everyone who’s not them and their despicable intrusions on the funerals of dead service personel, or perhaps Democratic politicians who smear the troops (whole lot of those, so how about the ones who make the most egregious statements, like comparing them to The SS or convicting them on the floor of The House for crimes it turns out they didn’t commit, etc…) or…
Translation: Do us a favor Howie, hold your breath while you wait, ‘kay?
SuperCool on April 18, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Hey St Olaf -
What did I tell ya??
I told you this would be worse than dealing with your hate toward the FDLS. What and how will you ever handle this??
Tancredo dissin’ The Pope….whoa.
AprilOrit on April 18, 2008 at 6:10 PM
Has McApologycain apologied yet? ;)
Midas on April 18, 2008 at 6:11 PM
I repudiate you, you repudiate me, we will both repudiate that fellow behind the tree as he will repudiate we.
MB4 on April 18, 2008 at 6:23 PM
Tool….Dean could benefit from some Prison Sex!
dmann on April 18, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Or WHAT, Dean? You’re not gonna vote for him?
I think anyone that conflates illegal immigration with immigration in general for cynical political purposes has little room to criticize anyone else for talking about either subject.
Too bad McCain won’t perform the slap-down because he’s on the Amnesty train, too.
Just repeal all the laws, open the borders, let ‘em all in, get it over with. Oh, and they can camp on amnesty supporters’ lawns.
Merovign on April 18, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Juan “Z-Visa” McCain did that a long time ago. Remember? “Z-Visa” authored the McCain/Kennedy AMNESTY legislation….remember? You can call it a banana if you want to! We’re gonna tell the bigots to shut up!!!-L.Graham Does Dean think we forgot already??? ha ha ha
STAY HOME ‘08
DfDeportation on April 18, 2008 at 7:46 PM
And because Juan “Z-Visa” McCain agrees with Dr. Dean about giving AMNESTY to Illegal Aliens, “Z-Visa” can’t get many donations or volunteers for his campaign. I’m sure the NYTimes will help out…
DfDeportation on April 18, 2008 at 7:51 PM
Right on!
Reporter: Senator McCain, is it true that if you become President you will put a real fence along the border with Mexico rather than just some phony so called “virtual fence”? And a follow up question sir, if so what will the physical fence look like?
John McCain: That is a very good question and yes when I become el Presidente I will put up a physical fence. What will it look like? Well it will run the full length of the border and have special security gates every 100 feet.
All the security gates will have on them:
1) Press one for Spanish (with a response of “Welcome Amigo, my country is your country and please take a free map to the wonderful plantation owner employer of your choice. Also please feel free to enroll you children in our schools and demand that they be taught in Spanish and please also feel free to avail yourself of all the free medical care that you want.”).
2) Press two for English (with a response of “Go to
Infierno you damned bigoted nativist lazy madre fornicario gringo who does not want what is right for America del Norte!!!”).
MB4 on April 18, 2008 at 7:52 PM
It’s a wedge issue for the Republican party bigwigs. The rank-and-file are pretty much in lockstep.
misterpeasea on April 18, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Dean only brought it up so that he could link Tancredo’s statement with McCain hoping McCain, who’s at heart an open border advocate, would react. Since Dean is worried about all of God’s children, perhaps we should just drop our borders and let everyone in who can get here. Wouldn’t that be humane, Dean? Can I hear a chorus now of “We Are the World?”
NNtrancer on April 18, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Right. They’re just beginning to dig for dirt on McCain for use in the general election.
The DNC has already filed freedom of information requests to various departments and agencies for anything they can find.
Dean says: “Release the hounds!”
BacaDog on April 18, 2008 at 8:24 PM
LOL. Sort of an Italian/Latin mix?
jaime on April 18, 2008 at 8:26 PM
Wedge issue = immigration reform
Personal issue = bike path
Dr. Dean’s illogic is stupefying.
thirtypundit on April 18, 2008 at 8:52 PM
I think Dean needs to take a good long look at what his own party is doing to itself before he starts castigating Republicans for what might happen if one gets elected…
Or…, 2008 The Year of the Apology that never came.
4shoes on April 18, 2008 at 8:56 PM
The rantings of a desperate and lost soul.
Hog Wild on April 18, 2008 at 9:17 PM
Kap, you’ve managed to sum up something I haven’t been able to put my finger for some time now. Good job.
Big John on April 18, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Well, let’s see. If McCain fell into Dean’s trap and apologized for Tancredo’s remarks, would he then be required to cave to David Corn’s pressure to apologize for Parsley’s remarks?
Connie on April 18, 2008 at 10:28 PM
Tancredo is right. In fact, I’ll end up writing him in when November rolls around if there’s no decent 3rd party candidate.
Livefreeordie on April 19, 2008 at 3:57 AM
If McCain doesn’t tell Dean to stick it in his ear I am supporting “Stay Home 2008″.
JonRoss on April 19, 2008 at 6:31 AM