New lefty charge: McCain wants to bring back the draft, except of course he doesn’t; Update: Flashback video added
posted at 9:58 pm on August 20, 2008 by Allahpundit
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I’d call it stupid except that the people circulating it understand perfectly well what happened here. After all, if they’re willing to accuse him of lying about the POW cross story based on no evidence, why would they cut him a break on this? I first saw it this afternoon and didn’t think it was worth responding to, but since Marc Ambinder’s gone to the trouble of debunking it, here’s a link. Nutshell: A woman asked him a long question about veterans’ benefits, then punctuated it by saying we should bring back the draft. McCain responded by saying “I don’t disagree with anything you have said” before proceeding to give a long answer about … veterans’ benefits. I.e. he simply ignored the bit about the draft, which stands to reason given that (as Ambinder notes) he’s said repeatedly that he opposes conscription “unless we were in an all-out World War III” — which, of course, is precisely what the left believes he’s plotting. Don’t call this fearmongering; only the right is capable of that. Rather, try to imagine how The One might respond if pressed on whether he too would consider a draft in the event of “an all-out World War III.” He never fails to say in the context of Iraq that any C-in-C worth his salt always keeps all options on the table. Is there a “World War III” exception to that rule or is he also a warmongering conscriptor in waiting?
Exit question: Which lefty hatchet site, do you suppose, is chiefly responsible for spreading this? There are really only three options. It’s not TPM and it’s not Media Matters, which means it can only be… As much as I hate to send them traffic, do follow that link and compare where the edit of the McCain video they’re using ends to the full version below. Like I say, stupidity has nothing to do with this.
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You know it was charlie rangel who wants to bring the draft back!
Bambi on August 20, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Fear. Just like the Russians dealing with the world over Georgia, the Obama campaign depends on its instilling fear into the electorate. And, similar to the Russian diplomatic and press pronouncements, the Obama campaign depends on lies to sway ignorant masses and followers.
coldwarrior on August 20, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Yeah that’s been Ol’ Gravel Voice’s plan to scare the sheeple into fearing the neocon warmongers.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on August 20, 2008 at 10:04 PM
How long till McCain plotted 9/11?
lorien1973 on August 20, 2008 at 10:05 PM
My guess: Amanda at Think Progress
Topsecretk9 on August 20, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Isn’t this the guy with the plan to impress our children into involuntary voluntarism for the state?
ninjapirate on August 20, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Ah! The Maureen Dowd school of elliptical editing is at work in the Leftosphere videotaping cutting room. Is this the thinkregress director’s final cut?
We know that Obama’s campaign is targeting the college crowd. Is this how the Lefties intend to prove that their sheep have no critical thinking skills?
onlineanalyst on August 20, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Good grief, they’ve been peddling this oh-noes-teh-draft!!! BS for years and nobody’s falling for it.
Knock yourself out, nutroots.
Purple Fury on August 20, 2008 at 10:08 PM
There ain’t goin’ be a draft. American culture has changed too much for one.
MB4 on August 20, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I’m probably wrong,if I’m not,I sincerley apologize,
but this woman,sounds like our entire family for over
a hundred years have voted Republican and have been in
the US Military!
Since its the Presidential election,I cannot help but
think of planting and stacking of the audience,especially
when the question seems to go on forever,and A to Z is
covered in said question!
American Milita
canopfor on August 20, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Op, just followed the link and I see it’s Ali.
Well 1 out of 2 ain’t bad.
Thought for sure it was Amanda, she has an especially hard time interrupting things and makes easily demonstrated false claims.
Amanda was on a role there for a while, she claimed McCain plagiarized some thing that turned out he said it a long time before in a speech, before the said person he was supposed to have plagiarized and then a few more that WE DONT THINK progress had to issue multiple corrections on.
Surprised she kept her job after those lamo embarrassments.
Topsecretk9 on August 20, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Yes.
And this whole “republicans will draft you if they are elected” scare tactic/lie/Standard Operating Procedure of the democrats was tried to get Kerry elected for 04. It didn’t work then either. Despite their and the media’s best efforts.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 10:10 PM
The only one agitating for a draft is Democrat Charles Rangel anyways.
Topsecretk9 on August 20, 2008 at 10:11 PM
wise_man
JINX!
Topsecretk9 on August 20, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Great, I can’t wait to start receiving the emails from the Obama supporters about this just like the Kerry supporters did in 2004.
Queasy on August 20, 2008 at 10:12 PM
The Draft, A Moonbat fantasy’s!!
canopfor on August 20, 2008 at 10:12 PM
“THEY’RE GONNA BRING BACK THE DRAFT!”
“THEY’RE GONNA END SOCIAL SECURITY!”
“THEY’RE GONNA LISTEN TO YOUR PHONE CALLS AND READ YOUR EMAIL!”
“THEY’RE GONNA HELP BIG OIL TILL LIFE ON EARTH ENDS DUE TO AGW!”
all typical left-wing election cycle bs.
reliapundit on August 20, 2008 at 10:13 PM
How many times are these morons going to claim the same thing before they realize it isn’t working?
Sheesh…
91Veteran on August 20, 2008 at 10:13 PM
You know that two Americas bit Edwards loves? He was right – they’re all posting comments at ThinkProgress.
I’m active duty and reading their comments leaves me somewhere between white rage and head-shaking sympathy. Cowards…deceitful cowards.
blankminde on August 20, 2008 at 10:15 PM
These people vote.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 10:16 PM
…And Charlie Rangel votes AGAINST the draft bill that he initiated. Heh!
onlineanalyst on August 20, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Did they check to see if the questioner actually had HuffPo press credentials and then posed as a legitimate questioner yet?
Because you know that’s what Huff Po does afterall
Topsecretk9 on August 20, 2008 at 10:17 PM
er, voted
onlineanalyst on August 20, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Today’s liberals = yesterday’s hippies
blankminde on August 20, 2008 at 10:17 PM
It strikes me that the military would be the most adamantly opposed to a draft.
If we need more in the armed services, raise the ceiling on recruitment, but maintain existing standards (or raise them).
I doubt we’d have trouble filling the slots.
sulla on August 20, 2008 at 10:19 PM
America Militia,typing error,oops!!!
canopfor on August 20, 2008 at 10:22 PM
The reason for my confusion. You join the military, ostensibly, to protect and defend the liberties of American citizens. Those people are my bosses…taxpayers every one I imagine. So I guess they are the military equivalent of Michael from The Office. Respect, but ignore.
blankminde on August 20, 2008 at 10:23 PM
HuffPoo is all McCain attacks all the time these days.
BohicaTwentyTwo on August 20, 2008 at 10:24 PM
I thought George W. Bush was going to bring back the draft if he got reelected in 2004.. Uhhh… guess not..
Chakra Hammer on August 20, 2008 at 10:28 PM
Oh, I doubt that they do. They’re too busy coming up with asinine conspiracy theories and not registering to vote. Of course, we’re all just sitting at our houses in our pajamas making up ways to prove news stories wrong (tm Dan Rather and CBS) so I guess you never know.
mjk on August 20, 2008 at 10:32 PM
Left = liar.
Not really a recent phenomenon, but now we have Teh Internet to spread the lies.
Merovign on August 20, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Olberdouche tonight states he promises to stick on this story “Days! Weeks! Months!”
Marcus on August 20, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Betch’a dollars to leftwing MSNBC “news” hosts that Olbermann promotes this story tomorrow.
He’s the future of “news”, dont’cha know?
SteveMG on August 20, 2008 at 10:37 PM
I wasn’t kidding. He’s done done it already.
Marcus on August 20, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Oh, dear…are those mean ol’ Dems playing Rove’s game?
Guess we’ll find out how tough Mr. $500 Gucci loafers really is.
alphie on August 20, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Guess we’ll find out how tough Mr. $500 Gucci loafers really is.
alphie on August 20, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Marcus on August 20, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Darn. He’s back.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 10:47 PM
If they had a draft I bet most people would resist anyway. That’s the problem with this country, people would either puff out their chest with fake courage or just not give a damn about foreign policy until it was their turn to give up their lives for these scumbags in Washington. Meanwhile we have people dying for those scumbags as we speak. McCain and Obama are just differences in rhetoric and location of wars. The political spectrum is a ten yard football field because they moved the goal posts together and ignored the other ninety yards in both directions. Read what their advisers say and you will find out what these empty suits will do. I wouldn’t doubt that we see a draft in the next ten years.
LevStrauss on August 20, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Just an aside: I didn’t watch fox’s report on obama – I did see some of it on McCain. They mentioned how fast McCain married Cindy after his divorce. If anyone watched the piece on obama, did they mention the white woman he lived with for a year after college? Fair is fair!
By the way, has anyone read about Cindy and what a jewel she really is? After I read the article about her, I surely had a different opinion about her.
Bambi on August 20, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Pesky little critter, ain’t he; must have gotten done with the school supply shopping early.
The liberal attack machine is firing on all cylinders now and there isn’t a single talking point they won’t completely hack apart and then reassemble to try and scare everyone.
Too bad their boy is getting blown to bits by his own words; all the kings men couldn’t put those gaffes back together again.
Bishop on August 20, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Who, McCain? I’m thinking pretty darn tough. Or do you mean Rove? Also probably a tiny bit of a toughie.
Or me? I don’t wear $500 loafers, but I was told by a guy I work with today that if I were a dude in the military, I’d be a brigadeer general by now. I’m hoping that might be a compliment.
mjk on August 20, 2008 at 10:58 PM
Crazy insane progressive nutrooters don”t shelf life their retarded “fear-mongering”
But really, I know the tards at DONT EVERY THINK progress know they are just propaganda artist and have perfected the out of context in order to rile up the asylum intakes and don’t even believe their own BS.
Topsecretk9 on August 20, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Wait until Obama runs ads about McCain’s plan to gut Social Security, Bishop.
Aloha, Senior citizen vote for John F. McCain.
alphie on August 20, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Man, the Left tried this last election too. They pointed to a bill authored by Democrats and claimed it was the president’s bill to authorize a draft. These people have no shame. They lie for a living.
Seixon on August 20, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Expect this particular hack job to be followed by, “and when the draft is instituted, McCain will send you to Georgia to be smashed flat by Russian tanks”.
Bishop on August 20, 2008 at 11:09 PM
I think we should have a draft. At least we should have some form of military service after high school for everyone. That doesn’t mean that everyone is put into combat. But I think everyone should have a year of military training either after high school, or when they drop out.
Many industrialized nations do this. It engenders patriotism and loyalty to America. It would also give a lot of people a career that they might not have considered.
Again, I’m not saying draft for combat. But I think that a mandatory year of military service would be a good thing for everyone involved (military, America, ‘draftees’).
ThackerAgency on August 20, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Fat chance. Everybody would just cross the border into San Francisco.
Marcus on August 20, 2008 at 11:13 PM
Not on the part of the person who started pushing it. But I read through the comments there, and let me tell you… stupidity is, indeed, well represented amongst those buying into it.
DaveS on August 20, 2008 at 11:15 PM
I was wrong, sorry Keith.
He promoted this nonsense this evening on his pretend news show.
Wow, every time he reaches bottom he finds a new level.
SteveMG on August 20, 2008 at 11:16 PM
It was Rove/John F. McCain who steered this campaign into the gutter, Steve.
Don’t tell me they did expect return fire?
How typical.
alphie on August 20, 2008 at 11:18 PM
Great, we could have a huge pool of people who wouldn’t normally opt for the military and who certainly wouldn’t choose combat, sitting around army bases washing tanks and generally being pissed-off because they don’t like being there.
Think of all the great patriotism that would generate, as if patriotism comes from forced servitude.
Bishop on August 20, 2008 at 11:19 PM
“Days! Weeks! Months!”
That was a direct quote.
Marcus on August 20, 2008 at 11:19 PM
I don’t. At all. The beauty of the american military is that it is all volunteer. and hek, we keep meeting and exceeding the recruiting goals so evidently there really is no need to conscript given the inherent sacrificial, love of country nature of our young citizens.
Wait until Obama runs ads about McCain’s plan to gut Social Security, Bishop.
Aloha, Senior citizen vote for John F. McCain.
alphie on August 20, 2008 at 11:03 PM
HA HA you putz. It’s dead, the Dems high fived SS death at the SOTUS
They can privatize Congress cafetrias, but not social securty…what good would Dems be without SS, they lost Welfare reform.
You shine that ball Alphie.
Topsecretk9 on August 20, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Keith Olberman…Keith Olberman…uhhh…KEITH Olberman…nope, doesn’t ring a bell.
Oh wait, is he the heavily rouged liberal guy whose tv show has three nightly viewers?
Bishop on August 20, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Thanks. What a clown he is.
He’ll only push it if the leftwingers at DKos or Think Progress tell him too.
If they drop it, he will too.
SteveMG on August 20, 2008 at 11:24 PM
Return fire from a book of wet matches.
McCain’s shakin’.
Marcus on August 20, 2008 at 11:26 PM
PLEASE remember Bush’s secret draft plan? Check out http://www.congressionalreports.gov Kerry voting record 2004. You will find out who had the secert draft plan, two of them.
allrsn on August 20, 2008 at 11:28 PM
Oh ignore alphie.
He only comes on here to get attention.
Rather pathetic actually.
ArmyAunt on August 20, 2008 at 11:38 PM
Obama’s first attack hit close enough to the mark to rate a post here, Marcus.
What could be up next?
John F. McCain’s “Christian” dating habits?
Keating Five scandal?
The source of the McCain family fortune?
Oh, dear.
alphie on August 20, 2008 at 11:41 PM
The democraps are sending really stupid stooges out to create havoc on sites like this one.
I hope alphie is actually a 12-15 year old kid who has not yet had a chance to grow up or gain knowledge.
allrsn on August 20, 2008 at 11:42 PM
I think if we just ignore him he may eventually just go away.
ArmyAunt on August 20, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Olbermann posts diaries on dkos to drum up people to watch his show.
It is so embarrassing, it’s almost as if he is begging the koskiddies to watch his show.
ArmyAunt on August 20, 2008 at 11:46 PM
The “Mr. 500 dollar Gucci loafer” one?
McCain’s shakin’.
(I’m going to bed now ArmyAunt. Promise.)
Marcus on August 20, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Night!
ArmyAunt on August 20, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Night.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Yah, if you look at what the insect is hoping will sink McCain, its kind of sad.
Next up at Think Patchouli: “McCain will eat your children, just like Rove did”!
Bishop on August 20, 2008 at 11:52 PM
McCain wants to bring back the Draft? Who is getting desperate on the Dem side? This is bs.
Dr Evil on August 21, 2008 at 12:03 AM
Obama! won’t let you stay in your home. He’s going to make you work. Just like Pol Pot and Mao and Stalin.
funky chicken on August 21, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Well, I wouldn’t say nothing. The offenders know they’re being dishonest (not stupid), but it’s in an effort to lie to the stupid masses. This is an age old trick of the Democrats, and sadly it works for them. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, I guess.
And as others I’m sure have noted, the only one I’ve heard call for the draft in recent years was FAR-LEFT DEMOCRAT Charlie Rangel.
RightWinged on August 21, 2008 at 12:07 AM
I’d like to recommend that McCain use “Bigger Fish to Fry” by Brad Paisley for his campaign song. Just to make alphie cry.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/bigger-fish-to-fry-lyrics-brad-paisley.html
yeah, it’s a random post, but it’s late
Or maybe “I’m Still a Guy” would be better:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YUkO9ARe2_c
funky chicken on August 21, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Oh, c’mon. I think lots of people will remember that the dems tried to terrify everybody about Bush reinstating a draft in 2004. Their schtick is getting pretty stale by now.
funky chicken on August 21, 2008 at 12:11 AM
better link:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6yQ9a-hJVy0&feature=related
funky chicken on August 21, 2008 at 12:14 AM
Do not know about ‘recient’ years, but he was not officialy calling for a draft in 2004. Two others were.
allrsn on August 21, 2008 at 12:19 AM
bigger fish to fry audio:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=J7VdWq6Oh8E
yeah, I’m trying to ruin alphie’s night
funky chicken on August 21, 2008 at 12:21 AM
And other assorted Democrats and only Democrats.
baldilocks on August 21, 2008 at 12:34 AM
I really wish – just once – before these ill-informed imbeciles spread this crap about a draft … they’d just ask ANYBODY in the military what they think.
Nobody in the military wants a draft. Nobody. No. Nobody. We don’t need it. And we definitely don’t want it. It simply doesn’t work.
Professional warriors are effective. Reluctant conscripts are not. Period.
In the event of a world war on a 1940s scale, sure – a draft might be necessary. But until we need – suddenly and unexpectedly – many millions of extra men, there will never be a draft.
Because nobody wants one. Because it doesn’t work.
Wake up, asshats on the left. Find a new boogeyman.
Professor Blather on August 21, 2008 at 12:45 AM
The class warfare bit started with the commies in the early 20th century..and it’s still going strong. That’s the whole liberal playbook; just keep running the same gags over and over again. Remember this one:
The bigger the lie, the more often it’s told, the more who believe it.
Joseph Gobbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda
The worst part, is the libs know where all this cr*p originated from and they still do it. I mean, what the MSM is doing now with propping up Obama would embarass Pravda. No shame. They have no shame at all.
austinnelly on August 21, 2008 at 1:02 AM
The Left accusing another Republican of instituting the draft again, eh?
Hmmm, let me see now, the draft was recently proposed for reactivation by a member of Congress. But who was that silly man?
Charles Rangel. He ended up voting against his own bill.
By the way, he belongs to that unnamed political party that runs Congress.
Weebork on August 21, 2008 at 1:14 AM
Robert Heinlein made a similar proposal in his rather non-action oriented book Starship Troopers. Books about 95% politics, 5% fighting, 0% romance. Good read.
Weebork on August 21, 2008 at 1:20 AM
Your free lunch is $57 trillion in the hole because of your party’s colossal ineptitude.
What the hell else would you think was going to happen to it?
Your time suckling at society’s teet is just about over Alphiepie. The bums lost.
Chuck Schick on August 21, 2008 at 5:41 AM
Desperate. These people are desperate.
And of course there are the WW3 exceptions, why else do young men still sign up? They do don’t they?
Terrye on August 21, 2008 at 7:09 AM
It’s amazing how the Democrats personalize their defeats.
They always pick one guy on the Republican side to be the evil genius who will do anything to defeat them. Any loss is not because their candidate sucked, or because the American people rejected their philosophy, it’s because the evil genius ™ tricked them into it via dirty tricks.
The sad thing is, everything they accuse the “evil genius” ™ of doing, they do themselves, usually in much greater quantity.
MarkTheGreat on August 21, 2008 at 8:26 AM
We absolutely need a draft. Our military is a shadow of its former self. We may soon be at war with Iran. The Russia thing could boil over. Who knows what China will do in Taiwan when its clear from Russia’s attack on Georgia that no Western country will come to the aid of its allies when faced with the prospect of real war. We need to double the size of our military. I honestly believe that it is our Clinton-induced weakness that is inviting massive war on a worldwide scale. It’s important for us to show these belligerent powers that we mean business.
fleiter on August 21, 2008 at 8:28 AM
Good, maybe Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn will get back in the game and start blowing up the draft boards.
rockmom on August 21, 2008 at 8:29 AM
I kind of like Heinleins idea.
Military service isn’t mandator, but you don’t get full citizen benefits until you do.
Things like you don’t get to vote unless you’ve served.
MarkTheGreat on August 21, 2008 at 8:29 AM
So accusing the other side of being racist is not “steering the campaign into the gutter”?
MarkTheGreat on August 21, 2008 at 8:30 AM
And to think that alphie actually believes that it’s McCain who’s been steering the campaign into the gutter.
MarkTheGreat on August 21, 2008 at 8:31 AM
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