McCain: Leave Geithner alone!
posted at 6:45 pm on March 20, 2009 by Allahpundit
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I’m not unsympathetic to this position myself — or at least, I wasn’t before the timeline of when TurboTax Tim found out about those bonuses began to shudder and creak from all the movement.
Leave it to ol’ Mav to pick the very day we find out Geithner’s recovery plan will be another month late to hop aboard the bandwagon.
Tim Geithner, the embattled US Treasury secretary, should be given a chance to succeed, says John McCain, the former presidential candidate, who is the first prominent Republican to speak up in Mr Geithner’s defence amid growing calls for his resignation…
“Everyone acknowledges he needs help,” said Mr McCain, in reference to the Obama administration’s difficulty in recruiting nominees to the Treasury department, where Mr Geithner remains the only official to have been confirmed.
Here’s Gingrich on Cavuto this afternoon ticking off a few of Geithner’s other greatest hits and predicting that he’s finished. Exit question: Only a 15-20% chance that he’ll end up underneath Obama’s bus? Really?
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One other point: if you have not done so already, read the article in the Washington Post this week by John McCain and Joe Lieberman about Afghanistan; and it just might remind you that John McCain knows foreign policy, military matters and national security better than anyone in either party. While Obama is downright embarrassing in issuing his recent appeal to Iran, McCain continues to show his experience and knowledge. It is not as if McCain did not show Obama to be clueless on the subject of negotiating with dictators during the debate moderated by Lehrer. McCain did; the mainstream media, however, played the role of propagandist for Obama, which will now be putting the country at risk.
Rush is doing brilliant work in dissecting Obama and the socialist designs of the Democrats and in articulating conservative philosophy, but Rush is being unwise, to say the least, in continuing to run parodies of McCain at a time when Republicans need to be pulling together. When we get hit (and we will get hit), who are you going to look for in terms of foreign policy, military and national security knowledge and experience on the Republican side????? If you say Romney or Huckabee, you should be laughed at. If you say Thompson, Guiliani, Palin or Jindal, that is because they will have already called John McCain.
Phil Byler on March 20, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Translation:
“I can’t prove Enron happened on Bush’s watch, so I will change the subject”.
Now I understand why Begala is paying you chump change. You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Of course this is not a surprise, after all O’bama won 70 percent of the high school dropout vote, even more than the 59 percent Algore got in 2000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Enron_scandal
Del Dolemonte on March 20, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Just out of curiousity.. Are there any documented cases of McCain slamming a liberal or defending a conservative… Just wondering…
Also, I guess McCain won’t be one of those buying the “Tax CHEAT” rubber stamps ..
bullseye on March 20, 2009 at 9:16 PM
It’s official! McShamnesty has completely destroyed his image as the guy who sacrificed for this country in Vietnam. Every time I hear him mentioned, I think of his shameless run at the presidency, his cowardly concession speech, CFR, and the Shamnesty bill and NOT what happened to him in Vietnam.
Welcome to the ranks of Wesley Clark and Colin Powell et al.
csdeven on March 20, 2009 at 9:22 PM
You stink of donkey shit.
csdeven on March 20, 2009 at 9:23 PM
The issue of economics is still not something McCain understands as well as he should.
Why should we leave him alone, Mac?:
Mr. Geithner’s job as head of the New York Fed was to ’supervise and regulate financial institutions in the Second District [Wall Street]. Its primary objective is to maintain safe and competitive U.S. and global banking systems.’ He had been in that post since 2003 and during that time the U.S. financial system has come close to complete disintegration.
The fact that Geithner even has this job is just another example of the reward incompetence and punish responsibility philosophy in the Age of Obama.
Rae on March 20, 2009 at 9:31 PM
You know all these silly partisan arguments distracts from the “lost” trillions and this economic catastrphy.
The outrage is growing and I am joining them to protest the greed.
Ya’ll have fun.
getalife on March 20, 2009 at 9:33 PM
Please, misator McCain, get out of our way and go where you would be welcome. We’re all sick of the mush-mouth, middle of the road crap.
PaCadle on March 20, 2009 at 9:34 PM
I think it is now time for John McCain to have a nice piping hot cup of SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He has now officially driven this “Maverick” image of his into the ground. He no longer serves any interest except his own.
pilamaye on March 20, 2009 at 9:43 PM
Well, Senator McCain, perhaps you should re-direct your angst into exhortations to the POTUS to lay aside his oh so important NCAA tourney picks and late-night talk show appearances and get down to the business of actually sending some treasury nominees down Pennsylvania Avenue for senate confirmation ASAP!
No one seems to be there at Treasury to answer the phones!
Perhaps Michelle can tiptoe over next door from the East Wing for a couple hours, just to take messages.
Intrepid on March 20, 2009 at 9:48 PM
Earlier this week, on the former Brit Hume show, the All Stars were asked about TT Timmy’s chances of surviving. All of them, inc. the ‘Hammer, said he will survive. I was surprised. I’ve had TT Timmy X-ed off my scorecard since he testified about Turbo Tax at his confirmation. He is and has been a dead man walking, and the reason the bank plan is delayed is because they want a new guy to do it. Anything TTT proposes will go down in flames. they’re just waiting for a day or two of peace to throw his corpse off the train.
james23 on March 20, 2009 at 9:54 PM
Mr. McCain – You lost me when you defended Uh One and rebuked one of your supporters. Shut up. You and your fat daughter need to go home.
AubieJon on March 20, 2009 at 9:55 PM
McCain could have won the presidency, and probably a republican majority back had he kept to his acceptance speech promise – to cut earmarks and call out those responsible. When he suspended his campaign and went to Washington, he should have held up a copy of the bill in front of the American people and said: “look at this 700 page monster – let’s have a look at some of the pork in this Christmas Tree, and then proceed to name the names” He further should have called out Barney and Dodd, but he didn’t – and proved he was just more of the same. He couldn’t even live up to his promise from the week before! I could have even forgiven him for going along with bailing out the banks – I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on thinking it was a good idea, but the fact that he voted for the pork and didn’t call anyone out on it sunk the GOP.
He broke my heart. I can still respect his foreign policy experience and wisdom, but I really don’t want to hear from him on domestic issues.
Queen0fCups on March 20, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Mr McCain, with all due respect for a sitting US Senator, please ram your head through a garbage disposal.
Thanks in advance.
pabarge on March 20, 2009 at 9:58 PM
McCain’s right, don’t waste any effort making Timmy out to be a fool, he’s doing just fine all by himself.
droofus on March 20, 2009 at 10:01 PM
When I look at him, what I now see
Is the face of someone who once sided with me
Still I can occasionally hear him as he used to be
And even though that melody may still faintly play on, he’s gone to me
PercyB on March 20, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Does this mean I need to retire the OBAMA TAX CHEAT stamp?
Naaaah….he’ll just nominate another crook.
ex-Democrat on March 20, 2009 at 10:20 PM
QueenOfCups: John McCain did NOT abandon his promise to cut earmarks and call out those repsonsible, not during the campaign and not since then. McCain, during the campaign, constantly argued that he would cut eamarked spending and call out those responsible. This year, McCain, on the Senate floor, ripped Obama a new asshole over the pork barrel, earmarked laden deficit spending bills. He has voted against all of Obama’s bailout and budget bills and has been vocal and visible in doing so.
As much as people on this site resist the idea, McCain was the only Republican who could have won in 2008, and McCain did not win because of the confluence of five factors: (i) the financial “crisis,” which created the kind of economic uncertainties that historically have favored the Democrats and did in 2008; (ii) the Bush Administration bank bailout, which McCain flirted wiht opposing but supported given Paulson’s representation the bank system would fail without the TARP bailout, but which muddied the waters in the difference between the parties and the Reaganesque message delivered on the campaign trail by Palin and McCain; (iii) the unpopularity of Bush, which was unfair given how Bush kept us safe but which was thge result of the unceasing left wing attacks and Bush’s failure to take the bulley pulpit to defend his Adminstration; (iv) the Obama money, some of which was illegal, that fueled what we see now as false campaign advertising (how do you win against a 7-1 money advantage?); and (v) media bias that was ridiculously in the tank for Obama and that acted day-in and day-out as a propaganda machine for Obama.
These factors made McCain’s vast superiority in foreign policy, military matters and national security. You would think that the American people would weigh those factors heavily at a time of war with the radical jihadists. But that did not happen. We will rue the day that did not happen. Obama is going to get us hit.
Phil Byler on March 20, 2009 at 10:59 PM
In other words “Leave Britney Alone!! —> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc&feature=PlayList&p=A2C58CDFF32FA25C&index=0&playnext=1
ha ha, leave it to McCain to suck up to the dems.
Dollayo on March 20, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Timorous Geithner makes molusks appear spinal.
Entelechy on March 20, 2009 at 11:49 PM
PLEASE…. can we dump this guy already. Yes, he’s great on the few things he’s great on, and we all know about his service to this country…..
But its time for him to stop screwing the rest of what is important to conservatives. With respect to anything social or fiscal issues, forgetaboutit….. We’re dead as a movement if we keep looking to these losers.
seanrobins on March 21, 2009 at 12:26 AM
McCain had no clue as to the CRA – government enforced bad loans – genesis of the current financial crisis. He has no clue that Geithner and Obama are destroying the American economy.
The GOP could have nominated Romney. Instead they put up an economic illiterate who won the GOP nomination by lying about Romney’s position on the surge.
It’s not the function of government to tell banks who they must lend to and at what rates. If the government wanted to make home ownership easier for the poor they should have allocated funding for that purpose instead of imposing hidden taxes on banks.
Basilsbest on March 21, 2009 at 12:41 AM
We’re dead as a movement if we keep looking to these losers.
seanrobins on March 21, 2009 at 12:26 AM
Nonsense. Obamateur’s popularity will be in the toilet before the end of 2009. The Obamateur recession will last to the end of his term. The GOP will win a landslide in 2012.
Basilsbest on March 21, 2009 at 12:46 AM
LOL…beautiful. They become “partisan arguments” when it’s shown that reality doesn’t match his “Bush and Cheney are da DEBBIL!” thinking. Obama voters…you’ve gotta love ‘em.
ddrintn on March 21, 2009 at 1:02 AM
By the way, I’ll be protesting government greed. They’re not entitled to my money.
ddrintn on March 21, 2009 at 1:03 AM
As I mentioned in a headline topic the other day, I voted for McCain…it was the most unpleasant vote I’ve ever cast, but I did cast it.
And, I’m also glad he lost.
This is not to say I’m glad Obama won. Yes, I know those were the only two choices, but let’s be honest: a McCain presidency would have decimated the Republican Party and dealt a crippling blow to the Conservative movement in this country. You think Bush’s New Tone and “Compassionate Conservatism” set us back? That was nothing compared to what McCain would have done.
At least now we have a chance to rebuild, reassess and have some fun rubbing the left’s face in the fact that their Messiah is an incompetent nincompoop every day of the next four years. Yes, it may be painful in the short term, and Obama is going to do some real damage while he’s in office. But, hopefully, we can eventually pull something positive out of this in the long run.
Cylor on March 21, 2009 at 2:06 AM
If Geithner can’t perform until he hires some unnamed expert, why wasn’t the expert appointed instead of Geithner?
Meanwhile, if McCain knows what Geithner needs to do to save the economy, he ought to spill the beans so poor old Geithner can get a break. If McCain doen’s know the answer, how could he possibly know if Geithner is on track or drowning?
We are being told that unless we let the talent at our faiked banking houses take million dollar retention bonuses the talent will flee to other nations. Why don’t we ask the talent from the failed banking houses to tell Geithner how to fix the system. These million dollar retention bonus execs have pricesless talent. If they just meet with Geithner and tell him how to fix stuff, the failed banking houses will spring back to life and million dollar retention bonuses will flow like lava. They could do it for free, just to keep the retention bonuses coming
My next best suggestion is everyone should leave McCain alone until he figures out which party he’s in. Once McCain figures that out, we will have a better idea which side of his mouth he is talking from
entagor on March 21, 2009 at 3:58 AM
Really? So a tax cheat being head of the US Treasury is just peachy with you? You think he’s done an ‘outstanding job’ so far?
You are pleased with the failure to appoint other high ranking Treasury members to assist us in this most trying economic crisis since the Great Depression?
You really think Zero and ‘Too Big To Fail’ make quite the dynamic duo resolving this economic crisis as Zero takes in an NBA game, makes his NCAA picks and flies off to appear on Leno so he can insult the disabled? Really?
You’ve been impressed enough to not criticize the glaring gaffe’s and downright harmful policies instituted?
Obama’s rosy outlook while boldly forging ahead amidst a $2 trillion dollar discrepancy between his budget estimates and the bi-partisan CBO doesn’t worry you at all? Really?
If your head gets any further up Zero’s ass he’s gonna look like a totem pole.
Mr Purple on March 21, 2009 at 4:27 AM
That will never do. Much too logical.
Cheshire Cat on March 21, 2009 at 5:52 AM
I am reminded of the Star Trek episode where Capt Kirk is split in two, a good Kirk and an evil Kirk. I wish that we could split McCain in two, his foreign policy and conservative good McCain, and his evil liberal mcamnesty lib posturing McCain, and then drive a stake in the heart of the latter McCain(or at least send that McCain back to Arizona), and only have the decent McCain in Congress.
eaglewingz08 on March 21, 2009 at 6:52 AM
Crap like this is a big reason silly ol’ McCoot isn’t President McCoot. Don’t care about his ‘foreign policy expertise’. He’s a fool for not realizing that we need to fight the NWOD (National War on ‘Rats) with the same resolve as in fighting Islamofascists.
GeneSmith on March 21, 2009 at 8:12 AM
Excellent point – and that is why McCain is and always was a mediocre candidate.
I’m not really a McCain fan or basher – but I know his place.
McCain and Lieberman would have been a great 3rd ticket option for Americans – and I actually wish we would have had this during the past election.
As the Republican candidate he didn’t inspire. As a 3rd party candidate with Lieberman they were ‘change’.
Instead, Republicans bickered over Fred and Rudy (my choice) types while McCain split the difference and conquered.
His selection of Palin did inspire me. His speech to ‘Stand Up and Fight’ inspired me. Pretty much everything in between was a big yawn fest.
Sarah inspired me everytime she spoke.
Put the Cons, the Libs, and the Tweens all on separate tickets and see what happens. That would have been interesting.
In 2012 my dream ticket would be Petraeus/Palin.
To me, that is a winner. I don’t know if anything else will inspire enough votes to overcome a rerun of the ‘hopenchange’ miniseries.
I know – imagining a 2nd term of Zero is a horrific thought, but do you honestly expect the media and the Kool-Aid drinkers to vote against the propaganda they are constantly being fed and have become completely dependent upon?
We need to UNITE and expand support in our battle with Zero.
These constant calls of identifying the RINO du Jour and driving them out of the party is silly infighting and nothing more.
There should be no ‘litmus test’ on social issues with us. Not this election cycle.
I could give a damn if you prefer these candidates or not – but look beyond ‘abortion’ and ‘amnesty’ or your other secondary concerns.
Sometimes a compromise needs to be reached. Do you prefer illegals who want to be Americans or jihadi’s that want to lie and blow up America?
The President should NOT be expected to decide social issues at his own whim. I really don’t care if they are abortion hating liberals or abortion loving conservatives.
Would you really be upset with a President who was fiscally conservative and had a defined plan for economic recovery, was pro-choice, and was strong on national defense?
His views on abortion would not trump Roe v Wade. All other issues he is dead on, completely and infallibly right on.
It is those social issues I choose to elect my local politicians on and hopefully dictate the law of the nation, or state, or community as such laws allow.
As long as Republicans demonize other Republicans over social issues I think we are only crippling ourselves. The divisers of the party are the real enemy.
The ‘No RINO’ crowd voting out the non-confrontational abortion critic that is strong on defense and fiscal responsibility in favor of an abortion loving weak on defense welfare distributor Dem is a loss.
STFU with all that noise already.
Your ‘No RINO’ campaign is dead.
Rino’s will be elected as long as you constantly redefine your description of RINO.
Would you really vote for a Democrat you didn’t like simply because a fellow Republican held a single different view than you did?
Mr Purple on March 21, 2009 at 8:19 AM
The explanation is much easier than your drawn out defense of McCain: Cranky old men don’t do well against young charismatic ones (See Dole Vs Clinton) and he told the base to go screw themselves. Problem solved.
jwp1964 on March 21, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Actually I think he does have a point.
The problem IMO comes form the ‘No RINO’ crowd who refused to support McCain in their deluded fantasy that McCain was somehow not ‘conservative’ enough.
Congratulations. You helped elect Barack Obama.
This 2010 election I think we should focus on eliminating the RINO hunters more than anything.
I’m ALMOST tempted to promote Snowe, Specter, and Collins for re-election.
At least that is the ‘current’ RINO list – which is sure to ‘evolve’ and change daily depending on what issues are being treated.
Tell the RINO hunters to go f#$k themselves. Vote the person you think will be best for the country.
Mr Purple on March 21, 2009 at 8:56 AM
So you equate a GOP landslide with advancing the conservative movement? Where have you put your brain?
The GOP has to be purged or we’ll simply retreat from Obama fascism to Bush-style big government liberalism. There currently is no conservative party to put into power.
rcl on March 21, 2009 at 9:01 AM
McWho?
profitsbeard on March 21, 2009 at 10:13 AM
JOHN MC CAIN EQUALS M O R O N
MY OPINION OF COURSE
rone5847 on March 21, 2009 at 10:27 AM
This from the great RINO who voted for the porkulus! We really need to listen to him and his Valley Girl daughter when it comes to politics. Why is he still in the GOP? Why haven’t we thrown him out yet?
flytier on March 21, 2009 at 10:43 AM
There is some that I do like about Sen. McCain: I like his fighting spirit and tenacious attitude.
Unfortunately I hate his policy decisions almost across the board. I do question his vaunted foreign policy experience and then hanging out with one of the top Red Mafia chiefs who is the favorite of Putin. His military acument leaves something to be desired being the cheerleader of the post-Cold War drawdown and then proposing that one-third of the remaining force go to an unready status so as to save cash. Letting President Clinton hang out two Army Divisions in Kosovo until they would come back at the lowest readiness state of any US military unit since Vietnam when he could have joined his fellow Republicans into calling the Administration into account for its lack of oversight is inexcuseable. Plus the man loves the idea of ramping up government and paying for it at the same time, which is the ‘moderate’ position only if you like big government.
His financial acumen in the bailout showed much to be desired, but then that was true of both candidates… though his going to ’sort things out’ and press forward instead of asking for a Senate ‘time out’ is inexcuseable. If it was so horrific you had to act fast, you will not act well and perhaps even make things worse. And would a week truly have made a difference? Instead of pointing out either of those, it became all about Mr. Maverick Goes To Washinton To Sing In The Choir. One would think that a Maverick would have done something other than become part of a rubber stamp process, but that was not to be.
Being better than your opponent in no way makes you ‘good’. I voted for the only executive in the race, who had carried through with campaign promises, attacked the crony support system in the R party and generally seemed to have a lick of sense on how to deal with things you may not know in detail instead of ‘faking it’ like the others did on both tickets. Doing what you say, Saying what you mean, and Meaning what you do are highly important to me when looking at politicians. Too bad she was at the bottom of the ticket, but then she knew she had no support base and record to back herself and yet came when asked by a candidate for the good of her party and the country. She convinced me not to throw my vote away on a third party candidate who had no chance of winning. Otherwise that is what I would have done again as I have done in a few past elections when both parties have put up ‘lesser evils’ as their standard bearers.
ajacksonian on March 21, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Oh, brilliant. Just one little problem: winning without the “RINO hunters” and convincing Democrats to vote for Democrat Lite. Good luck with that.
ddrintn on March 21, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Geithner is surviving because they can’t fill his seat with anyone else. How many people have too many problems to fill the empty positions in the Treasury Department? This would be a good time for that bi partisan- team of rivals Obama was always humping on the campaign trail:) He could use some competent people Republicans, Independents…whatever get a team under Timmy then replace Timmy.
Dr Evil on March 21, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Purple states announce sea changes and charismatic new political stars. The GOP has neither right now, except possibly Palin.
We lost NC, CO, VA, OH, FL and IN. Running on a Democratic platform, or even running candidates who vote with the Democrats, is not going to cut it. Dissent within the ranks while the filibuster is in jeopardy is a recipe for disaster.
The Porkulus 3 have got to go. Snowe will probably be hard to take out. She is old, anyway, and she did us a solid by exposing the AIG bonus hypocrisy. But Specter should definitely go. His constituents are unhappy with him and would have voted him out if not for George W. Bush and Rick Santorum.
chunderroad on March 21, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Nice shooting, Del.
-Dave
Dave R. on March 21, 2009 at 4:14 PM
If McCanus can’t do the country a favor and switch parties, could he just quietly retire and go the hell away?
-Dave
Dave R. on March 21, 2009 at 4:16 PM
McCain, Pack your bags, YOU ARE DONE in the Senate. J.D. Hayworth is going to clean your clock in the primaries next year even WITH George Soros passing you money like he did in the Presidential Primaries…..SEE YA DOUCHE-NOZZLE!
nelsonknows on March 21, 2009 at 5:51 PM
How about “Leave Maverick ALONE” in the next election?
mad scientist on March 21, 2009 at 9:43 PM
OK McCAIN I WANT MY FIFTY DOLLARS BACK I REALLY ONLY GAVE YOU THE MONEY BECAUSE OF PALIN. IF YOUR GOING TO KEEP IT GIVE ME SOMETHING FOR MY MONEY SHUT UP!YOU ARE NOT A MAVERIC YOUR AN EDSEL.
wade underhile on March 22, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Tp seanrobins re post at March 21, 2009 at 12:26 AM: How is McCain screwing with what is important to conservatives right now? He has been overall the most vocal and visible Republican in Congress opposing Obama’s budget and bailout bills. McCain continues to be pro-life and has not supported anything that Obama has done in the social area. So, back tomy question: who do Republicans call upon to deal with foreign policy, military matters and national security? I did not see any suggestions from you.
Phil Byler on March 22, 2009 at 8:26 PM
To jwp1964 re your post on March 21, 2009 at 8:22 AM: No, you’re wrong, the 1996 election does not provide insight as to the 2008 election. The overall circumstances of the two elections were totally different.
In 1996, the Democrat candidate was the incumbent President, and Bill Clinton was seeking re-election at a time of prosperity and apparent peace. Whenever an incumbent President runs at a time of prosperity and peace, the incumbent wins; it’s that simple.
In 2008, the incumbent Republican was not running; the economy had gone into recession; we had years of war; the media was part of the opposition camp.
One other point: if the country had the same demographics in 2008 as it had in 1992, McCain would have won in 2008.
To deal with what happened in 2008, look again at my March 20, 2009 10:59 PM post. It is important because if conservatives are going to win future elections, thay have to think clearly about what really has gone wrong in recent years and not rely on clever comments that do not work when thought through.
Phil Byler on March 22, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Oy Vey, now we can see why McCain lost…
Ever the one to take the side of the incompetent Democrat. Ever the one who would rather compliment his opponent than actually WIN.
In the end, when you play Democrat too much, you start to become a Democrat. And isn’t that how we got in this position in the first place?
darkmetal on March 23, 2009 at 6:34 AM
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