by Mark Silva
Forget "Read my lips. No new taxes.''
Sen. John McCain has upped the ante on political promises, with his appearance today in New Orleans, still recovering from the rampage of Hurricane Katrina and the mismanaged federal response to storm recovery on the Gulf Coast.
"America will never forget,'' McCain told an audience.
"I will never forget, and never again will there be a mismanaged natural disaster -- manmade or natural -- again that will occur in this country,'' McCain said emphatically. "I want to assure you, it will never happen again in this country.
"You have my commitment and my promise.''
McCain also wants to avoid any tax increases. But now, he is adding properly managed disasters -- "manmade or natural'' -- to the mix. That means the next big storm, or the next big unthinkable event, will be under control with a McCain White House.
He has taken Hillary Clinton's "3 am phone call'' and upped it to 24-hour coverage.
And see what McCain told Fox News' Shepard Smith today about courtiing the black vote -- pledging to work for it, regardless of what share he wins:
McCain spoke with Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith today during Studio B with Shepard Smith live from the lower 9th ward in New Orleans.
On the letter grade he would give to the federal government for Katrina relief efforts:
"The federal government, I would give close to an F in some respects. I rely on the governor and the people here in the Ninth ward for the information and knowledge, I've kept up with the issues that I read and study, but you have got to talk to the people on the ground.''
On getting more African American votes:
"I'm going to work for their vote. I may not get a majority of their vote. I may not even get a significant portion of it, but I want them to know that when I'm President, I'm going to be President of all the people. That's the message.''
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Comments
He's promising the federal response will be better and, really, how could it not be better than FEMA under Michael Brown? There's still no cure for the state and local level political corruption that existed in Louisiana before the storm.
Posted by: Jeff | April 24, 2008 4:10 PM
Ahh good to see Mr Silva not wasting anytime insulting McCain at every turn. Only an idiot wouldnt know exaclty what McCain is talking about. He is talking about the forgotten aftermath IDIOT!!!
Posted by: Vinny | April 24, 2008 4:15 PM
Does this mean he'll make sure NOLA gets all the flood walls properly fixed? Or will he make everyone move well above sea-level? It has to be one or the other, unless he has the power to stop hurricanes.
Posted by: PJ Hansen | April 24, 2008 4:19 PM
Nobody should trust ANYONE promising that something will NEVER AGAIN happen in this country (or any country, for that matter). And by "anyone," I absolutely include Obama and Clinton.
McCain has no way of promising that with any more honesty than I can promise I'm going to live to see next year. Or that I can promise YOU'LL live to see next year. We hope, but we just plain don't know.
Saying he won't tolerate the kind of boneheaded lunacy that Bush seems to have wanted to bathe in would make a bit of sense, and I'd be glad to hear it. Saying it'll "never happen again?" It's just plain stupid and possibly senile. Or, if you will -- MORE OF THE SAME.
Posted by: Op109 | April 24, 2008 4:22 PM
"MCCAIN SPEAKS"
HAGEE HAS DECLARED ME THE 2ND COVENANT, NOT MICHAEL CHERTOFF!
MY FOLLOWERS HAVE ASSURED ME GOD SAID NO MORE DISASTERS!
NOLA, NOIA, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE "SECRETARY" HAVE GIVEN ME ASSURANCE THAT "NO MORE DISASTERS" WILL BE ON THOSE "INTERNETS"
I'M THE 2ND COVENANT, I CAN STOP ALL DISASTERS, WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN FEMA, WE DON'T NEED NO "NATIONAL GUARD" NO MORE DISASTERS I PUT MY ELECTION ON IT.
PAT ROBERTS, THE 527 CLUB ASSURED ME NO MORE DISASTERS, GOD TOLD THEM SO.
HAGEE HAS "BLESSED" THIS NEW "CASINO RICH" LAND FROM THE GAYS AND THE LESBIANS AND GOD SAID NO MORE "DISASTERS"
MOTHER NATURE IS "HILLARY CLINTON" AND THE PAIN IN THE WORLD IS "BARRACK OBAMA" AM I "WRIGHT" OR WRONG!
NO MORE DISASTERS, OR I WILL TAKE 200 MILLION DOLLARS FROM MY WIFES TREASURE CHEST AND HELP THE POOR, THE BLIND, AND THE ELDERLY THAT ENTERED INTO MEDICAID AND MEDICARE WE SOLD YOU ON DAY ONE OF "KATRINA"
I STAKE MY ELECTION ON IT!
HAGEE TOLD ME SO! SOME 72 YEARS AGO WHEN HE PULLED OUT OF THE WATER AND "SAVED" ME ON COALITION BOAT COLO SOLO IN PANAMA CANAL IN 1936!
Posted by: Roger Morris | April 24, 2008 4:34 PM
Isn't that upstanding...He'll work to get their "VOTE"..no matter how many he can actually get. Bully Bully!
Posted by: bill r. | April 24, 2008 4:34 PM
"You have my commitment and my promise.''
As a longtime Washington Politician...that and 25 cents get you a phone call.
Posted by: bill r. | April 24, 2008 4:44 PM
I agree with him. At least while President Obama is in office.
Posted by: Tom J | April 24, 2008 4:45 PM
wow, if Obama said the same thing people would complete buy into it and eat up his words. when McCain speaks people start there smear campaigns against him. My point?? You morons think OBAMA bin laden does no wrong.
Posted by: J Seville | April 24, 2008 5:01 PM
Hey, I guess a man as old as Moses could promise such a thing.
Posted by: GinChicago | April 24, 2008 5:05 PM
The promise was no more "mismanaged" disasters, not no more disasters. At least your headline writer can try to be accurate.
Posted by: Dorich | April 24, 2008 5:14 PM
No more disasters, for sure! Can't waste our streched thin military on disaster response when we have so many more wars to wage, eh Johnny?
Posted by: FDI | April 24, 2008 5:38 PM
Even if McCain wants to do any good, there are other republicans who would stand in a way. Remember what happened to kids healthcare and to immigration reform?
It's same circus, different clown. You have to be too gullible to think McCain would be too different from Bush. He has already backtracked his opposition to millionaire tax cuts. If he gets elected, everyone should look for more such back-tracks.
Posted by: H Shah | April 24, 2008 5:44 PM
Bill R., what part of Washington are you from? What office have you been elected to?
Posted by: Jeff | April 24, 2008 5:56 PM
Even if McCain wants to do any good, there are other republicans who would stand in a way. Remember what happened to kids healthcare and to immigration reform?
It's same circus, different clown. You have to be too gullible to think McCain would be too different from Bush. He has already backtracked his opposition to millionaire tax cuts. If he gets elected, everyone should look for more such back-tracks.
Posted by: H Shah | April 24, 2008 6:14 PM
"The promise was no more "mismanaged" disasters, not no more disasters. At least your headline writer can try to be accurate.
Posted by: Dorich | April 24, 2008 5:14 PM"
Wouldn't make a difference. Either way, "disaster" or "mismanaged disaster," McCain can't control it and is stupid to promise it. And, for the benefit of "J Seville," neither could Obama or Clinton.
Posted by: Op109 | April 24, 2008 6:27 PM
Promises, promises, promises! It seems to me I heard the same talking points from President Bush, when he ran for the Presidency. I don't think we should reward the same Party, for the incompetency shown in dealing with the unfortunate disasters that have occurred during their watch!! They do not deserve another chance, instead, give the Democrats the chance. They will not disappoint you, nor will they frustrate you, with incompetence!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 24, 2008 6:27 PM
McCain: "Read my libs, no more disasters"
That's true because McCain will just turn things over to his favorite pastor, John Hagee, who in turn will blame all future disasters on the gay people who live in New Orleans.
Posted by: John E | April 24, 2008 7:39 PM
Where and what was McCain doing when Katrina hit? Today he just looked like an old man in a baseball hat, not our Savior. Maybe he can get some of the gold that his wife is sitting on to help out.
Posted by: whiteagle38 | April 24, 2008 10:40 PM
Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it? # years and I didn't hear a peep out of McBush.
And see what McCain told Fox News' Shepard Smith today about courtiing the black vote -- pledging to work for it, regardless of what share he wins:
What a man...he'll go try to get VOTES.....no matter how many he gets. That's big of him.
Posted by: bill r. | April 25, 2008 11:52 AM