DailyKos has some suggested questions for George Stephanopoulos to ask John McCain. This is more a knock on Stephanopoulos in light of his inane questions to the Democratic candidates last week; but, fair is fair. But, clearly, I don’t expect fairness where the mainstream media and St. John McCain are concerned. Suggested questions:
* Senator McCain, some have suggested that you take on Mike Huckabee as your running mate to offset the mistrust many Christian voters have of you given your support of stem cell research, which as you know, they consider to be murder. So my question to you is, will you ask Mr. Huckabee to join your ticket and can you explain why destroying unborn children isn’t murder? After all, this viewpoint can be found on the internet.
* It has been widely reported that you told Senator John Cornyn to “fuck off.” Given your famous and self-admitted temper, should the American people be concerned that you may use the same sort of language to world leaders?
* Let’s move on to religion. You have “proudly” accepted the endorsements of Reverend John Hagee and Rod Parsley. Do believe and accept their belief that the Catholic Church conspired with Hitler to exterminate Jews, that Hurricane Katrina was a righteous punishment from God for the sins of New Orleans, and that a part of our American destiny is to destroy the false religion of Islam? If not, why haven’t you publicly disassociated yourself from these remarks?
* Keeping on religion for another moment; 20 years ago you began attending a Baptist Church, yet you refused to be baptized into that church. Why?
* Do you believe that committing adultery should disqualify someone to be the President of the United States? Why or why not?
* It’s been noted that you don’t wear an American flag on your lapel. Do you believe that wearing one proves ones patriotism and conversely, does not wearing one mean that you don’t love your country? In other words, is this an issue that the American people should be concerned about?
You may want to specify “embryonic stem cell research” in the first question.
There are a number of different sources for various kinds of stem cells, but as far as I know, getting them from embryos is the only practice where there is notable objection from anyone.
Definitions are only for substantive debates. ABC wants to explore the candidates “character” by asking them “controversial” questions.
I’m guessing George will have conveniently taken the criticisms directed at him to heart by the time he talks to McCain.
Last week on David Gregory’s new program on MSNBC Joe Scarborough heatedly put down another participant ( Rachel M. from Air America) who gave a list of questions very similar to the one above to be asked of McCain.Her overall point was that what questions we are asked and how they are framed dictates how we are perceived ( so each candidate should be asked similar questions).
The current administration has had it their own way for so long on religion and moral issues and aren’t used to having to judge people by the same yardstick.Scarborough’s thinking,as I understood it, was that McCain has proven moral stature and is beyond having to be put down on Obama’s level to be judged.
Sure sounds elitist to me, moral elitism, which this current administration has been guilty of from day 1.