Wow.  It’s as if he thought that if he gripped his jowls hard enough, maybe some kind of tiny elfin Adviser Fairie would fly out and supply him with a miraculously worded answer that would make the base happy but not give the lie to the idea that he’s a moderate who probably wouldn’t really do anything to take away women’s reproductive rights.

If Obama had looked that constipated and uncomfortable and then said he didn’t want to answer any question short of whether his wife was bare down there, it would be story number one.

I’m just trying to understand how anyone living in the U.S. could ‘not know enough’ about it to have an opinion.

That’s why McCain is dead-set against having talks with Iran. What if Ahmedinejad asked him about Viagra? He’d make that face on the international stage and would never live it down.

You can actually see the wheels turning in his head — but not because he doesn’t understand or have an opinion, it’s because he knows if he gives an actual answer somebody will be pissed: Catholics and fundies if he doesn’t crap on BC, and The rest if he does.

OTOH, one wonders how he would react if he was elected POTUS, was reading a book to school kids, and got told an airplane had just hit the Empire State building…

Does John McCain’s insurance policy cover viagra, or does he pay out of pocket?

CNN showed a longer clip in which McCain reckoned that he probably voted on the issue in Congress, but didn’t remember how he voted. Seriously.

Reminiscent of the “long pause” he gave when asked if contraceptives reduce the spread of HIV.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/16/mccain-stumbles-on-hiv-prevention/

(Yeah, the question was contraceptives, not condoms, even given that, it’s pretty obvious that they do.)

Someone might want to mention to him that presidential candidates, when queried about matters concerning public policy, don’t get to answer “I don’t want to talk about that.”

LauraB, that’s pre-9/11 thinking…

It’s even better. Via Crooks & Liars, the WSJ adds the following:

The reporter explained that McCain voted against a bill in 2003 that would have required health insurance companies to cover prescription birth control. “Is that still your position?” she persisted.

During the awkward exchange, with several lengthy pauses, McCain said he had no immediate knowledge of the vote. “I’ve cast thousands of votes in the Senate,” McCain said, then continued: “I will respond to—it’s a, it’s a…”

“Delicate issue,” the reporter offered, to a relieved laugh from McCain.

“I don’t usually duck an issue, but I’m—I’ll try to get back to you,” he explained.

Great going there Mr. Straight Talk. It’s really too bad MSNBC didn’t include the whole exchange with the reporter, but perhaps they’re only allowed a limited amount of criticism of McSame.

See, his campaign staff is doing a better job preparing him.  A couple months ago, he would have threatened to jam his fist down the throat of the reporter and rip out their heart, but now he just silently counts to 10 (his adrenaline is up, so it’s only 8 seconds) and says that he doesn’t know.

Progress.

“If a pause lasts for more than four seconds, seek immediate medical assistance.”

This is absolutely infuriating.
I work in the media and knew about this story, a legitimate question on insurance coverage for birth control with an analogy to Viagra. But instead of discussing it in those terms, it’s a Viagra story, for a titillating giggle.
MSNBC says “McCain keeps stiff upper lip”, CNN said “McCain Asked About Viagra” on their banner.
This is insane. Instead of a good question on why an important women’s health issue is marginalized, we get misdirection and puns.

LauraB, that’s pre-9/11 thinking…

Oh, right.  I’ll stop thinking right now.  My bad.

: )

pseudonymous in nc : line of the day!

I thought the scientific name was coxaphloppin.

Of course presidential candidates get to say that they don’t want to discuss an issue. They should do it a lot more often, because a lot of questions simply are either not appropriate at all, or are clearly trick questions designed to create soundbites.

I think that someone running for president certainly should have a clear and readily articulated policy on contraception, reproductive freedom, and so on.

For me, the problem isn’t that he ducked the issue, but that he did it so gracelessly and so badly. Even if he didn’t want to answer, he should have, by now, a series of very polished non-answers at the very least, or better, a truthful and polished “That really isn’t up to the President to decide.”

And, of course, if it had been any sort of intelligent, reasoned, or even null but poised answer, we never would have even heard about it.

It’s bad enough when these politicians play these stupid games, but damn, now they aren’t even trying. What the hell? I swear, it does not even look like the man has any interest at all in the job.

Word, Lymis.  If this was America’s Next Commander In Chief, Tyra would have kicked McCain out long ago with her favorite rant about how her show is about people who WANT to be POTUS, and you, John, clearly do not WANT it as badly as the others do.

If he can’t stand up to an effing package of birth control pills…

Great, I just spewed soda over the monitor laughing at “tiny elfin Adviser Fairie”. Thx Opop.

I’d like to encourage Presidential candidates to use the phrase “I don’t know enough about that to give an answer” - It’s absurd to expect a candidate to have a prepared position on every damn thing under this sun.  That said, knowing that BC is an important consideration in taking personal responsibility for ones’ health care ought to be basic general knowledge for anyone seeking higher office (i.e. above dog-catcher).  Either BC is outright evil (because it interferes with God’s sperm magic) or it’s medicine.  That distinction ought to be be clear in the mind of anyone.  The only reasons to punt on that are either (1) stupidity or (2) coldblooded, amoral, political calculation.  Since McCain has proven his unquestionable integrity, I’m going to go with #1 - he’s a dumbass.

I’d like to encourage Presidential candidates to use the phrase “I don’t know enough about that to give an answer”

And to cite a time when they refrained from voting on the subject to support that answer.

I wonder if Carly Fiorina did it ON PURPOSE.  Yeah, that’s the problem with having those sneaky women on your campaign.  They might slip some wimmenfolk stuff into your message.  I forgive her very slightly for this.  (Roe v. Wade next Carly, ‘kay?)

PS--Opoponax--good thing I wasn’t drinking coffee.  Where is Tyra when you need her most?

Or Heidi Klum: “Auf wiedersehn, John.”