Leave it to Russert...

to have his head up his butt.

Big Bad McCain, desperately feeling about for his cojones. LOL.

News flash for you, sir:  the Christian Right has them nestled firmly in their hot little hands, and they aren't letting go.

These dumb @$$ cons can't even spell potato. After Quayle proved he wasn't smarter than a fifth grader, you'd think they'd try to keep their ignorance under wraps.

"These dumb @$$ cons can't even spell potato. After Quayle proved he wasn't smarter than a fifth grader, you'd think they'd try to keep their ignorance under wraps."

Actually, Quayle got the spelling of potato from a flash card the teacher had made. His main mistake was assuming that government school teachers are competent.

So then its the Governments fault that a full grown man with a college degree can't spell potato. Did the card spell it as a plural you know potatoes? Was it really their screwup? Even if it were how does that change the FACT he didnt know how to spell the word? Good try at obfuscation I give it a six on the logic scale a ZERO

McCain is going after that all-important "good speller" voting bloc, which leaves out the vast majority of rightwing pundits and bloggers.

I know for a fact this latest attack by McCain on Obama has earned him the vote of a geek named "Herman" in New Jersey, who previously favored Obama ... a single issue voter, Herman.

Way to go, John! 

All this fuss over "flack" vs. "flak", either ways is OK, fine......but it brings to mind the ire raised over the terms "Democrat" and "Democratic", where either way was certainly not fine.  

Well Tommy, its less about the word itself (flack/flak).

Its more about McCain dodging the question by bringing up this cr@p. 

So instead of answering the question he attacks, over spelling.

You say that as if you're confused about why "flack" can be spelled either way but "Democratic Party" cannot. There is no such thing as the "Democrat Party." However, there are two ways to spell "flak jacket."

Your comment is akin to saying, "If there are two accepted spellings for the word color, then why does everybody make a fuss when I spell dog wrong?"

False equivalence. Flack and flak are always alternatives. Either is an alternative spelling for the EXACT SAME THING. Using Democrat as an adjective is WRONG gramatically and done for a specific reason. Pretend all you want it isnt a petty slam at Dems no one is fooled.

Solon,

The analogy didn't go to their equivalence, but rather to their sensibilities......it may not be appropriately comparable to you, but it was just an observation on my part.

I am not surprised that some got all huffy over it, but considering you're far more intelligent than they are, I am a little surprised you didn't get it........but I still love ya anyway.

Didn't get it? What's to get? If you actually have a point, then come out with it, because I don't think anyone "got it." And incidentally, I didn't get "huffy" about it, but it does give me a nostaligic thrill to see you trot out the old "huffy" accusations. And the tried and untrue swipe at my intellignece was just an added bonus.  Now if you have a point, make it, or stop with the empty insults.

I've been stroked. Flack, flak. Both correct. Democrat Party INCORRECT. McCain tried to take Obama to task for a spelling that WAS CORRECT. Using Democrat party isnt. You have no point. Clams wasnt huffy he was right

Any American going to vote for a MUSLIM????

Considering that some already did - for Keith Ellison in congress and further considering Sen. Obama is a christian... ummm never mind.

 inapart,

Whom are you referring to here? Certainly not Obama I hope.

He's not a Muslim.

Well Americans in a district in Minnesota not only voted for one but ELECTED one so I guess the answer is yes. What that question has to do with, well, virtually ANYTHING is the mystery here.

I'm sure a lot more people would vote for a Muslim than would vote for an ignorant, pin-headed dunce like you.

This is a great example of our lazy media. Even after an explanation has been provided, some just continue repeating inaccurate information. Makes one wonder IF we the public are more well versed on the news than they are.

The real story here should have been what a petty man McCain was to attack the spelling in the first place & to try and use it as some sort of evidence that Obama must be lacking as some sort of "greenhorn".

Anyone know IF anyone in the media has brought to McCain's attention the fact that Flak/Flack can be spelled either way? Probably not.

This is such a nothing issue, but if the media can't get THIS correct, we shouldn't be surprised they have flubbed their reporting of the news for decades.

"This is a great example of our lazy media. Even after an explanation has been provided, some just continue repeating inaccurate information." - Jeter2

Sorry, Jeter, but I just can't go along with you on this one. While there ARE countless examples of journalists & media talking heads who make errors that CAN be attributed to their laziness, this is one of those cases where that explanation just doesn't make sense. When someone has been corrected REPEATEDLY for spreading false information but continues to spread it, a more logical conclusion is that, rather than laziness, what they're demonstrating id PARTISANSHIP. This misinformation is, in truth, DISINFORMATION. It is done in order to receive the public & to distort their perceptions about certain individuals & certain concepts.

It's remarkably like the false stories about Al Gore on the 2000 election, & the Republican meme that he was pompous & a "serial distorter". They were promoted & advanced through the MSM as a means of ridiculing Gore... & thereby giving relative stature to Dubya' that he certainly had not earned. The same "lazy" misinformation was circulated about Kerry's war record on 04'. I think you would be hard pressed to find any similar "lazy" distortions being made about Dubya' in either campaign.

No... "laziness" is giving these people a benefit of the doubt that their records don't suggest that they merit.

THE LOGIC GOES LIKE THIS:

A. Only REAL soldiers know how to spell "FLAK".

B. Obama's campaign spelled it "FLACK".

C. Therefore, Obama is a "greenhorn" and his positions on all military matters cannot be taken seriously.

The problems with this construct are many (for example, C does not logically follow from the previous premises), but the BIGGEST error is that A is simply not true; EITHER spelling is acceptable. Therefore, the conclusion drawn from a FALSE PREMISE is also FALSE, by definition.

The main thing is, McCain does not want to talk about how he was FALSELY and DISINGENUOUSLY telling the American Citizens how SAFE the markets are in Iraq, when it was clear it was so UNSAFE, he had to have multiple layers of protection just to walk 50 feet, from a FLAK/FLACK jacket, to 100 specially assigned armed troops, to armored Humvees, to Apache Attack helicopters patrolling overhead.

In other words, McCain LIED with the clear intent to DECIEVE. So of COURSE he wants to change the subject to spelling ... or damn near ANYTHING else but how big a phony and a liar he is. 

Hmmm. "I" before "E", except after "C". That would be, a clear intent to DECEIVE. Guess to the rightwing, I have lost all credibility on any topic, due to a misspelt word. How can I live with the shame?

"The real story here should have been what a petty man McCain was to attack the spelling in the first place & to try and use it as some sort of evidence that Obama must be lacking as some sort of "greenhorn". "

 Exactly.  How ridiculous is the media sometimes?? McCain had no answer to the substance of Obama's statement - but the media act like McCain made some great comeback!  Even if McCain had been right about the spelling, it should have been treated for what it was  - an incredibly lame response, basically proving that Obama was right.

Any American going to vote for a MUSLIM????

- inapart / Tuesday May 29, 2007 06:59:54 PM EST

Well, given the fact that there aren't any Muslim's running for president, I guess that answer would be NO!  Perhaps you were referring to Rep. Keith Ellison who has ALREADY BEEN ELECTED?

That completes our lesson for today kids.

Too easy.

Any American going to vote for a MUSLIM????

• - inapart / Tuesday May 29, 2007 06:59:54 PM EST
• - Reply to this comment / Flag this commen

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Be afraid, be very afraid. There's more of them..... 

Add Add CBS Evening News with Katie Couric (5-25-07 broadcast) to that list.

Video here: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2854543n

The relevant part starts abour 4:10.

Jim Axelrod: "Notice how Obama spelled "flack" - incorrectly." This over a video reproduction of Obama's words:

"The fact that Senator McCain required a flack [sic] jacket... and 100 soldiers with rifles..."  

The irony here is that McCain is using this non-issue to deflect the flack/flak(metaphorical) from the real issue, namely his dishonesty about the situation in Iraq.

And that in itself is completely dishonest on his part. He knows very well that he's manipulating the lowest common denominator with that comment.

Hey McCain get a dictionary you big snow bunny wabbit

There is an inverse relationship between the number of times Mr MCain opens his mouth and his chances of getting nominated.

This is pretty funny.  Can you imagine if Dubya Bush had used the spelling 'flack'?  I'll bet McCain would be quick to back him up if he was called out on it.  The President can't be wrong!  If you say so, you're unpatriotic!  The dictionary must be changed!  Oh, wait...

It's sad that this was all McCain had for a comeback. Not nearly as sad though, as the absurd lack of fact checking from the mainstream press.