JUDGE YE BY THEIR FRIENDS

by Steve Young

Last month, MSNBC political analyst Steve Adubato wrote about Jerimiah Wright's comments and Barack Obama's reaction to them:

"...it's not simply about race, but about judgment and the courage to stand up and confront a longtime friend and supporter who is prominent and influential, and who has also been divisive and dangerous. Wright may have done good things for many poor people in Chicago, but this in no way excuses or explains what I and every other person in the media, as well as every interested American, saw on tape from his disgraceful sermons. It's inexcusable. It's unacceptable. While Obama isn't responsible for those comments, his feigning ignorance that he wasn't in the pew listening to Wright on a particular day, or that he didn't know how bad Rev. Wright's hateful rhetoric was makes him look very un-presidential."

Try this on, Steve:

"The same folks that are bombing innocent people in Iraq were the ones who attacked us in America on September the 11th" -- John McCain's friend and supporter, George W. Bush, July 12, 2007

While McCain has yet to admit to the dazzling comments of his unrepentant friend, he had to have heard what this guy has done. He didn't have to sit in a pew to hear it. He must have known that his friend has repeated the lies that have mislead the American people into a continued war, dismantling America's well-being and allowed the man behind the murder of nearly 3,000 Americans to remain free.

"There's no cave deep enough for America, or dark enough to hide." -- John McCain's friend and supporter, George W. Bush, on finding Osama Bin Laden, Aug. 29, 2002

If you didn't know already -- with all the harm this unrepentant friend of John McCain has done to our country, by now, right-wing radio must be shouting it to the roof tops -- John McCain supporter and unrepentant close associate, George Bush, who he has had a relationship for close to 20 years, has lead a cabal that invaded a sovereign nation, leading to thousands of American young men and women and hundreds of thousands Iraqi civilians to be killed, perpetrating the ruination of the economy of at least two countries.

"But all in all, it's been a fabulous year for Laura and me." -- John McCain's friend and supporter, George W. Bush, summing up his first year in office, Dec. 20, 2001

Inexcusable? Unacceptable? How about disgusting?

Not to worry. As long as we have the media, like George Stephanopoulus and Rush Limbaugh constantly confronting McCain on this noxious association with a man who feels that in a year of the most catastrophic attack on our country that it was a good year for him, the voter will know the truth?

Do we really want a president who allies himself with this kind of person? He not only refuses to disavow his relationship with this fanatic, but to make matters worse, he wants to emulate this guy's deeds stay in Iraq, "maybe a hundred years...would be fine with me."

"We are making steadfast progress." -- John McCain's friend and supporter, George W. Bush, June 9, 2003

"The solution to Iraq -- an Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself -- is more than a military mission. Precisely the reason why I sent more troops into Baghdad." -- George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2007

"I want to remind you all that in order to fight and win the war, it requires an expenditure of money that is commiserate with keeping a promise to our troops to make sure that they're well-paid, well-trained, well-equipped." -- John McCain's friend and supporter, George W. Bush, Dec. 15, 2003

"Bring them on." -- John McCain's friend and supporter, George W. Bush, concerning attacks on our troops in Iraq, July 23, 2003

Misleading America, the troops and their families while, asking for more attacks on our young men and women in harm's way, and yet Senator McCain says he glad to have the support of a man who expresses this kind of anti-troop rhetoric.

Will Abudato ask McCain to dissociate himself with the man behind these words and actions? Will right wing talk demand debate moderators to ask McCain why he won't?

On one side, a candidate who has a friend who says "God Damn America," and a nodding acquaintance with a questionable character who allegedly perpetrated attempted crimes forty years ago.

On the other, a candidate who wants to emulate a supporter who has actually torn apart the Constitution and two countries along the way. Not only by words, but by actions.

Who do you think looks the least presidential?