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John McCain Plagiarizes Himself

McCain's major speech on housing was panned, so he's trying again today on foreign policy. If you want, you can read the whole thing here.

But in the meantime, check this out. Here's an excerpt from McCain's speech in Los Angeles today.

"The lives of a nation's finest patriots are sacrificed. Innocent people suffer and die. Commerce is disrupted; economies are damaged; strategic interests shielded by years of patient statecraft are endangered as the exigencies of war and diplomacy conflict.... However heady the appeal of a call to arms, however just the cause, we should still shed a tear for all that is lost when war claims its wages from us."

And now check out a paragraph from a 2001 editorial McCain wrote for the Wall Street Journal:

"The lives of a nation's finest patriots are sacrificed. Innocent people suffer and die. Commerce is disrupted, economies are damaged. Strategic interests shielded by years of patient statecraft are endangered as the exigencies of war and diplomacy conflict. However heady the appeal of a call to arms, however just the cause, we should still shed a tear for all that will be lost when war claims its wages from us."

That's exactly the same. I appreciate McCain's sobriety about war, but it's time to get a new speech writer. And it probably isn't good to send such a strong suggestion that McCain's thinking hasn't changed in seven years.

Comments

Reminds me of how the World Bank and IMF support toxic mining projects in indebted countries--setting no limits for harmful chemicals released: arsenic, dissolved ammonia, or sulfates.

"The Bank has helped finance some of the world's most environmentally damaging projects, such as the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline. During their lifetime operation, World Bank-financed fossil fuel projects will release 46.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide ... By comparison, total worldwide carbon dioxide emmissions in 2000 were 23.6 billion tons." Oil and Climate Change, Jubilee USA Network.

As crazy as it might seem that the sub-prime mortgage lenders would drastically raise their rates--driving themselves right out of business...--isn't the real deal here how discovery during a civil trial yielded the fact that GM decided to install an inferior, dangerous gas tank in the Pinto because ultimately it was cheaper to just pay off any resulting lawsuits...

Get my drift: same deal with the makers of Paxil--a lawsuit yielded the fact that a bogus study was commissioned to counter the one that predicted childhood suicides!!!

ABSOLUTE POWER yields incredibly ugly results...; or, we better watch out because these men (murderers)are above the law!!!

On the other hand, after George W. vigorously argued that Dubai should be allowed to operate our Ports (despite Dubai's funding of terrorism) shouldn't he have been checked for a brain tumor...!!!

Posted by: Michael L. Wagner on 03/26/08 at 10:52 AM Respond

umm.... did you even read the article?

Posted by: rob on 03/26/08 at 11:41 AM Respond

Sure did; thought the content of his speech was at issue too...

My point is that the part of his speech that reads: "...however heady the appeal of a call to arms, however just the cause..."--actually at issue here is the inhuman, driven "call to exploit..."

Like it's OK to expose workers (in CA at least) to reproductive (and cancer) causing chemicals... Is the devil among us...!!!

Or What...???

LIKE OUCH!!!

Posted by: Michael L. Wagner on 03/26/08 at 11:55 AM Respond

I find that whole passage very offensive actually. There's nothing "heady" about war... and holy crap... OF COURSE you should "still shed a tear"!!!!!! Wow! Does that even need to be said?! He's trying to come off as compassionate and not a war monger... but it sounds like the exact polar opposite to my ears.

Posted by: Guy Incognito on 03/26/08 at 2:54 PM Respond