ELECTION '08 - Yet Another Reason, NOT McCain for President

"McCain got nasty defending his negative ads and still doesn't get the need to protect kids from sexual predators" 9/16/2008

Both Jed and the Huffington Post have video of John McCain's outburst on Morning Joe today. He's cranky. Sam Stein reported:

• John McCain defended his campaign from charges that it has a problem with the truth and batted back suggestions that he is economically out-of-touch during appearances on all seven morning shows Tuesday.



• It was an uphill task, perhaps best illuminated by the Senator's appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe. McCain was forced to redefine what he meant when he declared the "fundamentals of our economy are strong" just yesterday. He offered curt responses to charges that one of his ads falsely accuses Barack Obama of supporting sex education for kindergartners. (Later in the show, in fact, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds sent an email to host Mika Brzezinski defending the ad, which she subsequently read on air.)

McCain's performance didn't go over well. I got an email from one of our readers who watched this morning:

• This morning I was watching MSNBC’s Morning Joe when John McCain was being interviewed. He was asked about his campaign's ad accusing Barack Obama supporting legislation that mandates teaching kindergartners about sex education. The ad, as everyone but McCain knows is wrong. Obama was supporting legislation to educate kids about sexual predators. McCain is so wrong on that issue and I don’t think he realizes just how far off base he is. I know firsthand.



• I taught in an Archdiocese of Washington Catholic school for five years – not exactly the most progressive institution. But, during my tenure, the Archdiocese of Washington’s Catholic School’s office adopted the “Child Lures” program. This curriculum required classroom teachers, from Kindergarten through eighth grade, to teach children how to thwart off sexual advances from adults, the importance seeking help from trusted adults when such circumstances arise, and that it’s not the child’s fault – self-blame is a common symptom for children who are sexually abused. McCain is criticizing a program that even Catholic schools mandate.



• I am simply appalled by Senator McCain’s actions – while he is campaigning that he wants to protect America from terrorists, he does not want to protect America’s children from the predators who sexually abuse children.

Catholic schools teach the same kind of program Obama was supporting, which McCain falsely attacked. And, McCain continues to lie about it. We're dealing with derangement.