McCain: The gravest long term threat to the US Economy?

by Damozel | Kevin Drum's piece cited below pretty much sums why I remain certain that Obama is the  better candidate for anyone with even a basic grasp of reality.  It's a pretty minimal recommendation, which is exactly why McCain so alarms me.

He seems to have lost the plot..  He's morphing into the Unthinking Voters' candidate.  He's also transformed into a walking plea for voters to endorse the right's policies sans Bush.  I don't think so.  They enabled Bush and assisted him even more than the spineless Dems have done. 

I mean, come on.  Look at the quote excerpted in  Drum's post:

Fortune magazine has parallel interviews about the economy with John McCain and Barack Obama in the current issue, and the PR email they sent me highlights their answers to this question:

What do you see as the gravest long-term threat to the U.S. economy?

Obama: If we don't get a handle on our energy policy, it is possible that the kinds of trends we've seen over the last year will just continue. Demand is clearly outstripping supply. It's not a problem we can drill our way out of. It can be a drag on our economy for a very long time unless we take steps to innovate and invest in the research and development that's required to find alternative fuels. I think it's very important for the federal government to have a role in that process.

McCain: Well, I would think that the absolute gravest threat is the struggle that we're in against Islamic extremism, which can affect, if they prevail, our very existence. Another successful attack on the United States of America could have devastating consequences.  (Kevin Drum, Political Animal quoting Fortune; emphasis added)

Now, you can quibble about Obama's priorities.  But no one with a functioning cerebral cortex can quibble about McCain's.  Islamic extremism is the greatest threat to the US economy?  Really?

Think about what this means.  When asked a straightforward question about the US economy, McCain can't think of a single serious threat specifically related to, you know, the U.S. economy. 

If I were a Republican, God forbid, I'd have screamed with indignation.  How stupid does their party think they are?  That's just not right.  That isn't just stupid.  It is the lowest form of stupidity, common denominator stupid, George W. Bush-stupid.  It is butt-stupid.  And there is no way to spin it to make it not stupid.  It was a straightforward question.  McCain, who is anything but stupid, was asked a straight question.  He thought about it and gave a reply worthy of W himself. 

As Kevin Drum goes on to say: 

It's as if McCain is trying to become a parody of himself here.  Is his answer to every question "Islamic extremism"?  And while Fortune's readership undoubtedly skews conservative, does McCain really think they're going to buy this?

Two things are remarkable here. First, that McCain genuinely seems to believe that Islamic extremism poses not just a threat, but a threat to the very existence of the West.  This is science fiction territory.  Second, that he apparently can't come up with any better answer to Fortune's question about economic threats. (Political Animal)

At Obsidian Wings, Hilzoy writes:

[P]lease tell me, with a straight face, how you can vote for someone who answers this question in this way. It would be one thing if the economy were burbling along nicely, without requiring any particular attention. It would be another if the economy were a small issue, so that a candidate's silly views on it were like, say, silly views on the mohair subsidy.

[W]hat's amazing about this quote is that it's not just stupid on the economy, it's stupid on national security too. (Obsidian Wings)

Procrustean thinker and libertarian Megan McArdle --- who feels that McCain actually has some useful things to say on trade --- is so very right, for once.

For starters, it's non-responsive; in that sense, death by asteroid is probably the gravest long-term threat to the US economy, but that's not really very helpful in telling me what someone's domestic policy is going to be like. But more than that, it's not even vaguely true. (MM)

Kyle E. Moore at Comments from Left Field has an interesting analysis of the pragmatic political objectives behind this monumentally stupid statment.   Is looking like a doofus on the economy part of a calculated strategy?

Memeorandum has more.

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Comments

[Charles]

I disagree.

It's clear that you are less than knowledgeable when it comes to the economy if you think that Obama's policies are so much better than McCain's.

I guess you don't think that free trade is good economic policy: Because Obama is against free trade.

I guess you believe that increasing taxes on American companies is the best way to create and fuel growth: Because that's exactly what Obama wants to do.

As for McCain's comment. I couldn't find it on the fortune site that you linked, so I would have to call it into question on that basis.

But even if he did make that quote based on a question asked to him about the gravest threat to our economy: It makes sense if you look at it as 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the increase in fuel prices; all being a part of the war against Islamic Fascism.

[Danny]

You're not very nice and you play politics of destruction well. No wonder you have abandoned Hillary for Smoke and pretty mirrors Obama. LOL

"for anyone with even a basic grasp of reality"

"He's morphing into the Unthinking Voters' candidate"

Obama is not ready to lead. He say's the above with all the conviction of the cat who swallowed the Canary and then denied it with fingers crossed behind his back.

There are Millions upon Millions of people on this planet who disagree with you about Obama and think actually people who are ready to give up throw in the towel and vote for Obama don't see the reality of the situation at all - He was selected, the rules and bylaws committee cheated and stole the election and we are going to Denver with or without you. We are Democrats we don't let our votes get stolen that easily. by ex-republicans like Arriana, Aravosis and other Obama supporters.

[damozel]

I haven't 'abandoned' Hillary.

Please don't be ridiculous. She's not running anymore and has endorsed Obama. So has Bill.

McCain is not ready to lead either. He's past his sell/buy date. Obama isn't my ideal candidate, but unless Hillary has a miraculous comeback, he's the candidate I'm supporting.

I intend to expose McCain's Bush-like vagueness and failure to grasp even basic facts every chance I get. So get used to it.

I might not like Barry O, but I will NEVER, NEVER forgive the GOP for Bush.