The Narcissism of John McCain

by publius

I don't have anything much to add, but Joe Klein gets this exactly right.  I'm glad we have a President whose main priority in foreign policy is something other than making sure he feels really good about himself.  Anyway, here's Klein:

I have yet to hear what possible good it would do for the President of the United States to encourage the protesters, except to give the Iranian regime a better excuse for killing more of them. McCain's bleatings are either for domestic political consumption or self-satisfaction, a form of hip-shooting onanism that demonstrates why he would have been a foreign policy disaster had he been elected.

To put it as simply as possible, McCain--and his cohorts--are trying to score political points against the President in the midst of an international crisis. It is the sort of behavior that Republicans routinely call "unpatriotic" when Democrats are doing it. I would never question John McCain's patriotism, no matter how misguided his sense of the country's best interests sometimes seems. His behavior has nothing to do with love of country; it has everything to do with love of self.

I also think we should amend the Constitution so that the networks are no longer legally required to schedule McCain on the Sunday morning talk show circuit every single week.

Comments

[Fraud Guy]

Are you sure we are also not looking at the narcissism of the show hosts who keep booking him?

[Dave S.]

I realize that Klein's a heavy hitter, but shouldn't someone somewhere along the line have kept "hip-shooting onanism" from making it into the final version?

[Dave S.]

More to the point, remember that the Republicans always have the nation's best interests in mind, in contrast to the America-hating Democrats and especially (via Andy McCarthy) the objectively pro-totalitarian Obama. From this viewpoint, Republican criticism of a Democratic administration is a moral imperative.

[Juan Seis-Olla]

It sure is great to read about McCain in an era when Obama is screwing up the country. I'm so relieved. Only from hilzoy could I learn that the man who did NOT win the POTUS 44 spot is actually the problem, not the guy who's now in the White House.

One million huzzahs for hilzoy! Hilzoy for Lead Sycophant! Whenever something bad happens at the Obama White House, it's time to focus on yet another Evil Elephant!

You're a great sorority sister, hilzoy! Kappa Kappa Gamma salutes you!

[Matt Osborne]

I think "hip-shooting onanism" belongs in a Hall of Fame somewhere.

[hilzoy]

Juan S-O: Now that publius has been outed, I can safely reveal that I am not him.

[C.S.]

Aren't The Hip-Shooting Onanists opening for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tonight at some lounge somewhere?

[Eric Martin]

Well, I've never seen you two in a room together.

[ral]

"hip-shooting onanism"

Happiness is a warm gun.

[Bas-O-Matic]

"hip-shooting onanism"

If you'll forgive the observation, I think Klein just called McCain a wanker.

[cleek]

It sure is great to read about McCain in an era when Obama is screwing up the country.

electoral defeat really sucks, huh ? makes a person bitter.

be strong. you'll get through it.

[hairshirthedonist]

I think it's a typo. Klein meant "hip-shooting Conanism," meaning that McCain is improvising like Conan O'Brien. Man, that Conan is funny.

[cleek]

i honestly don't care for the image of McCain spilling his seed.

[Jesurgislac]

John McCain is into political bukkake.

Evidently, so are the talk show hosts who let him do his thing in their faces.

[hairshirthedonist]

bukkake kabuki, even

[Gary Farber]

"Only from hilzoy could I learn"

To read?

"Klein meant 'hip-shooting Conanism,' meaning that McCain is improvising like Conan O'Brien."

But it's Obama who liked Conan comics as a kid. (No mention of reading actual Robert E. Howard, though.)

There's only one true Conan.

[rea]

There's only one true Conan.

And he's governor of California (now that he's retired from beign King of Aquilonia).

[jdog]

I suppose we should also add that McCain is not very smart. In contrast to his father and grandfather, who apparently were.

What a disaster he would have been as President.

[Pawthorn]

McCain still has his eyes on the prize. His tormented personality can't let it go.

[Cyrus]

If you'll forgive the observation, I think Klein just called McCain a wanker.

LOL. I was thinking of that phrase as overwrought prose until you pointed out what it actually means - thanks.

[mckinneytexas]

The great thing about Klein is that he is so nonpartisan. Only someone like him has the chops to credibly point out another's partisanship.

Seriously, doesn't the hypocrisy ever get to anyone around here? The other side is bad because they are making political points, blah, blah, blah. What the hell do you think this site does?

It's fair to point out that calling for taking sides in Iran risks painting the protester's with the Great Satan's brush--a point I agree with--but if ever there was a crowd that whines miserably when someone questions the progressive left's motives (why won't they debate us on the merits . . . wah, wah, wah.), this site is right at the top.

The hypocrisy is even worse given that Obama 'came out' for the protesters (tough call) on Friday. It isn't as if Obama hasn't done some of what McCain is demanding. So while Klein is defending the low profile and vilifying McCain for 'making political points', Obama changes course a bit making both look a bit odd.

[Bernard Yomtov]

If you'll forgive the observation, I think Klein just called McCain a wanker.

Not quite. Indeed, "hip shooter" is closer to the mark, though not exactly right either.

Sorry.

[Jesurgislac]

The other side is bad because they are making [stupid and pointless] political points, blah, blah, blah.

Fixed that for you.

The other side is bad because they're bad, in all senses of the word except the only good one: they're not just evil, not just bigoted, not just vengeful and mindless bringers of the apocalypse: they're stupid, and they're whiny whiny losers.

but if ever there was a crowd that whines miserably when someone questions the progressive left's motives (why won't they debate us on the merits . . . wah, wah, wah.), this site is right at the top.

Well, heh, Mckinney. Complaining that the other side are really, really bad debaters has been something this site has been doing since the Republican party took a nosedive into the stupid pit and never climbed out.

[tgirsch]

Count me among the supporters of the "hip-shooting onanism" phrase.

[Johnny Canuck]

Publius, for a while I was appalled that the "liberal" media seemed to have predominantly right-wing guests on their programmes. Moreover, to have McCain or Graham rather than Lugar talk about foreign policy seemed juvenile. I have, provisionally, changed my mind. It appears to be a plot to make thoughtful viewers stereotype all Republicans as right-wing idiots. It doesn't just make Obama look good by contrast, it makes Obama the only option. this is part of the Obama plot to turn USA into a one party state.
Plus think of the better things you can do with your time on Sunday morning!

[tgirsch]

And Bernard is right: the sin of Onan is a failure to finish what you've started. :)

[Octopus]

I agree with everything said in this post. McCain is chumming the waters of political opportunism, not in response to any deeply felt conviction for our national foreign policy interest.

My one hesitation is the use of the word "Narcissism." It is a clinical term that has a clinical meaning used by trained, qualified, and licensed mental-health practitioners under clearly defined intake protocols. Away from this context, use of the term is tantamount to name-calling which compromises the credibility of this otherwise excellent post.

[Mike Schilling]

At this point, there's been enough onanism to require hip-waders.

[Gary Farber]

"The great thing about Klein is that he is so nonpartisan. Only someone like him has the chops to credibly point out another's partisanship."

My tone detector is saying that you mean this sarcastically, but are you seriously unaware that Klein has been loathed by liberals, let alone leftists, for well more than a decade? Ever since at least the middle Clinton years, and his lying about being "X"? Let alone the vociferousness in response to his support for the Iran war, and in response to his his constantly expressed disdain throughout the Bush years for leftists and any liberals who weren't hawky and Tough Minded Like Joe Klein?

Or is my sarcasm meter off-kilter?

"...this site is right at the top."

This site has no views whatever. Nor agency. Nor a mind. It is the product of individuals, both as front page bloggers, and as commenters. You're a constant commenter at this blog. You're just as much "this site" as anyone else.

Feel free to disagree with whomever you like, but try naming them; "this site" is meaningless.