See? This is exactly what I was just talking about:
Earlier, for example, we talked about McCain's 2006 position that the U.S. engage Hamas diplomatically, a policy that the current McCain has no use for. But as it turns out, McCain also supported engagement with Syria, despite his belief that the country is a state sponsor of terroris.After the invasion of Iraq there was much talk among conservatives about invading Syria. Then Secretary of State Colin Powell was heavily criticized for taking a trip to Syria to talk to its leadership. Newt Gingrich said, "The concept of the American secretary of state going to Damascus to meet with a terrorist-supporting, secret-police-wielding dictator is ludicrous."
What did John McCain have to say about the trip? Despite the fact that John McCain believed that Syria was a "state sponsor of terror," was "harboring terrorists," and were sending "Syrians in to fight Americans," he thought it was worth talking to them, saying that Powell's trip was "appropriate." [...]McCain is directly contradicting himself by attacking Senator Obama on his plan to confront Iran at the negotiating table. A pattern is emerging. While McCain claims to be a deep foreign policy thinker with positions carefully developed from his quarter century in Washington, the reality seems to be that his positions -- when not outright crazy -- are often knee-jerk and contradictory -- often dictated by what his temperament is at that moment or influenced by how the political winds are moving.
...This gets back to a point I've tried to emphasize with my ever-growing flip-flop list. When McCain said we should talk to state sponsors of terrorism like Syria, he meant it. He wasn't playing a game, or trying to make some political point, he genuinely seemed to believe that diplomacy with Syria is wise and prudent. Likewise, when McCain said this week that we shouldn't talk to state sponsors of terrorism, he meant that, too, and was probably sincere when he attacked Obama accordingly.
The problem isn't that McCain lies, it's that he has no firm beliefs or principles. As Josh Marshall put it a while back, "McCain is absolutely gung-ho and certain that he's right about whatever his position and 'principles' are at the given moment. But they change repeatedly."
McCain's comments came on the April 18, 2003, episode of NBC's "Today" show, so its only a matter of hours before this hits YouTube.
McCain will continue to try to brush these off, but it won't work. Within a few short weeks the narrative will be set. His A/V record is just way, way too long.
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