When John Met Vlad

21.08.2008

When John Met Vlad

One of McCain's best lines is about Vladimir Putin. As McCain often says, "I looked into Mr. Putin’s eyes and I saw three things — a K and a G and a B.” This, of course, isn't just a shot at Putin but also at Bush, who famously declared upon meeting Putin in 2001 that he'd "looked the man in the eye" and "was able to get a sense of his soul." McCain tells us today that he knew Bush was wrong about Putin from the get go. But if that's the case, why didn't McCain say so at the time?

Here's the transcript of an interview McCain did with Chris Matthews in June 2001, about a week after Bush's meeting with Putin:

MATTHEWS: Let's talk about Mr. Putin, Vladimir the impaler.
Sen. McCAIN: Yeah.
MATTHEWS: Is Vladimir a man you can trust, that you can look into his soul? The president says he looked into his soul and he found a man he could trust. Do you believe that?
Sen. McCAIN: I don't really know.
MATTHEWS: Do you think that's an appropriate way to do business with a--with a Russian leader?
Sen. McCAIN: I don't know if--it--'cause I--I...
MATTHEWS: Talk about instant background checks. He instantly decides this guy was trustworthy.
Sen. McCAIN: The president did a good job in his European trip. I think that most Americans appreciate the job he did, and they're slightly resentful at the kind of condescension that--that d--that Europeans seem to have shown towards Ronald Reagan as--and--as well as...
MATTHEWS: Any conservative.
Sen. McCAIN: ...as--yeah, mo--most any conservative. We think the president did a good job overall. Whether he went a little too far in saying that he could trust him...
MATTHEWS: Was he too gushy?
Sen. McCAIN: No, I--I think--I think the president appreciates the importance of a US-Russia relationship, and the por--importance of a relationship between himself and Putin. Would I have used exactly that same language? Maybe not. But the president has established a relationship with Putin. There are major issues, including nuclear weapons and ma--weapon--weapons of mass destruction.
MATTHEWS: Can I ask you a...
Sen. McCAIN: I think the president did a good job.
[snip]
MATTHEWS: On a four-point system, how did the president do in Russia, on his trip to the re--meet Putin in Slovenia?
Sen. McCAIN: On Russia, I d--I give him very high marks.
MATTHEWS: What?
Sen. McCAIN: I--I give him an A. I'd give him an A.

MATTHEWS: An A? An A from Senator McCain. And we tried to get you to fight today. Put up your dukes. Anyway, Senator John McCain, thanks for joining us. [Emphasis added.]

Now, maybe this was just a case of McCain being diplomatic and not wanting to say anything bad about Bush. But it's important to remember the context: back in 2001, McCain wasn't exactly shy about criticizing the president. He'd just voted against Bush's tax cut and was fighting with Bush on the patient's bill of rights. (Privately, he was reportedly flirting with the idea of bolting the GOP altogether.) In fact, Matthews billed the interview with McCain as being "about his five battles with Bush over the future of the Republican Party." And yet, when it came to Bush's handling of Putin, that was a battle McCain had no interest in fighting.

--Jason Zengerle

Posted: Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:58 AM with 13 comment(s)

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icarusr said:

He he, this is a funny exchange. An "A". Very apt. "A" also for alpha: This is precisely what you would except a beta-male ape to do after receiving a massive pummelling by the alpha gorilla. After what Bush did to him and his family, McCain comes running with an unpeeled banana in his hand as an offering. And he kept coming back, year after year, for seven years ... you can take the ape to the White House, but you can't get the ape out of the Man.

Watching this abject performance, how could Rick Warren not believe that we and the great apes share common descent?

August 21, 2008 12:00 PM

BHLnyc said:

I actually think that McCain gets the benefit of the doubt on this one, especially as it was so early in Bush's term. He was politely expressing his reservations and trying not to undo the president's diplomatic work (if, in retrospect, one can call it that).

August 21, 2008 12:06 PM

GSpinks said:

Hypocracy! Thy name is John McCain.

Perhaps McCain's new nickname should be "tugboat" because he is always out there to tow the party line

August 21, 2008 12:08 PM

Nari224 said:

GSpinks - That's great. And it easily degenerates into "Tugger", which upon reflection, actually sounds like a potentially real Bush nickname!

August 21, 2008 12:14 PM

lymon1 said:

I dunno how useful this kind of parsing/microscope is for Obama -- doesn't it just highlight the lack of a record to judge Obama on? I mean, you really have to strain to find some heavy duty contradiction/"not just being polite" in there. I'm just tired of "gotcha" politics, much like this abortion broohaha.

August 21, 2008 12:39 PM

Rhubarbs said:

lymon, does it really "highlight" Obama's lack of a record to point out that McCain has a record, and that record is almost uniformly wrong, disgraceful, or both? If Obama can't run against McCain's record, what exactly is he allowed to say about McCain? And how exactly is one supposed to campaign against a guy who stakes out firm positions on two or three opposing sides of every issue over the course of a lifetime in Washington without in some way dealing with those contradictions?

August 21, 2008 1:11 PM

Rhubs: I agree.

Lymon: what is "gotcha" about referring to a man's statements about world leaders, putting them in full context (this is nearly two pages of transcripts) and noting that the man who is running on character and judgement has demonstrated neither in his political life? Someone who runs on FP experience who has been so spectacularly wrong in the past. In any event, every time McCain has embraced Bush or praised him, it should be highlighted. Is it "gotcha" to show him hugging Bush? To show the disgraceful and maniacal laughter after he said he campained to get Bush elected and re-elected? And now he gave Bush an A dealing with Putin? Where's the gotcha?

August 21, 2008 1:51 PM

I think Lymon is right. It doesn't really pass the smell test. McCain's endorsement is pretty tepid. This is anything but an "aha!" moment. (And as Lymon points out, there's even a chance that it could highlight the experience gap.)

This stuff is best left alone. The seven houses thing, on the other hand...

August 21, 2008 2:46 PM

I will concede that it does appear that McCain, initially, is trying to support Bush without betraying what he apparently thought of the issue. However, combined with his statement, moments later, giving Bush an "A" (on a four point scale...curious) I think it goes right to the heart of the matter: McCain imagines himself to be a maverick, but when the chips are down he can be counted on to tow the party line responsibly.

August 21, 2008 3:33 PM

basman said:

It's navel gazing, but gazing into somebody else's navel.

It's a waste of time, accomplishes nothing and goes nowhere.

August 22, 2008 1:48 PM

jwl2672 said:

Zengerle is a douchebag. Does he really want McCain, a senior Senator, to insult Putin to his face after all the jaw jaw between Bush and Putin over the weekend? (remember that at the time, we were still on good terms with Russia and 9/11 had not occurred.) Democrats are the jerkoffs who always scream about the need for "political correctness and diplomacy" as opposed to cowboy ways. If McCain said "up yours Putin", would the lefty jerks have approved?

August 22, 2008 1:53 PM

That McCain showed hesitation in Bush's love fest at all is a testatment to the man's good judgment of Putin's real character. His hesitation to wholeheartedly support Bush speaks volumes. But of course, Zengerle won't be happy until McCain said "Up Your ass Putin. " And if McCain had said that back then, Zengerle would never post the transcript here on TNR as he is doing now. That would be giving McCain the credit he deserves and hurting Zengerle's candidate's chances.

August 22, 2008 1:56 PM