How do you stump Senator John McCain? Well, you could ask him what God looks like. Or ask him to describe the sound of one hand clapping. Or how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop.
Or you could just ask him what a reporter in Iowa asked March 16: ,AeuDo you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?"
McCain's answer, after a long pause, was, "You've stumped me."
Really? You don't know the answer to that one? You can't be serious, John. Either you're stone stupid or desperately pandering to the right-wingers that have your party by the balls.
Either way the Straight Talk Express has derailed. Actually, it's been off the rails for a long time. McCain's Iowa performance essentially sent it off a cliff where it burst into flames in the ravine below.
The contraception question stemmed from a reporter's inquiries about the distribution of taxpayer-subsidized condoms in Africa to fight HIV/AIDS.
After rambling on for a bit McCain said, "I'm not very wise on it."
Well, admitting it is the first step.
"I haven't thought about it," McCain said. "Let me think about it a little bit because I never got a question about it before. I don't know if I would use taxpayers' money for it."
What? The AIDS epidemic in Africa is raging out of control and you haven't thought about it? You've been a senator how many years and this is the first time anyone's asked you about this? Where the hell have you been and what have you been doing?
The reporter then asked about grants for sex education in the United States and whether McCain agreed with Bush's abstinence only policy. McCain paused again before saying he thought he supported the president's policy.
"So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence," the reporter said before asking the aforementioned "money" question that stumped the senator.
The reporter pressed on. "I mean, I think you'd probably agree it probably does help stop it?"
McCain laughed and said, "Are we on the Straight Talk Express? I'm not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I'm sure I've taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian [Jones, McCain's press secretary], would you find out what my position is on contraception – I'm sure I'm opposed to government spending on it, I'm sure I support the president's policies on it."
This is a man that is a serious contender for the Republican nomination for president in 2008?
"I hope there's a statute of limitations on saying stupid things," McCain told a bus full of reporters on the way to New Hampshire.
Not in politics. But McCain's HIV/contraception remark wasn't just a gaffe. It was political pandering at its worst. We already have a president happy to look ignorant to please his base. What we need is a real leader. McCain is not it.
