According to the L.A. Times reader poll, the crusty old white guy won. Poll here.

I sincerely hope that someone will explain to McCain that not all “special needs” children have the same diagnosis. McCain seemed to think that Down Syndrome is the same as autism. At least he thinks that someone having a child with Down Syndrome makes them more expert on autism “than anyone else”.

Sort of like being isolated for 5+ years without any accurate knowledge of what’s going on outside your room makes you an expert on all military matters.

I found the autism stuff fascinating. I don’t know if McCain thought there were millions of parents of autistic children up for grabs this November, but if he did then he’s insanely mistaken to think that a guy in Washington for 26 years is the guy they’ll trust. Add the vaccine people into that mix and you have McCain losing votes by just mentioning autism and not bringing up mercury and vaccines and parenting and environmental factors in just the perfect way to slam Obama on the issue. I have no idea what the consensus of those available voters is, only that there isn’t one. So mentioning autism was curious at best and counterproductive at worst.

And mentioning autism instead of Down Syndrome? That’s just stupid, politically. On one side you have physically normal people who range from brilliant but socially-stunted to uneducated and socially unaware of others, and there’s no consensus as to why. On the other side you have people with genetic physical and mental disabilities that are pretty well understood. It’s admirable that McCain promises to be a friend of special needs people and children, but it’s pretty fucking clear that his friendship doesn’t extend far enough to even know what the fuck he’s talking about when he pays them lip service.

And until he shows the slightest willingness to even explore the possibility of cutting the defense budget, his talk against throwing money at such problems as special needs children is going to be considered nothing but bullshit.

Obama has already commissioned a new monument for the south lawn. I’m not sure of the details, but it is multiple figured and titled: “Communist Martyrs”.

My son is on the less severe end of autism spectrum. Sarah Palin’s little boy isn’t old enough for her to”know better than anybody”about the challenges Down syndrome will throw in his path. I’ve been dealing with autism for 14 yrs,and frankly,there have been times when I had to tell my son’s pediatrician about some new finding or study. We’ve got a LONG way to go before even the professionals are well informed. I know just as much about living with a special needs kid as Sarah Palin does. I’d also never DREAM of dragging my son around the campaign trail like an accessory. But then again,I can’t see Russia from my house or field dress a moose,so wtf do I know?

I do believe Mrs Palin also cut funds for Alaska’s Special Olympics AND special needs education in Alaska public schools. Hopefully the next governor of the state will rethink those policies.

McCain’s conflating autism with Down’s Syndrome was ignorant to be sure. His sudden concern for special needs children is rank hypocrisy:

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, told CNN Wednesday he agrees with President Bush’s veto of legislation expanding a children’s health insurance program, saying the bill provided a “phony smoke and mirrors way of paying for it.”

“Right call by the president,” the Republican White House hopeful told CNN’s John King.

Dealing with autism is difficult, my wife and I have done so for twenty-three years. Dealing with autism absent basic health care for a child would be a soul destroying, marriage-breaking ordeal. John McCain’s dependents have had the best health care money could buy at no out of pocket cost to him. It’s a shame that he doesn’t seem to feel that the rest of America deserves as much.

Amen Dennis. My husband just lost his job in July. Our insurance runs out in Jan. I am scared to death that our son’s autism will be considered pre existing(along with my hubby’s type 2 diabetes)and he’ll be denied insurance beyond basic care.

I thought his conflation of Down syndrome and autism was another indication of how well he knows, or cares to know, Sarah Palin.

All of the above. My impression was he thinks Sarah Palin’s baby has autism and doesn’t have the slightest frigging idea of of the difference between autism and Down’s — a jaw dropping display of mind-boggling ignorance.

On the insurance issue, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND why the pre-existing condition issue is never thrown at that fucking clueless nine-houses asshole when he talks about the tax credit that is supposedly gonna allow people to buy their own insurance on the free market. That. Is. BULLSHIT. NO insurer will fucking touch anyone with ANY kind of pre-existing condition outside of an employer health plan — NONE.

Glad to hear Prof. Ayers is measuring for the drapes. The old man seemed to think the Obamas are doing what he would do, which is measuring, you know, the actual drapes.

Addendum:
John McCain, as he’s so fond of reminding us, was a POW for five years a few decades ado. He expects us to give him our votes and pat on the back for that. You are the parent of a special needs child for your whole life and you have to fight with the schools, the government, and the insurance companies just to get an even break. For much of our son’s life, any therapies that were available to mitigate his behaviors or make him more comfortable were considered outpatient psych. That meant that, although we did have health insurance, the bills for those things were reimbursed at “reasonable and customary” rates. The practical effect was that, for years at a time, we would get monthly bills of over a thousand dollars of which sixty five bucks was paid by the insurance – the rest was on us. Want a trip to Kafka Land? Try challenging a health insurance company’s reimbursement rate. Market forces my ass.
If there’s such a thing as karma, John McCain will be reborn as a special needs child.

As the casual observer may have already guessed by reading the above comments, ol’ Krusty McMav managed to once again piss off many people, while still pander to assholes that follow him by doling out talking points as if it were his own personal Tourette’s manifestation.

McCain is a mean,clueless,pampered,self-important asshole. He’s never been honorable,he admits it,in more than one place,in more than one format. He’s talked about breaking the rules and being a jerk as early as high school. He talks about having to live with the consquences of his mavericky actions,but he could give a fucking damn about how those actions effect ANYONE BUT HIMSELF. He’s written in his own memoirs about thinking about his own career before anything else on the day the US Forrestal(sp?)caught fire,killing over 160,wounding another 160+ of his fellow shipmates. He hid,and THEN left the ship with reporters.

He’s a nasty,rich asshole. We already have one of those in the White House. Do.Not.Want.

Could you please clarify how you really feel?

– Which is why it’s *so* infuriating when Biden & Obama go out of their way to tell us all how much the respect McM and think he’s their BFF etc. etc.

Enough.

If — as it would appear — he has been a monumental, selfish asshole since long before his lengthy stay at the Hanoi Day Spa, then you’re jeopardizing our loyalty and trust when you claim you love him but merely disagree with him. There are no brownie points from your base for “being nice” under the current conditions (i.e. we have kids who are going to inherit this effin’ mess, debt and all), and McM’s base won’t suddenly decide you’re okay just because you appease his ego with some platitudes.

I agree the “respect” thing for this self-centered prick is almost unbearable. But one thing about this campaign, they don’t do anything without a reason. I’m sure there is a radioactive trap in “going there” or they’d explore it.

There are no brownie points from your base for “being nice” under the current conditions (i.e. we have kids who are going to inherit this effin’ mess, debt and all), and McM’s base won’t suddenly decide you’re okay just because you appease his ego with some platitudes.

They’re playing for low-information voters who aren’t a member of any base. The people who, for better or worse, decide elections – often enough on the basis of who they like more. Being overgenerous with praise for Team McCain only points up the contrast between the Obama campaign and their opponents in a way that makes Obama look like the bigger man. The White House is worth a little insincere ass-kissing.

Quite so. And to their credit, being overly aggressive is clearly *not* working for Ol’ Krusty, so it might also have backfired for the good guys. Still, Change I Could Believe In would involve calling them as I see ‘em — but that’s why I’m just a lame commenter on a somewhat popular blog and not running for office…

Let’s nip this in the bud. The commissioned work “All Hail Marx & Lennon” is not a monument, it’s an ice sculpture. The life size work will be unveiled at “A White House Salute to Groucho Marx & John Lennon”, hosted by President Barack Obama. The south lawn luncheon will also feature the musical & comedic stylings of Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx.

And hey, lets not worry about the health of women, ok?

We all know that women are not really US citizens and should not have any claims to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, specially, if their health is at risk in a late term preggers. “Health of the Mother” is now a code word for abortion? McCain is such an asshat!

Yeah, it kinda puts pre-natal care into a brand new perspective, doesn’t it? I guess McCain really does want us to take a huge leap backwards into the middle ages where women died in child birth from sheer neglect. Folate? that’s *so* elitist…

Oh, and Peorgie, I just got my invitation to the south lawn luncheon; it’s signed “Commandante Obama.”. That’s some change we can believe in.

You know, I’m already feeling blue knowing that we won’t have Sarah Palin to kick around much longer. I mean, sure, as Garrison Keillor pointed out, she’ll probably get a fat book contract from Regnery and some speaking engagements, but eventually that will all go toward buying mackerel to bribe her cellmates into letting her take a break from her duties as the Sweetheart of Cell Block 9.

My Down Syndrome nephew was born during the Ronny Raygun administration. His parents got me involved in volunteering for Special Olympics and other similar programs. The main topic of conversation of parents of special needs children was how the Reagan administration was gutting these programs. I lost count of how many times I was handed an action alert letter asking that I contact the White House or some Committee Chairman, etc. about a piece of legislation benefiting these children that wasn’t going to pass because of the republicans.

Anyone that believes that any republican (including St. John and Caribou Barbie) is going to be the patron saint of special needs children, is seriously delusional.

I’d only trust a Tirebiter on this subject..

What class of Commie Martyr High are you from?

That’s Communist Martyrs High School.

naw, it’s the School of Martyred Communists Getting High.