cindy mccain

Don’t you just love a little domestic drama?

Sen. John McCain's wife Cindy appears in a new ad that harshly criticizes the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and government officials and religious leaders generally, over what she and others describe as complicity in the bullying that has led to a rash of highly-publicized suicides among gay youth.

The Republican senator from Arizona has spearheaded opposition to legislative repeal of the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers in the upper chamber, vowing to filibuster if necessary a bill similar to the one that passed the House earlier this year. In the ad from the NOH8 campaign -- an activist group formed in response to Proposition 8, the California ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage -- Cindy McCain seems to be suggesting that her husband is partly responsible for the bullying that has claimed a number of gay teens' lives.

"Our political and religious leaders tell LGBT youth that they have no future," Mrs. McCain says in the ad, which features her alongside celebrities such as Denise Richards and Gene Simmons. "They can't serve our country openly."

That's an outfit for a night out if you are Cindy McCain. The pricetag for the banana costume she wore Monday night at the convention was around $300,000.

Talk about hitting the nail on the head:

On January 20th 2009, either the president of the United States will be a man who used to snort coke to ease his blues, or the First Lady will be a former drug addict who stole from charity to get her next fix. In this presidential campaign, there are dozens of issues that have failed to flicker into the debate, but the most striking is the failing, flailing 'War on Drugs.' Isn't it a sign of how unwinnable this 'war' is that, if it was actually enforced evenly, either Barack Obama or Cindy McCain would have to skip the inauguration -- because they'd be in jail?

At least their time in the slammer would feature some familiar faces: they could share a cell with Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and some 46 percent of the US population.

(h/t Sullivan)

There is one major distinction between Obama and Cindy's drug use that needs to be made. Obama's, as with a majority of experimental/recreational drug uses, was a victimless crime. Cindy's wasn't.

I really think the so-called "war on drugs" is an issue that needs to be talked about more by the candidates. Specifically what I would like to hear is that we are ending this faux war and using the money for better things. How about health care, or reinvesting it into social services that might help prevent people from turning to drugs? You will never put a 100% end to drug use (see prohibition), but let's prioritize better. This "war on drugs" has been going on for over two decades and done nothing but drain money from our government.

Now after all this talk of drugs, I really need to burn a fatty.

Just another example of how McCain says one thing and does another:

Given Senator John McCain’s signature stance on campaign finance reform, it was not surprising that he backed legislation last year requiring presidential candidates to pay the actual cost of flying on corporate jets. The law, which requires campaigns to pay charter rates when using such jets rather than cheaper first-class fares, was intended to reduce the influence of lobbyists and create a level financial playing field.

But over a seven-month period beginning last summer, Mr. McCain’s cash-short campaign gave itself an advantage by using a corporate jet owned by a company headed by his wife, Cindy McCain, according to public records. For five of those months, the plane was used almost exclusively for campaign-related purposes, those records show.

Mr. McCain’s campaign paid a total of $241,149 for the use of that plane from last August through February, records show. That amount is approximately the cost of chartering a similar jet for a month or two, according to industry estimates.

Straight talk takes another hairpin curve. Of course the MSM will brush this under the rug. I guess it's just another "senior moment".