Is John McCain gaffe prone?

[MarkWarner08]

Some of McCain's poorly-received remarks:

McCain on Iran: "...that old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran? Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran."

Scary talk from GOP leader John McCain:
I don’t think Americans are concerned if we’re there [Iraq] for one hundred years or a thousand years or ten thousand years.

Is this a pathological problem (like Bush's frequent malapropisms and distortions of the englihs language) or just a symptom of stress from the campaign trail?

Does this concern Republicans who worry about a Macaca type moment crippling their nominee's chances of victory? What will happen in the debates? Will McCain slip on the campaign trail?

I see these as a greater problems for McCain than they are for Clinton, who rarely makes a verbal gaffe, or Obama, who is the Democratic king of deft rejoinders.

Since image and how one carries oneself is crucial to winning elections, should McCain be muzzled  or banned from off-the-cuff remarks by his campaign staff?

[Torie]

McCain makes gaffes but those are not examples of them. The first is a joke, and the latter was a metaphor of his determination to stay the course. A gaffe is when he would sign even now the immigration reform bill that failed if it hit his desk, after saying he got the message about securing the borders first, etc.

[MarkWarner08]

McCain makes gaffes but those are not examples of them. The first is a joke, and the latter was a metaphor of his determination to stay the course. A gaffe is when he would sign even now the immigration reform bill that failed if it hit his desk, after saying he got the message about securing the borders first, etc.

Yeah, I forgot that amnesty comment. I'd put the ill-advised "bomb Iran" remark  next to Kerry's "I voted for the $87 billion before I voted against it." They were both honest mistakes that were misinterpreted by  the media and exploited by their political foes.

[perdedor]

McCain is a walking gaffe. I remember there being an article covering his position on sex ed and contraceptives, which revealed that McCain couldn't remember what his position had been on contraceptives. He's getting senile.

[opebo]

An old oddball who was always somewhat crazy, and is now both crazy and senile.  To be honest I think he makes even George Bush seem sane.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

McCain is a walking gaffe. I remember there being an article covering his position on sex ed and contraceptives, which revealed that McCain couldn't remember what his position had been on contraceptives. He's getting senile.

Well it's not as though sex ed is something that comes up for a vote all that often in the Senate. He had made an informed position on it at one point, and couldn't quite remember it. That's better than having an uninformed position you can remember. McCain has a corny sense of humor, is willing to tell hard truths, and gives full access to all kinds of media. He's bound to let something out that some people won't like, and to offend just about everyone at some point. That can be a strength though in its own way.

[Ben.]

If he makes any more gags like he did about Chelsea Clinton then yeah you could say he was "gaffe prone"... combined with his temprement it's his biggest 'personal' weakness as a candidate (Clinton has her 'coldness' while Obama can seem aloof).   

[Iosif is a COTHO]

Yes.

He has always had a tendency to make fairly off-key jokes, plus his notorious temper might get the better of him. I would be shocked if he didn't make several gaffes that get lots of media play.

[Gustaf]

Since neithe of those examples are real gaffes, no, not really. Part of the reason is also that McCain, due to limited funding, has had to rely on free media quite a bit. He's probably hoping to get away from that soon enough.

[MODU]

Since neithe of those examples are real gaffes, no, not really. Part of the reason is also that McCain, due to limited funding, has had to rely on free media quite a bit. He's probably hoping to get away from that soon enough.

^^^^

I will say though that he has a short fuse, which was visible during the last debate with Romney.

[Sam Spade]

Sure, McCain is prone to making gaffes, but that's part of the reason why people generally like him.

[NHPolitico]

Since neithe of those examples are real gaffes, no, not really. Part of the reason is also that McCain, due to limited funding, has had to rely on free media quite a bit. He's probably hoping to get away from that soon enough.

That's a big part of it. He goes on all the talk shows, even the less serious ones like The Daily Show and Imus in the Morning. He feels an obligation to be funny in these environments, and he uses it some times in Q&A environments at town hall settings. I read a report about his Straight Talk Express trips this year and he talks with the reporters all the time about everything under the sun. I think that buys him a lot of good will.  The press actually like him, IMO. It's not just because he likes to poke a finger in the eye of some conservatives sometimes.

[TomC]

Sure, McCain is prone to making gaffes, but that's part of the reason why people generally like him.

[Aizen]

That 100 years in Iraq comment was pretty dumb and will come back to hurt him (If it hasn't already). The context doesn't really matter - especially in negative ads. Dumb thing to say.

[elcorazon]

yeah, I don't think he makes more gaffes than anyone else.  He just isn't as informed as one might expect of someone with his supposed experience.  As a result he comes off poorly when thrown a curve.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Since neithe of those examples are real gaffes, no, not really. Part of the reason is also that McCain, due to limited funding, has had to rely on free media quite a bit. He's probably hoping to get away from that soon enough.

That's a big part of it. He goes on all the talk shows, even the less serious ones like The Daily Show and Imus in the Morning. He feels an obligation to be funny in these environments, and he uses it some times in Q&A environments at town hall settings. I read a report about his Straight Talk Express trips this year and he talks with the reporters all the time about everything under the sun. I think that buys him a lot of good will.  The press actually like him, IMO. It's not just because he likes to poke a finger in the eye of some conservatives sometimes.

Sorry, but the liberal press considers McCain a "useful idiot."  He has made his career for the last ten years attacking conservatives, which the liberal media loves.

come October you'll see the liberal media unload on McCain, citing some of more insane remarks which they decided needed to be withheld until McCain got the Republican nomination.