Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Pundits Spar Over McCain as Dubya Redux

Righty says speech shows foreign policy shift; lefty has deja vu

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 28, 2008 2:19 PM CDT

(Newser) – John McCain’s foreign-policy address Wednesday split watchers, with David Brooks, in the New York Times, declaring the Republican candidate a breath of fresh air and Glenn Greenwald, in Salon, seeing four more years of George W. Bush. Brooks says the “personal, nuanced and ambitious speech” shows McCain to be a JFK-style internationalist, highlighting maverick criticism of the Iraq war in late 2003.

But Greenwald says the speech was a nearly exact replica of Bush proclamations past, and that McCain might be more "purely" neoconservative than the president he seeks to replace. Bush pays “lip service to the same pretty concepts of internationalism” as McCain, who might be even more likely to commit the military to defend empty democracy-spreading rhetoric.

Framed by a painting of the Iwo Jima flag raising, Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., boards an airplane, Friday, March 28, 2008,in Denver, Colo. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Bush Attack Provides Boon to Obama Camp

Dem uses claims to sharpen foreign policy message

(NEWSER) - President Bush’s comments this week about Nazi appeasement have allowed Barack Obama to polish his attacks on the administration and John McCain. Obama seized on the criticism as a two-for-one opportunity, saying there’s “no separation” between Bush and McCain on Mideast policy. The Dem’s tough response could signal his bid to use the war to undermine McCain’s credibility, writes Carrie Budoff Brown in Politico. More»

Forget Bush; Brown Talks to Candidates

British PM looking ahead to better relations with successor

(NEWSER) - Gordon Brown pointedly met with all three US presidential candidates before meeting with President Bush today. Britain’s unpopular prime minister seems eager to look to the future, Reuters reports, lest he be labeled “Bush’s poodle” as predecessor Tony Blair was. Brown said he wouldn’t endorse any of the candidates, but hopes the eventual winner will improve relations with Europe. More»

Thank (or Blame) Bush for Dave's Left Turn

Letterman veers from apolitical-leaning-right to full-on liberal

(NEWSER) - The most telling thing David Letterman has said in a while may have been a brief comment he made last Monday, as he wrapped up an hour with President Obama: "I can't tell you how satisfying it is to watch you work," the famously crotchety Late Night host said matter-of-factly. George W. Bush lies behind the transformation of Letterman from a Clinton-bashing admirer of Bob Dole and John McCain to an unabashed Obama fan, Brian Lowry writes for Variety. More»

Biden Vows 'New Tone' in Foreign Policy

In Germany, VP cites 'new tone in Washington'

(NEWSER) - Joe Biden offered an outline of "a new tone" in US foreign policy today, one that puts a priority on diplomacy over military force, Reuters reports. The US also will call on allies for help in handling world threats. “We will engage. We will listen. We will consult. America needs the world, just as I believe the world needs America," said Biden, speaking at a security conference in Munich. He emphasized, however, that the US would not hesitate to use force in the name of national security. More»

Obama, Not McCain, Would Be Third Bush Term

Dem doesn't offer much hope of change from current president

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama has freely used the Bush card, reminding voters that John McCain has agreed with the president 90% of the time—but “the irony here is that Obama actually has much more in common with Bush than McCain does,” Bill Siegel writes in the National Review. He argues that Obama has more in common with the man he hopes to replace than he cares to admit. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Pundits Spar Over McCain as Dubya Redux

Righty says speech shows foreign policy shift; lefty has deja vu

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

John McCain • military • US foreign policy • neocon • foreign policy • Iraq war • George W. Bush

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Bush Attack Provides Boon to Obama Camp

Dem uses claims to sharpen foreign policy message

Forget Bush; Brown Talks to Candidates

British PM looking ahead to better relations with successor

Thank (or Blame) Bush for Dave's Left Turn

Letterman veers from apolitical-leaning-right to full-on liberal

Biden Vows 'New Tone' in Foreign Policy

In Germany, VP cites 'new tone in Washington'

Obama, Not McCain, Would Be Third Bush Term

Dem doesn't offer much hope of change from current president

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Pundits Spar Over McCain as Dubya Redux

Righty says speech shows foreign policy shift; lefty has deja vu

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

John McCain • military • US foreign policy • neocon • foreign policy • Iraq war • George W. Bush

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Bush Attack Provides Boon to Obama Camp

Dem uses claims to sharpen foreign policy message

Forget Bush; Brown Talks to Candidates

British PM looking ahead to better relations with successor

Thank (or Blame) Bush for Dave's Left Turn

Letterman veers from apolitical-leaning-right to full-on liberal

Biden Vows 'New Tone' in Foreign Policy

In Germany, VP cites 'new tone in Washington'

Obama, Not McCain, Would Be Third Bush Term

Dem doesn't offer much hope of change from current president

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?