Look, I'm just going to level with you. I have not got no explanation for what could possibly be going on in this clip of John McCain on today's Morning Joe. McCain came on the show today and riffed through a lot of his standard talking points and one liners: "BLAAARGH EARMARKS...YAAAHH PORK BARRELS! MAKE THEM FAMOUS! INSANITY, OBSCENITY, CORRUPTION! WASHINGTON CHANGED US! I AM THE SHERIFF." I'm sort of paraphrasing! But then, Mika Brzezinski asked McCain to put his vote for the bailout package into context with all of his anti-Washington ravings: "Given what you've been just saying on our broadcast right now, why then didn't you vote against a bill that is corrupting, and stand up to pork and all this spending during an economic crisis that some say puts this country on the brink of economic disaster?"
McCain responded:
Because of what you just said, Mika, that this bill is putting us on the brink of economic disaster there were plenty of other bills that I fought against, voted against. Well, the bill that the medicare prescription drug program, I voted against it, because it didn't -- because of the fact that it wasn't paid for. We're laying the cost on to future generations of Americans. I fought against plenty of bills. I am proud of my work, suspending my campaign, coming back to Washington, getting the Republicans at the table, which we were not, improving the bill, and I believe it will pass. Senator Obama phoned it in.
So the basic translation is: Barack Obama failed to put forth an effort to pass a bill that I hate because it "lays the cost on...future generations" and puts us on the "brink" of "disaster," but I am proud of the work I did to ensure its passage.
What? Is Sarah Palin Interview Syndrome communicable? Is this secret code for "We are going to bomb Pakistan?"
[WATCH.]
RELATED:
McCain on the bailout bill he supported last night: "This bill is putting us on the brink of economic disaster" [AMERICABlog]
McCain Says Bailout Bill He Voted For Is "Putting Us On The Brink Of Economic Disaster" [TPM Election Central]