People are starting to point to this latest bit of policy wonkery from Senator McCain:
This came up because McCain advisor and veep mentionee Carly Fiorina went off-message and talked about the unfairness of the fact that insurance companies cover Viagra but not contraception. But this isn't the first time McCain has been utterly stumped by a question about contraception. Check out this remarkably similar episode, from over a year ago:
Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush's policy, which is just abstinence?”
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president's policy.”
Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You've stumped me.”
Q: “I mean, I think you'd probably agree it probably does help stop it?”
Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I'm not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I'm sure I've taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I'm sure I'm opposed to government spending on it, I'm sure I support the president's policies on it.”
Q: “But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Would you say: ‘No, we're not going to distribute them,' knowing that?”
Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn's thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn's paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I've never gotten into these issues before.”
This went on for a few more moments until a reporter from the Chicago Tribune broke in and asked Mr. McCain about the weight of a pig that he saw at the Iowa State Fair last year.
What's notable is that it isn't just that McCain doesn't have a well thought-out policy, but that he can't even seem to figure out what he thinks.
-- Paul Waldman
