In which the 'Who would you BBQ with' meme turns.

[SirNitram]

Stupidest meme ever: Which candidate would you rather have around for a beer/BBQ/cookout/etc? That's now how you decide Presidency, if you're sane.

Of course, it's still amusing that, after pushing this as a means of viewing candidates for years, the GOP finds it's turned against them.

AP Link, with other stories.

WASHINGTON (AP) — People would rather barbecue burgers with Barack Obama than with John McCain.

While many are still deciding who should be president, by 52 percent to 45 percent they would prefer having Obama than McCain to their summer cookout, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo News poll released Wednesday.

Men are about evenly divided between the two while women prefer Obama by 11 percentage points. Whites prefer McCain, minorities Obama. And Obama is a more popular guest with younger voters while McCain does best with the oldest.

Having Obama to a barbecue would be like a relaxed family gathering, while inviting McCain "would be more like a retirement party than something fun," said Wesley Welbourne, 38, a systems engineer from Washington, D.C.

Party label means a lot, with three-quarters of Democrats picking the Democrat Obama and the same number of Republicans picking McCain, a Republican. Independents are about evenly split.

"John and I would probably have a lot to talk about," said Republican Michael Mullen, 53, of Merrimac, Mass., like McCain a Navy veteran.

One in six people saying they'd vote for McCain prefer Obama as their barbecue guest; just one in 20 Obama backers would invite McCain.

The AP-Yahoo News survey of 1,759 adults was conducted online by Knowledge Networks from June 13-23 and had an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. The margin of sampling error for subgroups was larger.

More like a retirement party. McCain's age is an issue and no one brings it up. Haha.

[Darth Wong]

I don't see why it's bad to make age an issue. The last really old president we had was Reagan, and he was fucking senile by the end of his term. But I guess you can't say that in ReaganWorshipLand.

[SirNitram]

I don't see why it's bad to make age an issue. The last really old president we had was Reagan, and he was fucking senile by the end of his term. But I guess you can't say that in ReaganWorshipLand.

You can't say anything bad about McCain! HE'S A WAR HERO! He is uniquely qualified because he got shot down.

I swear to god, a reporter said that:

SCHIEFFER: Can I just interrupt you? I have to say, Barack Obama hasn't had any of these experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down.

Getting shot down: A GOP qualification for Presidency!

[Lonestar]

You can't say anything bad about McCain! HE'S A WAR HERO! He is uniquely qualified because he got shot down.

I swear to god, a reporter said that:

General Wesley Clark said so as well.

[SirNitram]

You can't say anything bad about McCain! HE'S A WAR HERO! He is uniquely qualified because he got shot down.

I swear to god, a reporter said that:

General Wesley Clark said so as well.

It's from that interview.

CLARK: He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee. And he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded — that wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn't seen what it's like when diplomats come in and say, "I don't know whether we're going to be able to get this point through or not, do you want to take the risk, what about your reputation, how do we handle this publicly? He hasn't made those calls, Bob.

SCHIEFFER: Can I just interrupt you? I have to say, Barack Obama hasn't had any of these experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down.

CLARK: I don’t think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president.

This of course sparked a silly hissy fit, culminating in the McCain camp practically screaming 'CONSPIRACY' and the media obediently fainting from the idea a Vietnam Vet would have his qualifications questioned.

What, John Kerry? Hey look, a shiny object!

[Illuminatus Primus]

I don't see why it's bad to make age an issue. The last really old president we had was Reagan, and he was fucking senile by the end of his term. But I guess you can't say that in ReaganWorshipLand.

Not to mention how much the Presidency has aged relatively youthful but workholic Clinton and even slacker GWB. McCain turned 72! this year; he'd be 81!!! when he got out his eighth year. And factoring in POTUS agification, we're talking an already nutty McCain aging to the equivalent of 90s.

[Coyote]

We need to pass a law keeping Airedales away from politics, I swear: Bush-I was a Navy aviator, in a TBM Avenger, and he was shot down by the Japanese. Rumsfed was a Navy pilot too; we all saw what an arrogant bugfucker he was. And now McCain.

Sorry, guys. I think it's a better testament to your skills if you actually return with the plane you borrowed (at least as far as Bush and McCain, I don't know if Rummy lost a bird).

Wes Clark was right, and I'm glad to see he's not backing down from his comments.

[Darth Fanboy]

More like a retirement party. McCain's age is an issue and no one brings it up. Haha.

Someone did,

Having Obama to a barbecue would be like a relaxed family gathering, while inviting McCain "would be more like a retirement party than something fun," said Wesley Welbourne, 38, a systems engineer from Washington, D.C.

[Glocksman]

We need to pass a law keeping Airedales away from politics, I swear: Bush-I was a Navy aviator, in a TBM Avenger, and he was shot down by the Japanese. Rumsfed was a Navy pilot too; we all saw what an arrogant bugfucker he was. And now McCain.

Sorry, guys. I think it's a better testament to your skills if you actually return with the plane you borrowed (at least as far as Bush and McCain, I don't know if Rummy lost a bird).

Wes Clark was right, and I'm glad to see he's not backing down from his comments.

Interesting.

Even before I 'converted' to supporting practically anyone other than another 'tax cut and borrow' Republican, I saw a lot of pieces on teh Intartubes about how the decision making processes of a fighter pilot (make a decision now, no matter if you don't have all of the facts) makes such a person a worse CinC than someone who wasn't trained to make instant decisions.

I don't really like Clark, but his point about being shot down is not a qualifier to be President is valid.
That said, the McCain people will go apeshit on him simply because the 'shot down war hero' schtick is all they have that'll appeal to anyone other than a neocon chickenhawk.