Getting The Story Straight

That is I think I know tune in
But it's all wrong
That is I think I disagree -- Frank Zappa, What Kind of Girl?

Looks like Poor Ol' Straight Talk just wants to instinctively reach for his favorite shovel so's he can keep on diggin':

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain (news, bio, voting record) said in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday he misspoke in his recent upbeat comments about security in Baghdad, where he traveled under heavy military protection.

The Arizona senator, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, maintains progress has been made in the U.S.-led war in Iraq, according to comments to be aired on CBS' "60 Minutes." Excerpts were released on Friday.

McCain said he regrets comments he made after a tour of Baghdad last Sunday, when he said he could see progress and the American people were not being told the "good news" about the war, according to excerpts of his comments and a press release provided by "60 Minutes."

"Of course I am going to misspeak and I've done it on numerous occasions and I probably will do it in the future," said McCain, according to "60 Minutes."

The excerpted quotes provided by "60 Minutes" did not indicate which comments McCain thought were misspoken.

No shit. How about all of McCain's comments? So let's see if we have this straight now, Straight Talk -- can you or can you not walk down the streets in "some" -- or even any -- neighborhoods anywhere in Baghdad, without having to worry for your imminent safety? Why did Mike Pence lamely offer a Baghdad-Muncie comparison, then immediately bolt from it as if someone with a backpack had penetrated his security detail at the photo-op?

Y'all just let us folks know when you get your talking points good and dialed in. Maybe you should consider road-testing some of this stuff before you go on the teevee shows and spout poorly-phrased rhetoric that adds nothing to the real-world debate. Keep in mind, this whole thing is snowballing because Ol' Straight Talk had to front for one of the shows and talk about how safe it is there, so safe that a guy only needs two helicopters, three gunships, and a 100-troop security detail to take his good friend Huckleberry Graham out to buy hisself some rugs. Yup, that shore sounds jes like Anytown, USA by my reckoning.