Beltway Snark

That George, all he ever wants to do is go around asking candidates “gotcha” questions and make them uncomfortable. How dare he! Now he’s asking McCain questions about his plan to cut earmarks.

McCAIN: There’s hundreds of billions that can be saved. Americans know that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: That’s why you’re saying $60 billion from your earmark reforms.

McCAIN: I claim $100 billion when you look at $35 billion in the last two years and $65 billion in the years before that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But, sir, let me finish my point. Every other estimate I’ve seen say that the earmarks are $18 billion or $20 billion a year. To get to the $60 billion, that includes earmarks like the aid to Israel, $2 billion a year. $1 billion a year for military housing. You’re not going to cut those.

McCAIN: I’m going to cut at least that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Are you cutting aid to Israel?

McCAIN: Of course not. I’m not cutting aid to Israel. I’m cutting billions and billions out of defense spending which are not earmarks. The $400 million ship that they had to scrap, it was supposed to cost $140 billion. The $30 billion I believe it is, add-on for a system in the Army that’s gone up $30 billion and we still haven’t got any result from it. The $50 million contract to some buddy of Air Force generals.

I mean, there’s so many billions out there just in defense —

STEPHANOPOULOS: To hit your number, you say $160 billion in discretionary spending. The entire non-defense discretionary budget is $500 billion a year. That means you’re talking about a 30 percent cut in every program. Education. Veterans benefits.

McCAIN: I’m talking about looking at every institution of government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And you’re prepared to cut 30 percent?

McCAIN: I’m talking about changing wait we do business in Washington.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But are you prepared to cut 30 percent?

McCAIN: I’m prepared to cut hundreds of billions of dollars out of wasteful and unnecessary spending in America. Whether it be ethanol subsidies, sugar price supports, whether they be payments to the wealthiest farmers. Whether they be the loopholes that are out there worth I don’t know how many billions and billions of dollars. I guess my critics, and frankly from the tenor of your questions, think we’re going to do business as usual in Washington. We’re not.

It’s the worst nightmare. I’m their worst nightmare, my friend.

McCain supporters, feel free to cry foul and gnash your teeth. I mean, who the hell does George think he is, asking McCain hard questions about his economic plan? Everyone knows he’s not good with numbers. It’s unfair I tell you. And MEAN!

Side note – I think it’s funny when Obama supporters say that McCain is getting a free ride from the MSM. Pot, kettle. Kettle, pot.