David H. Blackburn: No one is holding McCain accountable for his mistakes

For the last couple of months, John McCain and company, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and other conservative news anchors and journalists wasted no time bashing Barack Obama for failing to visit Iraq to see the positive effects of the so-called "surge" made possible, I might add, by the Democrats gaining power and placing pressure on this Bush regime to rid itself of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and replacing him the current Defense Secretary Robert Gates and shaking American strategy in Iraq and leadership at the Pentagon, leading to the surge.

As I watched the media coverage of Sen. Obama throughout his trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and Europe, I was uplifted that once again the U.S. could be proud to have someone of his caliber meet with foreign dignitaries without making the U.S. look foolish, and he did not disappoint.

But as I watched and listened, I also learned as I gained insight as to what low levels some would stoop to discredit him. I was also left thinking about Phil Gramm's statements that Americans are a country of whiners and that our economy wasn't that bad and John McCain's own whining that Obama was getting too much coverage from the media and his criticism of Obama for not visiting the military hospital in Germany. It appears whatever Sen. Obama does or doesn't do, he will be criticized by surrogates of McCain and McCain himself.

I encourage everyone to read the New York Times Op-Ed by Frank Rich dated July 27. It should raise a few eyebrows, and his assessment of how the media has failed to demand John McCain admit he was wrong when he assured the American people that our adventure in Iraq would be fast, produce little American "bloodletting" and "be paid for by the Iraqis" was thought-provoking. While McCain is pressuring Obama to admit he was wrong about the surge, he needs to admit his wrongs. Where is the media coverage and their accountability to their listeners for truth, and why do they give McCain so many passes for his gaffes while hounding Obama through their surrogates at Fox and the world of talk radio?

Finally, a word to the wise, even in politics. Be careful what you ask for; you just may get it and more.

David H. Blackburn is a Huntington resident.