The Daily Howler is a font of much-needed wisdom, but Bob Somerby really falls down today in discussing McCain's flip definition (at Rick Warren's court) of 'rich' as $5 million-plus in annual income.
Somerby criticizes journalists who've held McCain to the figure, because it was a "joke." And true enough, if you tell a joke and then "sensibly move[]" to a discussion of [your] actual tax proposals," you shouldn't be held to the figure you gave in your joke.
Thing is, McCain never "sensibly moved" on to give a straight answer. Instead, after 120 or so words of preliminary evasion, he gave his "joke" figure, then continued on with a few hundred more words of terminal evasion. His "joke" was the closest thing to a straight answer he gave. (And John McCain -- who, incidentally, was a POW -- loves straight talk.) It is therefore eminently fair to hold McCain to it, at least until he issues a "clarification."
Somerby's criticism of Warren's question is also misbegotten. Yeah, it would be "simple-minded" to ask for a definition of 'rich' in the abstract. But Warren made it clear he was talking about tax policy. So it seems pretty reasonable to suppose the idea behind the question was about where the top margins should start to apply. Which would be an eminently sensible issue to raise.
By the bye, is there really anyone who'd wager McCain wouldn't make the top rate applicable at $5 million -- or higher -- if he thought could get away with it? (Hello? Anyone? Is this thing on?)
