John McCain on Condoms: Uh, Well, Ur, Um....

John McCain doesn't know if condoms stop sexually transmitted disease. In fact he doesn't seem to know much of anything on this issue, or related ones.

Don't believe me. Check this puppy out. Seriously, go read it, it doesn't do justice to just read some snippets. You absolutely must read the whole story. It's ok. I'll wait.

For those of you who are too lazy to read the whole thing, here's the gist of it. While cruising on the Straight Talk Express (Yes, it's back in full force) McCain was asked if he believed condoms stop sexually transmitted diseases. His response? Pause, stumbling, grasping for words, followed by a "I've never gotten into these issues or thought much about them." He then asked an aide for a piece written by Senator Tom Coburn on this issue, so he could consult it for guidance only to find out that "we've lost it."

Seriously? Really? You don't know if condoms prevent STD's? I mean I'll give you some credit that condoms don't prevent all STD's (i.e. HPV) but I really am baffled as to why John McCain could not give a straight forward answer on this. Does he really not know? Or was he worried that saying that condoms do prevent STD's would anger religious conservatives who promote abstinence only policies?

Of course this story opens up to the broader story. That story being, "What the hell happened to John McCain?"

Remember in 2000 when McCain separated himself from the right-wing declaring individuals such as Jerry Falwell "Agent of Intolerance" only to declare last year (on Meet the Press):

RUSSERT: Do you believe that Jerry Falwell is still an agent of intolerance?

MCCAIN: No, I don’t. I think that Jerry Falwell can explain to you his views on this program when you have him on.

Wow. Any thoughts on this one?