John McCain still skates on Juan Hernandez issue, again (Matt Lewis)

On a conference call today (link via this), Matt Lewis of Townhall asked John McCain about his Hispanic outreach director Juan Hernandez, a former cabinet level official with the Mexican government who worked directly with Vicente Fox. He's also appeared on several cable TV shows promoting a "free flow" of people between the U.S. and Mexico, and more or less promoting Mexico's agenda.

Unfortunately, Lewis asked an extremely weak question:

Can I ask you about Juan Hernandez, not so much about Townhall where I write, but a lot of conservative bloggers have a lot to say about him... You never know what is accurate, but from what I read he has some very controversial things to say...about Mexico first, about essentially having a completely open border....Are we getting misinformation? or What is the disconnect there? Why are you taking advice from someone if he has made these outlandish comments?

McCain's response included:

I would be glad to examine any statement from any supporter of mine... I don't even know if he is quote or what he has specifically... I'll be glad to look at it... I'll be glad to look at anything anybody has said that may be offensive or wrong. But I may have disagreements with an issue with lots of people... and if we have strong enough disagreements, I will ask them to withdraw their support.

Certainly, I understand how one might want to pretend to stammer and ask it in a sly way, but Lewis did not cover the fact that Hernandez used to work for the Mexican government.

In addition to mentioning that major issue, the natural follow-up is to now read back some of Hernandez' statements and directly ask McCain whether he "strongly" disagrees with them or not:

"he said this, do you strongly disagree or do you agree?"
"OK, he also said this. Do you strongly disagree or do you agree?"

Note that McCain hasn't even promised to look into Hernandez' statements on his own: he expects others to point them out to him. Based on McCain's slippery responses to most questions, the questioner would have to spell out that they're asking a specific question about whether there's a disagreement and that they expect a specific response to the question.

Related:
John McCain vows: no foreign agents on campaign team (Juan Hernandez?)
McCain campaign dodges Juan Hernandez question; denies Heath Shuler charge
John McCain's Juan Hernandez almost gets MSM attention (Eunice Moscoso, WashTimes, Marc Ambinder)
John McCain asked about Juan Hernandez, doesn't denounce his views

Comments

McCain is owned by Mexico and that is sad but whats new? our government is not our government so whats new? Obama will beat McCain, and that is sad. McCAIN Is just following Orders and that is a fact jack, so whats new?

Truly the lowest point in American history to have to choose between the [2] anti American lefties. Unfortunatly it has to get worse before anything changes for the patriotic American. And that my friend is something I never thought would happen. But is is and it's time to fight back in every way possible

Maybe it is true that like an alcoholic has to hit bottom ...this country has to sink to a new low before Americans really wake up to the destruction of their country....

you are both starting to see the facts this nation is dead but we can make a new nation out of the dead one its going to mean blood but its blood now or the mass Grave down the line for us all. Obama and McCain hate our freedoms, watchout when Obama starts his move on McCain it will be funny to watch evildoers working in front of us all to take us all down the road to the third world monkey house.

The civil war they think cannot possibly happen in this country is so close you can smell the gun powder. Please let there never be, or have ever been a politicain in the past with my last name. The killing/hangings won't stop as long as a relative of a politician is alive.

It would have to be a patriotic General or rather a group of them [Joint Chiefs]to accomplish such a thing. Imagine that? A military junta taking over the USA. One that was trying to save Americans citizens and the English language and our culture! From further Balkanizing. And one who immediatly removed all foriegn invaders from our cities. Is that all we can hope for anymore?