First, he said it. Then he defended saying it, adding that opponents who disagreed weren’t being tough enough on terrorism. Then he said he plan was being misinterpreted. Then today, he gave up. Aaron Schock held a press conference (I wasn’t invited) and admitted he was wrong to propose selling nuclear weapons to Taiwan as a way to pressure communist China to stop helping Iran develop nuclear weapons:
The Congressional candidate said he “overstated the remedy with regard to telling China we would sell Taiwan nuclear weapons if China continued to stall on voting for the third set of sanctions on Iran as the time for Iran producing nuclear weapons gets closer and closer.â€
[snip]
Schock’s comments follow intense scrutiny he’s received the past few days from his opponents and the press following published reports [in Springfield, not Schock's hometown newspaper] of his plan to sell nuclear missiles to Taiwan for their defense.
“… When I make a mistake, I’m going to be mature enough to explain it and come forward and say that … but that doesn’t mean that Iran is not a threat, that doesn’t mean that China is not the entity stopping us from a third set of sanctions, that’s not to mean that we shouldn’t find a way to encourage China to come along with those economic sanctions,†Schock said.
Why change his stance if it was as well thought out as he said it was. Answer: Because it made him look like someone who was spouting off, not like a leader you can trust to make rational mature decisions.
There’s no byline on this article. There’s also no quotes from any of his opponents in the GOP primary to get their reaction. One assumes that by the time this appears in tomorrow’s newspaper someone from the PJS (or perhaps the Springfield Journal-Register, will give them a call).
UPDATE: Fixed the link. People, you need to tell me these things.
Tags: Aaron Schock, Congress, nukes, Taiwan
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Schock pulls the plug on his campaign to become the poster boy for right wingnuts throughout America. Barry Goldwater must be turning over in his grave. After all, Goldwater proposed using tactical nuclear weapons in Vietnam and challenged China to respond in kind. Schock is too interested in winning the next election, while Goldwater, like John-the-Baptist before him, was a clarion for the next messiah, Ronald Reagan, Schock’s patron political saint. Some politicos are waiting for a sign from Cong. Ray LaHood before lining up with Schock. Where was Congressman Ray during this debate????
On the 5:30 WCBU news, they said that Morris praised Schock for retracting his statements, and McConoughey had no comment yet.
(Sitting back with a bowl of popcorn, waiting to hear the apologists who defended the statement try to explain this one…)
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