So What About You, John McCain?
By SusanUnPC on August 24, 2008 at 10:08 PM in Current Affairs
As the general election phase nears — and because this blog does not endorse either presidential candidate, and owner Larry Johnson has stated very clearly that he does not intend to support John McCain for some very important reasons — it is time to take a hard look at the Republican party’s presumptive nominee.
I was perusing ThinkProgress today, and found this important to point out — that John McCain is not the “straight shooter” that he likes to portray himself as, and has indulged in quite a bit of “flip-flopping” himself:
As Steve Benen has documented, McCain has flip-flopped at least 74 times over the years.
While some of his shifts may be an attempt to “grow” and “refine” his positions, many of his flip-flops were calculated moves to “placate the GOP right” in the course of his run for president:
TAXES: In 2001 and 2003, McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts, saying that they would “mostly benefit the wealthy.” But in 2006 he voted to extend them and now he wants to double them.
IMMIGRATION: In 2006, McCain sponsored immigration reform legislation with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), but in a January 2008 debate, he said that he “would not” vote for his own legislation.ROE V. WADE: In 1999, McCain told reporters that he “would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade.” In 2006, McCain expressed his unequivocal support for overturning the decision.
OFFSHORE DRILLING: In 1999, when he first ran for president, McCain supported the moratorium on offshore drilling. In June 2008, however, he called for an end to the federal ban on offshore oil drilling.
RADICAL RIGHT: In 2000, McCain declared Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell “agents of intolerance,” but in 2006 McCain said he no longer considers Falwell an “agent of intolerance.”
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Read this article in full.
There is a reason that Hillary Clinton has chosen to stay with and support the Democratic ticket. She is concerned about the ramifications of another Republican presidency.
Where that leaves me come late October when my ballot arrives, I haven’t decided yet.
I have time. And, quite probably, how I vote will remain my PRIVATE SECRET. It is, after all, my right to cast my vote with the right of privacy.
What I care most about — in terms of rights — is that when 2012 rolls around, that I will be able to cast my PRIMARY VOTE in private, and not in a public caucus that is undemocratic by its very nature.
And what I also care about, come 2012, is that if this 2008 Democratic ticket loses, that I will be able to support Hillary Clinton for the presidency.
Getting back to John McCain: It is essential, before we starting shouting that we’ll vote for McCain if Hillary isn’t nominated, that we take a GOOD HARD, LONG LOOK at this man and his running mate.
Let’s preserve our options.
Let’s keep them guessing.
Let’s never say “never.” Too many people through countless millenia have rued making that statement.
Let’s remain open to possibilities.
And let’s keep our eyes on the ultimate prize.
Let’s be an example OF her FOR her.
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