Will the Real John McCain Please Stand Up!

McCain said, "In all due respect to my colleagues, they’re drinking the Kool-Aid that somehow I have changed positions on the issues." Well, Senator, here is what the facts say about what you said and what you did.

SAID: "It's not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they're big banks or small borrowers.” (Los Angeles Times, Mar 25, 2008)

DID: Supported bail out of Bear-Stearns

SAID: “I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 26, 2005)

and said "The issue of economics is something that I've really never understood as well as I should. I understand the basics, the fundamentals, the vision, all that kind of stuff." (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 18, 2007)

and then said “I don't know where you got that quote from. I'm very well versed in economics.” (Meet the Press)

DID: Supports making Bush tax cuts permanent to fix the economy. Probably because the tax cuts have worked so well for the economy thus far.

SAID: "I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us, at the expense of middle class Americans who most need tax relief." (McCain Senate Website, May 26, 2001)

DID: Voted in 2006 to extend tax cuts. Now supports making them permanent. So much for his "good conscience."

SAID: "One of the things that kept us going when I was in prison in North Vietnam was that we knew that if the situation were reversed, that we would not be doing to our captors what they were doing to us" (NY Times, Nov 16, 2007)

DID: Voted against a ban on CIA torture.

SAID: "I'm the only one special interests don't give any money to" (Town Hall, New London, NH Nov 18, 2007)

DID: McCain's campaign manager and many key campaign officials are telecom lobbyists, who have given at least $765,000 to his campaign (and that's just one special interest)

SAID: McCain singled out the evangelists Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell as "corrupting influences on religion and politics" and called them "agents of intolerance." (International Herald Tribune, Feb 29, 20000)

DID: Gave May 2006 commencement speech at Falwell's Liberty University, cozies up to Falwell.

SAID: “The reason why I have a perfect voting record from organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and all the other veterans service organizations is because of my support of them… I’ve been endorsed in every election by every veterans organization that do that, I’ve been supported by them, and I’ve received their highest awards from all of those organizations.”

DID: McCain received a “D” rating from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; a 20 percent vote rating from Disabled Veterans of America; Vietnam Veterans noted McCain voted against their interests in 15 key votes; American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars supported the Webb New GI Bill, McCain did not.

When questioned about his lack of support for veteran funding bills, John McCain pulls his POW trump card out and doesn’t really answer the question. If pushed, he grows angry and answers with sarcasm such as his response to one veteran who questioned him, “Well, I thank you and I'll be glad to examine what your version of my record is."

Well, Senator, this is not a “version,” this is your actual record:

McCain opposed the Webb 21st Century GI Bill, skipped the vote on the bill, and then took credit for it when it passed. June 2008

McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments.
September 2007

McCain voted against an amendment that would provide $20 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care facilities. May 2006:

McCain was one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans. April 2006:

McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes. March 2006:

McCain once again voted for abusive tax loopholes over veterans when he voted against creating a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans' medical care by $1.8 billion by eliminating abusive tax loopholes. McCain must think more highly of corporations than veterans since he voted for tax loopholes for corporations over our veterans' needs. March 2004:

McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322 million for safety equipment for United States forces in Iraq and to reduce the amount provided for reconstruction in Iraq by $322 million. October 2003:

McCain urged other Senate members to table a vote (which never passed) to provide more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq related to a shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests. April 2003:

McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650,000,000. August 2001

Kool Aid notwithstanding, it sure looks like a lot of positions changed… or did you just not mean what you said in the first place? That wouldn’t look good for your “straight talk.” Maybe we better just stay with changed positions. What do you think, Senator?