In today's article from Robert Novak entitled, "Not Straight Talk", we see John McCain waffling on his voting record for the Bush tax cuts. Seems like he's guilty of the very behavior he's trying to pin on Romney. Here's an excerpt:
"In contesting for the 2000 nomination, McCain sounded more like Teddy Kennedy than Jack Kemp by decrying Bush's "tax relief" for "the richest 1 percent in America." That attracted independents and even Democrats, but not enough Republican voters to catch Bush. Nearly a year ago when I breakfasted with McCain, he was -- albeit temporarily -- the Republican establishment's choice to lead a party in which tax reduction is an immutable article of faith.
McCain told me: "I may have changed some of my views. You learn over 24 years." Explaining then as he does not now that he opposed Bush's tax cuts because there was "no commensurate restraint in spending," he said, "I am glad the tax cuts had the effect they did." Why he did not leave it at that goes to the nature of John McCain that makes him both frustrating and magnetic.
So, did McCain regret his "no" votes? He replied, "I can't tell you that I cast exactly right votes over the years." Based on more than half a century talking to politicians, I took that as a "yes." He also advocates making the tax cuts permanent because letting them lapse would constitute a tax increase that he opposes.
Shortly after New Hampshire voted, a national leader of the Democratic Party telephoned me. Asking that our conversation remain confidential, he said he considers McCain the only electable Republican in what looms as a Democratic 2008 and indeed capable of defeating either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. But, this Democrat asks, how can McCain explain and defend his votes against tax cuts that the Republican president and Republicans in Congress are trying to make permanent?
The answer to that would be for McCain to publicly repeat what he had told me over breakfast a year ago. But that probably would not be John McCain."
Do I hold this against McCain? Yes and no. I agree with him that you do learn things over time and that better decisions can come from life experience and more information. Anyone who disagrees with this should always remember that when you were 5, eating paste seemed like a good idea. I have a problem with the fact that he would vilify and other candidate (Romney specifically) for having the same opinion.
If you want to read the whole Novak article, you can check it out here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I watched a little of "Morning Joe" this morning on MSNBC. He was laughing at the audacity of McCain sending out mailings to all the Republicans in Michigan saying that Romney did not endorse the tax cuts soon enough, when McCain himself voted against them. Joe Scarborough then said that was "dirty politics" and very hypocritical of McCain.
Just saw this - not really related. CNN poll - I'm iffy about anything they report or poll, but still paints a bad picture.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/
01/12/poll.matchups/index.html
You will have to copy and paste both lines of that URL into one URL in the broswer, I had to divide it in two lines so it would appear.
preach on, brother
Rise: I heard about that! There's a great article I believe on RealClearPolitics.com that shows McCain's hipocrisy about going negative in the campaign. When Romeny sends out contrast ads, he being a negative politician. When McCain does the same thing, he's just highlighting his record, at another candidate's expense.
Jeeyum- I read that article. Not overly concerned about it at this point. If Romney wins Michigan, I see that changing dramatically. One fight at a time... Still hope the nominee for the Dems is Hillary.
Post a Comment