Originally Posted by Dave Byrd
McCain??s flourishing flip-flop list
Just to follow-up briefly on Michael??s guest-post from yesterday, Sen. John McCain??s (R-Ariz.) new-found opposition to Roe v. Wade is rather remarkable, even for him.
In 1999, McCain was in New Hampshire, campaigning for the GOP nomination as a moderate. He proclaimed himself a pro-life candidate, but told reporters that ??in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade.? He explained that overturning Roe would force ??women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.? Yesterday, campaigning for the GOP nomination as a conservative, McCain said the opposite.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me ask one question about abortion. Then I want to turn to Iraq. You??re for a constitutional amendment banning abortion, with some exceptions for life and rape and incest.
MCCAIN: Rape, incest and the life of the mother. Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So is President Bush, yet that hasn??t advanced in the six years he??s been in office. What are you going to do to advance a constitutional amendment that President Bush hasn??t done?
MCCAIN: I don??t think a constitutional amendment is probably going to take place, but I do believe that it??s very likely or possible that the Supreme Court should ?? could overturn Roe v. Wade, which would then return these decisions to the states, which I support?. Just as I believe that the issue of gay marriage should be decided by the states, so do I believe that we would be better off by having Roe v. Wade return to the states.
The old McCain didn??t want an amendment and didn??t want Roe overturned. The new McCain completely disagrees with the old McCain.
- Yeah. I sure hate a candidate that wants the federal government out of our family planning clinics, and leave the decision up to each individual state. How anti-socialist of him.
...
Let??s return, once again, to McCain??s flourishing flip-flop list, which is now a Top 11 list.
* McCain criticized TV preacher Jerry Falwell as ??an agent of intolerance? in 2002, but has since decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans ??deserved? the 9/11 attacks. (Indeed, McCain has now hired Falwell??s debate coach.)
* McCain used to oppose Bush??s tax cuts for the very wealthy, but he reversed course in February.
- Is there a cut-n-paste site for lazy democrats unable to research facts? This shit never ends.
* In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending ??dirty money? to help finance Bush??s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.
- Gee...a republican asking for support from another (conviction-free) republican. What a weird concept.
* McCain supported a major campaign-finance reform measure that bore his name. In June, he abandoned his own legislation.
-Does no good to attend the party alone. Obama signed the pledge, then about what, a month later went back on his word? More half-facts from half-wits.
...
* McCain took a firm line in opposition to torture, and then caved to White House demands.
- This is an idiots guide to democratic talking-points, right?. A fable only a moron could believe
* McCain gave up on his signature policy issue, campaign-finance reform, and won??t back the same provision he sponsored just a couple of years ago.
- You're repeating yourself, and it's still an ignorant statement.
*...
* And now he??s both for and against overturning Roe v. Wade.
- ...? Those that get their facts straight, won't look so stupid all of the time.
Now is the time to begin characterizing McCain ?? accurately ?? as a man with no principle beliefs. Dems should not only criticize McCain??s constantly evolving opinions on nearly everything, they should openly mock him for it now, so that the storyline becomes second nature (like the GOP did with ??serial exaggerator? Al Gore.
- Oh yes...Al (carbon credits are cool) Gore? He isn't a serial exaggerator...he's a liar.
The nation is seeing McCain 2.0, and we like the old one better.