NY Times reported that McCain is "looking to distance himself" from Bush, but not that McCain has voted with Bush, fundraised with Bush, and praised Bush
SUMMARY: The New York Times' Adam Nagourney wrote that Sen. John McCain "is, to a considerable degree, sprinting away from his own party and looking to distance himself from an unpopular incumbent president." In fact, McCain has accepted fundraising help from President Bush and was the administration's most reliable supporter in the Senate last year, according to a vote analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Quarterly. Further, far from "sprinting away" from the Republican Party, McCain has changed his position on numerous issues to align himself more closely with the party's base.
In a June 22 article, New York Times national political correspondent Adam Nagourney reported that Sen. John McCain "has promoted an image as a renegade" in the Senate, and that "McCain is, to a considerable degree, sprinting away from his own party and looking to distance himself from an unpopular incumbent president." But Nagourney did not note that according to Congressional Quarterly, a nonpartisan publication that tracks legislators' votes, McCain was the Bush administration's most reliable supporter in the Senate in 2007, voting with the president 95 percent of the time. Nor did Nagourney mention that McCain has accepted fundraising help from President Bush, as the Times noted in a separate June 22 article. Indeed, Bush and McCain recently appeared at a fundraiser together, as the Times reported on May 28. Moreover, when Bush endorsed McCain during a March 5 joint appearance, McCain stated: "I'll be pleased to have him [Bush] with me both from raising money and the much needed finances for the campaign, and addressing the challenging issues that face this country. I'm pleased to have him as is -- as it fits into his busy schedule."
Also, contrary to Nagourney's assertion that McCain is "sprinting away from his own party," McCain has changed his position on numerous issues -- including tax cuts, immigration, and the religious right -- to align himself more closely with the base of the Republican Party. The most recent of these reversals by McCain is on the issue of offshore drilling. The Times reported on June 19 that McCain is among a group of Republicans who "are abandoning their long-held opposition to drilling in coastal waters." In a June 29, 2006, vote on the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act, 192 House Republicans voted to lift the federal moratorium on drilling and allow drilling if states agreed to do so, while only 31 House Republicans opposed the measure. The bill was not considered -- or voted upon -- in the Senate.
From the June 22 New York Times article, which discussed similarities and differences between McCain's campaign and the 1996 presidential campaign of former Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS):
They are war heroes with the injuries to show for it. They are known for hurricane tempers and caustic wit. They are among the oldest men to seek the presidency.
And Democrats are hoping that the 1996 candidacy of Bob Dole will be a template for what will happen to Senator John McCain in his run for the White House this year.
But for all the obvious similarities, there are also sufficient differences between the two Republicans to make surface comparisons somewhat misleading.
Mr. Dole was not just a creature of the Senate but the very face of the Washington legislative establishment. Mr. McCain has promoted an image as a renegade in the body, scolding it, for example, for its pork barrel spending.
Mr. McCain is, to a considerable degree, sprinting away from his own party and looking to distance himself from an unpopular incumbent president. Mr. Dole resisted running against an institution that he cherished, and that made it easier for Democrats to tie him to what they portrayed as the Republican Party's excesses during the period when the House speaker, Newt Gingrich, and the ascendant conservative wing of the party were seeking to reshape domestic policy.
Smith should also try to "distance himself" from Wesson. Ben from Jerry. Procter from Gamble.
This is the basic marketing strategy that's being pushed on righty radio; McCain is going to be nothing like Bush, he's going to stick to all of those principles Bush said he was going to stick to.You know, the ones that Bush's dad & REagan talked about, but didn't stick to.
This time's gonna be different, Charlie Brown. Now kick the football.
This business about McCain being Bush's third term is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life. If McCain is a carbon copy of President Bush, why do conservatives despise him?
McCain believes in the fraud of "global warming" and he wants to treat the terrorists at Gitmo like royalty. He supports a cap and trade bill that will eviscerate our economy.
McCain supports open borders and amnesty for illegal aliens. McCain doesn't believe in free speech (McCain-Feingold). McCain maintains his absurd position about drilling in ANWR. No true conservative trusts him on judges. He said he wouldn't nominate a Ruth Bader Ginsberg type. Perhaps he won't, but my gut tells me he will nominate a David Souter type. Please, is there any difference whatsoever between Ginsburg and Souter?
There is no way McCain nominates an Alito/Scalia/Robers/Thomas type and this is a tragedy for our nation.
President Bush at least had the good sense to pull the plug on the Harriet Miers nomination. He will admit when he is wrong.
He is not really pro-life. He thinks states should decide. This is ridiculous. Let's say California wants to allow abortion and Arizona doesn't. Any woman in Arizona can take a short drive to murder her baby. States should not be allowed to decide - baby killing should be banned in all 50 states.
In the immortal words of Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, Senator McCain you are no George Bush.
In 50 years the textbooks will record President Bush as a wise man who made the correct decision in the face of unbelievable opposition. He has moral courage and is a great President.
McCain will win the election, but not with my vote. I will be voting for Bob Barr.
We need a Third Term!!!
In 50 years the textbooks will record President Bush as a wise man who made the correct decision in the face of unbelievable opposition. He has moral courage and is a great President.
Brought to you by one of the ignorant 29%-ers. Now put your head back in the sand.
You're overstating WPE Bush's support. It's at 24%. There's a handful of people out there who are still coming around to reality.
And then there's Bobby Jindal fan. He's still got a long journey ahead of him before he can face reality.
"In 50 years the textbooks will record President Bush as a wise man who made the correct decision in the face of unbelievable opposition. He has moral courage and is a great President."
Really?? REALLY????
Who are these people? And if they have access to the internet, can they not look up "Bush" and "total failure"?
Bullsh*t. I have yet to hear him admit what most people already accept.... invading Iraq was a monumental mistake. When he and Dickless Cheney admit that, I may change my assessment of President Numbnuts.
By the way, Jindal Fan.... attended any exorcisms lately?
I don't know why conservatives despise McCain. They should have despised George Bush - he really debased their philosophy and violated numerous platform stances that conservatives revere. John McCain is a much better conservative than George Bush ever was.
Global Warming is not a fraud. It's undeniably happening. Manmade global warming is also not a fraud, but apparently you're too brainwashed to accept factual evidence over the nonsense Rush spews out.
You accept the nonsense about drilling in ANWR too, huh? At most, in about 15-20 years, oil provided by ANWR would reduce the price of oil less than a dollar a barrel. It's like being told that you'll lose your job in 4 weeks, and you beg your boss to employ you for 4 weeks and 1 day more. That doesn't solve the issue of you losing your job, and it doesn't really gain you much revenue, plus if you work that last day for your boss, you're likely to deny yourself the option to have another full time job for the rest of that week. We're running out of oil, and demanding that we risk that pristine environment to gain a little more oil years from now is incredibly short-sighted. Looking at the short term gain and ignoring the potential long term costs is a perfect description of current Conservatives.
John McCain IS pro-life, but he believes that each state should decide. And it's not killing a baby. It's aborting a fetus and allowing a woman to control her own body instead of allowing the fetus to control her body. It's funny how conservatives want to govt out of their lives in so many ways but want the govt to allow fetuses to have greater rights than the women carrying those fetuses.
So, you're going to vote for the Libertarian Bob Barr? Do you know that Libertarians support abortions? Support liberal justices on the Supreme Court? Support open borders? Don't support the war against terror and so would close Gitmo?
So much nonsense in one post, so little time.
The Libertarian Party calls for the repeal of legislation like the Patriot Act and the Military Commission Act, which increase the power of the federal government at the expense of civil liberties.
http://www.lp.org/
Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.
By the way, I'm puzzled that nobody on the Talking Head shows is mentioning the fact that Honda has delivered a functioning hydrogen car. They keep hyperventilating over ANWR and Continental Shelf drilling vs. Bio Fuels. I never hear them talk about other alternatives like solar, wind or hydrogen. Seems to me that hydrogen should at least be a major consideration. Why don't they talk about it?.... Even President Numbnuts mentioned it in his State of the Union speech a couple of years ago.
Like Colbert always says, go with your gut.
I understand that you're probably just getting started in comedy and it shows. But this post is a good start, really. You've got promise. Keep plugging away. Look for local clubs that have open mike night and give it a shot. What do you have to lose?
Oh, and if you're being serious, and if in 50 years history proves you right, I'll rise form the dead and offer my apology.
Good advice, King. And I was worried about George Carlin's shoes being filled (R.I.P.).
Bobby Jindal Fan may be convincing himself that this isn't going to happen to him again;
And that's good, if it encourages him to vote for Barr. I support that 100%.
Wow. It looks like Crazy-train Jindal didn't get around to performing an exorcism on you yet. You've still got the demon of Limbaugh in you.
"The power of truth compels you! The power of truth compels you!"
I will be voting for Bob Barr. - Bobby Jindal fan
Gag stolen from John Stewart.
It depends on which McTorture is running.
McMaverick that occasionally fell out of line or McLimbaugh who takes his cues from the low end of the am dial nowadays
Gaaaaaak!
of course Mccain voted the republican line 95% of the time. he's a republican and the president is a republican. what would you expect.
obama voted the hard left line 100% of the time. why don't we hear about that. he is the most radical person ever to run for a major party. if elected, he will be a disaster.
obama voted the hard left line 100% of the time - sandss981580
Wrong again. You're so good at that.
Well, yeah.... but he's a...... MAVERICK! Or so we've been told.....
Obama, a disaster? Well, anything is possible..... but since we've survived 7+ years of President Numbnuts and his evil Svengali, I'll take my chances.
How did Grampy do it? Probably by default... the other candidates sucked so bad....and they ignored Grampy because they thought he had already shot his wad. He was, in essence, the last man standing.
Hard left line?
This is what I really love about crazy conservatives, their concept that anything that doesn't fit within their political worldview is radical and fringe and ultra-liberal. More garbage from the people who say McCain is a liberal and that Obama is a radical lefty but somehow the far right is "just right in the center."