John McCain
(R) – Senator for Arizona
John McCain is a right-wing ideologue who has a narcissistic love for being in the media.
McCain Is A Power-Hungry Flip Flopper
McCain Condemned Jerry Falwell, Then Sucked Up To Him When He Decided To Run For President. “When McCain ran for president the last time, he denounced Falwell as one of America’s “agents of intolerance.” But now that McCain is gearing up to run for president as the GOP’s establishment candidate, he has told Falwell that he spoke “in haste” in 2000.” (”McCain Woos the Right, Makes Peace With Falwell“, ABC News, 3/8/06)
“He’s no longer offering himself as the alternative to Bush. Now he’s positioned himself as Bush’s heir, a turnaround that makes some people, including McCain sometimes, more than a little uncomfortable.” (”The McCain Makeover“, Washington Post, 8/27/06)
McCain Is A Far Right Conservative, Not A Moderate
McCain Would Support Putting Doctors In Jail For Performing Abortions. (”Allen, Romney And McCain on the South Dakota Abortion Ban“, Hotline On Call, 2/28/06)
McCain Has A Lifetime 83 Rating From The American Conservative Union (2005).[source]
McCain Has A 100% Rating From Right-Wing Americans For Tax Reform [source]
McCain Is A Hypocrite On Dirty Campaigning
McCain Took Contributions From Millionaires He Once Said Had “Dirty Money.” “The most interesting names on the host committee? Sam and Charles Wyly — the wealthy Dallas-based brothers who funded and ran “Republicans for Clean Air,” a 527 group that attacked McCain for his environmental record during the 2000 primaries. In the aftermath of his defeat, McCain specifically cited the group in his plea for more and better campaign finance reform, saying the groups were “making a mockery of existing campaign finance laws.”" (”McCain’s Strange Bedfellows“, Washington Post, 4/21/06)
McCain’s Culture Of Corruption
McCain Was One Of The “Keating Five”, Got Campaign Contributions From Convicted Fraudster Charles Keating “McCain met Keating in 1981 at a Navy League dinner in Arizona where McCain was the speaker. Keating was a former naval aviator himself, and the two men became friends. Keating raised money for McCain’s two congressional campaigns in 1982 and 1984, and for McCain’s 1986 Senate bid. By 1987, McCain campaigns had received $112,000 from Keating, his relatives, and his employees–the most received by any of the Keating Five.” (”Is John McCain a Crook?“, Slate, 2/18/00)
McCain Loves The Press
John McCain Appeared On Sunday Talk Shows 124 Times Between 1997-2005. “The most frequent Sunday show guest during this nine-year period is Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who has appeared 124 times.” (”If It’s Sunday, It’s Conservative“, Media Matters for America, 2/14/06)
(If anyone has any information I should add to this, post in the comments or email me)
I’m not really sure why you’re loading up on John McCain talking points. Apparently he worries you.
Personally, I don’t think that McCain should worry you any more than you think Joe Biden should worry me.
I guess we’ll see though.
On a side note- what’s up with Pelosi and John Murtha? Other than the war, what do they have in common? Nothing like having a bribe inviting, unidicted co-conspirator leading the party of “the culture of corruption.” (Hey- you made it a big issue. Seems like we’re right back to 1992 to me.)
I think McCain is the most legit Republican candidate for president. We should know what he’s really all about. As far as the Democratic leadership race, they’re fighting over the position of MAJORITY leader. It’s a win-win from where I’m standing.
hey marty, how’s the Year of the Black Republican going for you?
Bwwwwaaahhhhhh!!! Remember, Republican voters won’t vote for black people. I kind of wonder why black Republicans like yourself overlook all the race baiting your party does to get the KKK vote. How do you rationalize it?
Does it bother you that Michael Steele tried to suppress the vote of his own people in order to get elected? Does it bother you that the RNC used the old black man-white woman smear to elect their man in Tennessee? Why do you want to sit at their table when they clearly don’t want you there?
And yet the Senate shall now be presided over by the only Senator to have been a member of the KKK. Ironic.
Factcheck- feel free to search through every comment I have ever written and let me know how many times I have written about “the year of the black republican.”
It may take you a while. (Like, forever.)
That’s other people’s catch phrase. I personally didn’t care what color the candidates skin was. I vote for people whose policy stances I agree with.
Did we have a few candidates of African descent that I would have liked to see win. Absolutely. But not nearly as many as I would like to see. Did I go ‘nutroots’ in my Lamont-like enthusiasm for their prospects. No- for example I predicted Michael Steel would lose in spite of his polling numbers trending better in the last weeks of the campaign. (Based on mostly 2-1 Democrat ratios.) And in spite of how much I would have loved to see the guy win. I rarely talked about Ken Blackwell or Lynne Swann, becasue I didn’t follow those races very closely.
As for the “smear” in Tennessee- I think I’ve already written here why when I first saw it, the ‘race’ issues didn’t even come to mind as much as the irony of the candidate who filmed a campaign ad in a church being linked to pornography and going to a Playboy party. Not that I thought the ad was fair in that respect either, but how many political ads are fair. But it made a point with humor.
Only when I read on a white lefty blog that the ad was “racist” did I even consider of the possibility that it could have been seen as a “race” ad. Do I agree that it was intended that way? No. Could it be taken that way? Yes. And someone in the chain should have realized that.
I’ve never had a burning need to think solely in terms of race, and have never used race as a crutch or an excuse for my successes or failures.
As for what table I sit at and who wants me there- that’s for me to decide. I have never felt unwelcome where I sit. When I do, I’ll move or do something to fix the problem.
By the way- it seems that plenty of those Republicans who “won’t vote for black people” voted for Michael Steele. Hmm- 2-1 Democrat to Republican, and Steele got 45% of the vote…
Unless you’re thinking that all of his votes came from Democrats and independents. OR unless you’re thinking he would have done better if he were white. Is that what you’re saying factcheck?
Indeed Marty. All of which is extremely relevant to McCain being a self serving hypocritical blowhard who is nevertheless beloved by our corrupt media machine and best positioned to be the next GOP candidate for president.
Defensive much?
Oliver- I guess I just need to understand what you mean by “legit” candidate.
If you mean most likely to gain the nomination for President, I personally don’t see him as uniting the Republicans and winning the nomination. (He’s the Republican version of Joe Biden in my eyes.)
Thus, I believe you’re working on your talking points for the wrong person.
Legit, as in, should he get past the lunatics that account for the Republican base, the most likely to win a general election. By the way, do you think saying the words “talking points” has some sort of magical power? You do it all the time.
There is no magic in the term. It’s just how you write, Oliver. You generally write in talking points. Once in a while you break out and really write some solid, impressive analysis, (whether I agree with it or not. )
This particular post reads like a list of talking points that you would get from either party about another candidate or issue. In fact, you should go work for the DNC- you have quite the knack for it.
I just can’t understand how you can shill for a party who hates you Marty, it’s pretty clear that the only thing they use black people for is as props.
They run a black man in one state while at the same time using him to suppress the black vote, and in another state they racebait with white women. Is this really something you want yourself associated with? Never mind all the cons who break bread with the Counsel of Conservative Citizens.
Personally, I wouldn’t shill for a party that hates my people, but then again I have self-respect.
And let us not forget the infamous smear campaign against McCain in 2000 that alleged he had an illegitimate child with a black prostitute (McCain has an adopted child from Bangladesh), not to mention other attacks on his service in Vietnam (a Bush staple), his sanity, his sexual preferences, and even his wife.
Now McCain can’t bend over fast enough for Bush.
The media frame of him as some sort of reform minded maverick needs to be shot down at every opportunity.
He is, as all the “talking points” illustrate, an unprincipled, self-serving jackass.
McCain is road kill. True he’s the media’s darling, but his hard shift to the right to get the wing nut vote for the primaries will kill him in the general election.
There is a theory that Cheney will retire for “health reasons” and McCain will step in so he can run as the sitting VP.
Don’t ya just love the trial baloons after an election
Its hilarious. The yahoos are now after McCain. They ‘liked’ him as long as he was a weapon to use against archfiend Bush. But now: a racist, homophobe, war-mongering, money grubbing venal R.
but then again I have self-respect.
They always tell the brain damaged to have self-respect…
Remember, Republican voters won’t vote for black people.
See what I mean about the brain damage? When Black REPUBLICANS have run in districts that are REPUBLICAN, they have won and with populations that are 90% white.
Somebody told Factcheck the ad used against Harold Ford was racist and he believes it was racist. That’s what the brain damaged do because they cannot think for themselves. Only a complete idiot would say that ad was racist. Considering it was Democrats calling it racist, there you have it.
Of course what kills me is that Factcheck is in fact racist. When he says that Black Republicans are just ‘tokens’ or ‘props.’ That’s racist.
Factcheck is in fact a brain damaged racist.
Dugger | Nov 13, 2006 7:35:59 PM
“Its hilarious. The yahoos are now after McCain. They ‘liked’ him as long as he was a weapon to use against archfiend Bush. But now: a racist, homophobe, war-mongering, money grubbing venal R.”
pedugger, YOU are hilarious.
Now that you’ve recuperated from the the election (fucking sideswiped your rosy little world, didn’t it?), your posts are more hilariously irrelevant and out of touch than they were in the months leading up to the election.
Jay | Nov 13, 2006 7:58:52 PM
“See what I mean about the brain damage?”
“That’s what the brain damaged do because they cannot think for themselves.”
“Only a complete idiot would say that ad was racist.”
“Considering it was Democrats calling it racist, there you have it.”
“Of course what kills me is that Factcheck is in fact racist.”
“Factcheck is in fact a brain damaged racist.”
Jay writhes in election denial.
The following are all ‘tokens’ and ‘props’ according to Factcheck:
Token
Prop
Token
Prop
Token
Prop
Token
Prop
Go ahead Factcheck. Write to them and tell them how they’re nothing but tokens and props.
Racist.
Sorry ‘S’, but it’s not election denial. That has nothing to do with anything. Factcheck is famous for calling everybody racist, but he’s being racist himself. He’ll deny it of course, but that’s because he’s got the brain damage.
Ahhhh, Jay. When you wail often, people start tuning out.
I recall a separate thread some weeks ago when you tried to debate a point with frameone. You angrily defended your ‘years of history’ with JK (I think it was JK) who respectfully asked that you grab a brain and stop feeding an argument only you understood.
Yea, that’s it crazy j, when someone calls your party racist, you call THEM racist. Yea, that’s the ticket. Now tell us again how you can’t stand your idiot Democrat racist relatives.
You lost, get lost.
I didn’t defend my ‘years of history’ with JK. I only pointed out I’ve known JK for 7-8 years.
And JK is like so many other holier than thou liberals who think because they vote Democrat it gives them some keen insight into race relations and racial issues. The fact is, people with such attitudes have not spent any significant time with people in the Black community. It is especially the case when they start calling those who think differently from them politically, ‘tokens’ and ‘props.’
Factcheck, you’re a racist. Deal with it.
And who cares if the GOP lost? Unlike you, I’m not stupid enough to believe it’s going to be some life changing event.
So get stuck Sheets.
Jay | Nov 13, 2006 8:41:01 PM
“I didn’t defend my ‘years of history’ with JK. I only pointed out I’ve known JK for 7-8 years.”
You ‘only pointed out’ you’ve known JK for 7-8 years in a very defensive context, Jay, after which JK suggested you back off your contentious argument.
” … people with such attitudes have not spent any significant time with people in the Black community …”
Interesting perspective, Jay. I always thought it as the human community.
Maybe you should tell that to my classroom full of black students and the other homeowners in my town, which is 1/3 black. But of course they wouldn’t waste any time with you, because you’re a jackass. You should know better than to stereotype.
“And who cares if the GOP lost?”
That’s why you troll liberal boards, because you don’t care about the outcome of elections. The only person that appreciates your presence here is dugger, and that’s only because if you go he inherits the crown of King Jackass.
“And JK is like so many other holier than thou liberals who think because they vote Democrat it gives them some keen insight into race relations and racial issues. ”
And once again Crazy j gets it exactly wrong. Because we have “keen insight on racial issues”, we vote Democratic, not the other way around. My keen insight is that my party doesn’t racebait.
Jay | Nov 13, 2006 8:42:33 PM
“And who cares if the GOP lost? Unlike you, I’m not stupid enough to believe it’s going to be some life changing event.
So get stuck Sheets.”
Poor Jay. Writhing in post-election denial … as madsy wadsy as Marpedrugger was a few days ago. LoL!!
“The following are all ‘tokens’ and ‘props’ according to Factcheck:”
Sad that the highest ranking black Republicans are in the State Assembly. Only ONE is even in a state Senate. Yea, crazy j tell us about all those elected black Republicans.
Maybe you should tell that to my classroom full of black students and the other homeowners in my town, which is 1/3 black.
Wow! A whole third! You da man! Dude, I grew up here. For three years I worked in the Newark/East Orange/Irvington area. Don’t try to compare bona fides because you don’t stand a chance. As for stereotyping, you should look in the mirror.
As for that classroom of kids, why don’t you tell them to go and tell their parents that if any of them vote Republican it’s because they have no self respect. See how that pans out oh insightful one.
That’s why you troll liberal boards, because you don’t care about the outcome of elections.
Troll? No. I’ve been posting commentary here longer than you have. It’s unfortunate that Oliver attracted spillover from the Atrios cesspool.
Because we have “keen insight on racial issues”, we vote Democratic, not the other way around.
But you don’t have keen insights. That’s the problem.
My keen insight is that my party doesn’t racebait.
Guess what jackass? When your party runs ads saying a vote for a Republican is a vote for another burned church, that’s racebaiting. When your party is saying the Bush administration purposely allowed a slow response to Katrina because most of the residents affected were black is racebaiting. I could go on, but you won’t see it with those blinders on.
No, that’s truth crazy j. Or at least a valid viewpoint. On the other hand ads linking a black candidate with a Playboy party, with a actress who “just happens to be white”, ads which play jungle drums when mentioning a black candidates name, “welfare queens”, Willie Horton, taking meetings with the Kounsil of Konservative Kitizens, speaking at Bob Jones University, that’s your party.
I don’t tell my students anything about politics, it’s not my place. But that’s another stereotype you have to workout Crazy j.
Wow- I missed some stuff up in here!
Factcheck- your whole premise about me is racist from your holier than thou perch and your “I know what’s best for you black people” attitude.
You have the nerve to comment on self-respect just because you know a few black people and teach a class of black children? How benevolent of you!
You want to talk about issues, and how I came to my opinions and why I think that one solution may be better than another, and why I agree with one party or another on various issues, then bring it.
But keep your condescending BS about what I’m supposed to feel as a black man to yourself. You don’t know me, you didn’t grow up in my skin or know my heritage (of which I am very proud) and you don’t live my life every day.
You white guilt does not impress me in the least so keep the pity as well as the disdain to yourself. You haven’t earned the right.
I’m no troll here. I’ve been commenting here for at least four years, and while I disagree with Oliver on most things political there are many things we do agree on. I do my best to remain civil here in spite of the fact that many of you who think you belong here do not extend the same courtesy.
And while Oliver and I don’t agree much, I’d probably be the first to buy him a beer if I ever ran into him. I respect what he does here, regardless or whether I agree with him or not.
Crazy J thinks he has insight on the black experience because he hoped Fantasia would win American Idol.
BTW, Crazy J, I live in the East Orange area. I didn’t run off to Florida because I couldn’t make it here.
I don’t care to know you Marty. If the Democratic party bashed my people I wouldn’t vote for them no matter what they stood for. Make me understand how you can support a party that racebaits and takes meetings with the CCC. I don’t get it.
Jay | Nov 13, 2006 9:08:39 PM
“When your party is saying the Bush administration purposely allowed a slow response to Katrina because most of the residents affected were black is racebaiting.”
It appears the American people concurred with “our party”, Jay. It’s why your party was wiped off the slate.
Am wondering about this:
” … people with such attitudes have not spent any significant time with people in the Black community …”
Interesting perspective, Jay. I always thought it as the human community.
I’ve been black all my life. The Republican party is not a welcoming organization to black people, or else more of us would vote for more of them.
If racebaiting were my standard, factcheck, then I wouldn’t have anyone to vote for.
Whether overt or covert, intentional or not, both major parties make major mistakes on race. The race baiting and pandering from the Democrats and the left is no less offensive to me than anything the Republican party has done- including the sheer stupidity of some things they should have realized would be seized upon no matter what the real intention. (i.e. Tennessee- but I’ve already given my view on that.)
So my focus is always hinges on the issues that affect my children, my community, and the future of this country. I’d rather vote for an issue that I think is right.
It doesn’t matter to me if you or anyone else agrees with me. I think for myself based on what I know and learn.
Your ‘I live around black people and I know what’s best for you’ attitude and your tired little “bashed my people” argument does not impress me. You bash “my people” every time you say something like that. What you’re really saying is that the only thing black people should care about is their race. They shouldn’t care about issues. To you, race trumps all. You should ’stick with your own kind.’ ‘I know best for you because I’m a good white person.’
That condecension to me is the epitomy of racism. And it’s not uncommon among white Democrats. Even some black Democrats are sick of it.
Marty | Nov 13, 2006 10:52:48 PM
“That condecension to me is the epitomy of racism.”
Marty, respectfully, why is factcheck racist whereas Jay’s statement is acceptable:
Jay | Nov 13, 2006 8:41:01 PM
“The fact is, people with such attitudes have not spent any significant time with people in the Black community.”
We’re all human, not black, white or otherwise, are we not?
Marty, I think that you’re right that it is racist to say that blacks – as a group distinct from the rest of humanity – should feel one way or another about particular issues. Every one of us who posts on here, yourself included, is telling other people what he or she thinks they ought to think. Can’t speak for everybody, but I’m not telling you what you should think because you’re black, but because you’re dumb, or at least ill informed.
Maybe you need to understand where me and a lot of other white folk around here are coming from. Many of us have grandfathers, uncles, fathers who were in the KKK. Many of us have cousins, brothers, old college roommates who belong to the Kouncils of Koncerned Kitizens. Many of us have gone to weddings at white country clubs in the Atlanta suburbs, or have sat in white barbershops in little Alabama towns.
We know that culture, and we know the language. We know what the jungle drums and the playboy bunnies mean. It’s not just clumsy message packaging, it is the message.
And it may not be so easy to see from outside, but those of us who have been in that (fortunately fading) part of white culture have to wonder why any person of conscience, black or white or brown or grey, would want anything to do with it.
So when we see the white hierarchy of the Republican party colluding in this crypto-racism and trying to paper over it by supporting a handful of black candidates, we recoginize it for what it is: blatant hypocrisy.
No, that’s truth crazy j. Or at least a valid viewpoint.
Right. Equating voting for a Republican to supporting church burnings is a valid viewpoint. You’ve got some SERIOUS issues man.
I don’t tell my students anything about politics, it’s not my place. But that’s another stereotype you have to workout Crazy j.
Doesn’t matter. Don’t give us the high and mighty “I’m such a good white liberal” nonsense when you spout racist crap like saying Blacks who vote Republican have no self respect.
BTW, Crazy J, I live in the East Orange area. I didn’t run off to Florida because I couldn’t make it here.
God what a retard. Now people move because they “couldn’t make it” somewhere else? Puh-lease. Yeah and you live in the East Orange area. Where? West Orange? South Orange?
I don’t care to know you Marty.
And that’s why you’re as close minded as you are. Apparently, you live a very sheltered life if the only people you socialize with are other liberals.
Make me understand how you can support a party that racebaits and takes meetings with the CCC.
Ok, so then it is fair to say that the Democratic party takes meetings with an anti-semitic quasi-terrorist organization like CAIR correct?
Make me understand how you can support a party that does that.
And let’s just be clear:
If you say that Black Republican candidates for public office and Black Republican office holders are nothing but ‘tokens’ and/or ‘props’ that’s racist.
If you say that a Black person who votes for a Republican is a Black person that has no self-respect, that’s racist.
It is a mindset that has a superiority complex of which the foundation of racism is built. White people who say such things are essentially saying, : “Those stupid Black people. They don’t know what the hell they are doing. Allowing themselves to be used like that. They have no self-respect.”
Now, I challenge a person like Factcheck to go out to the average East Orange neighborhood, and take a poll asking if any of them supported a Republican or voted for a Republican. When he gets that ‘Yea’, I’d like to see him tell that person they have no self respect.
Why are those things racist? They’re true.
Why are those things racist? They’re true.
Actually, bigoted would be a better word than racist.
And saying “They’re true” just makes you look stupid.
Dems. have to be most stupid people on earth