Comments on: John McCain, meet John McCain http://demockracy.com/john-mccain-meet-john-mccain/ Wed, 02 May 2012 03:56:19 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: What Happened to John McCain? | Demockracy http://demockracy.com/john-mccain-meet-john-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-221 What Happened to John McCain? | Demockracy Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:42:26 +0000 http://demockracy.com/?p=7#comment-221 [...] John McCain made a highly political choice in both 2001 and in 2004 when he decided not to switch parties and later snubbed John Kerry (his war buddy) only to embrace the man responsible for his demise at the 2004 RNC. McCain quickly began to realize his 2008 presidential aspirations when in 2006 he embraced one-time “agent of intolerance” Jerry Falwell at Liberty University (as if that’s not an oxymoron), thus consolidating his one time meager support among evangelical Christians. What followed these acts is spelled out further here by Mark Wilson. [...] [...] John McCain made a highly political choice in both 2001 and in 2004 when he decided not to switch parties and later snubbed John Kerry (his war buddy) only to embrace the man responsible for his demise at the 2004 RNC. McCain quickly began to realize his 2008 presidential aspirations when in 2006 he embraced one-time “agent of intolerance” Jerry Falwell at Liberty University (as if that’s not an oxymoron), thus consolidating his one time meager support among evangelical Christians. What followed these acts is spelled out further here by Mark Wilson. [...]

]]> By: Mark http://demockracy.com/john-mccain-meet-john-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Mark Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:33:39 +0000 http://demockracy.com/?p=7#comment-15 While it's obviously true that George W. Bush does not have a voice in Congress, he does have an opinion on legislation. And, according to <i>Congressional Quarterly</i>, that opinion was the same as McCain's opinion 95% of the time in 2007 and 100% of the time in 2008, as of June. These numbers call into question McCain's status as a "maverick," a label that has been applied to him repeatedly over the years and especially over the last week. Even Bush, speaking via tape at the RNC, suggested that McCain was a thorn in his side, though the reality shows that McCain actually agrees with Bush far more often than he disagrees. For a man trying to distance himself from Bush, trying to insist that he can change things, it's quite damning to discover that his assertions are false. This isn't a policy issue; it's a personality issue. While it’s obviously true that George W. Bush does not have a voice in Congress, he does have an opinion on legislation. And, according to Congressional Quarterly, that opinion was the same as McCain’s opinion 95% of the time in 2007 and 100% of the time in 2008, as of June. These numbers call into question McCain’s status as a “maverick,” a label that has been applied to him repeatedly over the years and especially over the last week. Even Bush, speaking via tape at the RNC, suggested that McCain was a thorn in his side, though the reality shows that McCain actually agrees with Bush far more often than he disagrees. For a man trying to distance himself from Bush, trying to insist that he can change things, it’s quite damning to discover that his assertions are false. This isn’t a policy issue; it’s a personality issue.

]]> By: swyerscl http://demockracy.com/john-mccain-meet-john-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-14 swyerscl Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:15:03 +0000 http://demockracy.com/?p=7#comment-14 It's always fun to see how politicians invariably change positions over the course of an election cycle; but it's good to keep in mind that statistics --voting with Bush 95-100% of the time being the prime example-- don't hold up at all. Last time I checked, the President doesn't have a vote in either house of Congress. He may have influence in some votes, but even that's a potentially specious argument: remember that most members of the Republican Party are trying to distance themselves what's shaping up to be a pivotal election. I appreciate the view of the author, and the time they took to construct their commentary, but it still fails to suggest concrete reasons why one candidate's policy is better than the others. It’s always fun to see how politicians invariably change positions over the course of an election cycle; but it’s good to keep in mind that statistics –voting with Bush 95-100% of the time being the prime example– don’t hold up at all. Last time I checked, the President doesn’t have a vote in either house of Congress. He may have influence in some votes, but even that’s a potentially specious argument: remember that most members of the Republican Party are trying to distance themselves what’s shaping up to be a pivotal election.

I appreciate the view of the author, and the time they took to construct their commentary, but it still fails to suggest concrete reasons why one candidate’s policy is better than the others.

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