McCain launches harsh broadside at Obama (McCain rips Obama a new one)

CNN ^ | February 7, 2006

[AZRepublican]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain unleashed an unusually biting and blunt broadside Monday against one of his Democratic colleagues, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, accusing the freshman senator of backtracking on a previous commitment to help develop a bipartisan proposal for lobbying and ethics reform.

"I'm embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics, I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble," the Arizona Republican said in a letter to Obama.

"Please be assured I won't make the same mistake again."

McCain also told Obama that "I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party's efforts to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness."

[smith288]

He's as guilty of the same thing he accuses Obama of. A total RINO, not to be trusted.

He may have had his moments of idiocy but he does have an 83 lifetime ACU rating which is higher than Zell Miller(74) who was everyone's hero last year.

Not that im a McCain advocate...Just sayin'.

[Fawn]

Where did this get coverage besides Drudge?

[Aquinasfan]

I think McCain sees Obama as a potential presidential contender in '08. Obama is very creepy, but slick, which is why I'm very concerned about him. I see Clinton II.

[Coldwater Creek]

Well OK! If you stick around long enough you will come to see the light..

[pepperhead]

So, who is behind this "bipartisan proposal for lobbying and ethics reform" and if McCain is, do we want it?

You mean you did like McCain's last campaign reform effort?(/s)

[Coldwater Creek]

No I haven't, but my husband was in the spying business during the cold war, and he had means of doing away with himself and any information that he had on his person. If he had been captured there is no doubt that he would have used it immediately. That is a hero.

[pepperhead]

did = didn't

[NCSteve]

McCain accusing someone of rhetorical gloss and disingenuousness. Now there's a hoot. Hello pot, have you met kettle?

[pepperhead]

Especially since McCain's done nothing to close the loophole that allows him to be the biggest recipient of tribal bucks on the Hill.

McCain is shameless.

[John D]

He may have had his moments of idiocy but he does have an 83 lifetime ACU rating which is higher than Zell Miller(74) who was everyone's hero last year.




A lifetime ACU rating of 83 is dismal in a state like AZ, and the only reason it is that high is because he was trying to con Barry Goldwater. After Goldwater backed him and he took over Barry's Senate seat he started to show his true colors. Look at what his rating has been over the last 4-5 years.
As for Zell Miller, remember he is a democrat. He on the other hand has become more conservative over the past several years.
While I would never vote for NcVain for anything, I would consider voting for Zell Miller.

[SwinneySwitch]

Sen. Kennedy's "Osama" Obama?

[kjam22]

Whatever you might say about McCain, this is a great smackdown. Ouch!

I agree..... McCain's comment was a masterpiece.

[Condor51]

**** He may have had his moments of idiocy but he does have an 83 lifetime ACU rating ****

That lifetime rating means squat.
You have to go into the individual years AND then look at the Bills he voted for and against. In recent history on the important Bills he's almost always voted with the RATS. And IIRC his rating for 2000 was a dismal 68.

The ACU has all that info so take some time when you have it - but first take a Valium.

[deport]

The Letter as published on Senator McCain's web site:

McCain releases letter to Obama

The Honorable Barack Obama
United States Senate

SH-713
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Obama:

I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I’m embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won’t make the same mistake again.

As you know, the Majority Leader has asked Chairman Collins to hold hearings and mark up a bill for floor consideration in early March. I fully support such timely action and I am confident that, together with Senator Lieberman, the Committee on Governmental Affairs will report out a meaningful, bipartisan bill.

You commented in your letter about my “interest in creating a task force to further study” this issue, as if to suggest I support delaying the consideration of much-needed reforms rather than allowing the committees of jurisdiction to hold hearings on the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. The timely findings of a bipartisan working group could be very helpful to the committee in formulating legislation that will be reported to the full Senate. Since you are new to the Senate, you may not be aware of the fact that I have always supported fully the regular committee and legislative process in the Senate, and routinely urge Committee Chairmen to hold hearings on important issues. In fact, I urged Senator Collins to schedule a hearing upon the Senate’s return in January.

Furthermore, I have consistently maintained that any lobbying reform proposal be bipartisan. The bill Senators Joe Lieberman and Bill Nelson and I have introduced is evidence of that commitment as is my insistence that members of both parties be included in meetings to develop the legislation that will ultimately be considered on the Senate floor. As I explained in a recent letter to Senator Reid, and have publicly said many times, the American people do not see this as just a Republican problem or just a Democratic problem. They see it as yet another run-of-the-mill Washington scandal, and they expect it will generate just another round of partisan gamesmanship and posturing. Senator Lieberman and I, and many other members of this body, hope to exceed the public’s low expectations. We view this as an opportunity to bring transparency and accountability to the Congress, and, most importantly, to show the public that both parties will work together to address our failings.

As I noted, I initially believed you shared that goal. But I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party’s effort to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman Senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness. Again, I have been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn’t always a priority for every one of us. Good luck to you, Senator.

Sincerely,

John McCain

[AgThorn]

Any difficulty I have with McCain as a RINO has nothing but respect for his military service and time as a POW. Your label of him as a 'sellout' as a POW is uncalled for. Who knows what you or I would do while being tortured.

[nonliberal]

I will always have an inkling of respect for McCain.

"I used to think you didn't listen. Now I just think you are a F---ing idiot!"
-John McCain to Charles Grassley

[meandog]

I will NEVER vote for McCain.

...and I will NEVER vote for Hillary.

[LachlanMinnesota]

I have a different take on this...my question is, Why would McCAin be willing to assist Obama within his own ranks by making this meaningless attack on him (there was virtually no real substance to this). It enables Obama to adbvance is bona fides within his own party by now being able to say that he is getting so tough, that the Rebublicans are out to get him now. This is all BS.

[RockinRight]

He must have borrowed Hillary's b*lls.

[HitmanLV]

Obama really reminds me of 100s of lawyers I used to work with in nyc. 'Highly regarded' and take great pains to appear thoughtful and deliberate, but in fact most are fairly empty suits who tend to be easily befuddled. The marketing guys sure did a number on Obama, I'll grant them that.