Let's Closely Examine McCain's Record

Human Events ^ | 2/1/2008 | Chris Field

[BraveMan]

From my perspective (that of a recovering liberal ten steps into the 12 step program) I understand full well what the media is up to, and it seems very likely jwparkerjr has it nailed. If you recall the runup to the 2000 election, the media was also promoting McCain while muddying the path for Bush. The quislings are sharpening their axes waiting for the primaries to fall in McCain’s favor.

I’ve read “Faith of my Fathers”. I respect and admire McCain’s services and sacrifices in Vietnam for our great nation. I am NOT, however, inclined to ordain him as the champion of the Conservative’s cause for the obvious reasons. Namely, he doesn’t have a conservative bone in his body!

If this ends up to be the GOP’s frontrunner, count me out.

[Landru]

>Wasn't he the driving force behind the, "Swiftboat" thing,
"There are ties to Corsi and he likes to imply that he was behind it but he never says it and others say there are no ties at all."

Sounds to a non-issue, then.
Was simply trying to place what I thought a familiar name, is all.

"That would make sense as he was never a Swift boat Vet."

OK.

"It looks to me like he is an opportunist trying to latch on to the Swiftvet's success."

It does, huh.
I'm not in the man's heart, so can't say you're wrong.
Then you've completely ruled-out the man may actually be acting out of a genuine concern for the republic?

With all due respect, my friend, [that] isn't exactly what I came away with after perusing his website. Not quite.

Be that as it may after Larry Klayman & his "Judicial Watch" I certainly can understand anyone's skepticism, even cynicism these days concerning these kind of things. Too much crap out there in this misinformation age requiring a honed sixth horse-sense to determine if there's a ring of truth to what's seen, read or heard.
Not exactly a *skill* in much abundance anymore, is it.

FWIW I've a lousy feeling concerning McCain's time in that POW camp and it's right from the gut *who* his father was at the time among other things, notwithstanding.

"He is the originator of the Manchurian candidate theory that McCain is controled by the KGB. This is Twilight Zone stuff."

Y'know even if McCain were in fact a, "Manchurian Candidate" today he'd be useless, an anachronism.
Who can argue Americans have been --& are-- getting more & more communist bloc-style government today, anyway? (How's *that* for twilight zone? {g})

Point is McCain isn't needed any longer to advance a[ny] secret, shady Liberal-Socialist-Communist agenda. We've an entire political party doing [that] for him. Has been since shortly after the fall of the wall, too.
It is what it is, MM.

Truth is?
Even without and/or in spite of any accusations concerning McCain's supposed cooperation with an enemy during a time of war? It's McCain's track record in government, his blocking and/or impeding various legislation designed to help MIAs, the conservative cause et al ad infinitum? My contempt's based on what McCain's done while a senator, especially the past 8 years.

I feature myself a "conservative", recall well when we badly needed support from all quarters on one important issue after another.
Up popped McCain to side with the opposition Liberal-Socialists. Applauded by the despicable quisling media. Actually held-up to US ALL as, what we should be?
Let Johhn McCain get his support from those he was cozy with; which, I believe is exactly what he's doing.

McCain threw every single conservative under the proverbial bus far too many times when a battle was desperately trying to push back the creep of Liberal-Socialism.
McCain's own action(s) speak louder --to me-- than any words appearing on any website, anywhere.

Now, should McCain get the nomination?
Let's see what the quisling mediots do with McCain's words *&* deeds,. OK?

Whatever happens, though.

...John McCain will not get my vote.

[MARTIAL MONK]

I don't see either Bush or McCain as a true conservative.

Fair enough. He's not a movement Conservative. I'm Arizona libertarian/conservative and McCain in Nixon Conservative. We have fought and hissed at each other for 25 years.

Here is McCain's VOTING RECORD

It is not what I prefer but it is a logical progression from the man who holds Barry Goldwater's Senate seat. Strong to moderate conservative.

Then we hit the boutique issues. The are the issues that run through the public psyche at intervals. Sometimes promoted by the press and sometimes "instant, whitehot, wild" from the grassroots. These are where McCain departs from conservative orthodoxy. AWB, CFR, Border Control, Global Warming, Gang of 14.

Remember that McCain does hold Goldwater's seat and that he takes it VERY seriously. He wants to be great like Goldwater or Hayden or Undall but he doesn't quite know how. He tries by attempting to resolve the important issues of the day by compromise.

I sense that there may be greatness in that, in and of itself. A self-governing people have a right to be wrong. Whether it is prohibition or silver at 16 to 1 or Global Warming or any other of a myriad of issues if the desire is strong enough it will be sated. We can make our case and warn and cajole but in the end we cannot stand athwart history yelling STOP!

I am looking beyond a McCain Presidency and trying to discern what the shape of the future will be and how we can shape that future to our ends. What if the next Reagan is a sunken-chest little pipsqueak? Will the ideas be strong enough to carry the country. How can we adjust to reality? We live in a dynamic society and we have to realize that things are happening fast. We can take advantage of that or we can be overrun by it.

[1Old Pro]

McCain's Mental and Physical Health are deteriorating.

He should drop out and be a patriot.

[Owen]

Look, people. Think.

You either honor the effort last year to stop McCain’s Amnesty or you do not.

That’s it. Full stop. You either honor that victory or you declare it moot and petulant.

You vote to award McCain the nomination, or you vote in the only way to prevent it.

This is not rocket science and you all know it. If you don’t care about amnesty, McCain is your guy. If you do care, there is only one way to stop him. And you all know it.

Now you can wriggle around and talk about nuanced principles. Or you can look reality in the face and recognize the principle that trumps it all is victory against amnesty. Honor that victory, or spit on it. Choose.

[puroresu]

McCain: The king of the RINOs.

[seekthetruth]

I really don’t need to read about McCains record. I know about it already and know his record makes Mitt Romney look like a REAL conservative! This FredHead is for Mitt Romney!

[longtermmemmory]

unfortunatly the fix is in.

The MSM is orgasming with pussh polls.

FNC has their Dynamic Fraud poll out with radical discrepancies.

You have no way in four days to disseminate this information.

Unless you have friends in a feb 5 state and a one million person email list, this story lives and dies alone here on FR.

(now if you could get Dick Moriss email list...)

[callisto]

Johnathon Martin, on Politico, posted McCain's new ad, True Conservative, in his blog today, McCain shifts right in new ad. I'm beginning to think that McCain has really convinced himself that he is a true Conservative, although he is referred to as a true social Conservative (read: liberal Republican) in the beginning, but ends w/o the "social" portion of that definition. McCain is delusional.

McCain: ..."inspired by Ronald Reagan..."

[Philly Nomad]

1) Fiscal Responsibility.

2) War on Terror - when everybody in the GOP base was claiming “everything is fine” in Iraq McCain was the only one saying “We need to do more.” Only after the 2006 debacle did the White House decide to put more effort into the War. And every time a freeper says “The Surge is working.” Implies that what was happening before the surge wasn’t working - and that McCain was right.

3) Working across the aisle - Reagan didn’t have a GOP Congress during his 8 years in office. And let’s face it Nancy is no Tip O’neil (sp)

4) Limited Government Power - Reagan was facing a bigger crisis than the Islamic Terrorist, but he never complained about the laws we have to protect individual privacy.

5) Human Rights - When Reagan called the Soviet Union “The Evil Empire,” he used their use of torture and violation of international agreements as his reason. He remembers in WWII that the Nazis would surrender to the US, but fight to the death against the Soviets because they knew the Americans would treat them nicer than the Soviets.

6) Talking to Evil Men - what set the groundwork for the fall of the Soviet Union wasn’t the military build up (but that played a part), but Reagan’s willingness to actually talk to the Evil Empire. The building up of trust between these two, gave the Soviets the security to open up to social, economic and political reforms.

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t like to do this, but I’m tired of explaining why John McCain isn’t fit to hold the office of the presidency.

I believe there is plenty of information out there if you choose to look for it.

I don’t think you do the nation a service by promoting this man, but that’s my take on it.

Statistics sometimes aren’t the whole answer. It would seem with John McCain, this is one of those times.

I could never vote for John. Any guy that would make some of the comments he has about Christian patriots leaves me shaking my head and realizing he just doesn’t deserve my vote.

Sorry we have to disagree on this one. You take care.

[Landru]

"If this ends up to be the GOP’s frontrunner, count me out."

I can honestly say I feel your pain. :^)

We need to get together.

...& you know what we'll be talking about, too. ;^)

[DoughtyOne]

5) Human Rights - When Reagan called the Soviet Union “The Evil Empire,” he used their use of torture and violation of international agreements as his reason.

The implication here is that we are utilizing torture and defying international agreements.  There are no international agreements that govern the handling of people who do not wear a uniform and attack civilians by design.  These are terrorists.  The Geneva convention does not recognize them in any way shape or form.  As for torture, the United States has not engaged in torture.  The implication that it has is insulting and supports the arguements of the terrorists and those who front for them.  In fact it is the very arguement they make.

He remembers in WWII that the Nazis would surrender to the US, but fight to the death against the Soviets because they knew the Americans would treat them nicer than the Soviets.

What the hell does this have to do with some guy taking a dump on good conservative policy?

This is the second time I've seen you pull Reagan in to defend John McCain today, and the other was even less acceptable than this one was.

Please argue the merits of John McCain based on his own actions and quit trying to equate him with an honorable man.  He is neither honorable or a Reagan knock off.

[Landru]

"Remember when Clinton was experincing his darkest days in public office? I’m sure you do."

Brother.

"We also remember why he was experiencing them too. He was a man who never grew up. He was a man who couldn’t conduct himself as an adult. At one point he bagan to pull historical names out of a hat and deconstruct them. It seemed reasonable to him to tear down our historical figures in order to make himself look better. Did it make him look better? No. Bill Clinton was what he was and those folks who were not around to defend themselves any longer didn’t deserve to have a child in a man’s body attempt to shift his guilt off on them."

Amen.
I'm sure you've noticed they're doing the same shtick to Rush, Ann and any others who've fought on behalf of the conservative cause, with one exception: now they're going after those who aren't dead.

"Now we have folks who have decided to back the likes of John McCain. And they think that if they can tear down others, it will make their ‘maverick’ look better. Will it? No. You can put 2,137 coats of paint on that pig of yours, and he’ll still be a pig."

Yup, perfect analogy.

"John took a chunck of change from a savings and loan operator. Federal investigators were set to swoop in on that operator, and were asked to hold off. Five Senators took part in that effort. John was one of them. They became known as the Keeting Five. Keeting proceded to bilk untold millions from pensioners over the year it took for the regulators to finally force an audit. Peoples lives were destroyed, life savings gone. John McCain skated while they were forced to pick up the pieces, a lifetime’s worth of savings gone."

Does McCain really believe [that] will be squelched by the LIBERAL-SOCIALIST quislings if and/or when the time comes?
HA!!

"John has lined up on the wrong side of the isle many times. I don’t need to list them all. Besides, no one can. Anyone who cares will remember some of them. They’re listed all over this forum. What they won’t remember is how many times John shot his mouth off on talking head shows over the years, deflating efforts that were just taking off."

I remember, man do I remember.

"Many of those efforts were in support of good sound conservative principles. And John McCain acted as an agent of the democrat party killing these efforts so he could feel important."

Because in spite of John McCain's declared affiliation he was a leftist because he behaved like one. NOT because his detractors labeled him as such, because McCain labeled himself through his deeds.

"I’m not going to go back and study every Reagan move from 25 years ago, to see if it was reasoned or not, so John McCain can feed his ego, or others can pretend that the donkey in the room is an elephant. And make no mistake about it, John McCain has proven over and over that he is a donkey. President Reagan proved over and over again that he was a great man, truly had a moral compas, and cared more for the people of our nation and others across the global landscape than Captain Queeg McCain ever will."

As usual, succinct & beautifully articulated.

"Don’t stoop to this. McCain simply isn’t worth it."

...not to worry. ;^)

[Philly Nomad]

1) McCain is the strongest supporter of the War on Terror.
2) McCain has always been pro-life.
3) McCain has always been for Fiscal Responsibility and Balanced Budgets
4) McCain has always been against wasteful government spending.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for your response.

I'm sure you've noticed they're doing the same shtick to Rush, Ann and any others who've fought on behalf of the conservative cause, with one exception: now they're going after those who aren't dead.

That's a good point.  They are.  When you plead an arguement to defend someone it's okay to defend them with pertinant information, but you have to be careful that 1. they are worthy of the defense, and 2. that the arguements you are making are not so desctructive to the cause, that you do more harm than good with the defense.  What good does it do to rip a conservative icon apart, just to make the likes of McCain look better (which you'll never be able to do anyway).

Tearing down Reagan to make McCain look better?  Man, that's a lost cause in my book.  How futile and self-destructive to the cause.

Does McCain really believe [that] will be squelched by the LIBERAL-SOCIALIST quislings if and/or when the time comes?  HA!!

You're absolutely right.  With McCain you get a two-fer.  Here is a guy who IS for all intents and purposes Hillary Clinton with few exceptions.  The left wins if she wins.  It wins if he wins.  And his history is going to come back to haunt him in ways the right would never press.  The left very well may deem it appropriate to try to take him to task on his military record.  They will most certainly take him to task on his conservative credentials, and it isn't going to look pretty.  We'll be put in the postition of having to cast a vote for a man that has been attacked with information that will make us wince in pain, because we will know in our hearts that they are true, destroy his claims of being conservative, and may even present his past actions to be almost unbearably disgusting.

Because in spite of John McCain's declared affiliation he was a leftist because he behaved like one. NOT because his detractors labeled him as such, because McCain labeled himself through his deeds.

Precisely!  And the only defense John will have, is to name one person after another who has done something he has, in order to make himself look innocent.

Get ready to see every conservative you've ever admired totally disembled by the man who will be carrying the 'conservative' mantle this fall.

Coming to a television set near you and yours.

Isn't that the best way you can think of to build respect for Conservatism's leading icons?  John will do damage to our brand (conservatism) that will last into the next generation.

He may be the best man for the job, but I don't think folks have thought it out very well what that job is.  Putting the finishing touches on conservatism after decades of leaders betraying it?

[DoughtyOne]

McCain has fronted for the terrorist’s wishes when it comes to Guantanamo. He even uses their terminology with regard to water boarding. I am taking a pass on this lemon.

[MARTIAL MONK]

John took a chunck of change from a savings and loan operator. Federal investigators were set to swoop in on that operator, and were asked to hold off. Five Senators took part in that effort. John was one of them. They became known as the Keeting Five. Keeting proceded to bilk untold millions from pensioners over the year it took for the regulators to finally force an audit. Peoples lives were destroyed, life savings gone. John McCain skated while they were forced to pick up the pieces, a lifetime’s worth of savings gone

You are not going to vote for McCain and I respect that because it is based on solid reasoning and philosiphical differences. I, frankly, am surprised to be supporting him. I started by trying to defend the truth from the tin-foilers and looking around I see no better alternative at this point. If you want to see McCain's temper flare, you need to just mention my name to him. The relationship has been that contentious over the years.

Without arguing your conclusions, I would like to correct the Keating scenerio. McCain attended two meetings, the second one at the request of DeConcini after McCain had refused Keating. McCain made it clear that he wanted no special favors and was not trying to influence the investigation. When he was informed at the second meeting that there were criminal referrals coming, he backed out completely.

The audit was completed about a month after the second meeting. The reason it was no acted on was not due to the Senators but to politics within the regulatory agencies themselves. The completed audit was ignored and responsibility was shifted from San Francisco to Washington and a new audit ordered when Wall replaced Gray. Many of the investigators (and also Alan Greenspan) felt that Lincoln was healthy but two of them found assets that were overvalued and commercial projects that were not up to projections.

On this one McCain's involvement was minimal and I just do not support the notion that it was corrupt. Take this for what you will.

[Philly Nomad]

When McCain argues against Gitmo he’s saying “America is so strong, America is so right in her mission, we can bring the vilest slime imaginable today give them due process and still win this war without selling out American principles of truth and justice. We are better than them.”

I’m sorry you don’t feel that strongly positive about America.