McCain details differences with Bush in interview with Trib

The Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW ^ | Wednesday, July 9, 2008 | Salena Zito, David Brown, Brad Bumsted

[Salena Zito]

Drawing the sharpest distinctions yet between himself and the man he hopes to replace, Sen. John McCain said Tuesday his presidency would focus on climate change issues, reducing federal spending, closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center and eliminating torture by the U.S. government. In a meeting with the Tribune-Review's editorial board, McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, said "spending got out of control" under the Bush administration. He blamed Congress for pushing spending and the administration for failing to halt it.

[TomGuy]

that Obama would let the Jihadists loose in the USA

Months ago, McCain said he would close GITMO and move the detainees to Ft. Leavenworth (on the first day of his presidency, IIRC). That would give them Constitutional rights and lawyers and possibility of bail, etc.

Add to that McCain's position on amnesty/illegals/open borders, and McCain doesn't look like such a wonderboy for our homeland security.

[Will88]

“Sen. John McCain said Tuesday his presidency would focus on climate change issues, reducing federal spending, closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center and eliminating torture by the U.S. government.”

If those are his major priorities, then he has his head in the clouds, or up his rear end, or somewhere. And if he’s serious about reducing spending, he’ll have to get beyond his cheap applause line about “pork barrel spending” which accounts for a whopping $30 billion out of a $3 TRILLION plus federal budget, or less than 1%. And much of that spending is often for needed and beneficial local projects that can’t be financed any other way, and some is a real waste of money.

[Will88]

“As someone who takes New Jersey Transit into NYC on a daily basis, I can tell you that the only thing that might get me to vote for McCain is the thought that Obama would let the Jihadists loose in the USA and blow up my train.”

They would both be equally bad on homeland security and enforcement of immigration law. And, remember, those potential jihadis are also “God’s children” and we must treat them with with respect and compassion, even if they might be here illegally.

McCain is a danger to national security, as is Obama.

[ex-snook]

McCain will get the GOP nomination to do this?

[Sybeck1]

I finally got a campaign request from John McCain himself this past weekend. I don't know how he got my address as I have never been on his website or contacted his staff in anyway, but I did send three crisp newly printed “McCain Pesos” to put towards his fight.

I wrote him a note telling him I have giving money to each GOP nominee since 1988, mostly small amounts. And I didn't want to leave him out since he was my 10th of ten choices of the one's running.

[Incorrigible]

See! Now both you guys are causing me cognitive dissonance!

I’m trying to find *any* reason to vote for McCain at this point. So far my vote is going to “None of the above.”

[Will88]

“I’m trying to find *any* reason to vote for McCain at this point. So far my vote is going to “None of the above.”

The only possible reason I can see to vote for McCain is Barack Obama.

And, that’s still up in the air. I’m asking the question a good number of others are asking: which would do the most harm, Obama with a Dem. majority in Congress (and some strong Republican opposition), or McCain with a Dem. majority in Congress, plus the usual hand full of RINOs?

[TomGuy]

They both are little more than this Youtube video:

Charles Durning, singing The Sidestep, in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7mNDHTfdn1A

[what's up]

Yes, I know McCain's position on global warming.

My point is the headline of this article is misleading when he doesn't address the issue here.

Headlines are made to make conservatives mad IMO.

[Norman Bates]

Yes, moving terrorist detainees from one prison under military control to another prison under military control will certainly be a great security risk. /sarc

[TomGuy]

The advantage to voting for McCain is that he will have a Democrat Congress and maybe nothing but gridlock, so he can’t do too much damage.

The advantage to voting for Obama is that maybe it would finally wake the GOP up and get them back on course (althought 06 didn’t seem to shake them).

The advantage to going fishing on election day is that you might catch a nice one for dinner.

[sirchtruth]

Folks, I'm telling you McCain may be a republican, but he will be just as bad or worse than the alternative with his pandering to the DBM/dems.

I don't want him, or the alternative as POTUS, but when the convention comes around I'm going to let him hear it from me, and hopefully other conservatives will speak out and tell him we don't want his B.S. liberal agenda!

Furthermore, I don't want to hear him cozying up to the DBM/dems!

[TomGuy]

McCain on Climate Change — in his owns words.

Numerous (172) youtube videos at this link:

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=mccain+climate+change&search_type=&aq=f

[Norman Bates]

“I’m trying to find *any* reason to vote for McCain at this point. So far my vote is going to “None of the above.”

The only possible reason I can see to vote for McCain is Barack Obama.

And, that’s still up in the air. I’m asking the question a good number of others are asking: which would do the most harm, Obama with a Dem. majority in Congress (and some strong Republican opposition), or McCain with a Dem. majority in Congress, plus the usual hand full of RINOs?

Then you're not looking very hard.

Remarks by John McCain
Denver, CO
7/7/08

"Small businesses are the job engine of America, and I will make it easier for them to grow and create more jobs. My opponent wants to make it harder by imposing a "pay or play" health mandate on small business. This adds $12,000 to the cost of employing anyone with a family. That means new jobs will not be created. It means existing employees will have their wages cut to pay for this mandate. My plan attacks the real problems of healthcare -- cost, availability and portability."

"We need to keep the IRS from taking more of your income and making life harder for small business. If you believe you should pay more taxes, I am the wrong candidate for you. Senator Obama is your man. The choice in this election is stark and simple. Senator Obama will raise your taxes. I won't. I will cut them where I can. Jobs are the most important thing our economy creates. When you raise taxes in a bad economy you eliminate jobs. I'm not going to let that happen."

"Senator Obama's tax increases will hurt the economy even more, and destroy jobs across this country. If you are one of the 23 million small business owners in America who files as an individual rate payer, Senator Obama is going to raise your tax rates. If you have an investment for your child's education or own a mutual fund or a stock in a retirement plan, he is going to raise your taxes. He will raise estate taxes to 45 percent. I propose to cut them to 15 percent. His plan will hurt the American worker and family. It will hurt the economy and cost us jobs. For those of you with children, I will double the child deduction from $3,500 to $7,000 for every dependent, in every family in America. At a time of increasing gas and food prices, American families need tax relief and I, not my opponent, will deliver it."

"My opponent believes America would be better off by refusing opportunities to sell in growing foreign markets. But protectionism not only puts a hidden tax on almost everything you buy, but it undermines American competitiveness and costs jobs."

"When I'm president, I will order a stem to stern review of government, modernize how it does business and save billions of dollars. I will veto every single bill with wasteful spending. We aren't going to continue mortgaging this country's future for things Americans don't want or need. My opponent has a very different record on this issue. He has sought millions upon millions of dollars in earmarks since his election to the Senate. In 2007 alone, Senator Obama requested nearly $100 million for earmark projects. I have never asked for a single earmark in my entire career. He supported the $300 billion pork laden agricultural subsidy bill. I opposed it. He voted for an energy bill stuffed with give-aways to oil compan ies at a time of record profits. I voted against it."

"My opponent's answer to the Lexington Project is no; no to more drilling; no to more nuclear power; no to research prizes that help solve the problem of affordable electric cars. For a guy whose "official seal" carried the motto, "Yes, we can," Senator Obama's agenda sure has a whole lot of "No, we can't." The Lexington Project will create millions of jobs, help protect our environment, improve our security, and solve the nation's energy problems."

[Norman Bates]

See post 34.

[isrul]

The idea that McCain is some great warrior on defending the US is BS. His policies would deconstruct the country.

[Huck]

It took 4 years of Carter to get us a Reagan.

That's a logical fallacy--Post hoc ergo propter hoc. Look it up here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc

[lormand]

So is McCain blowing smoke when he wants to close Gitmo? Shuffling the deck on where you put them surely doesn’t improve the situation.

[E. Cartman]

So is McCain blowing smoke when he wants to close Gitmo? Shuffling the deck on where you put them surely doesn’t improve the situation.

Mac's lied so often and for so long that now, whenever he simply speaks, he's blowing smoke up someone's rear.

[sirchtruth]

Yep, more B.S. from McCain who opposed Bush’s tax cuts! I don’t believe him as far as I could throw the ole coot.
Wait til he has a pure liberal congress to deal with and see if he doesn’t kow tow to them like his record suggests!