Oh, really?
William S. Cohen
U.S. Secretary of Defense 1997–2001
Appointed by: President Bill Clinton
U.S. Senator (REPUBLICAN-Maine) 1979–1997
U.S. Congressman (REPUBLICAN-Maine) 1973–1979
Political party: REPUBLICAN
Posted on 05/15/2008 3:38:12 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Don’t Doubt Me!
As John McCain neared his momentous primary election victory in Florida after a ferocious campaign questioning his conservative credentials, right-wingers buzzed over word that he had privately suggested that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was too conservative. In response, McCain said he recalled saying no such thing and added that Alito was a “magnificent” choice. In fact, multiple sources confirm that the senator made negative comments about Alito nine months ago.
McCain, as the “straight talk” candidate, says things off the cuff that he sometimes cannot remember exactly later. Elements of the Republican Party’s right wing, uncomfortable with McCain as their prospective presidential nominee, brought the Alito comments to the surface long after the fact for two contrasting reasons. One was a desperate effort to keep McCain from winning in Florida. The other was to get the party’s potential nominee on record about key issues before he is nominated.
Those key issues do not include McCain’s firmly held nonconservative positions on campaign finance reform and global warming. Rather, conservatives among the second group want two assurances: first, that McCain would veto any tax increase passed by a Democratic Congress; second, that he would not emulate Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. Bush in naming liberal Supreme Court justices such as John Paul Stevens and David Souter.
That was the background for conservative John Fund’s Wall Street Journal online column the day before Florida voted. Fund wrote that McCain “has told conservatives he would be happy to appoint the likes of Chief Justice Roberts to the Supreme Court. But he indicated he might draw the line on a Samuel Alito because ‘he wore his conservatism on his sleeve.’ “ In a conference call with bloggers that day, McCain said, “I don’t recall a conversation where I would have said that.” He was “astonished” by the Alito quote, he said, and he repeatedly says at town meetings, “We’re going to have justices like Roberts and Alito.”
I found what McCain could not remember: a private, informal chat with conservative Republican lawyers shortly after he announced his candidacy in April 2007. I talked to two lawyers who were present whom I have known for years and who have never misled me. One is neutral in the presidential race, and the other recently endorsed Mitt Romney. Both said they were not Fund’s source, and neither knew I was talking to the other. They gave me nearly identical accounts, as follows:
“Wouldn’t it be great if you get a chance to name somebody like Roberts and Alito?” one lawyer commented. McCain replied, “Well, certainly Roberts.” Jaws were described as dropping. My sources cannot remember exactly what McCain said next, but their recollection is that he described Alito as too conservative.
What a load of crap. So...who did he say it to? Who quoted him? Doesn’t say. Maybe it was Arianna Huffington.LOL.
Ps—he voted YES on Alito and Roberts. Obama voted NO on both.
You may have heard of the reporter that talked to the two witnesses who independently verified McCain’s comments. He’s the well known left-winger Robert Novak. (Wash. Post Jan 31, 2008)
Big difference between voting for nominee put forth by a president of your own party and nominating that person yourself. A big chunk of the Dems voted for Roberts, but none of them would have nominated the guy.
“None are so blind as those who will not see.”
How is McCain appointing some Dems any different than what EVERY Republican from Lincoln to GWB has done for the last 150 years?
Oh, really?
William S. Cohen
U.S. Secretary of Defense 1997–2001
Appointed by: President Bill Clinton
U.S. Senator (REPUBLICAN-Maine) 1979–1997
U.S. Congressman (REPUBLICAN-Maine) 1973–1979
Political party: REPUBLICAN
Heck, maybe I should even kick in 2, 000 --, 3,000 bucks to the effort.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.