McCain the right choice for nation’s next president

[ProSense]

Fu king wingnut!

RAY LEMOINE: McCain the right choice for nation’s next president

February 15, 2006

It might be time for the Republican Party to moderate itself a bit. Don’t get me wrong – as a card-carrying member of the much-reviled religious right, I have loved the last six years. But with two new conservatives on the Supreme Court, we have our prize. It is time to look to the future.

Both major parties have shifted away from the center. It is time for Republicans to take control of the ground that has been left in the middle. Not just for the sake of our party, but for the good of our country.

The American people are weary of being divided 50/50. The acid nature of today’s politics wears on me, and I’m a rabid partisan. So what am I proposing we do about it? In the 2008 presidential election, we should make John McCain the 44th president of the United States of America.

It makes sense because McCain isn’t beholden to the right wing of the Republican Party. He’s socially liberal but fiscally conservative. More importantly, he has waged a one-man war against government corruption.

more...

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/02/15/43f2a2e27ab66

McCain against government corruption? Yeah right!

[darkism]

1. "Both major parties have shifted away from the center."

The Dems ARE the center!

[Bluebear]

2. HOLD ME! >>>>>

'McCain isn’t beholden to the right wing of the Republican Party.'

[Erika]

4. I gave to McCain and he has sickened me every since

How you can hug someone who stabbed you and your family in the back is beyond me.

[0007]

36. Let's jazz it up a bit

[center'

[Nickster]

41. Bwaahahahaaaaa. We'll see that pic a lot in 2008 I'm sure.

[Uncle Joe]

43. Why do I keep hearing the theme from Loveboat

when I see this picture? "Love exciting and new"

[incapsulated]

3. The sell of McCain to the rebuplicans is full swing n/t

[regnaD kciN]

11. Of course...!

They may not like McCain that much, but at least he's a white male. If they don't unite behind him, why, they might find themselves with a "colored girl" as their nominee!

:eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

5. McCain is the poster child for mental health month

while Bush should be the one for AA.

[blm]

30. And apparently McCain singlehandedly exposed IranContra, BCCI, and CIA

drugrunning - ----- - Oh wait - that was JOHN KERRY.

Where the hell does this guy get off saying McCain is singlehandedly waging a war against government corruption?

[ChipsAhoy]

44. IndianaGreen!

That is SO funny! I also think McCain is sick in the head.

[calmblueocean]

6. It's people like this that make the world suck.

"The acid nature of today’s politics wears on me, and I’m a rabid partisan."

In other words, "I'm so shrill, even I can't stand listening to myself anymore. Yeah, I've pretty much made these last 5 years unbearable for anyone who knows me or spends any time around me at all, and yeah, I'm one of those folks that helped Bush and Cheney get in and make the mess we're all in today. But now that it's clear what a loudmouth idiot I was, and how bad for the country my decisions were, I'm going to pretend I never supported these people and was a moderate the whole time! And of course, my positions haven't changed. I'm just sick of looking like an ass for supporting Bush. I'm really looking forward to trying out a whole new self-righteous schtick on my family and co-workers!"

[cyclezealot]

7. McCain a moderate.

Wish I could find the piece done by the Nation in 2000. McCain's time in the Viet cage made him nuts. Not that he does not deserve praise for his sacrifice. But being president normally requires sane thinking.
McCain made some pretty outrageous uses for nuclear arms and military force. Economically he would be as nuts as Bush II. Moderate. Don't think so. Need research this subject and end this lie.
any moderate tendencies is just pr hype about working together. but , it would be on his terms.

[karynnj]

31. Don't attribute his pro-war, ultra conseravative economic positions

to the viet cong - or call them insane - unless you know he was more moderate as a youth.

Why - it's good to challange him on those policies and to say why they're wrong. We become like Rove if we suggest that he is not sane.

I see no reason to challange his sanity.

[cyclezealot]

34. The article I refered to leads McCain's call for extreme military action.

Call extreme militarism what you want. I call it insane. I need hunt for the story but as I said it was in the Nation in 2000. It will surface again should McCain run. He sounded like McArthur calling for the use of nukes as I recall.

[karynnj]

37. I saw a more recent Nation article - not the 2000 one

my only point is that we need to be careful on use of language here. In casual conversation the words crazy and insane are usually not taken to be referring to a diagnosis of mental instability. The problem with using those words with McCain is that the RW argued that torture really did make him a mentally unstable person.

I agree with your characterization that he is far too war like. I also think that people reading his second book should come away with the feeling that he is too volatile. To be honest I only read the chapter on the POW/MIA committee (I was taking my middle daughter to visit colleges in summer 2004 and she insisted on visiting the libraries. To get more insight on our candidate I looked him up in the index of many books to see him from various perspectives.).

In that chapter, Kerry literally had to sit next to McCain and put his hand on McCain's arm to keep him calm when people were heckling him. McCain thanked Kerry in the book. The hecklers were beneath contempt, but can we afford a President who can't deal with it. (If 2008 ends up Kerry & McCain - the one BEST thing the Kerry campaign could do is to get every voter they can to read the chapter. Kerry did an amazing job on that committee. Not to mention he took the chairmanship (and all the work that entailed even though his entire staff was against it. McCain declined to be the ranking member - largely as he saw no gain from it. Yet McCain in 2005 was the one Bush and the media gave all the credit to when the Vietnamese leader met with Bush.

[cyclezealot]

39. use of military power.

I think McCain would be as reckless as Dubya. Nuclear weapon development. In fact I would not trust him with nuclear weapons. he is much too flippant. Never mean't to convey he is unstable;even if you maybe have inferred him far too sensitive to criticism.
Just to me, a postition other than ending nuclear proliferation is crazy.

[karynnj]

40. I don't care what McCain thinks, just the fact that for many

people in the middle who kind of like McCain - seeing statements like that make us look like Rove.

[cyclezealot]

42. you are right.

I would not talk quite so frankly, unless among like minded people. Don't we all speak more freely here than out in the general public.? I do. Since I speak more freely here among like minded friends- I still say the man has an screw loose when it comes to sending in excessive force, whenever he feels like it.
Sort of like Dubya with Iraq and now Iran; but Dubya's was caused by drugs and booze; McCain's justifably by being put in a 'survivor' like situation to no fault of his own.
So we should empathize with McCain. He needs a deserved rest on some island where he can chill out, instead of adding to nuclear proliferation and possibly nuke No. Korea.
We can not call him an extreme militarist , like he is; just prove he would be as dangerous as Dubya.
As to his being more moderate, a good politician knows how to manipulate an image to suggest he is not what he is. We just have to find a somewhat polite way to let the public know what he is.
If the media allow his wild statements to come it , it will.

[pansypoo53219]

8. no

after so many years, it is finally time for a pprogressive to take us away from the chimperors sliding us into the abyss.

[Morning Dew]

9. Some nation, maybe

not this one.

[queenbdem87]

10. mccain is not socially liberal

I, as a member of the gay community, can attest to you that he is not socially liberal! And besides, fuck pandering to the middle. We will get the so-called middle to vote with the left with better grassroots efforts and spreading the message that MOST AMERICANS ARE ACTUALLY LIBERAL ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES, AND EVEN IF THEY AREN'T, THE BENEFIT AND THRIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS LARGELY CREATED BY LIBERALS (ie public schools, labor laws etc.) Just as the conservatives have stayed far right and gotten much of the middle to vote for them, so we will get them to vote with the left.

[sandnsea]

12. Olympia Snowe

Let her run for President then, because she's the only one that remotely resembles a centrist Republican.

[wtmusic]

13. McCain over Hagel in NB? Isn't that blasphemy?

If Hagel was pro-choice I'd vote for him in a heartbeat. Over Lieberman, over half of our Dems.

[Appalachian_American]

14. Why not Hagel

since this guy is in Nebraska? What are Hagel's weaknesses from the viewpoint of a right winger?

[wtmusic]

29. Where to start...

1) Against the war
2) Against deficit spending
3) Environment- and energy-aware
4) Generally unsupportive of the president (i.e., independent)

Hagel is a maverick in a state which prides itself on being maverick. He's supported virtually every tax cut but sees the deficit problem as one of waste and poor planning.

[Old and In the Way]

15. a one-man war against government corruption*

*Well, except for that little matter of the Keating 5....

[cyclezealot]

16. Simpson example of a moderate?!

what. you got to be kidding. Yesterday, on the Colbert Report was former NJ governor Whitman. Quit EPA. now sees bush as to influenced by right. Has out BOok "Its my Party Too." Along with her web site by same name. Curious checked out her web site. Site has a list of supporters.
Alan Simpson was listed. A moderate. Redicilious. Interested take a look. There were many freepers far more reactionary than Simpson. Moderate. Not by my definition.

[LittleClarkie]

17. I'd rather Hagel if they were going to go that route

He's not such a pandermonkey.

[msgadget]

18. No, I really think he serves his best purpose where he is but Hagel

is one to watch. He hasn't been smeared to the extend McCain was and for those republicans who have been regretting their vote(s) he might seem a sane alternative. Whether he really is or not remains to be seen but he's been pretty consistent in voicing his own opinion and sticking by it, something voters like. And, he's a sharp dresser.

McCain is why Hillary should not run, imo. He's seen by too many republicans and democrats alike as Mr. Peacemaker, the Gets-Along-With-Everyone guy, the one who survived being a POW and the GOP machine... Unless he does something awful he could pull democratic votes from what I've read on some blogs. She, no matter what she does, will be a great excuse for the country to remain as polarized as it is now and could energize the right to turn out against her if she wins the primary. Even when she keeps a low profile they're watching her and even when she supports the war or speaks about common ground and faith, they don't trust her. I'm hoping the party machine will realize this and not choose her for the democrats.

[thebigidea]

19. Hagel really does look like he'd be tough to beat. Fortunately...

... I don't think the party bosses quite know that yet, they'd rather have some schmuck like Allen to puppeteer. I'm a ravenous, hateful monster - but even I have occasionally had to admit that Hagel is one slick pol and even downright reasonable at times on the talking heads shows.

The primaries should be really interesting. They'll have to paint him as Howard Hagel or something and blow up some insignificant incident as a sign of how unstable he is.

We'll have to dig up more dirt than the voting machine connection... start those pigfucking rumors early!

[msgadget]

20. Y'know, I've been thinking about that too,

At first I thought he was like a stealth candidate, the voice of reason for the true republicans but, no, McCain's playing that role because I don't see Hagel in many gaggles. This IS going to be one nail biter of a primary!

[Disturbed]

21. John McCain, Hypocrite

John McCain, Hypocrite
by Doug Ireland

John McCain, the media's darling, has found a clever way around his own campaign finance reform law to take big corporate bucks in furtherance of his political ambitions while carrying water for the corporate mammoth providing the dough. But the national press is ignoring the story.


The Associated Press first ran the story of John McCain's odorous but lucrative Senatorial service to the communications giant Cablevision on the afternoon of March 7. But, while some local papers in McCain's home state (like the East Valley Tribune) have run the story, nothing has as yet made it into the print editions of the New York Times, the L.A. Times, the Washington Post, or any of the half-dozen other big city dailies I checked (although, if one searches the hundreds of AP stories available on the Post's website on its Politics page by clicking on "Latest Wire Reports," one can find it there--but how many readers would bother to do that?) One notable exception: the Kansas City Star.


Here's what the AP's investigation found:


McCain repeatedly intervened on behalf of a policy Cablevision favored -- one which "congressional and private studies conclude could make cable more expensive" -- while his chief political adviser, Rick Davis (who's masterminding McCain's probable '08 presidential rerun) solicited $200,000 in contributions from Cablevision to an institute that promotes McCain and pays Davis a $110,000 annual salary.


The Reform Institute was set up to promote McCain and his issues--especially campaign finance reform, embodied in the famous McCain-Feingold law. This Institute is "a tax-exempt group that touts McCain's views and has showcased him at events since his unsuccessful 2000 presidential campaign," and it "often uses the senator's name in press releases and fund-raising letters and includes him at press conferences," the AP says. And, of course, it provides a cushy sinecure with no heavy lifting for McCain's main man, Davis, as he prepares the pontificating Senator's next presidential run. Cablevision's contributions account for a whopping 15% of the Institute's budget.


http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0309-35.htm

[ProSense]

22. Hagel is Mr. ESS voting machine man. And

he does the same thing: say one thing and does another.

[concerned citizen23]

23. BS...McCain's part of the club

As a former member of now disband "Committee for the Liberation of Iraq" McCain is part of the same club...

So where is this committee now??

The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (CLI) bills itself as a nongovernmental organization comprised of a "distinguished group of Americans" who want to free Iraq from Saddam Hussein. In a news release announcing its formation, the groups said it wants to "promote regional peace, political freedom and international security through replacement of the Saddam Hussein regime with a democratic government that respects the rights of the Iraqi people and ceases to threaten the community of nations." It has close links to the Project for the New American Century (PNAC)and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), important shapers of the Bush administration's foreign policy.

Many CLI, PNAC and AEI members were previously involved with the Committee for Peace and Security in the Gulf (CPSG), a hard-right group created in 1990 prior to Operation Desert Storm.
The Washington Post reported in November 2002 that "the organization is modeled on a successful lobbying campaign to expand the NATO alliance. Members include former secretary of state George P. Shultz, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former senator Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.). ... While the Iraq committee is an independent entity, committee officers said they expect to work closely with the administration. They already have met with Hadley and Bush political adviser Karl Rove. Committee officers and a White House spokesman said Rice, Hadley and Cheney will soon meet with the group." <1> (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64233-2002Nov3?language=printer)

Other members included:

Personnel
· Mahdi Al-Bassam, Iraq Liberation Action Committee
· Barry Blechman, DFI International, a company that offers "tailored research, analysis, knowledge management, and consulting services to senior decision-makers in industry and government. Our Corporate Services Group supports clients in the defense, aerospace, telecommunications, and high-tech industries. DFI Government Services assists US government leaders in the development and implementation of national security programs and policies."<2> (http://www.dfi-intl.com/about/about/index.htm)
· Eliot Cohen, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
· Thomas A. Dine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
· General Wayne Downing, U.S. Army (retired), has been a lobbyist for the Iraqi National Congress, the CIA-bankrolled opposition to Saddam Hussein
· Rend Rahim Francke, Iraq Foundation
· Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
· Lt. General Buster Glosson, U.S. Air Force (retired)
· James R. Hoffa, Jr., International Brotherhood of Teamsters
· Bruce P. Jackson, chairman, is the former vice president of weapons contractor Lockheed Martin. He also chaired the Republican Party Platform's subcommittee for National Security and Foreign Policy when George W. Bush ran for president in 2000.
· Howell Jackson, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School
· Robert Kerrey, former U.S. Senator
· Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, American Enterprise Institute
· William Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard
· Bernard Lewis, Princeton University
· General Barry McCaffrey, U.S. Army (retired); former U.S. "drug czar"
· John McCain, U.S. Senator
· Will Marshall, Progressive Policy Institute
· Richard N. Perle, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
· Danielle Pletka, American Enterprise Institute
· Randy Scheunemann, CLI's executive director, is former chief national-security adviser to U.S. Senator Trent Lott who has also worked for Donald H. Rumsfeld as a consultant on Iraq policy. While working for Lott in 1998, Scheunemann drafted the "Iraq Liberation Act" that authorized $98 million for the Iraqi National Congress.
· Gary Schmitt is executive director of the Project for the New American Century
· George P. Shultz, former U.S. secretary of state under Ronald Reagan
· Richard Shultz, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
· Stephen Solarz, former Member of Congress
· Ruth Wedgwood, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
· Leon Wieseltier, The New Republic
· Chris Williams, Johnston and Associates
· R. James Woolsey, Jr., former CIA Director

Contact information
Committee for the Liberation of Iraq
918 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

The CLI website appears to be no longer active:
http://www.liberationiraq.org

The phone number connects to an organization called: World Vision
(World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization founded in 1950)
Not sure what it’s connection is to the CLI

Above information was found at:
www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Committee_for_the_Liberation_of_Iraq

[concerned citizen23]

25. A copy of a letter I sent to McCain

Upon learning of McCain's involvement with the "Committee for the Liberation of Iraq", I sent the following letter to him...naturally,I have not received a response from him:

Dear Senator McCain:

Considering you were a former member of the now disbanded “Committee for the Liberation of Iraq” (CLI) why have you not been forthright with the American people for the reasons the administration fixed facts around “policy” and the real reason we are in Iraq?

Because of CLI close associations with The Project for the New American Century, I am sure you are knowledgeable of the philosophies and strategies boldly detailed in their report “Rebuilding America’s Defenses.” From all indications the Bush administration has adopted and is pursuing these policies.

The report reveals the following regarding Iraq - rather strong motivations for fixing facts around policy:

“…the United States has for decades sought to play a more permanent role in Gulf regional security.” (pg 14, RAD, Section III “Repositioning Today’s Force”).

“…the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification, the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam Hussein.”.(pg 14, RAD, Section III “Repositioning Today’s Force”).

The American public deserves to know about these policies the administration is clearly pursing. The objectives set forth by the PNAC are far reaching with deep long lasting implications and it would be in our best interest to flush this out into the court of public opinion and hold a long overdue public discourse.

Why are you and other elected officials neglecting to accurately inform the public on this?

[opihimoimoi]

24. The poor man was a POW war hero for holding his own in VN

But since then...a Senator...

I see no reason to make him Prez....

Lacks Leadership, reason, common sense, and vision. If he had those, he wouldn't have lost to Bush in 2000.

No, its time to think past the GOP who are struggling to hold ground.

[wisteria]

26. Socially liberal? One-man war against corruption? OMG,

what sh*t this is. The man is a conservative and votes that way- 99% of the time. So once in awhile he takes up an issue that is a sure fire win-win and the media and McCain himself go out a proclaim him to "straight shooter" all the while knowing he is more concerned with self-promotion that with making any real changes in the government and America. So now he is a uniter? Unbelievable.

Does someone have that picture of him and Bush hugging? I want to display it in a prominent place for all to see.

[BlueIris]

27. Whew. You scared me there, Pro.

I was sure you'd flipped your...whatever and become a McCain supporter. Yeah, it's been that kind of week.

[ProSense]

28. Yikes! Sorry! n/t

[noonwitch]

32. My conservative Grandpa thinks McCain can unite our country.

My grandpa is 92, and a die-hard conservative. He likes Bush, but he loves McCain.

I think McCain would be an improvement over Bush, but I think the dems can find someone better. I also don't think the GOP will nominate McCain-if they do and his health is good, I think he will win no matter who we nominate. My swing-voter friends love him.

[NativeTexan]

33. My 12 year old CHIHUAHUA is an improvement over....

....Bush, and the dog still wets in the house some!!

[noonwitch]

35. McCain is a vast improvement over most of the candidates Grandpa likes

Reagan, both Bushes, DeVos, Engler, and whatever lunatic they come up with to challenge Bart Stupak every year.

[sendero]

38. NOT IMHO....

... at least with your examples, you know they are snakes and you can watch for bites. McCain acts like he is sane for a time, but you never know when he's going to have a drooling fit.

McCain is scary. God help us if we elect that poor unbalanced nutcake.

[Totally Committed]

45. You heard it here first:

Mc Cain/Lieberman '08

Lieberman has said he thinks Mc Cain is the best man for the job.

TC

[noamnety]

46. McCain on the issues

McCain:
supported a change to the Arizona constitution to ban gay marriage
claims that he can identify a gay person "by behavior and by attitudes"
has a zero environmental rating (Time magazine wrote that Senator McCain's "environmental record would make Teddy Roosevelt cringe")
has repeatedly voted against minimum wage increases
has repeatedly (roughly 90% of the time) taken an anti-choice position on senate votes
backs the teaching of "intelligent design" in science class


And of course he was part of the "Keating Five" - poster children for racketeering, corruption, the Lincoln Ssavings and Loan collapse at taxpayer cost of $3.4 billion, and McCain also seems to feel it's appropriate to send birthday regards to the head of the NY Bonano crime family.

McCain is nothing more than BushCo with media spin.

[Bridget Burke]

47. Yes, Far Right.

The same response that worked so well for "In your heart, you know he's right."

(Any more oldsters out there?)

[ProSense]

48. Where is McCain on port security, doesn't he care? n/t