McCain in Memphis: Straight Talk or Double Talk?

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.afscmeblog.org/category/election-2008/

April 5th, 2008

Speaking at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Sen. John McCain apologized for his vote in Congress opposing the national holiday celebrating Dr. King’s birthday. “I was wrong. I was wrong,” he said.

In his latest entry on The Huffington Post, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee says McCain has more to be ashamed of than that vote — in 1987, McCain went on record in support of the effort by controversial Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham to rescind Martin Luther King day as a state holiday.

Unfortunately, these brushes with bigotry are part of a pattern. In 1990, Senator McCain voted against the Civil Rights Act. During the Clinton Administration, he voted to defund the national commission promoting Dr. King’s vision for America.

Those are just a few examples of what Pres. McEntee calls “McCain double-talk,” so be sure to read the full post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gerald-mcentee/mccain-in-memphis-straigh_b_95229.html

[Olney Blue]

1. Double talk from the America's maverick

[JDPriestly]

2. There is nothing wrong with changing your mind on a few issues,

but McCain has changed his stance so often on so many issues that he looks to me like an opportunist pure and simple. He is like a feather in the wind.

I like Edwards. He also changed his mind -- on the war among other things. But he was always able to explain exactly why he had been mistaken in the first place. And his changes were consistent with his underlying philosophy.

What in the world is McCain's underlying philosophy on race and Civil Rights? I don't think he has one. He just chooses sides based on what he thinks will be advantageous to him at the moment. As we used to say, he talks out of both sides of his mouth.

McCain's mind changes do not seem to be related to any growth in his understanding of issues or of any heightened awareness of social, economic problems, moral values or even just additional information.