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McCain LIED About His Stance On The National MLK Holiday
John McCain lied about his record on support for the MLK Holiday. McCain never supported a Federal MLK holiday
Unless he changed his position today, he lied in his speech regarding
the Federal holiday. He has always voted against funding the Federal
holiday.
McCain did support an Arizona MLK holiday in 1987. He subsequently supported Arizona Gov. Evan Meacham rescinding an executive order creating the holiday (done by Democratic Gov Bruce Babbitt)
McCain subsequently supported a Proposition for a state holiday in 1992.
John McCain's record on MLK Day:
1983: McCain Voted Against Law Creating National Martin Luther King Holiday. In 1983, McCain voted against passing a bill to designate the third Monday of every January as a federal holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. That was the year the holiday was passed into law, supported by 338 members of the House and 78 members of the Senate. [1983 House Vote #289, 8/2/1983; 1983 Senate Vote #303]
1987: McCain Supports AZ Governor's Effort to Rescind Martin Luther King Day as State Holiday. In 1987, Arizona Governor Evan Mecham rescinded "what he termed an illegal executive order by his predecessor, Democrat Bruce Babbitt, to establish a state holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr." Speaking to the Arizona Teenage Republican Convention, when asked about Mecham's decision to rescind the holiday, "McCain said that he felt Mecham was correct in rescinding the holiday." [Washington Post, 1/14/1987; Phoenix Gazette, 4/13/1987]
1989: McCain Urged Lawmakers to Create State Holiday, But Expressed Opposition to Federal Holiday. In 1989, McCain expressed his support for a state law recognizing an Arizona Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. But, McCain said, "I'm still opposed to another federal holiday... but I support the (Arizona) Martin Luther King holiday because of the enormous proportions this issue has taken on as far as the image of our state and our treatment towards not only blacks but all minorities." [Phoenix Gazette, 5/2/1989]
1992: McCain Endorsed Proposition Creating State Holiday. "McCain endorsed Proposition 300, which would establish a paid state holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr." [Phoenix Gazette, 10/28/1992]
1994: McCain Voted To Strip Federal Funding From the MLK Federal Holiday Commission. In 1994, McCain voted to prohibit federal funds for the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission. The Commission was established in 1984 "to encourage the observance of King's birthday." According to Al King, head of the California chapter of the commission, the organization "helped keep 'senators' and 'representatives' feet to the fire to recognize the holiday." [1994 Senate Vote #127, 5/24/1994; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/24/1995, 5/26/1995]
http://www.foxbusiness.com/article/dnc-john-mccains-real-record-mlk-holiday_549545_1.htmlYes, the article is from FoxBusiness, but it's a Democratic National Committee review.
Here is McCain's stance on the Confederate flag from the same group.
Late 1999: McCain Said He Wasn't Offended By the Flag. In 2000, McCain said of the flying of the Confederate Flag in South Carolina, "To me personally, I understand how it could be offensive to some people, but I had ancestors who fought in the Confederate army and I thought they fought honorably." [AP, 11/5/1999]
Early 2000: McCain Called The Confederate Flag "Offensive" And A Symbol Of Slavery. McCain appeared on "Face the Nation" and recognized the offensive symbolism of the Confederate flag. McCain said, "The Confederate flag is offensive in many, many ways, as we all know. It's a symbol of racism and slavery." [CBS News, Face The Nation, 1/9/00]
A Day Later, Aides Say He Misspoke. The next day, "McCain reversed himself and called the flag 'a symbol of heritage' ...Aides said he had misspoken in the television interview." [New York Times, 1/12/2000]
2006: McCain Conceded He Lied In 2000 to Win Political Points With the Confederate Flag, Called It "An Act of Cowardice." Following the 2000 South Carolina primary, McCain admitted that he had lied about his position on the confederate flag in order to win political points while battling George Bush in the South Carolina. McCain admitted, "I feared that if I answered honestly, I could not win the South Carolina primary, so I chose to compromise my principles. I broke my promise to always tell the truth." Speaking on the incident in 2006, McCain went further, saying, "The flag in South Carolina. I said that that was a state issue [in 2000]. It's not a state issue. It's a symbol that should not fly over the state capitol anywhere in America. ...I said that it really wasn't any of my business, was basically what I said. That was an act of cowardice." [New York Times, 4/20/2000; CNN, 5/24/2006]
McCain will get a pass on his misrepresentation of his feelings about the National MLK holiday, just as he gets on a whole host of other issues.
McCain will say whatever he needs to say to get elected








Comments (11)
If it's from the DNC, then just send people to the actual DNC page, found here.
McCain's real record on veteran's issues is even more deplorable.
April 4, 2008 11:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hm, a wide stance, indeed.
April 5, 2008 1:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hm, a wide stance, indeed.
April 5, 2008 1:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain doesn't seem to remember his policy positions - certainly not anything related to domestic policy. Go back and look at some of his press conferences/availabilities.
When asked his position contraception/condoms: "I agree with the president's position" "Coburn had a really good paper on this" (follow up: Do condoms prevent HIV/STDs?) "I don't know" "Get me Coburn's paper on that - I agree with that"
There are similar exchanges scattered throughout his recent chats with the press. The guy is clearly being fed policy positions that he doesn't know. They aren't his policies or positions.
I'm looking forward to the primary being over so the Democratic nominee can start going after McCain. Whether it's Clinton's bulldog style ("I'm a fighter") or Obama's incisive cuts through the BS - it's going to be great.
April 5, 2008 7:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Some 527 should whip-up a quickie ad with some tape of McCain and Jesse Helms, then run it in targeted markets.
Nationally or widespread, such an ad might help McCain with conservatives and the left-leaners are likely to forget it, but if it were properly targeted toward educated and informed audiences, the ad could counteract any potential good that he got from Friday.
April 5, 2008 8:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
In my opinion it is pointless to accuse McCain of lying. His brain doesn't work, and he doesn't understand half of the things he says.
If a significant number of Americans vote for him, that will be proof that we have learned nothing during the past seven years.
April 5, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone else think that the crowd for McCain's speech in Memphis was handpicked for the most part? Stereotypes aside, it seems implausible that so many blacks in Memphis on the anniversary of his murder would applaud most of what MeekCane said.
April 5, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
African-Americans are willing to give many people a break They apply the race card.
Examples include:
_Ross Perot's "You people" at the NAACP Convention
Perot got the he's an older White guy race card. Yes the race card can be positive and used to excuse away some statements. We do it all the time
_Bill Clinton "Sistah Soljah". Clinton got a partial pass because the Black voting public was scrambling to find out who Sistah Soljah was. She had no real footprint outside of NYC. Things have changed. Bill took being the "First Black President" too seriously. African-Americans have friends who become "play" sisters and "play cousins" as a means to express closeness. The relationship holds until the "play" relative says something out of order about a true relative. When that offense is made, playtime is over. Bill Clinton is learning this aspect of "play" relationships.
_Mitt Romney made a "Who let the dogs out, Woof, Woof' comment while posing with an African-American family celebrating at an MLK Holiday parade. The family suppressed their true feelings and just smiled. Romney got either the race card pass or the TV cameras are rolling pass.
Perot, Clinton, and Romney all gained a pass because of the new White Guy in Politics race card benefit. White guys in politics are expected to say something crazy as they try to identify with African-Americans. we just roll our collective eyes, shake our heads, and move on just like the audience in Memphis.
April 5, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Give the guy a break about the Confederate flag, after all he fought in that war, you know!
April 5, 2008 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
By THAT war, I mean the War of Northern Agression, of course!
April 5, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Aww, you're so mean to the poor old man. This is where being in politics a long, long time can actually hurt you, especially when you start to go a little fuzzy in the head.
It'd be sad if it weren't so scary.
April 5, 2008 10:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
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