« previous | TPM CAFÉ READER POSTS HOME | next »
McCian's record-setting flip-flop record
Here's what I've found in various places around the "Internets." If there are more, or new, instances, feel free to add them in the comments.
* McCain supported the drilling moratorium; now he’s against it.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...
* McCain strongly opposes a windfall-tax on oil company profits. Three weeks earlier, he was perfectly comfortable with the idea.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/18/mccains-offsho...
* McCain thought Bush’s warrantless-wiretap program circumvented the law; now he believes the opposite.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15781.htm... * McCain defended “privatizing” Social Security. Now he says he’s against privatization (though he actually still supports it.)
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15863.htm... * McCain wanted to change the Republican Party platform to protect abortion rights in cases of rape and incest. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/10/mccain-flips-o...
* McCain thought the estate tax was perfectly fair. Now he believes the opposite.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15825.htm... * He opposed indefinite detention of terrorist suspects. When the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion,he called it “one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.”
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15864.htm... * McCain said he would “not impose a litmus test on any nominee.” He used to promise the opposite.
http://www.americablog.com/2008/06/now-mccain-is-flip-f...
* McCain believes the telecoms should be forced to explain their role in the administration’s warrantless surveillance program as a condition for retroactive immunity. He used to believe the opposite.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...
* McCain supported storing spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Now he believes the opposite.http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/28/mccains-abo... /
* McCain supported moving “toward normalization of relations” with Cuba. Now he believes the opposite.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15617.htm... * McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Hamas. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15557.htm... * McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Syria. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15564.htm...
* McCain supported his own lobbying-reform legislation from 1997. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/20/mccains-97-lob...
* He wanted political support from radical televangelists like John Hagee and Rod Parsley. Now he doesn’t.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15633.htm... * McCain supported the Lieberman/Warner legislation to combat global warming. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15699.htm... *McCain pledged in February 2008 that he would not, under any circumstances, raise taxes. Specifically, McCain was asked if he is a“‘read my lips’ candidate, no new taxes, no matter what?” referring to George H.W. Bush’s 1988 pledge. “No new taxes,” McCain responded.Two weeks later, McCain said, “I’m not making a ‘read my lips’ statement, in that I will not raise taxes.”
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14761.htm... * McCain is both for and against a “rogue state rollback” as a focus of his foreign policy vision.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/mccain-...
* McCain says he considered and did not consider joining John Kerry’s Democratic ticket in 2004.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14818.htm... *In 1998, he championed raising cigarette taxes to fund programs to cut underage smoking, insisting that it would prevent illnesses and provide resources for public health programs. Now, McCain opposes a $0.61-per-pack tax increase, won’t commit to supporting a regulation bill he’s co-sponsoring, and has hired Philip Morris’ former lobbyist as his senior campaign adviser.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15033.htm... * McCain has changed his economic worldview on multiple occasions.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15337.htm... * McCain has changed his mind about a long-term U.S. military presence in Iraq on multiple occasions.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15370.htm... * McCain is both for and against attacking Barack Obama over his former pastor at his former church.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15358.htm... * McCain believes Americans are both better and worse off than they were before Bush took office.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/19/mccain-economy-bloo... /
* McCain is both for and against earmarks for Arizona.http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/06/mccain-earmark /
*McCain’s first mortgage plan was premised on the notion that homeowners facing foreclosure shouldn’t be “rewarded” for acting“irresponsibly.”His second mortgage plan took largely the opposite position.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15176.htm... * McCain vowed, if elected, to balance the federal budget by the end of his first term. Soon after, he decided he would no longer even try to reach that goal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/politics/16mccain.... * In February 2008, McCain reversed course on prohibiting waterboarding.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/10/emtimeem-has-m...
* McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty’s behalf before a Senate committee. Now he opposes it.http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/oct/31/mccain-... /
* McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants’ kids who graduate from high school. Now he’s against it.http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/oct/31/mccain-... /
* On immigration policy in general, McCain announced in February 2008 that he would vote against his own legislation.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14447.htm... *In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving“feedback” on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he opposes his own measure.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/9658.html * McCain said before the war in Iraq, “We will win this conflict. We will win it easily.” Four years later, McCain said he knew all along that the war in Iraq war was “probably going to be long and hard and tough.”
http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral... *McCain said he was the “greatest critic” of Rumsfeld’s failed Iraq policy. In December 2003, McCain praised the same strategy as“a mission accomplished.” In March 2004, he said, “I’m confident we’re on the right course.”In December 2005, he said, “Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course.”
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/18/mccain-greatest-cri... /
* McCain went from saying he would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade http://mediamatters.org/items/200610310003 to saying the exact opposite.http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/19/mccain-abortion /
* McCain went from saying gay marriage should be allowed, to saying gay marriage shouldn’t be allowed.http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/02/mcc... * McCain criticized TV preacher Jerry Falwell as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002, but then decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/6988.html * McCain used to oppose Bush’s tax cuts for the very wealthy, but he reversed course in February.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/6731.html * On a related note, he said 2005 that he opposed the tax cuts because they were “too tilted to the wealthy.” By 2007, he denied ever having said this, and insisted he opposed the cuts because of increased government spending.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/us/politics/03mccain.... *In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1880630&page=1
* McCain supported a major campaign-finance reform measure that bore his name. In June 2007, he abandoned his own legislation.http://www.nysun.com/national/campaign-finance-effort-r... /
* McCain opposed a holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., before he supported it.http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20070115/pl_usnw/dnc__mcca... * McCain was against presidential candidates campaigning at Bob Jones University before he was for it.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/8313.html * McCain was anti-ethanol. Now he’s pro-ethanol.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15637887 /
* McCain was both for and against state promotion of the Confederate flag.http://mediamatters.org/items/200610310003 * McCain decided in 2000 that he didn’t want anything to do with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, believing he “would taint the image of the‘Straight Talk Express.’” Kissinger is now the Honorary Co-Chair for his presidential campaign in New York.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/12/19/mccain-kissinger /
* McCain used to think that Grover Norquist was a crook and acorrupt shill for dictators. Then McCain got serious about running for president and began to reconcile with Norquist.http://thinkprogress.org/2006/12/19/mccain-kissinger /
* McCain took a firm line in opposition to torture, and then caved to White House demands.http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/20... * McCain gave up on his signature policy issue, campaign-finance reform, and won’t back the same provision he sponsored just a couple of years ago.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/8066.html
* In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving “feedback” on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he opposes his own measure.









Comments (20)
McCain, not "McCian"
Sorry for the typo.
July 3, 2008 2:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
The typo is the least of the problems with your list. Did you bother to follow any of your links and read the stories? Doubtful, as most of them point out that there is no policy flip. Read the abortion link, all the way back to the SF Chronicle, not the 'summary' of it on ThinkProgress. You will clearly see the story demonstrates his views did not change, only that he said something he later clarified (like Obama on the troop removal issue). I followed several of you links and none showed any real policy flip. Really a pathetic attempt to distort the truth.
July 4, 2008 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Seasoned politician at his finest or schizophrenic curmudgeon.
Good read.
#26 Always hated dogs and old people
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/07/mccains-laundry.php
July 3, 2008 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your article is well researched. It will also be useful for opposition research to counter-act Republican talking points.
July 3, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
This list is a pathetic compilation of lies and distortions. Follow some of the links, like the Yucca Mt. position, where McCain simply stated his support for an overseas site that MIGHT one day make Yucca Mt not needed. That is hardly a position flip-flop. Or the Hamas meeting issue, where McCain said that eventually diplomats in Gaza would have to deal with Hamas, since they are the elected leaders. He did not say HE would meet with them, only that low level local diplomats would (note diplomats met with NAZI's, but FDR did not!) Unlike Obama who repeatedly said he would meet without pre-conditions, then said he wouldn't, then attacked Bush for insisting on pre-conditions before meeting with Amadinejhad. Now that is flipping!
July 4, 2008 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow! What a great compilation! I've been looking for one of these, even thinking of making one myself. But you have it all right here. Kudos! Seriously, thank you so much!
HIGHLY recommended!
July 3, 2008 4:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Delicious! No salt needed. Rec'd.
July 3, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent Post
July 3, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
We should all copy it and start the process of spreading it around.
July 3, 2008 8:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm with you. Let's go viral. Nothing would make me happier than to see this on Snopes in a week with little green "true" balls next to each one.
July 3, 2008 10:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
i will bookmark this post and send it to others if need be. thanks for the posting.
July 3, 2008 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is great Russell, but you are preaching to the choir here. This information has to crack through the protective cocoon the MSM has spun around McBush.
July 3, 2008 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am impressed. How hard was it to find all that?
July 4, 2008 1:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's easy when you just make stuff up
July 4, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow that is some list! I've seen some on-line, but this is the most extensive list to date that I've seen.
Thank You.
McCain may be sorry he brought up the subject -- accusing Obama of flip-flopping.
But then again the traditional mainstream media reporting on McCain is just as irresponsible as it was when Bush was running. Yes the same so-called "liberal" media.
July 4, 2008 3:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
This was truly heroic. Must have taken you days!
I'm going to email it around - hope you don't mind.
We have to get this out there.
July 4, 2008 7:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Any chance of this being given permanent status at the top of the recommended list?
July 4, 2008 8:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great work Russell. We all ought to send this to everybody on our email list. And Russell please repost this at Daily Kos, My DD, Open Left and anywhere else you can and advise them to do the same.
July 4, 2008 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
1. “The political opposition to the Yucca Mountain storage facility is harmful to the U.S. interest and the facility should be completed, opened and utilized.” Yep. Exact same as shutting the whole thing down and shipping nuclear waste overseas (which is, as the Sun article points out, a ridiculous "solution")
2. McCain stated that "we" would have to deal with Hamas earlier. Now he is against any negotiations with them. It has nothing to do with presidential meetings.
You want to give it another go, with facts this time? l am of the opinion that anyone is allowed to change their minds but at least I would expect an acknowledgement that that is what happened and some kind of reality-based explanation as to the rationale of the change.
July 4, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree and have already begun sending this around.
July 4, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Post a Comment