McCain Falsely Claims He Has ‘Never Asked For A Single Earmark Or Pork Barrel Project’ For His State
McCain Falsely Claims He Has ‘Never Asked For A Single Earmark Or Pork Barrel Project’ For His State
In tonight’s Fox News GOP presidential forum, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) attempted to argue that if elected president, he will eliminate “wasteful spending.” As evidence, he claimed that he has never asked for an earmark for his state of Arizona:
And I’m proud to tell you, Chris, in 24 years as a member of Congress, I have never asked for nor received a single earmark or pork barrel project for my state and I guarantee you I’ll veto those bills. I’ll ask for the line item veto and I’ll veto them and I’ll make the authors of them famous.
Watch it:
McCain’s claim is false. In 2006, the senator teamed up with fellow Arizona senator Jon Kyl (R) to funnel $10 million toward the University of Arizona for an academic center named after the late Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist. Even Arizona lawmaker, Rep. Jeff Flake (R), said he was planning to “lean against the measure.” The National Taxpayers Union, another traditional McCain ally, questioned why the senator was making federal taxpayers foot the bill for the center.
In 2003, McCain also slipped $14.3 million into a defense appropriations bill to
create a buffer zone around Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. As Roll Call reported in 2003, this project violated McCain’s own anti-pork rhetoric:
The only problem is the project to acquire more land near the base was not requested by President Bush or fully authorized by the Senate Armed Services Committee – two of McCain’s criteria for identifying so-called ‘pork.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), a notorious porker, was overjoyed that McCain had joined his side. “One man’s pork is another man’s alternate white meat,” said Stevens. “If he asked for it, we put it in.”
UPDATE: On Nov. 17, 2003, Roll Call posted a “correction” to its original article about the Luke Air Force Base request:
The Nov. 6 article “McCain Breaks Own Pork Rule” inaccurately stated that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) violated his own rules against so-called “pork barrel” spending. The Senate Parliamentarian’s office maintains that the provision was properly authorized in the Senate-passed version of the fiscal 2004 Defense authorization bill and did not need to be signed by the president to be considered “authorized,” as the article suggested. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), chairwoman of the Appropriations subcommittee on military construction, told Roll Call that McCain never specifically asked her to put the $14.3 million project for Arizona’s Luke Air Force Base into the fiscal 2004 military construction bill.
Transcript:
WALLACE: But, Senator McCain, when you look at the fact that we survived 9/11, that we survived Hurricane Katrina, terrible blows to the economy and the economy kept growing, a lot of people say that’s because of the Bush tax cuts that you voted against.
MCCAIN: Well, I — and when we see what happened to spending and we have a bridge to nowhere of $233 million to an island with 50 people on it and we have former members of Congress who are now residing in federal prison because of the spending and corruption, my friend, we have to, if we’re going to restore the confidence of the American people and our Republican base first, we’re going to have to cut the spending, we’re going to have to eliminate the pork barrel and wasteful spending.
And I’m proud to tell you, Chris, in 24 years as a member of Congress, I have never asked for nor received a single earmark or pork barrel project for my state and I guarantee you I’ll veto those bills. I’ll ask for the line item veto and I’ll veto them and I’ll make the authors of them famous.
And we’ll get spending under control and then we’ll be able to have some physical sanity and restore trust and confidence on the part of the American people.
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Frist?
Porker.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:06 pmIt was only a matter of time before the old geezer resorted to bald face lies, my friend.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:17 pmHe is a Repuglic. It is in his nature as such and in his blood to follow, like the his dumb ass leader and lie through his teeth. Bush has done this repeatedly for seven years and not been called on it by the sycophant media. Liars drink from the same batch of Koolaid!
January 6th, 2008 at 9:24 pm“The only problem is the project to acquire more land near the base was not requested by President Bush or fully authorized by the Senate Armed Services Committee – two of McCain’s criteria for identifying so-called ‘pork.”
Duncan Hunter was chairman of that committee at the time. Will he use this to bash front-runner McCain before the New Hampshire primaries?
January 6th, 2008 at 9:25 pmOink, Oink
January 6th, 2008 at 9:25 pmMcOink
January 6th, 2008 at 9:26 pmOops. Hunter was the House chairman.
My stumble.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:26 pmWow, it’s like blackfly season. Republican liars darken the horizon.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:36 pmI can hear a “I don’t recall”….coming up.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:43 pm#8 Comment by Lefty Patriot — January 6, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
Wow, it’s like blackfly season. Republican liars darken the horizon.
Funny how this “season” has lasted 7 years. Its just that the American public, watching a magic show, thought they were attending a church service and listening to a sermon. The preacher was exposed for the magician he is in 2005 and all those flies have been multiplying on the Rethug corpse ever since.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:46 pmUmmm, does McCain realize that the Supreme Court has already declared the line item veto un-Constitutional?
January 6th, 2008 at 9:46 pmMcCain was for money laundering . . . before he was against it.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pmUmmm, does McCain realize that the Supreme Court has already declared the line item veto un-Constitutional?
Comment by Jeremy Henderson
It doesn’t matter, he is McOink, and he is gonna request it.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:55 pmTuesday’s on NBC, McOink, the vunderkind
FOX News Republican Debate in New Hampshire
Who won the FOX Republican Debate in New Hampshire?
http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=1463
.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:56 pmMr PollM, I find thes shitty polls to be nothing but push polls. How about a selection:
Noone?
or
We all got screwed by the Republikkkans over the last 50 years, why stop now?
If you had some credible selections like that I would participate, but otherwise, I find these to be nothing but spam.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:59 pmYou Think Progress liberals must be making this up about St. John.
I mean, once you say or write something, it disappears into the ether, right, ’cause it never happened? I mean, it’s not like there are “records” or the “internets tubes” or “lexis/nexis” or anything like that.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:08 pmWell, it’s true. He didn’t ask for a single earmark or pork barrel project.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:10 pmI had a lot of respect , not too many years ago, for McCain. Now? He’s “outed” himself.
“Sold out”, “out of credibility”, and “out of touch”. All that’s left is to send him “out to pasture”.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:19 pmWell, it’s true. He didn’t ask for a ’single’ earmark or pork barrel project.
Comment by Zooey — January 6, 2008 @ 10:10 pm
January 6th, 2008 at 10:35 pmRecommend (0) | Report Abuse
‘SINGLE’…lol…Right on Zooey, and #18….OUT TO LUNCH TOO.
McCain + pet projects = a slab of pork.
A desperate Presidential candidate takes desperate measures for desperate votes.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:40 pm#18….OUT TO LUNCH TOO.
Comment by wisedup — January 6, 2008 @ 10:35 pm
Agreed. Though, to be fair, I wasn’t trying for a complete list. It’s not fair to pick on someone who’s “out of ammo” and “out of options”.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:44 pmGrandpa McCain should just lay down and wait for the peaceful end.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:46 pmUm, Johnny boy, there ain’t no line item veto, ask all you want you’re not going to get one, so blow it out your fat ass.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:54 pmAccording to a news item I heard today, McCain also criticised another candidate for changing his mind. (Note like McCain has ever done that huh ?).
What really got me, was they played the coy quote that went along the lines of “he’s a fine person, I’m sure….but…..”
January 6th, 2008 at 10:59 pmLooks like McCain is going to win GOP vote in NH day after tomorrow, latest poll #s
American Research Group
1/5/2008
N=600
w/o Newt Gingrich
John McCain 39%
Mitt Romney 25%
Mike Huckabee 14%
Rudy Giuliani 7%
Ron Paul 6%
Fred Thompson 1%
Duncan Hunter 1%
Alan Keyes 1%
Unsure 6%
Source
CNN/WMUR/University of New Hampshire Granite State tracking poll
1/5/2008
N=308
w/o Newt Gingrich
John McCain 33%
January 6th, 2008 at 11:01 pmMitt Romney 27%
Rudy Giuliani 14%
Mike Huckabee 11%
Ron Paul 9%
Fred Thompson 1%
Duncan Hunter 1%
Unsure 4%
Other 2%
Source
#25 Comment by RUCerious — January 6, 2008 @ 11:01 pm
Looks like McCain is going to win GOP vote in NH day after tomorrow, latest poll #s
And if, as predicted, Julie wins Florida all we need is Romney to win SC. Won’t that be fun for the GOP (Grand Old Pisants.) All those 26%ers running around, as pisants do, not knowing who their “champion” is. I mean, who could ever replace the great god-informed emperor without clothes?
January 6th, 2008 at 11:28 pmwow.
Lying about something that can be checked on fairly easily with a search though Thomas….
Or previous news reports…
That is just dumb.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:37 pmAll those 26%ers running around, as pisants do, not knowing who their “champion†is. I mean, who could ever replace the great god-informed emperor without clothes?
Comment by Merlin — January 6, 2008 @ 11:28 pm
LMAO
It would be fun to watch such infighting if they had a 2 way tie, much less 4 way. They are already imploding as it is.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:47 pmA four way pissing contest would be great sport to watch!
January 7th, 2008 at 12:00 amA four way pissing contest would be great sport to watch!
Comment by RUCerious — January 7, 2008 @ 12:00 am
Bring your Macintosh and golashes. Ick.
January 7th, 2008 at 12:22 amWhy couldn’t I bring my PC?>
January 7th, 2008 at 12:28 amToo clever, RUC. ;)
January 7th, 2008 at 12:34 amThey ALL have their hands dirty, that is why Lobyist need to be outlawed in our government.
Edwards/Obama ‘09
Bush/Cheney
Hague/Trials ‘09
Buck Fush
January 7th, 2008 at 12:37 amWow, he said that? I wouldn’t even believe Feingold if he said that. Actually I would be pissed he was such a worthless representative of Wisconsin since that is the way the current system works.
January 7th, 2008 at 12:41 amEvery GOP candidate has to lie, or they’re drummed out of the party as being anti-Republican.
January 7th, 2008 at 12:48 am#35 Comment by Starve-A-Bush_Feed-A-Beaver — January 7, 2008 @ 12:48
Every GOP candidate has to lie, or they’re drummed out of the party as being anti-Republican.
Its the 12th commandment of the rethug party.
January 7th, 2008 at 1:22 amIf McCain is the GOP nominee, it will not be necessary for Democratic party to demonize or attack him. There is a library of interviews of conflicting statements and flip-flops on a variety of issues over the years, and they are all on tape. They are ready-made commercials.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:34 amJanuary 7th, 2008 at 5:12 am
mccain? a republican? lying?
im shoc… yawn
January 7th, 2008 at 6:32 amFOX News Republican Debate in New Hampshire
Who won the FOX Republican Debate in New Hampshire?
http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=1463
who cares?
January 7th, 2008 at 6:37 amActually, McCain made two absurd statements, not one:
“I have never asked for nor received a single earmark or pork barrel project for my state and I guarantee you I’ll veto those bills.”
“I’ll ask for the line item veto and I’ll veto them and I’ll make the authors of them famous.”
The first one was particularly stupid, since his Senate record is public and this statement is easily disproven. And if, as President, he plans to veto any bill containing earmarks or pork barrel projects — well, good luck with that. He will be vetoing virtually every spending bill that comes to his desk and nothing will ever get accomplished.
The second statement (which appears to have been ignored so far) is an empty promise. The line item veto was given to Bill Clinton in 1996 and declared unconstitutional by the SCOTUS in 1998. It would take a SCOTUS reversal or a constitutional amendment to make that happen. Even though this SCOTUS might be willing to give a Republican president the line item veto, I wouldn’t count on reversal since the justices know a Dem president would also get it down the line.
McCain is just making statements that sound good to voters too tired (or feeble-minded) to think for themselves, knowing that he won’t have to deliver on them.
January 7th, 2008 at 6:59 amOf course he can get away with saying it. He can get away with saying ANYTHING.
When the entire MSM has been instructed by their David Rockefeller / AIPAC led overlords not to challenge anything that comes out of his mouth, it’s a simple matter to change history in the popular perception.
If your “respected” news man lets every false statement slide without challenge, it must be true, right?
Welcome to Karl Rove’s world:
“That’s not the way the world really works anymore,” he continued. ”We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality — judiciously, as you will — we’ll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.”
January 7th, 2008 at 7:25 amWho won the FOX Republican Debate in New Hampshire?
who cares?
Comment by Fan of Man — January 7, 2008 @
What are you doing on a blog dedicated to updates about Republicans then ?
Comment by Kilo — January 7, 2008 @ 6:55 am
exactly.
January 7th, 2008 at 7:26 amMcCain is enjoying puhing lies on television stations he is touring lately,after all to him and others..this is the lying season…the elections.
Now that he is rising from the ashes ,hungry to win a state,started showing confidence and talk about his silly 100 years war plans again.
He is not a winner yet of any state , Huckabee will beat him in the southern evangelical belt,he will have tough time competing with Giuliani in Florida,Michigan might go for Romney,South Carolina is a toss game.
January 7th, 2008 at 8:27 amSo he is using lies to squeeze himself somehwere.
Lying is his game now.
Money is drying out for some candidates..the ones who have money left might continue.
McCain’s money is not enough to keep him going,unless he got nice size dollar shot in the arm to his currently ailing campaign..
And McCain war talk and ‘me the honest guy,and remember me I used to be your maverick few years ago,and ‘am here to protect you ‘… will continue.
Good morning, everyone.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the set up question in the interview:
“WALLACE: … when you look at the fact that we survived 9/11, that we survived Hurricane Katrina, terrible blows to the economy and the economy kept growing, a lot of people say that’s because of the Bush tax cuts”
WTF?
So much bull $hit in that question, I don’t have time to even get into it.
January 7th, 2008 at 8:51 amMcCain…:”If you are looking for a ‘Pork’ man…that’s not me, I’m a war man, my friend, a war man, just ask Lieberman”.
January 7th, 2008 at 9:56 amWhy can’t any of these guys be honest?
“Yeah I requested money for my state, cause that’s what the people who elected me wanted me to do. Everything was done within the rules and I did not personally profit.”
January 7th, 2008 at 11:08 amOld crusty Mc “Flip-flop” is at it again.
January 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pmIf he can’t bring the pork home, he should have been replaced a long time ago. What’s up with Arizona? A bunch of apolitical old retirees like Florida?
January 7th, 2008 at 1:07 pmThis post is flat out wrong. It has already admitted that the money for Luke Airforce base was not an earmark violating McCain’s definition, and it wrongly includes a BILL McCain sponsored to build the academic center named after Renquist. A bill is not an earmark, it is seperate legislation that can be voted up or down by Congress. It is sent to the floor with full recognition of its existance and ability to debate its merits.
This post is an example of some fairly poor journalism.
January 7th, 2008 at 1:34 pm“This post is an example of some fairly poor journalism.
Comment by renreok ”
renreok, you should read a little more closely. The center named for Rehnquist was inserted into a bill, it was not a bill for that purpose. The post specifically states that.
You should also note that the post included a correction on the Luke Air Force Base matter.
The correctuion was placed into the body of the post. That’s a damn sight better than you’ll ever see out of any major media operation.
January 8th, 2008 at 1:02 amMcCain should also explain to us again how Mr. Ethics got tangled up with the Keating 5.
His whole straight talk nonsense is blown apart when he talks about the line item veto when he knows perfectly well it was struck down by the court and for that matter is so obviously unconstitutional.
McCain knows that the average guy listening to him has never in his life read the Constitution and is also unaware that the measure has already been struck by the court. He’s using that ignorance to promote himself.
Politicians lie regularly but this type of thing crosses the line. The average person should be able to trust a US Senator on points like that. Blowing smoke up peoples’ ass on a point of civics is really an afront to the office of public trust that he holds.
It’s worse than when someone like McCain or Bush or the countless Conservatives dating back to Reagan make the claim that tax cuts at the top generate more revenue. They know it’s bullshit (although, doubtless there are some who’ve drunk enough kool-aid to believe it) and anyone reasonably well informed knows its bullshit, but, it could at least be seen as an opinion.
For my money the line item scam is the worst kind of lie and a type of lie that is congenital Republican in nature. I’ve seen it all my life.
January 8th, 2008 at 1:34 amDoesn’t McCain remember the whole stink about line item vetoes while he was in the Senate? Hell, I think it even involved Giuliani in a court case with Bill Clinton where Guiliani fought against the line item veto. Maybe Giuliani should have piped up?
January 8th, 2008 at 6:11 pmMCain has always been a shallow two faced hypocrite. After Vietnam he moved to AZ and married the daughter of the guy who owned the Budweiser distributorship (rich). He used that and his war record to get elected to Congress, then the Senate. About the only paper in Phoenix is the AZ Republic (formerly Republican). They haven’t changed. So much for a free press, one newspaper for millions of people and it is a right wing rag.
He has made jokes about seniors (before he became one), Dem politicians children, dropping bombs on people (bomb, bomb Iran), said he was for choice and then against and on and on. His wife stole drugs from an international health program and got off with probation while he pushes for strict incarceration of blacks and others.
Big hero — dropping bombs on poor peoples houses. Kind of like we did/do in Iraq. He still believes we should have kept going in Vietnam. A bonfide war monger…
All that and he is still better than most of the Repugs…
February 7th, 2008 at 8:05 pmThis post is wrong. The Rehnquist Center was a bill not an earmark. Check here
February 15th, 2008 at 10:56 am