McCain Caves To Far Right, Skips Vote On Economic Stimulus That He Promised To Support
McCain Caves To Far Right, Skips Vote On Economic Stimulus That He Promised To Support
John McCain (R-AZ) has been repeatedly claiming on the stump that passing an economic stimulus package is at the very top of his agenda. He has told audiences that the “first thing we gotta do is pass the stimulus package through the Senate.” During a Jan. 24 GOP debate, he explicitly pledged to vote on such legislation when it reached the Senate. Watch McCain make this promise on repeated occasions:
As recently as this morning, McCain again told reporters that he planned on returning to the Senate for this evening’s vote on the economic stimulus, stating that Congress needed to quickly pass legislation.
The measure, blocked by conservatives, fell just one vote short of the 60 needed to end debate. At the “last minute,” McCain decided to skip the vote, even though his plane landed in DC in time. McCain claimed that he was “too busy“:
“I haven’t had a chance to talk about it at all, have not had the opportunity to, even,” McCain said. “We’ve just been too busy, focused on other stuff. I don’t know if I’m doing that. We’ve got a couple of meetings scheduled.”
Both Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) were able to return to the Senate and vote on the bill.
The stimulus package, which included “$600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans,” would also have provided “$44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses.” The bill was opposed by hardline conservatives whom McCain is hoping to woo. By not voting for bill, as he had promised, McCain caved to the right wing and turned his back on 20 million seniors and 250,000 disabled vets. As the AP notes:
Voting “no” with Republican leaders would have offended millions of Social Security recipients and the disabled veterans not scheduled to receive rebates. Voting “yes,” on the other hand, risked alienating Bush, GOP leaders and conservatives already suspicious of McCain’s political leanings. McCain was speaking Thursday before a meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference, a group that booed him last year in absentia.
Today proved to be quite a detour for the straight talk express.
Transcript:
You know that we have some significant economic challenges. And we have a great nation and we have the fundamentals of a strong economy. But my friends, we’ve got some work to do. First thing we gotta do is pass the stimulus package through the Senate, not load it up with a bunch of pork-barrel earmark projects. And get it through the Senate, and get that stimulus to our economy going so people can regain confidence. [...]
First thing we have to do is pass the stimulus package through the Senate. Don’t load it up with a bunch of pork-barrel projects. Have the President sign it, and let’s start moving forward. [...]
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Senator McCain, will you support the part of this that does not make the Bush tax cuts permanent? And as the only member of the Senate on the stage, will you vote for this compromise?
SEN. MCCAIN: Yes, I will.
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59 Responses to “McCain Caves To Far Right, Skips Vote On Economic Stimulus That He Promised To Support”
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Straight talk express is just one more diversionary slogan: a republican lie.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:12 pmLOL.. and this is a suprise to who.?.Blessings
February 6th, 2008 at 10:16 pmeven more republican bullsh*t
February 6th, 2008 at 10:16 pmthe straight talk express
He isn't "straight", he did not "talk" in the Senate today, and he acted more like a local train than an "express" by stopping at any other station than the US Senate.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:18 pmOK, so he lied to us, ya don't think he'll ever lie to us again do ya?
February 6th, 2008 at 10:18 pmSNARKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
A true maverick would tell the GOPigs to shove it and take care of the people's important business in the Senate. What a phony.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:18 pmsee? ... hence, "mcCAVE"...
February 6th, 2008 at 10:21 pmKaty, "McCave".
Good one!
February 6th, 2008 at 10:23 pmStraight talker speaks with forked tongue.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:25 pmPity poor McBush! This is just the kind of delemma he will be facing between now and Nov. No matter what decision he chooses he will be beaten up by one section of the rethug party or another.
So, when there is no good option, like this vote, run and hide until the danger is past. His motto should be "the fast talking express". I expect we will see a lot of flip flopping and squirming from this has been, who has sold his soul for a shot at being an emperor..
February 6th, 2008 at 10:25 pmSo he has flipped from a Moderate Republican War Monger to a Conservative Republican Warmonger; or was that really a flop?
February 6th, 2008 at 10:26 pmYa think any of his suitors in the MSM will notice this and dial back the fervor of their "Maverick®" crap?
Tweeety? You listening?
February 6th, 2008 at 10:28 pmToo busy to vote? Pfft. Too exhausted to vote is more like it.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:29 pmGramps should retire to do viagra commercials like his buddy Dole. Kind of gives new meaning to the straight talk express.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:32 pmI haven’t had a chance to talk about it at all, have not had the opportunity to, even,†McCain said. “We’ve just been too busy, focused on other stuff. I don’t know if I’m doing that. We’ve got a couple of meetings scheduled.â€
Then resign from the damn Senate so that you can focus your ass on "other stuff" and let someone take your place who won't be too busy.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:33 pmRepeat after me...John McCain is the Bob Dole of the 2008 election.
Both are crackpot curmudgeons, like most Republicon artists, who cannot win a general election because they aren't as tricky as Dick and not as Hollywood as Ronnie.
Prediction: McCain will be starring in Viagra commercials by Summer 2009...
February 6th, 2008 at 10:37 pmgee, Republicans denied help to disabled veterans. I want to see our trolls defend that as "supporting the troopsTM"
February 6th, 2008 at 10:38 pmRepeat after me…John McCain is the Bob Dole of the 2008 election.
Comment by outthinku — February 6, 2008 @ 10:37 pm
Good point. How about this:
McCain 2008: I really don't know much about economics.
Dole 1996: I don't know if smoking causes lung cancer; I'm not a doctor.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:44 pmKaty, “McCave“.
Good one!
Comment by Buck — February 6, 2008 @ 10:23 pm
thankyou thankyou...
February 6th, 2008 at 10:45 pmcredit to SAM SEDER... i got it from him, back when mcCAVE caved in about tortcher...
Seder on Sunday is the best show...
BTW, that reference to Dole, as many of you recall, was a response to the issue of his sister (I believe), who was a heavy smoker and who died from lung cancer.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:45 pmJohn McCain is just another GOP dirtball. What exactly would one expect. Really. One more truth-twisting sack of crap that I've had a belly full of. BE GONE!
February 6th, 2008 at 10:52 pm#2 WitchyOne, exactly!
February 6th, 2008 at 10:54 pmThis will be just one of many broken promises, flippety flopperoonies that McCranefly does on his way to ignominous defeat in November.
McGrovel, will you be elected President?
MCGrovel: I don’t know if I’m doing that.
McGrovel, will you flip-flop continuallyt until November, 2009?
McGrovel: Yes, I will.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:55 pmHe doesn't really stand a chance - at least in a fair election he doesn't.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:15 pm“I haven’t had a chance to talk about it at all, have not had the opportunity to, even,†McCain said. “We’ve just been too busy, focused on other stuff. I don’t know if I’m doing that. We’ve got a couple of meetings scheduled.â€
Because we all know that great leadership is all about scheduling meetings.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:20 pmHow come the MSM isn't reporting this tonight ? It is huge news that the repubs tried to block the stimulus package and that McCain didn't show up to cast his vote (and with the vote as close as it was, a vote or 2 difference could have made the difference.
At this point, it seems that all that is left is to use this as a campaign issue - if the package doesn't go through, the list of who voted for and against could be huge. After all, most americans probably started planning on spending the money as soon as the possibility was announced.
The weakness is using this as a campaign issue, though, is that both Clinton and Obama skipped the first vote on closure on the FISA bill. And I realy have to ask where they were (Iowa) when something that important was being decided.
The second problem is in making the cloture votes make sense.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:25 pmSuch a fine example of strength, courage, honesty, integrity, blah, blah, blah. I'll bet by the weekend he's bragging about how much he stands up for and cares about the vets, and the poor, and the disadvantaged, and, of course the stimulus package (that those damn Democrats won't support Bushco on passing).
He's going to change Washington and the political status quo? Well, I doubt it - that tiger just can't change those stripes.
Same party, same people, same crap.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:40 pmI hope this insane old coot DOES suck up to the Right. If he does, then ANY Indie that even THOUGHT about voting for him won't. Keep it up you old stupid fool!
February 6th, 2008 at 11:52 pmMcCain is going to be crushed in the November 2008 Presidential Election unless the GOP resorts to electronically stealing the election (again).
The only real question left folks, is whether the GOP and its operatives are going to try to steal 2008 they way they stole 2004 and 2000: electronically, by easily subverting the designed-to-be-hacked vote tabulating machines (optical scanners) of Diebold Corporation and ES&S Corporation. I know that I am getting to be a broken record, but our election system is not democratic if we continue to allow Republican-controlled corporations to "count" our votes in secret with special hidden software. Imagine if Democratically-controlled corporations were counting the votes: the Republicans would be screaming bloody murder (and rightfully so...) and demand an instant return to hand-counted paper ballots in all American elections.
Republicans such as Bush and Cheney are just very sore losers; Republicans cannot win in a fair election, honestly counted in the open, so they have been resorting to electronic cheating in the 21st century. When are the Dems and the independents going to wise up and demand honest elections?
February 7th, 2008 at 12:01 amAgreed. Utterly impossible for Repugs to win a fair election.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:07 amAgreed. Utterly impossible for Repugs to win a fair election.
Comment by scytherius — February 7, 2008 @ 12:07 am
It will be pretty obvious if they try to steal this time. Democratic voters have been voting in numbers 3 times the Republicans.
And the Republican base is turning out.
The Democrats and real independents ( not fake-jake types ) are motivated to vote this year and they don't like what has happened over the last 7 years.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:21 amIts gonna be 2006 part Deux.
The "math" won't work.
No rebate check in the mail, but the Iraq govenment got their money fast. Now we see what's more important. McCain will still ask for donations to his campaign from those who are just getting by.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:28 amBe sure to Vote.
Drag your friends out to Vote.
Be part of history and help kick these gawd-dayum fascist bums out.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:30 amWhen do we get those democratic voting machines?
February 7th, 2008 at 12:35 amDems need to hammer on these issues and show just how these traitors turn their backs on vets,the poor, elderly folks and the middle class. Make them pay in November.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:37 amMacCocaine is really planning to take Bush's job... including his cunning ways of deceit and lies!
February 7th, 2008 at 12:51 amPlease Vote!!!!!!!!!!!!! I grew up under 25 years of military dictatorship that took over a democratic elected president in 1964. The coup was planned, financed and supported by the USA who sent 'the marines' to our coast to make sure the military would succeed... Brazil, 1964. We were not allowed to vote for president for 25 long years, were we constantly protested for the right to vote! Please, don't take for grant this right. Please vote the Facists out the WH! The World is watching and hope the war criminals one day, will face accountability. Watch "WAR ON DEMOCRACY" a documentary by John Pilger. YOUTUBE it! And yes! Tell you friends to go and vote! When you vote, you have the right to protest, you have the responsability for whom you send to the seat of President. When you vote, that will be your President! HAGUE 2009 FOR THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION!
February 7th, 2008 at 1:00 amCan anyone imagine what a complete and total disaster it would be if this buffoon became president? Enter the dark world that is Diebold.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:26 amya know... he's definitely on the right track to bushIII...
say one thing and do another...
...
sacopenapa - thanks for that warning...
February 7th, 2008 at 1:36 amand your concern...
...
I am thinking that a cloture vote is what prevents a fillibuster, right?
So why isn't the Dem leadership parading the repuglycans around by requiring them to fillibuster this, and making damn sure it lasts, say, three weeks, or until all the primary voting is pretty much done.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:44 amThat'll put them under the national spotlight, dissing veterans, unemployed, etc. Think they'll take the heat?
This type of stuff is perfect for Obama/Clinton to exploit in the general election. Putting McCain on the defensive will be great because he either has to cater to conservatives, which are skeptical of him, or the center which then alienated conservatives. This is exactly the type of stuff that will rip him in half and get a Dem win. Check this cross search to see what I mean in terms of McCain being weak:
February 7th, 2008 at 3:06 amhttp://www.managedq.com/search.php?q=mccain+conservative+political+action+conference
Once the MSM has its narrative, nothing will change it. To them McCain will always be the maverick, the straight talk express. The MSM is almost as reality-challenged as Bush and his supporters.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:15 amIt is still a straight talk express, he said he had other things to do and he did: running for president and being derelict in his senate duties.
He's not running for senate, so why worry?
He also says there will be more wars, recession (but not for important sectors), etc.
And he does care about the seniors and troops, the oldies have to vote for him instead of that Osama guy or a skirt and the troops have to fight, or at least run phony missions and let the mercs get the real work done.
He says gooks, right? In private at least? See, no filter there. Yeah, f them, and close the border because they attacked the basically white Spaniards so they're just moving in to do it again.
(I say phony missions referring to "cost-plus" operations that exploit troops to run empty trucks, etc. Obviously there is very important work being done by capable people, and this post is done as a satire other than him promising war and recession which is true.)
February 7th, 2008 at 4:02 amWatch John Roberts gush over McCrazy's courage.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:10 amIs anyone like me in preferring the House version to this Senate one? The Senate will be giving slightly smaller rebates to Americans earning up to $150,000, while the House limited theirs to individuals with $75,000 in income (both those numbers double for couples). One big problem I have with the Senate version are tax breaks for energy companies - yes, some renewable, but also some coal. I think some sort of compromise could be worked out quickly to produce a better, and maybe less expensive, stimulus.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:51 amStraight Talk: But, gee, aw shucks, I don't know much about eekonamiks, but, oh yeah, I do.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:55 amHillary skipped very important FISA Amendments votes yesterday. She skipped votes that would strengthen civil liberties.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:42 amFrankly this is more important than the stimulus deal~
Remind anyone who loves McCain of the S&L scandal of the '80's and the "Keating Five", a group of which McCain was an intimate member. I was a resident of Arizona during that time. What WAS the final cost to the taxpayers of that fiasco? Can we trust him? NO...... HELL NO!!!
February 7th, 2008 at 9:09 amSo McCain voted by not voting. Sounds like a decisive "Commando in chief".
Not.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:10 amMcDodge, McDuck, McHide.
-GSD
February 7th, 2008 at 9:43 amI go for the too exhausted suggestion. I should know, being close to his age. No way should anyone his age even think of being president. Unlike for the rest of us ordinary people, can you imagine how really serious his senior moments could be?
February 7th, 2008 at 10:00 amStraight talk is just a meaningless advertisement.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:15 amMcCain hasn't delivered straight talk in many years now. He has sold his soul, compromised himself on principles and he is lost.
He may be the likely candidate, but the thought of him as president should shake everyone.
Oh?....well I'll just be 'too busy' to vote for McBush...till the end of time.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:42 am#52 McBush is the perfect name for McCain. McBush, the quintessential flipflopper's at it again. For his 71 years on this earth, this man doesn't have the first clue about who he is, what he believes, and is so easily swayed by detractors. It's no surprise the reichwing loathes him.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:16 amLet's pray that McBush is their candidate. He's a war monger when 70% of this country has become anti-Iraq. Prescription for disaster, that's what the straight talk express is - it will be known as the swiftboat express.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:17 amR's will think his willingness to lie to everyone's face makes him more "presidential" - all they're looking for is a good liar with a righty agenda anyway.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:57 pmThe guy didn't show up for work. How many of you would have been fired for that! I'll tell you this right now, personal opinion, I think McCain may have PTSD big time. If he makes president even Pat Buchanan has said McCain will make Cheney look like Ghandi. As far as I'm concerned take it to the bank, McCain would be Bush on Steroids. McCain, how about showing for work. This is why you are in the Senate. Not to mention the fact that the vote will have an impact on average Americans. The people who struggle everyday to keep it all running.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:27 pmPity poor McBush! This is just the kind of delemma he will be facing between now and Nov. No matter what decision he chooses he will be beaten up by one section of the rethug party or another.
So, when there is no good option, like this vote, run and hide until the danger is past. His motto should be “the fast talking express”. I expect we acer sq-2100 battery,acer 916-2320 battery
October 15th, 2008 at 2:39 amwill see a lot of flip flopping and squirming from this has been, who has sold his soul for a shot at being an emperor..
Just like the cold war when everyone who didn’t agree with the U.S. was either a communist or a communist sympathizer. toki This poor crazy guy spent half a decade being tortured because a bunch of stupid politicians araç sorgulama were sure the NVA was in bed with the Russians (minimal help) and/or the Chinese (ancient enemy of the vietnamese). ssk sorgulama You would think he would have learned from others’ mistakes. Guess not. Republicans need an enemy. key ödemeleri This century it apparently will be all Muslims, health all of whom must be alQaeda operatives.
March 1st, 2009 at 1:35 pm