McCain Adviser Holtz-Eakin’s Favorite Campaign Pledge: We’ll Get Around To Details Later
McCain Adviser Holtz-Eakin’s Favorite Campaign Pledge: We’ll Get Around To Details Later
Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will give a speech on health care in Florida, where he will offer broad platitudes about “chang[ing] the whole dynamic of the current system” and addressing “the the fundamental problems of cost and access.” Yet when legitimate questions have been raised about his health plans, McCain — and his chief economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin — have been absent on specifics. “So, a little more detail, but remember, it is April, and the election’s in November, so not everything will happen tomorrow or this week,” Holtz-Eakin told reporters yesterday.
Punting on the issues seems to be the only firm commitment Holtz-Eakin will give, whether he’s discussing McCain’s approach to climate change, his tax plan, or his health care policy:
ON SPENDING CUTS
– “Mr. Holtz-Eakin says the mistake that people are making is treating the McCain platform as if it were a finished piece of work. ‘It’s April,’ he said. ‘We have until November.’ The campaign will later unveil ‘base broadeners’ in the corporate tax code — that is, loopholes it will eliminate — that will pay for the faster investment write-offs, for example.” [NYT, 4/23/08]ON CLIMATE POLICY
– “He [McCain] certainly would revise the bill [Lieberman-Warner] in light of what’s transpired, and I expect he’ll put out, during the course of the campaign, something like an updated version of his view of how it should go.” [Holtz-Eakin interview with Grist, 4/21/08]– “I’m just going to defer until he [McCain] puts out the climate policy.” [Holtz-Eakin interview with Grist, 4/21/08]
ON HEALTH CARE
– “‘We are working on it,’ said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s top policy adviser. ‘We’ll put out more details. As we do, it will be clearer to people.’” [Boston Globe, 4/3/08]ON McCAIN’S TAX PLAN
– “Having secured the Republican nomination, McCain now also seems uncomfortable with the huge tax cuts he proposed months ago, and the campaign seems to be searching for a course correction. Holtz-Eakin has said that McCain ‘is by no means done making tax proposals.‘” [CBS News, 4/20/08]
The Straight Talk express apparently can’t navigate through specifics.
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How stupid are we, the people of the United States. This man has 40+ % of the nation backing him? This is insane, how could he get this far without any plan to solve any of our problems? Do you really think his people think there is something wrong with the country? Wake up!!!! His pole ratings should match his IQ = 20% TO 28% JUST LIKE BUSH. CONSIDERING THERE ARE ONE WITH THERE THOUGHTS AND DIRECTION IN WHICH THEY SEE THE COUNTRY GOING.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:10 pmWhy is it that Clinton and Obama can publish their version of a Health Care Plan but McCain is allowed to get away with generalities and a “We’ll work it out later”.
The Democrats need to find a way to let the public know that they have a plan (actually two plans) and the Republicans don’t have any plan.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:10 pmGo ahead, declare “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” before November 4, 2008 , you trollup bastards.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:11 pmMcCain already gave the speech. He looked like a bad actor reading cue cards for the very first time.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pmNOLIESPLEASE Says:
America’s losing it’s standing, nolies. This is a devolving country stuck in the delusions of pop culture and possessing weak reading abilities. Apparently, too many don’t have enough time to read into things and make an informed decision. A cheap outline does the trick. Republicans couldn’t be happier.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pmThe country is going to shambles, but hey, Apple’s profits are through the roof.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pmThe talk on the bus goes round and round, round and round
The talk on the bus goes round and round,
Through all the towns
McCain on the bus just spins and lies, spins and lies
McCain on the bus just spins and lies
Through all the towns
The old man on the bus just forgets, just forgets
April 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pmThe old man on the bus just forgets
Through all the towns
#1: His pole ratings should match his IQ = 20% TO 28%
- - Best to not typo when railing against low IQs.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:19 pmThey’ll probably get around to admitting McCain had a lobotomy sometime after November.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:23 pmBadmoodman Says:
#1: His pole ratings should match his IQ = 20% TO 28%
- - Best to not typo when railing against low IQs.
LOL
Yeah, if my “pole” matched my IQ, it would be very difficult to walk around and would scare all my girlfriends off…
April 29th, 2008 at 12:26 pmThe majority of people that would vote for McCain would do so for one reason…he and they are both Republicans. Recalling how there were many pundits on the right who were sliming McCain when it looked like someone else might win the nomination (Romney, Guiliani, etc.) are now firmly in his camp, that should be obvious.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pmAnother reason the “D”s need to pick a candidate and stop all the infighting! I’m soooooo sick of hearing about Rev.Wright and what a roadblock he is for Obama. Can we PLEASE talk about the issues MSM?
Sheesh!
April 29th, 2008 at 12:35 pmGotta be glad this numnutz is on John Sidney McCain III’s campaign.
He actually doesn’t have until November. Voters would like to see this shit somewhat earlier than that.
Clues, 3 for a dollar at Top Campaign, inc…
April 29th, 2008 at 12:43 pmI’ve tried two times to post TP and you’ve thrown me in moderation. Fix your system.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:47 pmI don’t really understand why Cindy McCain, with all her inherited wealth would even want to be First TrollopC*nt.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:48 pmThe Republicans will never give specifics. Remember, this is not an election. It is an audition for the role of the President. The government is run by special interest groups that have bought and paid for the public offices that they now control. An election is to merely confirm that new face for the public.
We will hear no specifics from McCain. McCain can not provide specifics since this would permit actual evaluation of his positions. He merely delivers sweet talk that can not be attacked. Besides, McCain does not know what his corporate masters desire.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:05 pmAccording to the mainstream news media, Barak Obama is a good speaker with no substance, and no plan.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:18 pmTo my fans, sorry for the error. #1: His pole ratings should match his IQ = 20% TO 28%
Let me set it right….POLL now is that better.
Some times the anger takes over, and the mind doesn’t think clearly as it should.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:20 pmDon’t worry. McCain’s plan is to be a compassionate conservative. What could possibly go wrong?
April 29th, 2008 at 1:24 pmHoltz-Eakin probably figures that all he and the rest of McCain’s campaign army have to do is stall until November, because people won’t press really hard for specifics. Sadly, he’s right. There are far too many Americans who would rather hear about Obama’s pastor than about McCain’s plans for health care, and the media are far too happy to fill this “need”.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:41 pmshoeless Says
April 29th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
According to the mainstream news media, Barak Obama is a good speaker with no substance, and no plan.
______________________________________
Ironically, Obama has his plans outlined on his site in plainer English than either of the other two candidates, complete with a helpful downloadable PDF containing his plans in a well-organized manner.
Hillary decided to spin Obama’s eloquence into a negative, and the media have run with that. Hillary decided to throw out a vague statement about how only she and McCain have passed the “Commander-in-Chief” test without giving any details as to what this test is — and the media have run with that. McCain just plays his “maverick” card (plus the Hanoi Hilton one) as often as possible and the media just eat it up — even though the term “maverick” is meaningless when applied to McCain.
Obama has experience, eloquence, AND plans. Will the MSM finally get with that program once they get tired of McCain’s barbecues?
April 29th, 2008 at 1:48 pm“Mr. Holtz-Eakin says the mistake that people are making is treating the McCain platform as if it were a finished piece of work. ‘It’s April,’ he said. ‘We have until November.’
Yeah , November of 2012 ……………..Where you’ll get trounced again if you capture the GOP nomination for president.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:53 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
Obama has experience, eloquence, AND plans. Will the MSM finally get with that program once they get tired of McCain’s barbecues?
No. Remember, this is the same bunch who, in 2000, were enthralled by Bush rolling oranges down the aisle of his jet liner.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:53 pmIf we have learned anything from past experience, with Republican Presidents, is that they never deliver on issues that are important. I would rather not hear empty promises and platitudes that he has no intention of keeping.
I read a statistic the other day about our economy that emphasises how much damage President Bush has done. The top 10% is driving 50 % of our economy. While the other 90% is deciding that they have to cut out extras. For example, like $5 Lattes at Starbucks and dining out in order to keep up with gas prices, house payments, food and health care expenses. Luxury Item sales, however, are through the roof. (71) $10 million apartments sold in NY to date, when all of last year only 17 were sold.
2Mil had a great point in a post recently; about a 90% tax for the top 10%. I’m all for it. It’s not like they are going to quit their day job. Most of them don’t work…..
April 29th, 2008 at 2:01 pmIs it crazy to think that a candidate should have developed these plans BEFORE he became a candidate for president? Shouldn’t someone so experienced have worked these things out long ago? Except for healthcare, because I doubt he believes there is anything wrong with healthcare.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:27 pmThis is so clear. ALL of the employees of the MSM who make over $250k would never want to support a person who would increase there taxes. Maybe it’s why we ended up with bush(that fu&&^ker doesn’t deserve a captital letter for his name)for the last eight years. This is why we get reporting like we did in 2000. How nice, Mr.Bush is rolling oranges down the isle, oh he’ll make for a good president.
What a load of crap. I look at the professions which have the lowest ratings and guess what, MSM employees rank just below used car salesmen, and lawyers. Wow, I didn’t know lawyers moved up! hmmm
April 29th, 2008 at 3:06 pmHe sounds like Wolfowitz talking in the lead-up the the invasion of Iraq. We don’t need no darn plan nor details. Everything will take care of itself, including that the oil would pay for the war.
Or Rove that the tax cuts would pay for themselves. This guy is another clueless something for nothing advisor. Well, you can take it to the bank that he is wrong. They always are.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:04 pm