Think Progress

Flashback: McCain Opposed Divestment From South Africa

mccainaipac.jpgDuring his speech before the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) touted the success of America’s divestment campaign from South Africa’s racist apartheid regime and proposed a similar policy towards Iran:

We should privatize the sanctions against Iran by launching a worldwide divestment campaign. …Years ago, the moral clarity and conviction of civilized nations came together in a divestment campaign against South Africa, helping to rid that nation of the evil of apartheid. In our day, we must use that same power and moral conviction against the regime in Iran, and help to safeguard the people of Israel and the peace of the world.

Years ago, McCain lacked the “moral clarity and conviction” to consistently support divestment from South Africa. Despite voting to override President Reagan’s veto of a bill imposing economic sanctions against South Africa in 1986, McCain voted against sanctions on at least six other occasions:

1985: Voted To Recommit Anti-Apartheid Act To Foreign Affairs Committee Postponing Sanctions Against South Africa: McCain voted to postpone for one year the imposition of any sanctions against South Africa, permitting the president to waive the sanctions if he determined that the African National Congress had not renounced violence. [HR 1460, Vote 129, 6/5/85, Failed 139-282, D 7-238; R 132-44; I 0-0]

1985: Voted To Allow U.S. Firms Continue Investing In South Africa: McCain voted to let U.S. firms continue investing in South Africa if their units comply with a code of worker rights. [HR 1460, Vote 110, 5/21/85, Failed 148-256, D 3-227; R 145-29; I 0-0]

1985: Voted Against Requiring Immediate Withdrawal Of U.S. Investment From South Africa: McCain voted against imposing a total ban on U.S. exports to South Africa. [HR 1460, Vote 128, 6/5/85, Failed 77-345, D 77-167; R 0-178; I 0-0]

1985: Voted Against Establishing A Commission To Study Apartheid In South Africa And To Recommend Sanctions: McCain voted against establishing a commission to study apartheid in South Africa and to recommend what sanctions the United States should impose on the government. [HR 1460, Vote 126, 6/5/85, Failed 108-310, D 6-235; R 102-75; I 0-0]

1985: Voted Against Imposing Sanctions Against South Africa: McCain voted against imposing sanctions immediately against South Africa. [HR 1460, Vote 130, 6/5/85, Passed 295-127, D 239-6; R 56-121; I 0-0]

1986: Voted Against Considering Imposing Economic Sanctions Against South Africa: McCain voted against providing for House floor consideration of the bill to impose economic sanctions against South Africa. [HR 4868, Vote 159, 6/18/86, Passed 286-127, D 238-4; R 48-123; I 0-0]

McCain’s schizophrenic voting record on divestment undermines his lofty campaign rhetoric and moral platitudes. McCain was as slow to recognize the importance of “helping to rid that nation of the evil of apartheid” as he is quick to consider bombing Iran.



55 Responses to “Flashback: McCain Opposed Divestment From South Africa”

  1. Zooey says:

    Whiplash McSame, ladies and gentlemen. :-)


  2. nyg2008 says:

    Let us not forget, also, that Obama was the one that proposed a bipartisan bill that would pressure American companies to withdraw their investments in Iran. In Tuesday’s pre-buttal speech, McCain accuses Obama of promoting the “failed policies of the past”, but then goes ahead and promotes Obama’s policies. Does anyone think we are going to lose to this joker in November?


  3. Freedom Rebel says:

    McCain only has “clarity and conviction” when it comes to making money and keeping the lobbyists happy. Sorry, I can’t use the word moral in the same sentence as John’s name. He lost his morality years ago. His insistance at bomb, bomb, bombing Iran, and making a joke of it, shows how little importance he values human life.


  4. spencers mom says:

    “McCain was as slow to recognize the importance of “helping to rid that nation of the evil of apartheid” as he is quick to consider bombing Iran.”

    Yes, and slow to get behind the MLK holiday, too. Guess McCain has a real problem getting behind African-American issues. Are we now to believe that he’s grown from these experiences?

    But then, if he really did rank 894th out of his class of 899 at Annapolis, s-l-o-w seems to be his real problem.

    PEACE


  5. Marcus Aurelius says:

    Can’t be lettin’ them darkies get uppity – next thing you know, one of ‘em will be wantin’ to be Prezdnit.

    What is wrong with these goddamned Republicans?

    If you rob, politically disenfranchise, and oppress a group of people mercilessly and for a long time – especially when based on an inherent and immutable thing such as skin color – they will rise up in violence against you. They are not terrorists. You, however, are a racist thug.


  6. DieNowForPeace says:

    OFF TOPIC:

    Clinton to suspend campaign, bucking for VP bid?

    WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Hillary Clinton will officially suspend her campaign for the presidency by the end of the week, multiple sources told CNN on Wednesday.

    The Clinton campaign said she “will be hosting an event in Washington, D.C. on Saturday to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity.”


  7. Zooey says:

    republicans hate facts Says:
    June 4th, 2008 at 8:41 pm

    Ya got nothin’, rhf. Obama said the gas tax holiday was a dumb idea, and he was right.

    Hey, Hillary is finally doing what she could have done gracefully last night. :-D


  8. Freedom Rebel says:

    # 8 Zooey Says:

    Ya got nothin’, rhf. Obama said the gas tax holiday was a dumb idea, and he was right.

    Hey, Hillary is finally doing what she could have done gracefully last night. :-D

    Good evening Zooey, how is your mom doing? Good I hope:)


  9. Badmoodman says:

    Longtime Senators leave a paper trail. This is why they rarely become presidents. If you’re a Senator, run early.

    No, even earlier than her.


  10. Zooey says:

    Freedom Rebel Says:
    June 4th, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    Hello, Freedom Rebel. We’re still in IL, but Mom is recovering nicely in the rehab unit to re-build her strength. I hope to put the parents on an airplane home, and get headed west in the next week. :)


  11. Freedom Rebel says:

    #11 Zooey

    Hello, Freedom Rebel. We’re still in IL, but Mom is recovering nicely in the rehab unit to re-build her strength. I hope to put the parents on an airplane home, and get headed west in the next week. :)

    Glad to hear she is progressing. It rained here most of the day in Ohio, I hope you had better weather in IL.


  12. PatrioticLiberalChristian says:

    Everybody sing!

    They call him Flipper, Flipper, hopeless and fright’ning,
    No one you see, panders more than he,
    And we know Flipper, lives in a world full of bluster,
    Lying to muster, muster the presidency!

    Everyone knows the king of the flip flop,
    On one position he can’t stop,
    Tricks he will do when voters appear,
    And how they laugh when he’s near!

    They call him Flipper, Flipper, hopeless and fright’ning,
    No one you see, panders more than he,
    And we know Flipper, lives in a world full of bluster,
    Lying to muster, muster the presidency!


  13. Zooey says:

    Freedom Rebel Says:
    June 4th, 2008 at 9:12 pm

    We were headed for Ohio! The weather here has been terrible. We had tornado warnings last night — a first for this westerner. Yikes.


  14. Zooey says:

    #13, PLC — Fantastic!


  15. dbadass says:

    Raise your hand if you helped build a cardboard shanty town on the quad.


  16. PatrioticLiberalChristian says:

    Thank you, Zooey. BTW, I don’t really know the story about your mom, but I hope and trust that things are improving.


  17. And the beat goes on says:

    Obama needs to take this idiot up (after a rest period) on his town hall meeting. McCain thinks that’s his sdtrong point…I’d hate to see his weakest point. Do it away from the media pundits, bring this kind of crap up and see how long McInsane lasts. Unless he McFlipper (great song, by the way!) remains delusional, he will probably bow out ater 1 meeting. Bring it on!


  18. Nevar says:

    Apparently Obama literally backed McCain up against the wall in the Senate today and gave him a talking to.
    Right on!
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/04/lieberman-carries-mccains_n_105179.html


  19. Freedom Rebel says:

    #13 PatrioticLiberalChristian Says:

    Thanks for the laugh you are on a roll tonight….


  20. dbschell says:

    Divestment? How funny.
    The use was ready to when the ANC come to power.
    In comes the IMF, the world Bank ad something called the
    Washington Consensus.
    The blacks got the government and the whites total control of the
    economics
    There is still apartheid.
    The real question is what was McCains role during these
    later negotiations.
    If you follow where I’m going with this you’ll see that
    the US would love to do to Iraq and Iraq ad the rest of the Middle East
    what they’ve done to South Africa.

    Good reference: Chapter 10 of the Shock Doctrine
    Democracy born in Chains.


  21. Xisithrus says:

    Prolific pandowaffling.


  22. Nevar says:

    McCain is totally out of his league now with Barack Obama as his rival.
    He (McCain) might have been able to hold his own for a little while against Hillary…
    Barack will leave behind him in the dust a babbling and bumbling burnout that will make even George Bush look good.


  23. LumpyDunky says:

    That idiot “McBush” can’t even remember all his lies. He doesnt know if he is going our coming. What a joke. Surely no one is taking little McBush seriously? are they?

    JT
    Is your ISP Snooping on you?


  24. marlow says:

    Why should he care? He’s old, rich, and so white he looks (and probably smells) like he was rolled in talcum powder. What a maroon.


  25. RUCerious says:

    Yes, this was the same policy introduced by Obama/Brownback (of all people), that McIIIrd opposed. Jackass.


  26. republicanSScareme says:

    Must all our political candidates kiss the Jews’ asses?


  27. CunuckleHead says:

    I am not involed in US politics, living north of the 49th, but having said that, I think Obama is inspirational and hope he will be the next US president.

    John McCain’s comments are rather ironic not only considering his record voting on the subject but also his audience. I almost fell off my chair when I saw this post.

    Considering that Israel set its self apart from the rest of the western world was one of the most fierce opponents of the sanctions against South Africa during the 80’s, there must have been more then a few uncomfortable glances among members of the audience.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel-South_Africa_relations

    Many said G.W.Bush, although clueless, would be a good president because he would have great advisers to guide him. That worked out well didn’t it?

    Looks like those advisers are working the McCain campaign.

    Just one more reason why McCain is unfit for the nomination.


  28. Rowan Berkeley says:

    Nevar Says : Apparently Obama literally backed McCain up against the wall in the Senate today and gave him a talking to.
    Right on! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ 2008/ 06/ 04/ lieberman-carries-mccains_n_105179.html

    – spell it out for me : what exactly can Obama threaten Lieberman with?


  29. Nevar says:

    Rowan Berkeley Says:

    Nevar Says : Apparently Obama literally backed McCain up against the wall in the Senate today and gave him a talking to.
    Right on! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ 2008/ 06/ 04/ lieberman-carries-mccains_n_105179.html

    – spell it out for me : what exactly can Obama threaten Lieberman with?

    I did not use the word threaten in my post, neither did I find the word threaten in the linked article…
    Are you flailing at the oars again?


  30. Rowan Berkeley says:

    I want to know what leverage Obama has over Lieberman. The exact terminology was not my concern. I wasn’t criticising you.

    Whenever I see any account of what Obama said to Lieberman, I shall pass it on. I have even checked the comments thread at HuffPost on that story several times since it went up, in the hope that someone will post such an account. I’m really, really interested.


  31. Rowan Berkeley says:

    This really nails the situation, doesn’t it, Nevar?

    “The Democratic majority in the next Senate is almost certain to be big enough that it will not have to depend on Joe Lieberman continuing to call himself a Democrat”
    Mark Schmitt, American Prospect, May 27, 2008
    http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=can_identity_politics_save_the_right


  32. Rowan Berkeley says:

    Someone in that HuffPost thread says that Harry Reid said Joe could caucus with the party even if they didn’t need him after November.


  33. Rowan Berkeley says:

    Nevar Says: Are you flailing at the oars again?

    You sound like the same kind of person who thinks that he can establish Iran’s malign intent by referring to Ahmadinejad as “I’m a a dinner jacket.”


  34. Nevar says:

    You sound like the same kind of person we have had here before who thinks he can bait and confuse with obtuse and wandering non-statements of position.

    You also seem to have an inability to steer a straight course.
    If your oars meet in the middle and crush your thumbs, either your boat is to narrow, or your oarlocks are misplaced.
    You may simply abandon ship, or try paddling over the side with one oar.
    Another remedy is to alternate port and starboard oars.
    That’s left and right, in case you are unfamiliar with nautical terms.
    In any event, you are likely to get wet before it’s all over. Fortunately the patches on the elbows of your blazer are vinyl, and won’t suffer any permanent damage. See you in class, Professor.


  35. doktorgizemli says:

    This is another example that the “old world jounalism of Murrow, Cronkite and Rather is dead and buried. In the case of the Time Magazine reporter Ms Tumulty, she seems to think the finding out the who, what, where, when and how have been replaced with a steno pad, which she records what ABC said in rebuttle to the complaint of Congressman Kucinich. There is a great disconnect with what happened and the points made by ABC. She asks little of no questions to ABC. She takes what is handed to her and repeats it vebatim and then calls that reporting. I call is stenography. Lida Sohbet sohbet sesli chat Gelinlik Modelleri


  36. aliaygar says:

    The McNuttster straight-talky bus is goin head on into the McCrazy 2.0 bullshit train. Only one can survive…the big one.

    erotik
    tatil


  37. doktorgizemli says:

    If you’re referring to Karl Schwarz’ articles, if they are true, how will we ever know unless the news media gets involved without bias? The military under orders not to speak out may never convey Karl Scharz’ expose’. Sesli Sohbet If Cheney was truly involved in 9/11 and protected in some way, then he’s being protected by what may be going on in the Caspian Sea area as well. That pre-9/11 August 10, 2000 article drives the point home to me that Cheney had a vested interest in the oil at the Caspian Sea area (before 9/11). Fx15 From all I’ve read in Schwarz’ articles, he claims the Taliban was working on a deal with Argentina with that pipeline in the Caspian Sea area and UNOCOL wanted the deal instead. Orjinal Lida It’s too much to get into here and I’m not able to convey in here what Schwarz has presented in his articles. Sikis Dig into Schwarz’ articles to learn more about the unnamed soldier’s experiences related to so-called Black Ops missions in the Caspian Sea area in Schwarz’ article. What Schwarz had to present in this article is an eye opener: kurtlar vadisi pusu izle




  38. ahmet mehmet says:

    I want suits in Colorado, New Jersey, and any other state where illegal suppression campaigns are being conducted. And some real looks at the polling methodology would also be eye opening.

    mynet
    dizi izle
    sohbet odalari
    ttnet sohbet


  39. dewil says:

  40. ahmet mehmet says:

    As I’ve said before, Sarah Palin is the ENERGIZER Bunny that keeps going, and going, and irritatingly keeps going some more. She should go away for a while, and get her act together. Staying in people’s faces just makes people not what to listen to her or have anything to do with with
    porno turk
    sikis
    porno video izlesene
    There was a brief footnote in the report that quoted William Worfel, former vice chairman of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, saying that Abramoff told the chief of a Mississippi tribe to spend $13 million “to get the governor of Alabama elected to keep gaming out of Alabama so it wouldn’t hurt … his market in Mississippi


  41. Oyun says:

    McCain voted against sanctions on at least six other occasions:


  42. doktorgizemli says:

    Just like the cold war when everyone who didn’t agree with the U.S. was either a communist or a communist sympathizer. Lida This poor crazy guy spent half a decade being tortured because a bunch of stupid politicians Lida were sure the NVA was in bed with the Russians (minimal help) and/or the Chinese (ancient enemy of the vietnamese). Orjinal Lida You would think he would have learned from others’ mistakes. Guess not. Republicans need an enemy. yuda This century it apparently will be all Muslims, Elektronik Sigara all of whom must be alQaeda operatives.


  43. ducasLoi says:

    If you’re referring to Karl Schwarz’ articles, if they are true, how will we ever know unless the news media gets involved without bias? The military under orders not to speak out may never convey Karl Scharz’ expose’. güzel sözler If Cheney was truly involved in 9/11 and protected in some way, then he’s being protected by what may be going on in the Caspian Sea area as well. That pre-9/11 August 10, 2000 article drives the point home to me that Cheney had a vested interest in the oil at the Caspian Sea area (before 9/11). Fx15 From all I’ve read in Schwarz’ articles, he claims the Taliban was working on a deal with Argentina with that pipeline in the Caspian Sea area and UNOCOL wanted the deal instead. güzel sözler It’s too much to get into here and I’m not able to convey in here what Schwarz has presented in his articles. güzel sözler Dig into Schwarz’ articles to learn more about the unnamed soldier’s experiences related to so-called Black Ops missions in the Caspian Sea area in Schwarz’ article. What Schwarz had to present in this article is an eye opener: sohbet odalar?


  44. Briace says:

    Wholesale jewelry online, supply vast kinds of styles mainly engage in wholesale handmade jewelry such as wholesale crystal ,wholesale pearl ,wholesale gemstone,wholesale costume jewelry,also wholesale fashion jewelry like wholesale swarovski crystal,wholesale beads,wholesale turquoise,wholesale coral,shell jewelry and discount jewelry,wholesale jewelry handmade jewelry costume jewelry jewelry wholesale


  45. denizerdogan says:

    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, kredi all of whom must

    be alQaeda operatives.


  46. flash oyun says:

    yo nunca habia visto a Eugenio Derbez haciendo el papel de malo pero esta pelicula esta muy bonita y si le cae ambos papeles pero lo disfruto mas cuando hace el papel de comedian
    k?z oyunlar? | araba oyunlar? | flash oyun | oyun sitesi



  47. youtubee says:

    bu yararli bilgi icin youtube ve youtube olarak tesekkur ederiz.



  48. sohbet07 says:

    http://www.chatturkey.com/index.php
    http://www.chatturkey.com/sohbet.php

    that page all about chat sohbet muhabbet turkey chat türkiye chat türkiye muhabbet, muhabbet sohbet canli ara yap bul bak

    sohbet






Jump to Top

About Think Progress | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (off-site) | RSS | Donate
© 2005-2009 Center for American Progress Action Fund
View Most Popular

Advertisement

What We're About

Featured

image
Subscribe to the Progress Report



imageTopic Cloud


Visit Our Affiliated Sites

image image
Reports


Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.

Name:
Email:
Tip:
(required)


imageArchives


imageBlog Roll