After Promising To ‘Never’ Give Up Fighting Big Tobacco, McCain Gives Up
After Promising To ‘Never’ Give Up Fighting Big Tobacco, McCain Gives Up
Last month, the House passed legislation — sparking the ire of conservatives — that would grant the FDA stronger regulation power over the tobacco industry, mirroring a 1998 proposal authored by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). At the time, McCain said he would “never” give up on his anti-tobacco efforts.
As the Wonk Room noted, however, McCain recently signaled that he had doubts with the House legislation, stating he wouldn’t “commit to voting for it until he sees the final legislation.” Roll Call reports today that McCain is “declining to embrace” his own legislation:
The campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) is declining to embrace McCain’s own 1998 tobacco bill, legislation that would have raised taxes to the tune of $516 billion over 25 years. … Asked repeatedly last week whether McCain still backs the bill and if he thought it was a good idea, senior adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin declined to answer directly.
But he noted that some of the aims of the legislation did not pan out as hoped for after the tobacco industry and the states settled on their own. … And McCain today does not support raising taxes on cigarettes, his adviser said.
In 1998, however, McCain supported a $1.10-per-pack tax hike. “I still regret we did not succeed,” he said last October. Throughout his campaign, he has been touting his support for the 1998 legislation, even running an advertisement on the matter:
Only McCain has taken on big tobacco, drug companies, fought corruption in both parties.
Watch it:
McCain’s flip-flop suggests he is pandering to his anti-tax base, after catching heat from conservatives for saying that “payroll tax increases” were not “off the table” regarding Social Security. “There are a number of things in McCain’s record — including the tobacco bill — that give conservatives pause,” according to a “leading conservative strategist” interviewed by Roll Call.
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28 Responses to “After Promising To ‘Never’ Give Up Fighting Big Tobacco, McCain Gives Up”
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Well, whataya know, the Democratic leadership is actually doing a fairly good job of showing the public that John McSame doesn't actually stand for anything, not even his own Maverick bills. Now they just need to make a campaign commercial out of this....
August 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pmNot another Mickey flip flop! I thought he was going to save us from big tobacco:
http://originaldo.com/mickey-rooney-braveheart.jpg
August 11th, 2008 at 12:07 pmWhat a sad, sad shell of a man McCain is now. How obvious it is now that he is pandering. It is even more of a shame that the MSM does not report to the unaware Americans what this unprincipled man is doing now.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:11 pmThe genius of McCain: Attach "surge" to every talking point and take both sides of every issue knowing a large part of the voters won't realize it.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:14 pmJohn McCain once again proves what a Maverick he is by opposing his own bill! John McCain isn't going to let John McCain tell him what to do!
August 11th, 2008 at 12:14 pmIf McCain has given up fighting Big Tobacco, it follows that he hasn't given up fighting 'Small Tobacco'...that's the way I choose to look at it anyway.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:15 pmSeriously, I hope Somebody on Nancy's staff is digging up all of ol' John's previous bills, to see if some of them could be passed today. If he refuses to vote for his own bills we make a big stink about flip floping, and if he does, it's a big ol' slap in the face with a wet fish for the conservatives!
August 11th, 2008 at 12:18 pmTobacco should be regulated. It's a drug and it is the MOST addictive drug. The tobacco farmers in the south can plant edible foods and/or plants to be used to make bio-fuels. Republicans are always doing things backwards. They are stuck in the past and lack imagination. McCain is stuck in the stone age.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pmObama's fund raising organizing skills & success has pushed McTopless into an embarrassing corner...
He has to raise buku bucks, but his supporters epitomize those he's always 'been against'.
This dilemma causes McFlipper to flop aimlessly on issues. He doesn't REALLY know where he stand on anything.
Americans should realize the 'Pander Bear' is not a man of principle, but rather of convenience.
Which direction are the political winds blowing today, John?
August 11th, 2008 at 12:28 pmMcPimp is another of the same ilk as Bush. (and the rest of the GOP) None can make promises they intend on keeping. None are worth poop!
August 11th, 2008 at 12:29 pmAfter promising to never give up the fight against senility McOld forgot to forget about getting senile.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:30 pmqatwoman Says: "None can make promises they intend on keepin..."
Is a "promise" you don't intend to keep really a promise or just a lie? Now that, My Dear Lady, is a rhetorical question if there ever was a Repukican.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:34 pmI'm sure the media will jump all over this story ... unless they're too busy with their wall to wall coverage of Edward's indiscretions....
August 11th, 2008 at 12:38 pmMcCain recently signaled that he had doubts with the House legislation, stating he wouldn’t “commit to voting for it until he sees the final legislation.”
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As we saw with the new G.I. Bill, when McCain says this, it really means, "I haven't gotten my marching orders on this issue yet, but stay tuned for another flip-flop."
It doesn't really matter that much whether McCain supports it or not, since he won't be in Washington to vote on it. But if he gets pinned to the wall on what his position is, he will just utter the words that his neocon handlers want him to say.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:41 pmAmerica cannot afford another "hands-off" ((cough!)), in-active, ineffective President. Not now.
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...que a hot wooden fishing pier, pan down to find a flounder, flip-floppin' all over the dock, crossfade to multiple cuts of McCain contradicting himself and fumbling with the English language on very hot topics...
(Pretty sure the majority of the Walmart crowd loves fishing.)
August 11th, 2008 at 12:46 pmMaybe Johnny will share a 'stogie' with Ralph Reed when they meet next week.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:48 pmMcCain does not speak for the McCain campaign.
Here we go again. Boy George was/is the sock puppet for Cheney, who has his hand up McCain's ass?
August 11th, 2008 at 12:48 pmThis is when Obama needs to react swiftly with a cutting ad concerning McCain and his flip-flop. Just take a cut of his original ad and then his response followed with the amount of tobacco contributions that he has received. A very short, cutting ad.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:49 pmWhat really is McWrinkled's religion?
After a solid month of Rev. Wright, no one I've heard in the MSM is asking or reporting about this.
Hypocrisy? Yes
Denial? Yes
Marching 'Orders'? Perhaps
Ralph Reed is the poster boy for religious corruption. He & James Dobson are on a mission to put God in the White House.
Again.
Is McCain's religion like his policies? Day by day, or whichever way the wind blows?
August 11th, 2008 at 12:51 pmCats r Flyfishn Says
August 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Tobacco should be regulated. It’s a drug and it is the MOST addictive drug. The tobacco farmers in the south can plant edible foods and/or plants to be used to make bio-fuels. Republicans are always doing things backwards. They are stuck in the past and lack imagination. McCain is stuck in the stone age.
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While I agree with you concerning McCain, Republicans, and the stone age, you state a popular misconception about tobacco farmers, and that is -- "why can't they just grow something else?"
Here in North Carolina, the average tobacco farm is only 40 acres. Why so small? Tobacco is one of the most labor-intensive crops there is, and most of these farms are family-owned and run. Even with every family member pitching in the the tobacco leaf harvest, outside help is still needed (and many teens in the tobacco-growing areas still get their summer spending money by tying tobacco).
Even with the hard work, what is grown on 40 acres can sustain the family. No other crop can do that with so little acreage. To plant corn or another food crop on a small farm is like setting up a Wal-Mart in the space formerly occupied by a jewelry store.
As far as the FDA regulating tobacco, the biggest problem I see is how the FDA will justify its being kept a legal product. The FDA isn't likely to approve a drug with no medicinal or therapeutic benefit. But what happens when tobacco is banned? Probably about the same thing that happened with alcohol in the 1920's.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:55 pmNo one has ever flip-flopped & pandered to the extent McCain has. He's pathetic.
August 11th, 2008 at 1:58 pmI would argue that hemp could easily be profitable on small plots but I see your point misshusseinmolly
August 11th, 2008 at 1:59 pmFolks, McSame didn't say he was against the legislation. He just stated he wouldn’t “commit to voting for it until he sees the final legislation.”
Now my question is why won't they let the McChurian candidate see the legislation. I would have thought that Congress would have some sort of mechanism for getting the current versions of bills to the good Congressmen.
After all, senate.gov has a whole section to let the general public see the histories and various versions of Bills. So I'd certainly think the good Congress could find such a system for itself.
Maybe a system of tubes ? We could call it some sort of catchy phrase. I think Network is already taken.
August 11th, 2008 at 2:04 pmdbadass Says
August 11th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I would argue that hemp could easily be profitable on small plots but I see your point misshusseinmolly
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And you could be right -- I wasn't able to find any information on what industrial hemp could yield per acre.
One obstacle that would have to be dealt with is the illegality of it. Growing industrial hemp is still not permitted in North Carolina, but we're making slow -- no, make that glacial -- progress. In 2006, our state legislature authorized the formation of a committee to "study" the issue.
August 11th, 2008 at 2:44 pmReich-wingers obsess over banning and eliminating pornography from the face of the planet, but they have no problem allowing companies to freely distribute addictive poison to the World.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:47 pmI'm glad he doesn't support that crap any more. This is definately a step in the right direction.
Smokers are constantly being discriminated against and it really needs to stop.
I will probably be voting for McCain now.
August 12th, 2008 at 1:29 amYeah, at least McCain gave up on Tabacco. Cause Obama is still smoking like a chimney... http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/06/obama-admits-sm.html
August 12th, 2008 at 10:30 pmNow, now, Tim. I am down to 2 pack a day. But I did start doing crack coke again.
August 12th, 2008 at 11:28 pm