Was that a flip or a flop?

McCain's history reveals flip-flops
By Kelvin Wade | | June 18, 2008 16:30

In 2000, I supported John McCain for president. I'd read his 1999 book 'Faith of my Fathers' and admired the straight-talking maverick. I respected him even more when he admitted that he pandered on the Confederate flag issue in South Carolina. He'd called his flip flopping on the issue, 'an act of cowardice.'

However, somewhere along the way, straight talk became spin.

In 1999, McCain told the San Francisco Chronicle he didn't support the repeal of Roe v. Wade because it would force women to undergo 'illegal and dangerous operations.'

Around the same time he told CNN that he had no litmus tests for Supreme Court justices.

McCain today? Well, from his Web site: 'John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.'

In February 2000, John McCain told a crowd that Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell were 'agents of intolerance.' He said they didn't support his candidacy because he didn't pander to them.

In 2006, on 'Meet the Press' McCain said he didn't think Falwell was an agent of intolerance and even delivered a speech at Falwell's Liberty University.

In 2001, John McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts saying he couldn't 'in good conscience' support a tax cut that gave most of the benefit to the rich at the expense of the middle class. He voted against tax cuts again two years later.

Now that he's running for president, he supports them.

In 2007, McCain championed an immigration bill that included a path to citizenship for illegals. After a backlash, he dumped the idea saying he'd vote against his own bill. Then just last month, he gave a speech supporting an immigration bill with a path to citizenship. After more outrage, his campaign issued a statement saying the speech was 'poorly worded.'

In January 2005, on MSNBC's Hardball, McCain was asked if we needed a long-term presence in Iraq like in Germany and South Korea. McCain said 'I not only think we could get along without it' but that our presence caused resentment.

Now, on the campaign trail he argues the opposite, saying American forces can stay in Iraq just like in those other countries, for 100 years.

Just a month ago, on taxing oil companies' windfall profits John McCain said he'd look into it and that it didn't bother him. This week he blasted Barack Obama for supporting a windfall profits tax.

The last time McCain ran for president, he endorsed a federal moratorium on off-shore drilling. This week, he came out for lifting the ban on drilling.

And in the most shocking flip-flop of all, John McCain reversed course on torture. He voted against a bill that would've banned waterboarding and made the Army Field Manual's techniques the standard for interrogation. This was after supporting such a standard in the past.

I know he's a war hero. I know he's demonstrated private and public courage in the past. But I do wonder how many acts of cowardice he has left in him. Peace.
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To read more about political flipflopping and why I covered this topic, try my DR Blog.


So what John McCain story is the MSM not talking about? This is from the book, The Real McCain by Cliff Schecter:

Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt." McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.

A Baptist minister at a campaign stop during the primaries, asked McCain about the incident. You can see it here.

Here is a great parody on the subject. The language is graphic.

And for a total change of pace, visit the Wading In Blog to check out the Ant War.