The double-talk express
From
tax cuts to torture, John McCain has flip-flopped on a host of issues
— including his own immigration bill
Taken
from Rollingstone.com
Bush
Tax Cuts
THEN
2001:
"I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many
of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us at the expense of
middle-class Americans."
NOW
2007:
"I will not let the Democrats roll back the Bush tax cuts."
2008:
"I think that what we need is more tax cuts."
Border
Policy
THEN
2006:
Wrote McCain-Kennedy bill, which would have given 11 million illegal
immigrants a path to citizenship.
NOW
Jan.
2008:
In GOP primary debate, was asked whether he would still vote for his
own bill: "No, I would not."
Waterboarding
THEN
2007:
"It was used in the Spanish Inquisition, it was used in Pol
Pot’s genocide in Cambodia, and there are reports that it is being
used against Buddhist monks today….It is torture."
NOW
2008:
Voted against bill that would prevent waterboarding by requiring all
U.S. interrogators to comply with legal standards imposed by the Army
Field Manual.
Talking
to Our Enemies
THEN
2000:
Favored "normalization of relations" with Cuba.
2003:
Called U.S. talks with Syria "appropriate."
2006:
Approved of U.S. talking to the Palestinian Authority.
NOW
2008:
Said Obama’s willingness to meet with enemy regimes shows his
"naiveté and inexperience and lack of judgment."
Lobbyists
THEN
1997:
Wrote legislation to ban lobbyists from political campaigns. Said
lobbyist fundraisers "clearly represent a conflict of interest."
NOW
2008:
Campaign relies on more than 170 lobbyists to raise money and serve
as aides and advisers.
Pursuing
Al Qaeda in Pakistan
THEN
February
2008:
Called Obama’s insistence that America can track down and kill Al
Qaeda in Pakistan the "confused leadership of an inexperienced
candidate."
NOW
September
2008:
Voiced no objections when Bush ordered U.S. Special Forces to invade
Pakistani territory in pursuit of Al Qaeda militants.
AIG
Bailout
THEN
Sept.
16th, 2008:
"I do not believe that the American taxpayer should be on the
hook for AIG."
NOW
Next
day:
Backed bailout: "There were literally millions of people whose
retirement, whose investments, whose insurance were at risk here."
Gay
Marriage
THEN
October
2006:
Tells Chris Matthews of Hardball,
"I think gay marriage should be allowed."
NOW
Minutes
later:
"I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal."
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23316955/the_doubletalk_express/
