McCain likes Flip-Flops. But not the Shoe Kind

Matthew Trevithick
Silly John McCain! Lying’s for kids!

John McCain may possibly be the most confused, and proudly ignorant political candidate the American political process has probably ever seen - but only shortly after George W. Bush. The reason for this constant state of confusion is not just due to McCain's jolly old age of 71, or the fact that he is Republican (they always seem to forget various things), but rather McCain's changing stance on various topics.

In short, if you were to make a TV show chronicling - in detail - every single McCain flip-flop, the program would run at least (at a guesstimate) 3 hours long. And that's not including commercials from medication companies, and political candidates.

If you are not following this Presidential race for whatever reason, know this; McCain should not, and will not (at the rate he’s going) become the 44th President of the United States. If not for his flip-flops, then it’s for his gross negligence of becoming someone different from the current President.

McCain is a man who thinks that – for whatever reason – we should keep the troops in Iraq for as long as it is necessary - up to, and including, 50 years [Sc.]. McCain thinks that socialized medicine is wrong, and it wont work [Sc.]. McCain says that Obama voted against supporting the troops, even though McCain himself did the exact same thing, 10 times [Sc.]. He has even gotten so low to the point that hes attacking Obama over ‘inflating your tires’, even with the fact our oil consumption would lower about 4% if all our tires were fully inflated.

McCain even made fun of Obama’s idea, by handing out tire gauges with “Obama’s Energy Plan” written on the side. Funny thing is, a day later McCain flip-flopped, by saying...

“Obama said a couple of days ago says we all should inflate our tires. I don’t disagree with that. The American Automobile Association strongly recommends it,”

...during a telephone town hall meeting he held with voters in Pennsylvania. [Sc. Reuters]

But he kept up his broad criticism of Obama on energy: “I … don’t think that that (inflating tires) is a way to become energy independent.”

In a recent attack ad on Obama, McCain threw at us - the idea that Obama is nothing more than merely a celebrity. [Sc: Crooks and Liars] Using video footage from his recent trip to Europe, and clips of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, Obama is apparently 'all flash, and no substance'. But the real irony that stems from this political ad - comes from the fact that Paris' parents donated the maximum amount of money allowed to be donated to a campaign ($4600) - to McCain's campaign.

Not only did he receive campaign donations from Richard and Kathy Hilton – he took their money, then proceeded to make an Obama attack ad, in which he went on to point out the fact that the daughter of his 2 biggest supporters was like Obama; all popularity – no importance to society. Though one might say McCain himself is a celebrity. For nearly the whole political campaign, he has used the fact that he is a former POW – to attribute to his “celebrity”. Not only that, but McCain has appeared on "Leno" 10 times, "Letterman” 8 times, “The Daily Show” 12 times, two guest appearances on "Saturday Night Live" (with one time hosting), and a cameo in the movie "Wedding Crashers".

McCain a hypocrite? Who knew!? Other McCain flip-flops include:
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Making Martin Luther King Day a National Holiday
Source: Crooks and Liars

Flip: When answering questions following a speech he gave in Panama City, FL, Senator McCain answered a question regarding his support for African-Americans by stating:

"...I'm proud of that record... from fighting for the recognition of Doctor Martin Luther King's birthday in my state, to sponsoring specific legislation that would prevent discrimination..."

Flop: Senator McCain appears to have forgotten that he fought against making Dr. King's birthday a Federal holiday, not once but three times (follow link for details).

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On source of 2001’s Anthrax attacks.
Source: Think Progress

On October 18, 2001, barely a month after the attacks of 9/11 and in the midst of the deadly anthrax scare where person(s) unknown had sent envelopes containing a powdered form of the deadly disease to members of Congress and the Media, Senator McCain appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman", where he accused Iraq as being the source of the attack:

LETTERMAN: "How are things going in Afghanistan now?"

MCCAIN: " I think we’re doing fine …. I think we’ll do fine. The second phase — if I could just make one, very quickly — the second phase is Iraq. There is some indication, and I don’t have the conclusions, but some of this anthrax may — and I emphasize may — have come from Iraq."

LETTERMAN: "Oh, is that right?"

Barely a month after 9/11, McCain was already repeating Bush White House talking points to hype Iraq as an active threat to the United States despite having absolutely no evidence to support such a claim. (Dick Cheney and the Bush Administration were already trying to find ways to go to war with Iraq.)

When the FBI revealed this week that the man believed to be the source of the 2001 anthrax attacks was part of the US Government, and had committed suicide rather than be arrested, McCain offered no retraction of his earlier accusation, and still, to this day, argues that Iraq was an active threat to the United States.

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On Raising Taxes
Source: Crooks and Liars

Flip: Senator McCain has repeatedly attacked Senator Obama on the issue of taxes, in one appearance saying (quote):

McCain: "The choice in this election is stark & simple. Senator Obama will raise your taxes; I won't."

Flop: During his interview on ABC's This Week, Senator McCain said that the possibility of raising taxes "to save Social Security" is an option he's willing to consider:

George S: "Is [sic] payroll tax increases on the table as well?"

McCain: "There’s nothing that’s off the table. I have my positions and I will articulate them, but nothing is off the table."

Flip-Flop: After angering the powerful Conservative group "Club for Growth", Senator McCain immediately recanted his assertion that he's willing to raise taxes to save Social Security.

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Running a Campaign with no Negative Attack Ads
Source: Associated Press

Flip: On Mar 11, 2008, McCain's campaign manger Rick Davis sent out a memo to reporters citing:

"It is critical, as we prepare to face off with whomever the Democrats select as their nominee, that we all follow John's lead and run a respectful campaign focused on the issues and values that are important to the American people.
...
Throughout his life John McCain has held himself to the highest standards and he will continue to run a respectful campaign based on the issues."

On Apr 5, 2008 - McCain himself called for a "respectful" campaign. Pledging:

"I intend to wage this campaign and to govern this country in a way that they would be proud of me," ... McCain also said that if elected, he would attempt to govern in the same spirit...

Flop: June 19, 2008 - "McCain Launches Negative Ad Against Obama, with side-by-side images of Iranian President Ahmadinejad and Obama that states:

"Is it OK to Unconditionally Meet With Anti-American Foreign Leaders?"

Obama has never claimed willingness to "unconditionally" meet with U.S. adversaries.

And more recently, the negative attack ads against Obama, claiming he cancelled a trip to meet with wounded troops (he canceled it to keep it from making the troops look like a political prop. Oddly McCain's campaign said that even if he did meet with the troops, they were going to do an attack ad saying that he used the troops as a political prop.) and even more recently, the whole Paris Hilton situation.

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So as you can see, McCain himself is not a man of his word – even though he claims he is. If you wish to see these flip-flops and more, they are available here.