McCain Blasts Obama

[Annie]

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsCenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=1654

MCCAIN RELEASES LETTER TO OBAMA
For Immediate Release
Monday, Feb 06, 2006

Washington D.C. *– Today, Senator McCain sent the following letter to Senator Obama regarding ongoing Congressional efforts towards bipartisan lobbying reform. The following is the text from that letter:

February 6, 2006

The Honorable Barack Obama

United States Senate

SH-713

Washington, DC 20510


Dear Senator Obama:

I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I’m embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won’t make the same mistake again.

As you know, the Majority Leader has asked Chairman Collins to hold hearings and mark up a bill for floor consideration in early March. I fully support such timely action and I am confident that, together with Senator Lieberman, the Committee on Governmental Affairs will report out a meaningful, bipartisan bill.

You commented in your letter about my “interest in creating a task force to further study” this issue, as if to suggest I support delaying the consideration of much-needed reforms rather than allowing the committees of jurisdiction to hold hearings on the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. The timely findings of a bipartisan working group could be very helpful to the committee in formulating legislation that will be reported to the full Senate. Since you are new to the Senate, you may not be aware of the fact that I have always supported fully the regular committee and legislative process in the Senate, and routinely urge Committee Chairmen to hold hearings on important issues. In fact, I urged Senator Collins to schedule a hearing upon the Senate’s return in January.

Furthermore, I have consistently maintained that any lobbying reform proposal be bipartisan. The bill Senators Joe Lieberman and Bill Nelson and I have introduced is evidence of that commitment as is my insistence that members of both parties be included in meetings to develop the legislation that will ultimately be considered on the Senate floor. As I explained in a recent letter to Senator Reid, and have publicly said many times, the American people do not see this as just a Republican problem or just a Democratic problem. They see it as yet another run-of-the-mill Washington scandal, and they expect it will generate just another round of partisan gamesmanship and posturing. Senator Lieberman and I, and many other members of this body, hope to exceed the public’s low expectations. We view this as an opportunity to bring transparency and accountability to the Congress, and, most importantly, to show the public that both parties will work together to address our failings.

As I noted, I initially believed you shared that goal. But I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party’s effort to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman Senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness. Again, I have been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn’t always a priority for every one of us. Good luck to you, Senator.



Sincerely,





John McCain

United States Senate

 

[dilloduck]

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsCenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=1654

McCain has finally come out of his "nice guy" closet. Hopefully we can get more of a taste of what this guy is really about.

 

[Mr.Conley]

McCain just went up five points on my scale.

 

[deaddude]

If McCain runs in 08 I will be sorely tempted to vote for him. I hate hilary clinton

 

[dilloduck]

If McCain runs in 08 I will be sorely tempted to vote for him. I hate hilary clinton

Definately the better of the two and maybe the most electable republican.

 

[deaddude]

Definately the better of the two and maybe the most electable republican.

Easily, the only problem he will face is getting the Republican nomination, I dont think he is too popular among the, shall we say, more extreme conservatives.

 

[Annie]

Easily, the only problem he will face is getting the Republican nomination, I dont think he is too popular among the, shall we say, more extreme conservatives.

He's not too popular with the mainstream Republicans. The moderate Democrats love him though.l

 

[dilloduck]

He's not too popular with the mainstream Republicans. The moderate Democrats love him though.l

The guy has done so many wacky things to become visable that there's no telling how he would be like if he were elected. I mean the guy was cuddling up to Kerry in the last election. What in the hell was THAT all about??

 

[deaddude]

He's not too popular with the mainstream Republicans. The moderate Democrats love him though.

yes, yes we do. Moderates tend to like each other.

 

[BATMAN]

I think it's great McCain called Obama on it publicly. Maybe it will get Dems to deal fairly and not go back on their word, knowing that what they said is going to be made public if they don't stick to it.

Maybe.

 

[BATMAN]

More on this:

"I confess that I have no idea" what prompted the letter, Obama wrote Monday. "But let me assure you that I am not interested in typical partisan rhetoric or posturing. The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and my desire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettable but does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you nor my willingness to find a bipartisan solution to this problem."
FULL STORY

 

[archangel]

on the John McCain issue...actually John is way more conservative than anyone thinks...if y'all remember during the race between him and GW the GOP attacked McCain and cut off his wings...this is a no no to a former fighter pilot who actually served in combat vs GW's Natioanal Guard service...
John has become a competitor...he has moved to center to please those voters... a new base sorta kinda...however if he were to be elected the true conservative John would emerge...I supported him during his run and had a few e-mail conversations...I suggested he go with the Independent ticket...he said he would stay the course as a GOP...re-group and and gain what votes he needed to win back the true conservative GOP ticket...well let's hold our comments for a latter run and see what happens! Sometimes things in life are not what they seem...when your own party attacks you to put a favorite son in...well ya must sometimes court the opposition to gain the advantage!

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsCenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=1654

Woo hoo hoo! I bet Barack sat in the corner and wept after that one. Senator McCain is showing his fiesty side. Maybe there's enough fire left in the old man for another run after all.

 

[NATO AIR]

He's not too popular with the mainstream Republicans. The moderate Democrats love him though.l

:cof: typo maybe? Mainstream Republicans love him, its the conservatives that aren't very high on him.

 

[Bonnie]

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsCenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=1654

Well now here's something I can get happy about, McCain's showing his teeth

 

[ScreamingEagle]

woo hoo. McPain blasts a freshman Senator in a letter. That's really rocking the boat boy.

big deal....all he really did was elevate this slick upstart in the eyes of the faithful.

 

[Annie]

:cof: typo maybe? Mainstream Republicans love him, its the conservatives that aren't very high on him.

No typo, mainstream Republicans do not trust him. He's been too all over the board. What he did with campaign finance reform has screwed all.

 

[dilloduck]

No typo, mainstream Republicans do not trust him. He's been too all over the board. What he did with campaign finance reform has screwed all.

Yup--and NOW he says he was just writing an innocent letter. They've have had a personal converation and everything is peachy. What a guy

 

[Annie]

Yup--and NOW he says he was just writing an innocent letter. They've have had a personal converation and everything is peachy. What a guy

Not surprised. I wouldn't vote for either of them.

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

Yup--and NOW he says he was just writing an innocent letter. They've have had a personal converation and everything is peachy. What a guy

Ah, crap. Oh well, it's not like I'd get in his corner anyway. I'm edging toward Mitt Romney, but you never know what will happen in two years.