Not Ranked
So
Earmarks For Arizona
McCain Flips:
In a Fox News Presidential Forum, McCain claimed that “in 24 years as a member of Congress, I have never asked for nor received a single earmark or pork barrel project for my state.” [Fox News, 1/5/08]
McCain Flops:
In 2006, McCain funneled $10 million towards the University of Arizona for an academic center. In 2003, he also sent $14.3 million from a defense appropriations bill to Arizona’s Luke Air Force Base. [New York Times, 2/18/06 & Roll Call 11/6/03]
Law Of The Sea Convention
McCain Flips:
According to the Washington Times, “Mr. McCain’s support for the sea treaty stretched back to the 1990s, when he signed a letter with three other senators urging its passage, and continued through 2003, when he was scheduled to testify on its behalf before a Senate committee.” [Washington Times, 10/31/07]
McCain Flops:
In October 2007, McCain said of the treaty that “I would probably vote against it in its present form.” [Washington Times, 10/31/07]
The Dream Act
McCain Flips:
In 2005, McCain was a co-sponsor of S. 774, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act) which would have provided high-achieving high school students who are long-term illegal immigrants and who wish to serve in the armed forces or attend college the ability to gain conditional legal status. [S. 774]
McCain Flops:
In 2007, McCain skipped a vote on the DREAM Act, and said that “he would have opposed it on the Senate floor last week if he had stuck around for the vote.” [Huffington Post, 10/24/07 & Washington Times, 10/31/07]
Repealing Roe v. Wade
McCain Flips:
In 1999, McCain told the San Fransisco Chronicle that “certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.” [Washington Post, 8/24/99]
McCain Flops:
McCain’s campaign website now calls Roe v. Wade “a flawed decision that must be overturned.” [Site]
Gay Marriage Amendment
McCain Flips:
In 2004, McCain broke with conservative ranks and opposed the federal ban on gay marriage, saying “the constitutional amendment we’re debating today strikes me as antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans. It usurps from the states a fundamental authority they have always possessed and imposes a federal remedy for a problem that most states do not believe confronts them.” [CNN, 7/14/04]
McCain Flops:
Two years later, ABC News reported that McCain was cozying up Jerry Falwell, and that McCain “reconfirmed” to Falwell that he would support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman if a federal court were to strike down state constitutional bans on gay marriage. [ABC News, 3/28/06]
The Confederate Flag
McCain Flips:
During the 2000 Presidential Primaries, McCain was asked about the Confederate flag and replied that “personally, I see the flag as a symbol of heritage.” [1/12/00]
McCain Flops:
McCain then called for the flag to be removed from the South Carolina statehouse, telling South Carolina, “I believe the flag should be removed from your Capitol, and I am encouraged that fair-minded people on both sides of the issue are working hard to define an honorable compromise.” He also admitted that his previous view was political pandering. “I feared that if I answered honestly, I could not win the South Carolina primary. So I chose to compromise my principles,” he said. [New York Times, 4/20/00]
Henry Kissinger
McCain Flips:
In 2000, McCain professed friendship with Kissinger, but McCain’s “handlers opted not to have the two appear publicly together, fearing the legendary obfuscator would taint the image of the ‘Straight Talk Express.’” [New York Magazine, 11/26/06]
McCain Flops:
Kissinger is now an honorary co-chair for McCain’s presidential campaign in New York. [The Hotline, 12/19/06]
Nuclear Reactors
McCain Flips:
The Los Angeles Times reported that “earlier in his congressional career, McCain was a consistent opponent of subsidies for nuclear power, voting five times in the 1990s against taxpayer aid for research on new-generation nuclear reactors. As recently as 2003, McCain opposed federal loan guarantees to help the nuclear industry finance new plants.” [Los Angeles Times, 7/1/08]
McCain Flops:
As a campaign policy pitch in 2008, McCain set a goal of building 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030, which would be aided by $3.7 billion in subsidies to the nuclear industry. [MSNBC, 6/18/08]
Teaching Intelligent Design
McCain Flips:
In a 2005 interview with the Arizona Star, McCain was for the teaching of intelligent design. “I think that there has to be all points of view presented,” he said. “I think there’s nothing wrong with teaching different schools of thought.” When asked specifically if it belonged in a science classroom, he replied, “there’s enough scientists that believe it does. I’m not a scientist. This is something that I think all points of view should be presented.” [Arizona Star, 8/28/05]
McCain Flops:
One year later, McCain decided that intelligent design was actually inappropriate for a science classroom. “I happen to believe in evolution,” he said. “I respect those who think the world was created in seven days. Should it be taught as a science class? Probably not.” However, that didn’t stop him from being the keynote speaker at a function for The Discovery Institute, the most prominent creationism advocacy group in the country. [The Aspen Times, 6/2/06, & Discovery Institute, 2/23/07]
Attacking Terrorists In Pakistan
McCain Flips:
During his victory speech following the Wisconsin primary, McCain claimed that by electing Sen. Obama “we risk the confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate who once suggested bombing our ally, Pakistan.” [USA Today, 2/21/08]
McCain Flops:
First, Obama actually said that “if we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won’t act, we will.” Then, President Bush took this exact course of action, unilaterally calling for a strike against terrorist cells in Pakistani territory. McCain has not commented on Bush “bombing our ally, Pakistan.” [Media Matters, 2/20/08 & Washington Post, 2/19/08]
The Wyly Brothers
McCain Flips:
When the Wyly brothers produced attack ads against McCain and in favor of George Bush in 2000, McCain asked “Are we going to allow two cronies of George W. Bush to hijack this election? Tell them to keep their dirty money in the state of Texas, my friends. Don’t spread it all over New England and America.” [ABC News, 4/23/06]
McCain Flops:
In 2006, Sam Wyly and his wife Cheryl gave McCain’s political action committee $10,000, and contributions from the two brothers eventually amounted to $20,000. McCain returned the money only when he “learned that the Wylys were under federal investigation for alleged tax evasion.” [The Hotline, 5/24/06]
Jerry Falwell And The Religious Right
McCain Flips:
During the 2000 Presidential primaries, McCain referred to Falwell and other Christian right leaders as “agents of intolerance.” [CNN, 2/28/00]
McCain Flops:
In 2006 McCain delivered the commencement address at Falwell’s Liberty University. Falwell “rolled out the red carpet for his old adversary, assembling about 150 church leaders from around the country for a Friday night reception and later hosting a small, private dinner for the senator.” [Washington Post, 5/14/06]
Donald Rumsfeld
McCain Flips:
In 2004, McCain told Fox News “I believe [Rumsfeld]’s done a fine job … He’s an honorable man.” [Fox News, 5/12/04]
McCain Flops:
During a primary debate in 2008, McCain claimed “I’m the only one that said that Rumsfeld had to go.” [Republican Presidential Debate, 1/30/08]
Comprehensive Immigration ReformMcCain Flips:
In June 2008, McCain said of his failed 2006 attempt at immigration reform, “I haven’t won on every issue. I didn’t win on immigration reform, but I’ll go back at it. And I’m glad I did it.” He has also called immigration reform a “top priority.” [Las Vesgas Sun, 6/26/08, New York Times, 5/22/08]
McCain Flops:
In a January 30 primary debate, McCain said that he would not vote for his own bill today, “because we know what the situation is today. The people want the borders secured first.” [1/30/08]
AIG Bailout
McCain Flips:
During an interview on NBC’s Today Show, McCain said “No, I do not believe that the American taxpayer should be on the hook for AIG and I’m glad that the Secretary Paulson has apparently taken the same line.” [NBC, 9/16/08]
McCain Flops:
The next day on ABC, McCain said “I didn’t want to do that. And I don’t think anybody I know wanted to do that. But there are literally millions of people whose retirement, whose investment, whose insurance were at risk here. They were going to have their lives destroyed because of the greed and excess and corruption.” [ABC, 9/17/08]
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