MoveOn.org on McCain

[someone1980]

Dear MoveOn member,

After Super Tuesday's results and yesterday's news that Governor Mitt Romney dropped out of the presidential race, it's clear that Senator John McCain will be the Republican nominee.

And while the election is a long way off, he's running neck and neck with Clinton and Obama in national polls. That's because when people think of McCain, they think of the media portrayal as a "maverick"—they don't think of him as the man who helped George Bush launch the Iraq war.

But a new memo from VoteVets.org shows that when it comes to the war in Iraq, John McCain has been the president's greatest ally from the get-go—and most striking is the fact that his plan for Iraq going forward is the same as Bush's: Stay indefinitely.

Take a moment to read the memo, below—you won't regret it. Then, we're asking folks to get the word out—can you pledge to pass it on to your friends and colleagues? The more people that know about McCain's positions, the better.

Yes, I'll pass this on to my friends.

No, sorry.

I'm also copying the memo below this email, so you can read it here.

Thanks for all you do,

–Nita, Marika, Joan, Karin, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Friday, February 8th, 2008

P.S. VoteVets.org is an organization that helps make Iraq and Afghanistan veterans' voices heard. Please consider donating to help their work here:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3401&id=12094 ... VxpC&t=191

The memo is posted on their site here:
http://www.votevets.org

Here's the memo:
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: VoteVets.org
RE: Senator McCain's Real Record on the War in Iraq
DATE: February 8, 2008

Senator John McCain presents himself as a maverick and a critic of the Iraq war. But a close read of his record indicates that his position on the Iraq war has consistently matched President George W. Bush's.

Before The War:

McCain used many of the same arguments as Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Cheney and President Bush when advocating going to war with Iraq.

* McCain co-sponsored the Use of Force Authorization that gave President George W. Bush the green light—and a blank check—for going to war with Iraq. [SJ Res 46, 10/3/02]

* McCain argued Saddam was "a threat of the first order." Senator McCain said that a policy of containing Iraq to blunt its weapons of mass destruction program is "unsustainable, ineffective, unworkable and dangerous." McCain: "I believe Iraq is a threat of the first order, and only a change of regime will make Iraq a state that does not threaten us and others, and where liberated people assume the rights and responsibilities of freedom." [Speech to the Center for Strategic & International Studies, 2/13/03]

* McCain echoed Bush and Cheney's rationale for going to war. McCain: "It's going to send the message throughout the Middle East that democracy can take hold in the Middle East." [Fox, Hannity & Colmes, 2/21/03]

* McCain echoed Bush and Cheney's talking points that the U.S. would only be in Iraq for a short time. McCain: "It's clear that the end is very much in sight. ... It won't be long...it'll be a fairly short period of time." [ABC, 4/9/03]

* McCain said winning the war would be "easy." "I know that as successful as I believe we will be, and I believe that the success will be fairly easy, we will still lose some American young men or women." [CNN, 9/24/02]

During The War:

Senator McCain praised Donald Rumsfeld as late as May 12, 2004, after the Abu Ghraib scandal.

* Asked if Donald Rumsfeld can continue to be an effective secretary of defense, McCain: "Yes, today I do and I believe he's done a fine job. He's an honorable man." [Hannity and Colmes, 5/12/04]

Senator McCain repeatedly supported President Bush on the Iraq War—voting with him in the Senate, defending his actions and publicly praising his leadership.

* McCain maintains the war was a good idea.

At the 2004 Republican National Convention, McCain, focusing on the war in Iraq, said that while weapons of mass destruction were not found, Saddam once had them and "he would have acquired them again." McCain said the mission in Iraq "gave hope to people long oppressed" and it was "necessary, achievable and noble." McCain: "For his determination to undertake it, and for his unflagging resolve to see it through to a just end, President Bush

Senator McCain: "The war, the invasion was not a mistake. [Meet the Press, 1/6/08]

Asked if the war was a good idea worth the price in blood and treasure, McCain: "It was worth getting rid of Saddam Hussein. He had used weapons of mass destruction, and it's clear that he was hell-bent on acquiring them." [Republican Debate, 1/24/08]

* McCain defended Bush's rationale for war. Asked if he thought the president exaggerated the case for war, McCain said, "I don't think so." [Fox News, 7/31/03]

* McCain has been President Bush's most ardent Senate supporter on Iraq. According to Michael Shank of the Foreign Policy in Focus think tank, McCain was at times Bush's "most solid support in the Senate" on Iraq. [Foreign Policy in Focus, 1/15/08]

* McCain voted against holding Bush accountable for his actions in the war. McCain opposed the creation of an independent commission to investigate the development and use of intelligence leading up to the war in Iraq. [S. Amdt. 1275 to H.R. 2658, Vote # 284, 7/16/03]

* McCain praised Bush's leadership on the war. McCain: "I think the president has led with great clarity and I think he's done a great job leading the country..." [MSNBC, Hardball, 4/23/03]

Senator McCain has constantly moved the goal posts of progress for the war—repeatedly saying it would be over soon.

* January 2003: "But the point is that, one, we will win this conflict. We will win it easily." [MSNBC, 1/22/03]

* March 2003: "I believe that this conflict is still going to be relatively short." [NBC, Meet the Press, 3/30/03]

* June 2004: "The terrorists know that this is a very critical time." [CNN, 6/23/04]

* December 2005: "Overall, I think a year from now, we will have a fair amount of progress [in Iraq] if we stay the course." [The Hill, 12/8/05]

* November 2006: "We're either going to lose this thing or win this thing within the next several months." [NBC, Meet the Press, 11/12/06]

Senator McCain opposed efforts to end the overextension of the military that is having a devastating impact on our troops.

* McCain voted against requiring mandatory minimum downtime between tours of duty for troops serving in Iraq. [S. Amdt.. 2909 to S Amdt. 2011 to HR 1585, Vote 341, 9/19/07; S Amdt. 2012 to S Amdt. 2011 to HR 1585, Vote #241, 7/11/07]

* McCain was one of only 13 senators to vote against adding $430 million for inpatient and outpatient care for veterans. [S Amdt. 3642 to HR 4939, Vote 98, 4/26/06]

* Senator McCain has consistently opposed any plan to withdraw troops from Iraq

o Senator McCain repeatedly voted against a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq. [S. Amdt. 3876 to S.Amdt. 3874 to H.R. 2764, Vote #438, 12/18/07; S.Amdt.. 3875 to S.Amdt.. 3874 to H.R. 2764, Vote # 437, 12/18/07; S.Amdt.3164 to H.R. 3222, Vote # 362, 10/3/07; S.Amdt. 2898 to S.Amdt. 2011 to H.R. 1585, Vote #346, 9/21/07; S.Amdt. 2924 to S.Amdt.. 2011 to H.R.1585, Vote #345, 9/21/07; S.Amdt.2 087 to S.Amdt. 2011 to H.R. 1585, Vote #252, 7/18/07; S.Amdt. 643 to H.R. 1591, Vote #116, 3/27/07; S.Amdt. 4320 to S. 2766, Vote #182, 6/22/06; S.Amdt. 4442 to S. 2766, Vote #181, 6/22/06; S.Amdt.. 2519 to S.1042, Vote # 322, 11/15/05]

Senator McCain has consistently demonized Americans who want to find a responsible way to remove troops from Iraq so that we can take the fight to al Qaeda.

* McCain: "I believe to set a date for withdrawal is to set a date for surrender." [Charlotte Observer, 9/16/07]

* McCain called proponents of a congressional resolution opposing the troop surge in Iraq intellectually dishonest. [Associated Press. 2/4/07]

The Future:

Senator McCain now says he sees no end to the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.

* McCain: "[M]ake it a hundred" years in Iraq and "that would be fine with me." [Derry, New Hampshire Town Hall meeting, 1/3/08]

* McCain on how long troops may remain in Iraq: "A thousand years. A million years. Ten million years. It depends on the arrangement we have with the Iraqi government." [Associated Press, 1/04/08]

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

[1911fan]

All the more reason to vote for him just to piss these moron's off.


Geez, they really are a waste of skin and air.

[gunflint]

It's easy enough to piss those morons off. I just can't bring myself to vote for McCain.

[hammAR]

I just can't bring myself to vote for McCain.

Well then don't, if you can't see how the failure of your exercising of your right to vote will turn out, yea, then don't.

While I do not necessarily agree with nor support him, I look at the downside potential: Democrat social engineering President, with a good chance of a Democratically controlled Congress, if not '08 then '10 for sure................does that sound like rubber stamp time? Does that sound like FUBAR BIG TIME........

As well as, the fact that they will set up SCOTUS with the next three appointments so that they will be able to rule from all three branches of government concurrently, and consider that the effects of SCOTUS will last probably the rest of your life.

I would rather put him in and hope for gridlock, even partial gridlock, where they talk and move a bunch, but don't really get anything accomplished, rather than rupper stamp all of our guns, rights, and freedoms down the toilet......let alone surrender to the bad boy terrorists and rogue bullies of the world........at the same time telling all of our Warriors that they are useless dog s_it..............

Gunflint, this is not intended as personal. Understand that I am not happy either, but I will be damned if I will sit back and do nothing but surrender this country and the future of my kids and sit in the corner and whine for the next four-eight years, NOT without at least a fight......50/50 is better odds that the alternative..........

.

[gunflint]

I don't take it personally. I know that we agree on almost everything. But I've reached my limit. The republican party left me I didn't leave them.

I don't trust Mccain with SCOTUS appointments any more than I trust Hillary or Hussein. I have held my nose and voted too many times and felt like I needed a shower afterwards. The professional republicans (IE the politicians) have been screwing their friends and appeasing their enemy's for far too long and I am drawing my line in the sand right here. While I am still a free man I will vote my conscience from now on.

John McCain was being considered as a running mate for John Kerry for Christ's sake. He's in bed with Kennedy and he disgusts me. President Bush as made a joke of fiscal responsibility and has seriously infringed on our constitutional rights. Pawlenty and his cigarette "user fee" and on and on.

I never said that I was going sit back and do nothing but as far as I'm concerned we no longer have a two party system. It's just on big party now and I wasn't invited.

[lenny7]

The republican party left me I didn't leave them.

+1

Great line, and sadly so true for me also.

[1911fan]

While that may be somewhat true, ask yourself

"Did the Democratic Party move closer to me?"




Are they going to do more good to help you? So McCain is to the left of you, is he further left than Hillary or Obam bam?

Are you active in the local republican party? Have you attended mid year meetings or caucus's? Have you written to Ron or Tim and expressed your displeasure with the State's GOP? Do you know who Mike Duncan is and why he is important?

Not being proactive is why this has happened.

[JohnC]

Man of Peace/Reminds me of Obama

Look out your window, baby, there's a scene you'd like to catch,
The band is playing "Dixie," a man got his hand outstretched.
Could be the Fuhrer
Could be the local priest.
You know sometimes
Satan comes as a man of peace.

He got a sweet gift of gab, he got a harmonious tongue,
He knows every song of love that ever has been sung.
Good intentions can be evil,
Both hands can be full of grease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, first he's in the background, then he's in the front,
Both eyes are looking like they're on a rabbit hunt.
Nobody can see through him,
No, not even the Chief of Police.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, he catch you when you're hoping for a glimpse of the sun,
Catch you when your troubles feel like they weigh a ton.
He could be standing next to you,
The person that you'd notice least.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, he can be fascinating, he can be dull,
He can ride down Niagara Falls in the barrels of your skull.
I can smell something cooking,
I can tell there's going to be a feast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

He's a great humanitarian, he's a great philanthropist,
He knows just where to touch you, honey, and how you like to be kissed.
He'll put both his arms around you,
You can feel the tender touch of the beast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, the howling wolf will howl tonight, the king snake will crawl,
Trees that've stood for a thousand years suddenly will fall.
Wanna get married? Do it now,
Tomorrow all activity will cease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Somewhere Mama's weeping for her blue-eyed boy,
She's holding them little white shoes and that little broken toy
And he's following a star,
The same one them three men followed from the East.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

[nyffman]

Dylan nailed him.

[MNCarry]

My enemies enemies are my friends.

[Tabsr]

VOTE Obama and own single shot rifles or muskets. Wake up guys. Reagan worked with Tip O'Neil while President, maybe before your time.

[nyffman]

Maybe a vote for MCcain is a wasted vote. Think of the electoral system and how it works. Do you really think he has any chance to beat either Clinton or Obama in this state? If not, maybe your vote would be better used to make a statement by writing in or voting for a third party conservative, if there is one on our ballot. The state Republicans have already bucked the system by supporting Romney in the caucuses. Just a thougtht.

[hammAR]

The republican party left me I didn't leave them.
Great line, and sadly so true for me also.

A lot of people are playing the "I don't get no respect!", blues and will be looking for some sack cloth and ashes in a couple of months. I suggest beating yourselves about the head and shoulders also... the self-inflicted pain will probably help take your mind off the self-inflicted wrong choices.

If I were for Thompson and then Romney and considered myself a "true" conservative...

...I think I would be reconsidering where did I go so far wrong, versus continue to piss in the phreaking' wind, while screaming at the sky about not getting any respect!

So the answer is sit back and recite the standard "I'll jump off a cliff, before I vote for McCain!"..........That's a little defeatist and whinny, just ask for a piece of cheese to go with it and maybe a beret!

[BRIT_in_the_weeds]

This is just me airing some thoughts and observations.

By super Tuesday, certain states had already culled candidates, before 22 other states got to vote, something does'nt seem right to me with this process.

[someone1980]

This is just me airing some thoughts and observations.

By super Tuesday, certain states had already culled candidates, before 22 other states got to vote, something does'nt seem right to me with this process.

That it is a two party system?