McCain's Memphis Visit Raises Past Opposition To MLK Day

This Friday, Sen. John McCain will head to Memphis, Tennessee to commemorate the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The stop, which is part of the senator's extended biography tour, is a complimentary gesture both to the African American community and to King's legacy. But is also threatens to resurrect an inconsistency McCain has had on one of the more symbolically important civil rights issues: whether or not to create a holiday commemorating Martin Luther King.

In 1983, McCain voted against passing a bill to designate the third Monday of every January as a federal holiday in honor of King. Four years later, then-Arizona Governor Evan Mecham rescinded Martin Luther King Day as a state holiday, saying it had been established through an illegal executive order by his Democratic predecessor.

McCain said he thought Mecham was correct in his decision.

Two years after that, McCain's viewpoint began to change, but only gradually. In 1989, he urged lawmakers to make Martin Luther King Jr. day a state holiday, but said he was "still opposed to another federal holiday."

"I support the (Arizona) Martin Luther King holiday," he added, "because of the enormous proportions this issue has taken on as far as the image of our state and our treatment towards not only blacks but all minorities."

By 2000, McCain had come full circle. In an interview with ABC News during the Republican primary, he said he regretted voting against the 1983 bill. "Yes," he stated, "It was a wrong vote."

Why did he make that decision, he was later asked.

"We didn't like outsiders coming in and telling us what to do, how we would conduct this effort to get the majority of Arizona to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King as a holiday," McCain told ABC. "I worked very hard to achieve that recognition of Dr. King. And I did resent it when people parachuted in from other parts of the country to try and tell us what to do."

To his credit, McCain has been repentant on his earlier MLK Day positions. In 2000, he went to the South Carolina, following his primary loss, and condemned the Confederate flag, something he declined to do during his run for office then. And, on a segment of Hardball taped in February 2000, he described what he deemed a political evolution on the issue of MLK Day.

"I believe that Barry Goldwater [McCain's political hero], to start with, regretted his vote on the 1964 Civil Rights Act," he said. "I think that Barry grew, like all of us grow and evolve. In 1983, when I was brand-new in the Congress, I voted against the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King. That was a mistake, OK? And later I had the chance to...help fight for...the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King as a holiday in my state."

Comments

[mix2007]

McBush = spineless backward looking weasle

[nyboomer]

He and others resented someone coming in from outside his state telling them what to do. Strange, he likes telling Iraq what to do. If I remember correctly he is not from there. I know he will think this is different. I would disagree.

[dogstar7]

Let me get this straight: McCain voted against an MLK federal holiday and represented the last state to ratify it's observance...and now, during his Presidential campaign he's traveling to Memphis to "commemorate the assassination"???

Who's his campaign manager, Hal Turner???

[KarenM]

Just what we need... another politician who must be pushed by public opinion, because he lacks the vision to lead in the proper direction on important issues.

Haven't we had enough of that under GWB?

[RStar]

Stubborn. I'm not going to vote for something because I don't like people telling me what to do? Even if it's the right thing to do, huh?

I'm weary about electing someone who is still evolving into positions and coming to conclusions that the vast majority of the rest of us were already at. How about a president who is a leader, rather than the last guy to come around to reality.

Iraq anyone?

[jcwtts1]

Well, I'm all for giving people a second chance. This is something I knew about McCain and something that disturbed me. On one hand I like that he was movable on an issue that matters to me. I've always thought that McCain thinks he is right and any pol who thinks he is right should be willing to move when shown he is wrong. I don't want to kill the guy because he did what I would hope anyone who made a bad vote would do. We do evolve.

J

ps- losing the super bowl helped with that evolution though.

[HDR]

"We didn't like outsiders coming in and telling us what to do..."

My, McCain would've fit in so well in 1950s Arkansas. This is the epitome of political pandering. He said what he felt he had to say to sell himself to the majority white voters of AZ but, when presidential aspirations kicked, 2000, he knew he had to change his tune.

There's somehting slightly wrong about opposing a day to honor an individual's achievements yet commemorate the date of the murder of that same individual.

He should be booed in Memphis but I'm sure that the audience will be hand-picked by the RNC.

[SEQUOIABISON]

A typical Joe Lieberman type pandering politician, the man has no integrity and will say whatever he thinks is expedient to get elected.

Do we really want another crazy warmonger in the white house again?

[Whinger]

Any person who is prepared to compromise their principles and sell their soul to gain the world, will, given the right circumstances, do just about anything that is asked of them.

Rudy was one such person, in fairness, the actions of others proves he's not on his own.

[waynesmyer]

"I am not a flop-flipper! Why, I don't even know what a flop-flipper looks like" Johnny "Ride The Bomb" McCain , your next beloved War Presinator

[Ramirez]

I'm sure that Obama would not have opposed the MLK vote in 1983.

[1849]

I wonder if losing business is the reason Arizona finally recognized the holiday? Money can change a good number of minds.

[PlantGod72]

UUUMMMMM........you THINK???

[GoreyFantod]

Yep. Believe it or not, Arizona lost the right to host a Super Bowl over it, along with a lot of tourism money and the respect of millions.

[rrafiringa]

I've been to Phoenix AZ last, month. The infrastructure and landscaping of the city eclipses New York. It's way too orderly and clean.
I'll remain in New York... until I can't afford it no more. And given the state of the economy, that day will come soon enough.

[Dan Stewart]

For those who are immpressed with MCain admission that his vote was wrong, ask yourself this: What choice did he have?

[BrooklynLager]

Haha, I'd love to see him try to justify *that*.

[ResidentChimp]

MLK day is just another day for Government Employees to screw around off the job as opposed to the screwing around they do on the job. That they want to drag MLK into it just dishonors his memory. Government Employees shouldn't have any more days off than they already have.

[realpolitic]

I think almost all would disagree that the Dr. King holiday "dishonors his memory." I think you are race baiting but do not know how otherwise to reply.

[MajorKong]

Democrats "Flip Flop", Republicans "grow and evolve". Got it.

[PlantGod72]

Nice catch!

[realpolitic]

Major, but Republicans do not believe in evolution. You better us the word "change."

[Charmed]

I don't know much about McCain but I can't see condeming him for something he did back in the 80's. It was the thinking of that time and I can't see battering him for that. We as a nation have come a long way and we need to acknowledge that........But because of his other policies, I still couldn't vote for him.