McCain In 2005: I "Totally" Support Bush On The "Transcendent Issues" (VIDEO)

It has been observed that one of Sen. John McCain's most foreboding obstacles in seeking the White House will likely be the lengthy paper trail that comes with a 25-year congressional career.

And so it is, perhaps, with the macro-theme of the general election: whether or not McCain is an extension of the George Bush presidency. The Senator has worked hard to dispel such a perception, pointing to various policy disagreements with the White House and lashing out against those who claim he would be Bush's third term.

But McCain's case is complicated by his own words from just three years ago. In a June 2005 appearance on Meet The Press, the Senator told moderator Tim Russert that, far from being at odds with the White House, he had "been totally in agreement and support of President Bush" on "the transcendent issues."

RUSSERT: The fact is you are different than George Bush.

SEN. McCAIN: No. No. I-the fact is that I'm different but the fact is that I have agreed with President Bush far more than I have disagreed. And on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I've been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.

McCain went on to insist that, on domestic policies, he and the president had butted heads - which is true on issues like combating climate change and campaign finance.

"But," he quickly added, "I will argue my conservative record voting with anyone's, and I will also submit that my support for President Bush has been active and very impassioned on issues that are important to the American people. And I'm particularly talking about the war on terror, the war in Iraq, national security, national defense, support of men and women in the military, fiscal discipline, a number of other issues. So I strongly disagree with any assertion that I've been more at odds with the president of the United States than I have been in agreement with him."

At the time of the interview, McCain was dismissing speculation that he harbored hopes of a White House run. But it was nearly accepted fact in Washington that he would eventually put his hat in the ring. An appeal to Republican voters, whom McCain had alienated with his streaks of independence following the 2000 election, was required for this to happen.

Now, however, that proximity to Bush could prove a detriment to McCain's electoral hopes. And rare is the day that he publicly touts the similarities of his policies and those of the White House.

"You will hear from my opponent's campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release that I'm running for President Bush's third term," McCain said recently in a speech in New Orleans. "You will hear every policy of the president described as the Bush-McCain policy. Why does Senator Obama believe it's so important to repeat that idea over and over again? Because he knows it's very difficult to get Americans to believe something they know is false."

Comments

[ebanks84]

And I guess he totally agrees with our money also:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SMgGC9W-ks8&feature=related

[PioneerKing]

The addlepated John McCain is so intellectually bankrupt that it is highly doubtful that McCain could articulate what the phrase "the transcendent issues" means.

McCain makes G.W.Bush appear erudite.

[Meok]

Note to all politicians: Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! If you said it on tape, someone will find it, and it will be on Youtube, or on some blog. the time when you could say something one day and claim the reverse the next day is gone. These are the Youtube years.

[egal]

Um...wasn't that speech NOT in New Orleans?

[refah]

Transcendent? You don't even know what that means johNeo mcCon.
Better ask joNeo lieberCon, I bet he knows.
Transcendent indeed. Who the f*** came up with that one?
Why doesn't somebody ask him? Friend, what is a transcendent issue? Could you give us an example?

Good mind stopper though.

There are no politics in transcendence. Oy!

[peterg76]

Maybe he means he hears the same voices in his head.

[ThePhilosopher]

I wonder how many times we're going to see this interview featured in campaign adds...

[Piccola]

McCain is claiming to be Fiscally Conservative in this clip, just like President Bush.
I guess he missed the memo explaining that the national debt has tripled under President Bush, now up to $9 trillion. Now we have Laura Bush throwing money at countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Fiscally irresponsible is more like it, and McCain will continue to drive this country into the ground.

[darthdarcy]

What Transcendent Issues..?

There's nothing Transcendent about George Bush he's just a cheap lying murdering swindler..!

Transcendent My Ass McCain...

You don't even know what the word means...

[1differentdrummer]

Wait a minute, since transcendent is another way to say extreme, he may well be right. Plug in extreme and it makes sense to me.

[monyae]

This stuff has got to come out. I just dont get it. How is he getting away with these constant flip flops.

[tel8034]

I used to think it was his age......... But in all fairness it may be something else.

What we do not know is what lasting effect McCain now has after his years as a POW.

It couldn't have been easy.......... Who knows exactly what torture he endured (both physical and mental) ............. But we have a right to know if he really wants Americans to consider voting for him to be POTUS.

Is this why he has temper tantrums? Is this why he FORGETS what he said just hours before?

McCain released his "physical" health records (although no one was able to scrutinize them properly so the jury is still out on that), but we now need his "mental" health records.

Since McCain is on the "EVERYONE HAS TO BE PROPERLY VETTED BAND WAGON", he MUST pass the vetting test himself.

[LeftLeanWing]

The General Campaign is just getting started; Fasten your seat belts.

McCain is going to be Drag around like a dirty dish rag.

He has an immense YouTube problem..

[rosal]

We know he does not know how to work a computer. I guess he has not heard we have video, film, cameras. Somebody should tell him EVERYTHING he said, or says, is being recorded. The media won't play anything that contradicts him, but progressive sites will.
He looks like a flip flopper, "maverick" when its convenient, and in lock step when its for his advantage. Surely all of this the mark of a leader, right?

[lornejl]

Mc walks like a Goose Stepper, he talks like a Goose Stepper, he votes like a Goose Stepper, so he must be a maverick.

[Kalima]

Seems that there is very little he actually disagrees with, in the policies of GB.
"Bend it like" McDoodle!

[Mattjoe]

'Transcendent?' Oh, by that you mean in the way that Capital Gains tax cut transcends the average American in benefit or how Cheney and Repugs 'transcend' the law and accountability on indictable offenses?

This Republican administration can barley organize domestic disaster relief much less articulate or imply a 'higher' understanding in any realm.

[Guynemer]

The Capital Gains tax cut has benefitted many average Americans that I know. My Liberal brother for one. I told him that he could claim his capital gains as normal income if he wished and decline the advantage.

[RacePace7]

Factcheck.org found McCain's economic plans don't quite pass the sniff test:

"McCain also repeats the mantra that cutting the Capital Gains tax rate will increase government receipts. In fact, rate cuts produce a spike in revenue, but it's only temporary. McCain also falsely claims that higher capital gains tax rates will affect 401(k) plans."

Factcheck also says McCain is misleading about the number of earmarks:

"For fiscal 2008, the budget watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense said there was $18.3 billion earmarked in spending bills. Citizens Against Government Waste came in at $17.2 billion. The Office of Management and Budget tallied earmarks at a mere $16.9 billion."

To sum it up, McCain says he'll save us money by cutting earmarks, but he's okay with spending $12 billion a month in Iraq until January 2013. Sounds pretty Bush to me.

[ColoradoDan]

Tonight's Olbermann/Countdown commentary on John McCain said it all.

Fantastic and spot on.

McCain is a friggen mess. A nightmare as Bush's shadow.

[godsbreath64]

Really, way to get up off the map Keith!

[dizmo4]

It's really too bad the MSM still treats McCain as the 'Maverick' he was back in 2000. They seem to give him deference on just about everything. They ask few, if any, difficult questiosn at his press conferences. It's not like their job is difficult. Just use his own words against him.