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

[RacePace7]

Gee, I was hoping 29 years of experience in Washington would amount to a litle more than this. In the 2005 Meet the Press interview, McCain proudly proclaims his solidarity with Bush on "the war in Iraq, national security, national defense, support of men and women in the military."

Now he's changed his tune, saying the Bush/Rumsfeld war plan led to "four years of failure and needless sacrifice." Needless sacrifice? Is he referring to our men and women in the military? The Iraqis? The American people?

He voted against the Bush tax cuts, now he's for them. He co-sponsored the McCain/Kennedy Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act--which Bush also supported--now he's against it.

I guess that's his straight-talking express version of "change we can believe in."

[independentNproud]

Do you believe President Bush's actions justify impeachment? *

Live vote...go now: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10562904

[AmbivalentGuy]

Kuch. read 35 articles of impeachment into the Congressional record.

[HoracePManure]

does anyone get the impression that the GOP has got the election so rigged - that they even bother to try anymore?

[Waltb31]

Not this time. They cannot rig the will of the American people the way they did in 2000. Obama has too much grassroots support and multiple small donors that will insulate him from the repug nonsense.

[AmbivalentGuy]

I think they want to lose.
Get a Dem to fix the mess,
tar and feather them for it,
new Corporate, excuse me, Republican
control in 4-8 years,
and happy days,
back to looting the treasury.

[moderationsmuse]

Breaking News Flash: the Pope is Catholic!!

PS: Sam, Senator McCain is the Republican candidate for the White House. (Just thought you might like to know.)

[truthynesslover]

Ive had enough of transcending the constitution and human rights and the economy! hopefully the american people are too`!

[latino327]

This video should be used as the lead in the cable news cycle today...and everyday! This is some good stuff-many have mentioned that this type of proof would continue to pop-up. McCain has never shy-ed away from the media ('cause he thought he needed to stay on their good side so they wouldn't bug him--and this has worked for him for the most part). The more interviews you do, the greater the likelihood that there is some proof- like this video clip- that his stance on issues then and now might show a change of opinion. Think it's going to be a landslide victory for Obama!!!!

[dartagnan]

HOOOO-boy! It just keeps getting worse and worse, doesn't it, John? It's like some kind of nightmare, isn't it?

I'm starting to think this clown's percentage of the popular vote might end up being in the single digits.

[racetoinfinity]

If he means Bush's values, there not transcendent, they're regressive: robber-baron domestically, and 19th century imperialistic internationally. If he means democracy instead of thug-dictatorships, that's laudable, but it was a shill - you don't encourage that by invading a country and that hasn't threatened you.
Besides, the hypocrisy of it all - the U.S. has supported and continues to support plenty of thug-dictatorships if it suits the big corporate and/or mil.industrial interests.

[dawlishgal]

McCain was a legacy who graduated near the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy. Do you suppose he even knows what "transcendent" means? Or cares?

Here is the downside of "anti-intellectualism:" The way Clinton and McCain are trying to make lazy stupidity into some kind of badge of honor. And, if we go back to before they made"elitism" an issue (thank you Mayhill Fowler for helping them pull it off), every now and then we catch McCain using a big word and Hillary actually pronouncing the "g" in a word that ends in "ing."

What are we supposed to make of that? My reading is that it is part of the continuing scam to make silly dumb people think that they are voting for one of their own, same as we got in two Bush campaigns. The fact that all three of them managed to convince a lot of people that there is something evil about using words in one's thought processes ought to give us pause for thought. We all know how well Bush's "from-the-gut" approach worked.

[Donnat]

What you mean, John, is that you support Bush totally, end of story. You've always bent over and spread 'em when he told you to. I wonder what they are threatening you with now to make you flip and flop the way you've been doing.

[TOOO]

Maverick??? He doesn't look a thing like James Garner (who I believe is actually older, and certainly saner). Or Mel Gibson, for that matter.

Seriously, though: Is "He's a Maverick! He's a Maverick! He's a Maverick!" ad nauseum the best the GOP can come up with? I don't see how anyone can take this man seriously.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Maybe they're comparing him to the lousy 70s Ford with that name.

It seems very apropos.

[dartagnan]

This could be fun. If John McBush was a car, what kind of car would he be? I'm torn between Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega.

[ethearch]

Just think. It's not even mid June. McBush still has all of July, August, September, and October to traverse to somehow crawl over the finish line in November. At this pace, he will have flipped and flopped so many times, the old geezer's going to have us all shaking our heads in sheer pity by time the election ends.

[thatsitfortheotherone]

Hope he manages to prop himself up. Otherwise they may lock him up and run the next least repugnant Repig against O.

[Counterglow]

Most people get angry when journalists take their remarks out of context. McCain prays that they do.

[dawlishgal]

LOL. He counts on it. And, if they don't, he's got Lieberman there to whisper into his ear.

[jarotra]

McCain is not confused, is not a victim of "senior moments", he is simply a politician of old politics. He is not equipped to campaign in the realm of accountability, in the new age of youtube.

[frappe]

The words "Bush" and "transcendent" don't belong in the same sentence, the same thought, or the same concept. They are mutually exclusive.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Not if you throw in the word "evil" along with "Bush" and Transcendent."

[kellygrrrl]

Hello, My Friends. Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to say Joe?

[oafishcad]

I wonder if Joe will be the sub-President? With John you get Joe. Well somebody has to whisper corrections in his ear. In that awful droning voice.