McCain in Memphis: Straight Talk or Double Talk?

Today, on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., thousands of Americans have traveled to Memphis to commemorate Dr. King's important work for civil rights and economic justice. Among those who gathered at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel was Republican presidential nominee, U.S. Senator John McCain. Senator McCain chose this anniversary to apologize for his vote in Congress opposing the creation of a national holiday to celebrate Dr. King's birthday. "I was wrong. I was wrong," he said.

Senator McCain admits that he was wrong in the past. He should, of course, be ashamed of his record, which includes far more than just a vote against a national holiday for Dr. King. In 1987, McCain supported the effort by Arizona Governor Evan Mecham to rescind Martin Luther King Day as a state holiday. (Governor Mecham, you may remember, had a knack for calling his African-American constituents "colored people" and "pickaninnies.") McCain went on record saying he supported the governor.

Unfortunately, these brushes with bigotry are part of a pattern. In 1990, Senator McCain voted against the Civil Rights Act. During the Clinton Administration, he voted to defund the national commission promoting Dr. King's vision for America.

Senator McCain is an American hero, so it is troubling to have to point out his words of support for bigots like Governor Mecham and McCain's opposition to important anti-discrimination legislation. But John McCain has also had warm words to say about his former strategist Richard Quinn, who called the King Holiday "vitriolic and profane." He defended Quinn as a "respected" and "fine man." McCain should have fired him instead.

Even today, McCain demonstrates a level of tolerance for bigots, including his embrace of extremist religious leaders such as Texas televangelist John Hagee, who has called Roman Catholicism a "the great whore," "the anti-Christ" and a "false religion." After pursuing and gaining the backing of this divisive charlatan, Senator McCain says "I was pleased to have the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee."

This is hardly the straight talk we keep hearing about. It's double talk. And it is part of a distressing pattern that should be of concern to Americans who want a President who will be a fighter for civil rights and stand up against bigotry and discrimination. It is also part of an even larger pattern of McCain double-talk:

   •   He says that he is for families, but then votes repeatedly against the minimum wage;
   •   He gives lip service to the goal of improving economic conditions for working families, but then votes against the Employee Free Choice Act, which would help workers obtain better pay and benefits and improved working conditions;
   •   He attacked Jerry Falwell and other right-wing zealots as "agents of intolerance," then delivers the commencement address at Falwell's Bible college;
   •   He opposed the misguided Bush tax cuts for the rich because they didn't do enough for middle class Americans, but now votes to make those tax cuts permanent;
   •   He predicted an easy victory in Iraq, but now says we may need to stay for 100 years.

Today, the real question for Senator McCain remains: Where will you stand tomorrow?

Comments

[Davwbaird]

Gasp, he sounds like a republican, the kind that will pander more gloriously than any other Even romney

[batgirlevi]

But, but, but the msm has declared his apology is enough, even when it means shutting up Conyers as if his opinion means nothing. After all, John Conyers is only African American and a member of Congress.

[nadacascadia]

Thank you Gerald McEntee for finally supporting working people and putting Senator McCain in your sights rather than Senator Obama. This AFSCME member knows that both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will be much much better Presidents for working families than McCain ever could be, and you would be wise to remember that and remind Mark Penn of that as well.

[wmbear]

HAGEE IS A FAR MORE SINISTER INFLUENCE THAN WRIGHT -- But McCain gets a pass on Hagee's support and Obama doesn't for having been a parishoner of Wright's? Ah, the mainstream media!

[sdrawkcab]

Ooops, you forgot his pet project: MILITARY.

McCain says he supports the troops, then repeatedly votes against health care and benefits for our veterans, and refuses to sign the new GI Bill.

And, have a look on youtube at some of his hearings concerning American POWs/MIAs.
Then consider his flip-flop on torture.

You be the judge: nevermind the less fortunate -- has he supported those who found themselves in the terrible position that he was once in?

[peacebypiece]

Now, Sir, please address HILLARY'S straight talk/double talk. Afterall, you have endorsed her, eh?

[jimdog1954]

McSame wants his bread buttered on both sides, depending upon who's buying the butter.

[lisakaz]

Given all this, McCain was rightly booed.

More like: the Fake Talk Express, huh?

All candidates have issues, but his just can't be denied. I'd like to know what he expected by showing up -- some kinda "kumbaya"?

[Puller58]

Gerald, you give the most effective demonstration of what is wrong with the press. Any of the things you've pointed out could have been reported by any average reporter. That would be profane to the newsies that are fond of the old windbag.
Yet I share the concern of biosolution. The lemmings are unlikely to buy into any negativity of McCain once they've had their kool ade. Limbaugh and company will forget their opposition and react as they did to the NYT story on the lobbyist. Will anybody bother to pay attention to McCain's real record?

[Jazz42]

Mr. McEntee.
Great post.
I agree completely
Thank you,

[comingawakening]

If he was wrong about not voting for an MLK National holiday, how can we trust him on more important and critical issues? How can anyone who was in the military and in Vietnam not want to support a National Holiday for the most important Civil Rights leaders for all Americans but more so for African Americans who made such a huge impact in Vietnam?

I thought most military leaders say that the armed services are the most integrated institutions on this planet and yet he voted no and now admits it was a mistake? Will he say that his stance on the War on Iraq was a mistake 10-20 years, 5000-10,000 American deaths, and $5-10 trillion dollars down the road?

I don't think so.

[Moose49]

Great piece hitting McCain for his double-talk and extremism. Too bad the candidate you support is doing her level best to help him win the general election.

Speaking of which, I would really like to know something -- when you learned that Mark Penn had met with the Colombian ambassador to strategize about how to sell a free trade agreement with a country that murdered 40 trade unionists last year alone, did you call Hillary up and demand she fire him? Did you call her today and ask why, if the Colombian government figured out there was a blatant conflict of interest and fired him, she hasn't yet done the same? Seems to me if she wants to maintain the support of you and other union leaders, she should do the right thing and get rid of this professional union-buster. She might want to do something about that ethical blind spot she has, too.

[RobertArend]

Thank-you, Moose49. I'm in "Solidarity" with you.

__two hats

[biosolution]

Straight talk is fake talk. This guy is so crooked in what he says he says, they have to screw him into the ground when the grim reaper comes for him. He's a phony patronizing whoever comes next. Let's hope the lemmings don't buy his BS; but , never underestimate the stupidity of the American people.

[kdubbg]

Why would Dick Cheney come for him?

[mouselion]

The Forked-Tongue Express.

[SamThornton]

Gerald asked, "Today, the real question for Senator McCain remains: Where will you stand tomorrow?"

Predicting what Sen. McCain's resident BS artist is going to write for him to say is impossible, of course. However, it's not too hard to figure out where the rest of us will be standing if he wins: Deep doo-doo.