WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Democratic National Committee:
John McCain did it again last night, turning his back on one of his signature issues in hopes of regaining traction in his sputtering presidential campaign. McCain had tried to run away from immigration reform earlier in the year, but had parachuted in at the last minute when a bipartisan compromise appeared likely. According to the Associated Press, McCain is now backing "a scaled-down proposal that imposes strict rules to end illegal immigration but doesn't include a path to citizenship." Even more stunning, the McCain bill includes a provision to criminalize undocumented immigrants, an idea that led hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their supporters to rally around the country last year after House Republicans passed a similar measure in December of 2005. [AP, 8/2/07]
In June, McCain had said he "would hope that any candidate for President ... wouldn't play politics for their own interests" with the immigration issue during a major campaign speech. [johnmccain.com, John McCain -- Address on Immigration, 6/4/07] But just as he did with ethanol, campaign finance reform, tax cuts, and abortion, among others (see fact sheet below), McCain has opted for political expediency in his bid for the presidential nomination.
"No wonder John McCain isn't getting any traction with voters; clearly they can't trust where he stands on the issues," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda. "Moving to criminalize immigrants only confirms that McCain is willing to do anything to win, even if it means betraying the causes he once championed."
John McCain's Double Talk
Immigration
THEN
McCain, through his Kennedy-McCain immigration reforms, "want(s) to allow undocumented workers who participate in a guest worker program to be able to stay in America and apply for permanent residency or citizenship after paying fines and satisfying other requirements." [Los Angeles Times, 11/29/05]
RECENTLY
McCain said he would reconsider his position on immigration and did not co-sponsor the bill with Senator Ted Kennedy he had co-sponsored in the last Congress. "McCain has encountered anger from hard-line immigration foes on the campaign trail, particularly over an aspect in last year's bill that would have allowed most undocumented immigrants to work toward citizenship." [The Boston Globe, 3/22/07; The New York Times, 3/20/07]
MORE RECENTLY
McCain changed his tune, showing up at the last minute to take credit for a bipartisan compromise, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) then reportedly criticized McCain saying, "I have been sitting in here for all of these negotiations and you just parachute in here on the last day. You are out of line." [washingtonpost.com, 5/18/07; Roll Call, 5/21/07]
NOW
"Republican presidential hopeful John McCain on Thursday backed a scaled- down proposal that imposes strict rules to end illegal immigration but doesn't include a path to citizenship...Among other things, the bill makes being in the country illegally a criminal misdemeanor and toughens penalties for re- entering after being deported." [AP, 8/2/07]
Pork Spending
THEN
McCain: Earmarks Have Got to Stop, "We Cannot Do That With American Tax Dollars." [McCain Speech at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference, 3/10/06]
NOW
McCain Hired Tom Loeffler to Senior Campaign Post, Loeffler Earned $3.9 Million for Creating $40 Million in Federal Pork. [Politico, 4/4/07; Washington Post, 4/4/07; Lobbyist Disclosure Documents Filled with Secretary of the Senate, Citizens Against Government Waste Pig Book 2003-06]
Campaign Finance
THEN
McCain Was a Champion For Campaign Finance Reform. [New York Times, 10/22/01]
NOW
McCain Laying the Groundwork to Opt Out of Campaign Finance System for '08. [National Journal, 12/17/05; Hotline On Call, 12/16/05; Roll Call, 5/1/06; New York Times, 4/30/06]
Grassroots Lobbying
THEN
McCain Sponsored Legislation in 2006 to Restrict Grassroots Lobbying Activities and Force Disclosure. [Los Angeles Times, 3/8/06]
NOW
McCain Flip-Flopped, Voted Against Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure. [The Hill, 1/18/07; S.Amdt.20 to S.1, Vote #17, 1/18/07, agreed to 55-43; R: 48-0, D: 7-43, McCain voted "Yea"]
Gun Control
THEN
McCain Called for Further Gun Control After Columbine. [Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 9/6/02]
NOW
After Virginia Tech Massacre, McCain Said There Should Be No Gun Control. [AP, 4/19/07]
Tax Cuts
THEN
McCain Opposed Bush Tax Cuts. [Baltimore Sun, 5/27/01; Statement, 3/18/03]
NOW
McCain Voted for Bush Tax Cuts. [New York Times, 2/21/06]
Abortion
THEN
McCain Opposed Overturning Roe: It Would Force Women to Seek Illegal Abortions. [San Francisco Chronicle, 8/20/99]
NOW
McCain Wouldn't Be Bothered by Supreme Court Ban on Abortion, Would Sign South Dakota's Abortion Ban. [CBS News, 1/25/06; ABC News, 3/29/06; ABC News, 2/26/06; NationalJournal.com, 2/28/06]
Gay Marriage
THEN
McCain Opposed Federal Gay Marriage Ban. [Los Angeles Times, 1/25/05]
NOW
McCain Says He Would Sign the Federal Marriage Amendment Into Law. [Politico, 3/19/07] McCain Voted Against Considering an Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage. [Vote #163, SJRes 1, 6/7/02]
Standing Up to Racism
THEN
McCain Condemned Bush for Failing to Denounce Racist Beliefs at Bob Jones University. [Fox, 2/24/00]
NOW
McCain Endorsed George Wallace Jr., Keynote Speaker at White Supremacist Group Gathering. [AP, 11/17/05; 6/6/05]
Ethanol
THEN
McCain Called Ethanol "Not Worth It" And a Product With "Absolutely, Under No Circumstances, Any Value Whatsoever[.]" [Des Moines Register, 12/19/99; Aberdeen American News, 5/2/04]
NOW
McCain Voiced Support for Ethanol in Iowa and Called for Increased Investment in Its Use. [Des Moines Register, 4/14/06; Arizona Republic, 5/9/06]
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democrats.org/. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Democratic National Committee
