John McCain

John Sidney McCain III is currently a Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican Party nominee for President but lost the election. Neo-conservatives didn't like him because John McCain is was against torture and passed something called the McCain Feingold bill which limits the amount of money neoconservatives can give to Klan Dragons who run for public office. Unlike Mitt and George W. he actually fought in Vietnam. Meanwhile Mitt Romney had graduated from bullying a gay boy by cutting his long hair. Romney was in France, a safer place than Vietnam and Bush was going AWOL!

Personal life
John McCain born 1936, is as old as time itself. The only thing older than jokes about John McCain's age is John McCain. Liberapedia is unable to establish to what extent he has or may have used Botox and/or plastic surgery.

Divorce from first wife
In his 2002 memoir, "Worth the Fighting For," McCain wrote that he had separated from Carol McCain before he began dating Cindy Hensley.

"'I spent as much time with Cindy in Washington and Arizona as our jobs would allow. I was separated from Carol, but our divorce would not become final until February of 1980.'"

However, court documents show McCain did not sue his wife for divorce until Feb. 19, 1980. He wrote in his court petition that he and his wife had "cohabited" until Jan. 7 of that year - or for the first nine months of his relationship with Cindy Hensley.

Cindy McCain on her first meeting with John, while he was still married to Carol:

"'He kind of chased me around . . . the hors d'oeuvre table. I was trying to get something to eat and I thought, 'This guy's kind of weird.' I was kind of trying to get away from him.'"

In his autobiography, he wrote: "My marriage's collapse was attributable to my own selfishness and immaturity. The blame was entirely mine." There have been worse cases of Sexual hypocrisy in the Republican Party and amongst the Religious right.

Although McCain suggested in his autobiography that months passed between his divorce and remarriage, the divorce was granted April 2, 1980, and he wed Hensley in a private ceremony five weeks later. McCain obtained an Arizona marriage license on March 6, 1980, while still legally married to his first wife.

McCain has been asked if he committed adultery and has refused to comment, citing it is a "personal" issue. "Let me say that I am responsible for the breakup of my first marriage," McCain replied. "I will not discuss or talk about that any more than that. If someone wants to criticize me for that, that's fine."

2000 Presidential primary and beyond
In 2000, McCain ran against George W. Bush in the Republican Presidential primary. Bush was (and is) willing to do anything to get elected, while McCain had principles.

Being beaten by Bush in 2000 brought about change in McCain. McCain began to understand that one way to win was to give up all ethics and concentrate on getting votes, appealing to the worst in order to win.

Although Bush and other Republicans "played dirty" against him in 2000, McCain teamed up with them when it was politically useful. He even campaigned for Bush's election in 2004. “After what happened to him eight years ago and some of the statements he made, I couldn’t quite understand the things he was doing, the appearances he was making with the president,” Senator Richard J. Durbin said.

Political positions
John McCain has some conservative positions, including his pro-life stance, and his willingness to leave troops in Iraq for 100 years more.

He first supported George W. Bush in Iraq. Now he tries to pretend he never did. Fact is, he stood with the administration on Iraq from the beginning.

Energy
Having received 3 million dollars from the Exxon Mobil Corporation, McCain's energy policy is to allow the gas and oil companies to rape the American people.

He is also for the building of 45 nuclear power plants. This is stupid because nuclear power costs 3 times as much as solar power.

ANWR
McCain has generally opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

On June 19, 2008, McCain said that he still opposes drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, though he is open to hearing what supporters have to say. McCain has long held that certain pristine places, such as ANWR and the Grand Canyon, should remain protected. Asked whether he was changing his position, McCain repeated that he was both opposed to drilling and open to new information:

"'If people have new information or want me to review policies…no matter what those policies are, I’d be glad to review them. 'People have said to me, 'I'm going to bring you new information about ANWR, how environmentally we can make it safe.' I'll be glad to accept new information but my position has not changed.'"

He mentioned that he had changed his position on offshore oil drilling, which he now supports, because of the rising price of oil. Asked if the high price of oil tempts him to reconsider drilling in ANWR, he said: "No, but again, if somebody says, 'will you look at this information?' ...I'll be glad to look at that information. I think it’s incumbent on me to review it. But I certainly haven’t changed my position."

Offshore drilling
A McCain July 2008 television ad blames Obama for current high gas prices and claims that the answer is more drilling, yet McCain supported the federal ban on offshore drilling for oil during his campaign for the presidency in 2000. In June 2008, McCain reversed his longstanding objection to offshore drilling.

Renewable energy
"'In fact, John McCain has a perfect record on this renewable energy legislation. He has missed all eight votes over the last year — which effectively counts as a no vote each time. Once, he was even in the Senate and wouldn’t leave his office to vote.' - New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman"

Equal pay for equal work
"'We have not done enough. And I'm committed to making sure that there's equal pay for equal work. That there is equal opportunity in every aspect of our society. And that is my record and you can count on it.' - John McCain, Town Hall meeting, Hudson, WI, July 11, 2008."

While claiming to support equal pay for equal work, McCain announced his opposition to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which seeks to do exactly that. He said the measure would "only serve to fatten the pockets of trial lawyers."

Lilly Ledbetter was a Goodyear Tire employee who sued the company in 1998 after finding out that she was earning 40 percent less than male co-workers employed to do similar jobs. In May 2007, the Supreme Court ruled against Ledbetter in a 5-4 verdict. The justices ruled that employees who believe they have been discriminated against must file a complaint within 180 days with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Since Ledbetter did not find out that males were paid more than her until after 180 days had past, she was unable to collect years of underpayments.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Ledbetter Act in 2007 which removes the 180-day deadline. However, the US Senate has failed to approve, leaving the bill languishing. Supporters of the bill claim that it is usually impractical to file a complaint within 180 days as most companies are very secretive about salary data, and it can take years to establish a pattern of discrimination.

In April 2008, McCain told reporters that he was "all in favor of equal pay" for women, but that there were better ways to help women find higher paying jobs. "They need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households."

George W. Bush
"'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.'"

Health care
McCain's campaign web site at johnmccain.com discusses his stance on health care with "Straight Talk on Health System Reform".

Birth control
On July 7, 2008, Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and a top advisor to McCain, stated, "There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won't cover birth-control medication. Those women would like a choice."

McCain has twice voted against requiring health insurance companies to provide coverage for birth control.

On July 9, 2008, a reporter asked McCain about the issue. His first reply was, "I certainly do not want to discuss that issue." He then appeared speechless, pausing for eight seconds before answering, "I don't know enough about it to give you a informed answer because I don't recall the vote, I've cast thousands of votes in the Senate, but I will respond to you," he said. "It's a choice -- it's something I hadn't thought much about it but I did hear her [Fiorina's] response, but I hadn't thought much about it."

Later his campaign responded that as a proponent of free-market principles, McCain opposes any legislation mandating health insurance coverage. "He doesn't support mandates, including any for Viagra," a McCain campaign aide told ABC News.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said Fiorina was trying to explain that under McCain's proposed health insurance plan, he believes there will be more choice in the types of plans women could choose.

"An example is the choice for women to dump a policy that only covers Viagra for a policy that covers their real needs," Rogers said.

As of July 21, 2008, his health care issues web page makes no mention of the issue.

Pre-existing conditions
McCain's web site claims that it is a "myth" that his under his plan, "Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Would Be Denied Insurance".

The rebuttal of that "myth" with "facts" states,


 * "...That If You Are Employed And Insured You Will Build Protection Against The Cost Of Any Pre-Existing Condition."
 * "...McCain Would Work With Governors To Find The Solutions Necessary To Ensure Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Are Able To Easily Access Care."

Current plans already allow you to "build protection", which means with most plans you must wait 12 months before any pre-existing conditions are covered. Therefore, that statement is meaningless. He also only mentions people who are employed.

What the phrase "Work with Governors" means is unclear, however, there are 50 state governors, as well as the District of Columbia, which has no governor. How "working" with them will manage to "Ensure" people can "Easily Access Care" is not mentioned.

Jerry Falwell
On February 28, 2000, while running against George W. Bush in the Republican Presidential primary, McCain addressed a crowd in Virginia Beach, Virginia:

"I am a pro-life, pro-family fiscal conservative, an advocate of a strong defense, and yet Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and a few Washington leaders of the pro-life movement call me an unacceptable presidential candidate. They distort my pro-life positions and smear the reputations of my supporters. Why? Because I don't pander to them, because I don't ascribe to their failed philosophy that money is our message."

"Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right."

McCain also said Falwell was a figure who exercised an "evil influence" in the Republican party.

Six years later, McCain delivered the commencement address at Falwell's Liberty University. At the May 13, 2006 commencement ceremonies, McCain and Falwell marched side by side onto the stage in the university's basketball arena. Falwell also presented McCain with an honorary degree.

Asked whether he believes their reconciliation helps McCain politically, Falwell said, "I don't think there's any question about that. There are 80 million evangelicals in this country. My intent was to say that John McCain and I are friends, that I respect him and that there are no problems with yesterday."

Social Security
McCain has refused to clearly state his position on Social Security, other than to state that the basic funding mechanism of Social Security is "a disgrace".

"'I cannot tell you what I would do, except to put everything on the table. Because as soon as I say 'This is what would be my requirement,' then you get into a huge fight and you get all the special interests involved. I would put everything on the table.'"

He has stated contradictory positions, being both for and against "privatization".

Against privatization
"My friends, I do not and will not privatize Social Security."

For privatization
"Actually, I'm totally in favor of personal savings accounts and I think they are an important opportunity for young workers. I campaigned in support of President Bush's proposal and I campaigned with him, and I did town hall meetings with him."

"Without privatization, I don't see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits."

For and against privatization
"But my friends, I will not privatize Social Security, and it’s not true when I’m accused of that, but I would like for younger workers, younger workers only, to have an opportunity to take a few of their tax dollars, a few of theirs, and maybe put it into an account with their name on it." - John McCain, Remarks, Pemberton, New Jersey, 6/13/08. See "External links" below for his full statement on YouTube.

2008 Presidential campaign
John McCain has been described as a "RINO" which is secret code for "Republican in name only". So he's actually a tiny bit smarter than we thought.

John McCain has suffered the insults of MILF talk show host Laura Ingraham for his position on immigration, because he doesn't want to send Mexican-Americans to a concentration camp.

Free speech
In July 2008, Greg Jenkins, a veteran advance man who ran presidential advance in the Bush White House, also an aide on Bush's 2000 campaign, joined McCain's campaign. He is working to ensure better stagecraft of McCain's events and to avoid a reprisal of the much-mocked green background behind McCain at a high-profile speech last month.

Greg Jenkins was sued by the ACLU for his role in having three individuals forcibly removed from a 2005 Bush town hall meeting in Denver for wearing anti-Bush t-shirts underneath their clothing despite their not having uttered a word, as well as several other cases. Jenkins was responsible for explicitly instructing event workers on when and how "to stop a demonstrator from getting into the event" and "calls for Bush volunteers to distribute tickets in a manner to deter protesters and to stop demonstrators from entering."

One of the lawsuits brought against Jenkins, Rank v. Jenkins, brought by the ACLU on behalf of two Texas citizens who "were arrested for trespassing, handcuffed, and hauled away in a police van" on the West Virginia State Capitol ground when trying to attend a Bush July 4 speech wearing anti-war and anti-Bush t-shirts. The suit ended with a settlement under which the American taxpayers paid them $80,000.

Shortly after Jenkins joined the McCain campaign, at a McCain speech, billed as being "open to the public" in Denver, a 60-year-old librarian received a trespassing ticket after a liberal group's protest outside a John McCain town hall meeting. Clutching a sign that read "McCain = Bush," Carol Kreck was removed from the atrium at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts by four Denver police officers.

Originally, the McCain campaign claimed it had no involvement with her removal, and that it was done at the behest of the Secret Service. However:

"'Contrary to some recent reporting, the Secret Service had no involvement in Ms. Kreck being removed from the area,' said Malcolm D. Wiley Sr., spokesman for the Secret Service."

"'A representative of Senator John McCain's staff respectfully asked that the venue for its July 7 Town Hall Meeting, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, not allow persons to display signage within the Arts Complex,' Denver Center for the Performing Arts officials said in a statement."

Negative, deceptive advertising
In July 2008, McCain began running a television ad about high gasoline prices. In the ad, McCain blames Obama for it:

"ANNOUNCER: Gas prices - $4, $5, no end in sight, because some in Washington are still saying no to drilling in America. No to independence from foreign oil. Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump? CHANT: Obama, Obama"

Although Obama has been in the U.S. Congress since January 4, 2005 (about 3 years) and McCain has been since January 3, 1983 (about 25 years), the blame for our national energy policy (i.e. NO energy policy), is clearly placed on Obama.

The ad neglects to mention McCain's own past opposition to offshore and ANWR drilling.

In addition, energy experts agree that more drilling would not bring more oil to market for 5 to 10 years, and that the additional amounts obtained would be only about 1% of current world oil consumption.

Phil Gramm
From summer 2007 to July 18, 2008, former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm was John McCain’s presidential campaign co-chair, and his most senior economic adviser.

McCain picked Gramm to advise him on economic matters, even though as a U.S. Senator, Gramm drafted the "Enron loophole" in cooperation with lobbyists for Enron Corporation. Critics blame the provision for permitting the Enron scandal to occur. At the time, Gramm's wife was on Enron's board of directors and her Enron salary and stock income have brought between $915,000 and $1.8 million into the Gramm household.

In addition, Gramm's Commodity Futures Modernization Act allowed unregulated credit default swaps. Unregulated credit default swaps are behind the 2007-2008 Subprime disaster.

McCain seemed to have no problem with this, and Gramm only left the campaign after the uproar caused by Gramm stating that those affected by Gramm's actions were, "...a nation of whiners".

Sam and Charles Wyly
In March 2000, during the Republican primary between McCain and then-Gov. George W. Bush, Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly, major contributors to Bush, funded a $2.5 million advertising campaign by a group calling itself "Republicans for Clear Air" that ran an ad against McCain in California, New York and Ohio.

McCain's campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging the Wylys broke the law by coordinating with the Bush campaign in violation of FEC laws. McCain referred to the brothers as "Wyly coyotes" and said to an audience in Boston, "Are we going to allow two cronies of George W. Bush to hijack this election? Tell them to keep their dirty money in the state of Texas, my friends. Don't spread it all over New England and America."

Planning his run for President in 2008, however, McCain changed his tune. Sam Wyly, his wife Cheryl, and Charles Wyly are all co-chaired a May 15, 2006 fundraiser for McCain's PAC, hosted in Dallas, and featuring Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman.

Also co-chairing the event was Rob Allyn, a Texas PR man who was paid $46,000 to produce the Wylys' "Republicans for Clean Air" ads.