From The Hotline Latest Edition for Friday, May 2,2008

MCCAIN

Blame It On The Collapsed Bridge To Nowhere

Fri. May 2, 2008


John McCain, speaking in Cleveland, OH, on 5/1, "backed off his assertion that pork-barrel spending led to last year's deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis."

With Dems "criticizing him for citing wasteful spending as the cause of the disaster," McCain told reporters: "No, I said it would have received a higher priority, which it deserved" (Quaid, AP, 5/1). And in IA, McCain "said he only meant to say that earmarks divert money away from necessary projects toward unneeded pork-barrel ones." McCain: "When you divert money to projects that are unneeded and unwanted, any project that is deserved is not going to receive the funding that's necessary" (Eilperin/Shear, "The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 5/1).

On 4/30, however, McCain told reporters in PA: "The bridge in Minneapolis didn't collapse because there wasn't enough money. The bridge in Minneapolis collapsed because so much money was spent on wasteful, unnecessary pork-barrel projects."

Dems "accused McCain of using a tragedy that killed 13 people and injured 145 others to make a political point." Even Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) "said McCain was wrong." Coleman: "I understand Senator McCain's deep concern about earmarks. In this instance, I simply think he's wrong if he somehow ties the collapse of the bridge to a funding issue. Let's get the full data."

The remarks also put McCain nat'l co-chair/MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) "in an awkward position." In Jan., Pawlenty "had admonished critics to 'quit exploiting the bridge tragedy to advance their political agenda.'" Pawlenty "struck a more cautious tone" on 5/1. Pawlenty: "I don't know what he's basing that on, other than the general premise that projects got misprioritized throughout time. "We have to let the NTSB weigh in on this before anybody can make a final conclusion" (AP, 5/1).

Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It

McCain said 5/1 that the decision five years ago to hang the famous "Mission Accomplished" banner was a mistake.

McCain, to reporters in Cleveland: "I thought it was wrong at the time."

However, the DNC notes that "that wasn't exactly what he said" in a Jun. '03 interview. Reminded by FNC's Neil Cavuto that many didn't think the war was over, McCain retorted: "Well, then why was there a banner that said mission accomplished on the aircraft carrier?" He also noted that while the reconstruction of the country would be "a long, long, difficult process," the "major conflict is over."

RNC spokesperson Danny Diaz responded: "Democrats will go into the fall election with a candidate whose chief foreign policy credential is either studying abroad or dodging sniper fire" (Martin, Politico.com, 5/1).

More on McCain's relationship with "Mission Accomplished":

• National Journal's Brownstein writes, five years ago this week, Bush "exulted beneath a banner that declared 'Mission Accomplished' in Iraq. McCain, under any interpretation of his words, is proposing another mission in Iraq -- a long vigil -- that would extend for decades. With the stakes so high, it's not enough for him to accuse critics of twisting his meaning: He needs to more clearly explain it himself" (5/3 issue).

• CNN's Borger: "This kind of a delicate dance that McCain is doing really shows you the problem that he has, because he doesn't want to alienate the conservative base that is still very, very loyal to George W. Bush. So what he is saying is I don't blame the president per secure, but I blame all of those bad folks that the president appointed and actually kept in office, like Donald Rumsfeld, like Dick Cheney. And so it's going to be a very, very difficult balance for him to keep" ("Situation Room," 5/1).

• CNN's Toobin: "Just by coincidence, five years ago today I was at the White House researching a story for the New Yorker, interviewing people. And I happened to be there literally as the plane landed on the aircraft carrier. And I saw everybody come out of their offices and watch and this sort of amazing feeling of triumph and success. And, you know, that is a core moment in recent American history. I mean this is an event that everyone is going to remember from the Bush presidency. And I think John McCain is going to struggle with this until November, of how to separate himself from that poisonous legacy" ("Situation Room," 5/1).

Here's To Your Health Care

McCain "continued his weeklong rollout of his health care plan" on 5/1 at the Cleveland Clinic (Wheeler, Akron Beacon Journal, 5/2). He also returned to IA to talk about health care, outlining his plan to give each family a $5K refundable tax credit for health care (Gearino, Mason City Globe Gazette, 5/2).

Meanwhile, National Journal's Crook writes, McCain's health care plan "would widen access to health insurance and make insurance much more portable from job to job, but it would fall way short of providing universal coverage. Even with his proposed tax credit, many millions of bad-risk individuals -- including those with pre-existing conditions -- would find it impossible to afford coverage. Younger and healthier workers would have an incentive to opt out of employer plans in favor of cheaper alternatives, a step that would raise premiums for those left behind" (5/3 issue).

Children Of The Corn

While in IA on 5/1, "the nation's leading corn-producing state," McCain said he opposed new federal farm legislation.

McCain, to a town hall audience of about 250: "I'd like to start out by saying to you that I have to give you a little straight talk about the farm bill that is winding its way through Congress. I do not support it. I would veto it. I would do that because I believe that these subsidies, the subsidies are unnecessary."

McCain, "who has long opposed agricultural subsidies, said later in an interview that he was willing to risk the political backlash in heavily agricultural states" such as IA, MN, and WI. McCain: "At this time, to have an increase in agricultural subsidies when farmers are having higher incomes than at any time in memory, I just think it's legislation that's not in keeping with the economic hard times of America where people are losing their homes and their jobs."

But "he said he hoped voters in farm states would appreciate his plan to expand markets for U.S. agricultural products abroad." McCain: "I will open up every market in the world to the most efficient, productive sector of America's economy and that's our farm and agricultural worker" (Beaumont, Des Moines Register, 5/2).

The Book Of Jobs

McCain released a statement on today's jobs report.

McCain: "Today's job numbers are another clear indication of the economic challenges facing our country. ... We must help Americans now through gas tax relief, which provides immediate relief from rising energy prices. We must also help those facing home foreclosure by enacting a HOME plan. At the same time, we need to act to lower taxes, streamline regulation, lower health care costs, ensure energy independence and open foreign markets. ... The wrong course for our country would be to follow Senators [Barack] Obama and [Hillary] Clinton and their siren songs of higher taxes, bigger government, greater isolationism and a government-run health care system" (release, 5/2).

To The Left, To The Left, To The Right, To The Right

After "courting traditionally Democratic voters," McCain "will tend to his conservative roots for a new round of voter outreach."

McCain "has scheduled speeches on judges and gun rights -- two issues that have fueled the success of conservative candidates going back to Ronald Reagan" (Jackson, USA Today, 5/2).

The Last Judgment

"Almost exactly three years after" the "extraordinary parliamentary brinkmanship" over judicial nominees, "the conservatives' raw anger has cooled." And McCain "has begun to work at mollifying his once-fierce detractors." Some of the critics insist that he "must provide plenty more reassurances about his judicial philosophy to win their total favor. But they also say that the fallout from the Gang of 14's work actually was not so dire."

Free Congress Foundation pres. Paul Weyrich: "Well, I was for the constitutional [or nuclear] option, but we weren't sure that we had the votes for that. So, while I sort of disagreed with him ... the net result was better than we had been able to achieve by ordinary means, [because] what McCain ended up doing actually got a few Appeals Court judges confirmed" (Victor, National Journal, 5/3 issue).

You Say You Want A Ron Paul Revolution?

As far as McCain is concerned, GOP nod "is a done deal and the party is united behind him." But "thousands" of GOPers -- "particularly supporters" of Ron Paul -- "aren't buying that."

At last weekend's NV GOP convo, about 600 "well-organized" Ron Paul supporters "overwhelmed McCain's forces and engineered a rule change" that permitted nat'l convo delegates "to be nominated from the floor, wresting the task from party leaders." That night, "party leaders unexpectedly adjourned the session, saying the proceedings would take too long to finish that night" (Reston, Los Angeles Times, 5/2).

Crazy G-8s

McClatchy's Stearns and Strobel write, the fact that McCain is proposing to try to remove Russia from the G-8, "risking a return to Cold War tensions with the world's second-largest nuclear power after 20 years of prickly partnership, raises questions" about his "judgment. It also underscores that many of his top foreign-policy advisers are of the same neo-conservative school that promoted the war in Iraq, argue for a tougher stance toward Iran and are skeptical of negotiating with North Korea over its nuclear program" (5/1).

A Map Of The World

CO state Sen. Peter Groff (D) writes in the Washington Times, on paper, "the current electoral map tips" McCain's direction. "That said, he's being real smart about it." If he can make MN, CA, MI, and WI "competitive, he's good to go." If Obama gets the nod, "a white voter 'reticence factor' could prove troubling," suddenly making VA, CO, NM, MO, NH, and maybe GA, MS, and NC "much more competitive." Should Clinton win the nod, "there are signs that she'll basically follow" the '04 Kerry electoral map and "hope for miracles through big plays" in FL, OH, and PA (5/2).

Language Arts

McCain "finally got a question at a town hall meeting that he refused to answer."

In Des Moines on 5/1, a man stood and, "referring to an anecdote in a new anti-McCain book," asked him if he had actually used a crude epithet in addressing his wife (Meckler, "Washington Wire," WSJ.com, 5/1). The man: "Is it true that you called your wife a c*nt?" McCain: "You know that's the great thing about town hall meetings sir, but we really don't -- there's people here who don't respect that kind of language so I'll move on to the next question here in the back" (Aigner-Treworgy, NBC/National Journal, 5/1).

Faith Of Our Fathers, Living Still, In Spite Of Dungeon, Fire, And Sword

In a fundraising email, McCain mgr. Rick Davis writes, "with your contribution of $150 or more, you will receive a signed, hardcover copy of the inspiring 'Faith of My Fathers.' This book can be shared with your family and friends to help them understand, in John McCain's own words, the service he and his family have had the honor of providing to our country" (Hotline email, 5/1).

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