If you follow politics, is seems that whenever you turn around, you are confronted by an instance of Republican hypocrisy.
In the midst of the scandals and issues concerning Sarah Palin and her family and pregnant daughter, John McCain is quoted by the Wall street Journal as saying:
–“This is a very personal matter for the family. We should all respect the love they have for the child and the desire all parents would have for their children’s privacy.”
–“The media should respect Bristol’s privacy. That’s always been the tradition and practice when it comes to the children of candidates.”
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–“The children of candidates do not choose to run for office and be thrust into the spotlight.”
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That is a noble sentiment, one with which Barack Obama agrees. If only McCain had been consistent when the family in question belonged to an incumbent from the party opposite.
I rediscovered this snippet from a John McCain speech during a Republican Dinner in June 1998 published in the June 25, 1998 version of Salon:
"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."
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You can make an argument that discussing a teen's pregnancy in the context of whether abstinence only policies work is a legitimate question and issue. What legitimate issue is being discussed in McCain's above attack on Chelsea?
This is one of the things that makes being a Democrat so difficult. Do you dive into the muck and allow yourself to use the same disgusting methods the Republicans use to make political points and win elections, or do you let them get away with their tactics and lose? Perhaps, some will say, this question is a false dilemma. Perhaps by not employing those tactics, you can win. I'm not convinced and I would cite the Swiftboat veterans for lies in 2004 as my proof.
McCain's stated beliefs and positions are rife with reversals, flip flops, and doing and saying anything just to get elected. McCain really wanted to have Lieberman as his Vice President, but settled for a lightweight to appease his base. McCain really is pro amnesty for illegal aliens, but his party made it clear he would not win the nomination if he stuck with his principles so he gave up on them. He was involved in the Keating Five scandal, so to try to salvage his reputation, he called up Democratic Senator Russ Feingold to create campaign finance reform legislation. He attacked a teenaged Chelsea Clinton but cries foul about Sarah Palin's children being the subject of a debate.
This is the way of John McCain and the Republican Party. I wonder how many people remember the "Compassionate Conservative" slogan of the Bush 2000 campaign? None of these Republican slogans mean anything. McCain is now talking about change and putting people & the country first. Again, it means as little as his current statement that he doesnt believe in involving the children of candidates or politicians. McCain's only value is saying what he needs to win. We don't need another guy like that in the White House.
