John McCain boasted Monday about his hands-on role in Wall Street bailout talks – “it’s not my style to simply phone it in” – a claim contradicted by reports that McCain did spend Saturday lobbying for the bailout – by phone.
Campaigning
in Ohio Monday before the House voted down the proposed bailout, McCain sought to use
the original agreement on the bailout as evidence of his style of leadership
that puts country first, ahead of his own campaign. Washington Washington Mississippi Virginia Arlington
“I
put my campaign on hold for a couple days last week to fight for a rescue plan
that put you and your economic security first. I fought for a plan that
protected taxpayers, homeowners, consumers and small business owners,” he told
a rally.OhioWashington
“I
went to
“Some
people have criticized my decision, but I will never, ever be a president who
sits on the sidelines when this country faces a crisis. Some of you may have
noticed, but it's not my style to simply phone it in."
McCain
did travel to
But
after leaving to attend Friday night’s debate with Obama in
A
top McCain aide told the New York Times at the time that McCain did pressure
fellow Republicans to ratify the proposed $700 billion bailout, but did it by
phone.
“He's
calling members on both sides, talking to people in the administration, helping
out as he can,'' aide Mark Salter told the Times.
Salter
also said it wasn’t necessary for McCain to actually go to the capitol.
“He
can effectively do what he needs to do by phone,” Salter said.
If mccain pressured his republican friends to approve the economic package, he is either not effective or doesn't have as many friends as he thought.
Posted by: rich | September 29, 2008 at 02:53 PM
McCain keeps flipping and flopping all over the place. McCain did nothing to ensure the bailout was passed. The one thing he is good at is lying about Senator Obama every chance he gets. McCain is really looking unprofessional and disorganized. Picking Palin was a failure to do the vetting that is necessary to come up with the most qualified running mate. This shows a lack of good sense.
Posted by: Vicki | September 29, 2008 at 11:54 PM
McCain's not effective with the rabid Republicans and he's certainly no good at negotiating a settlement.
His phone calls are on video; he again forgets that videos exist.
Posted by: Ivanv | September 30, 2008 at 01:24 AM
I still don't know what McCain actually believes in. All I hear is hyperbole and no substance. That's not leadership, that's waffling.
Posted by: Andhakari | September 30, 2008 at 03:07 AM
Ugh!
Posted by: SiberianRat | September 30, 2008 at 06:18 AM
obama capmaign co-chair jesse jackson jr. voted against the bailout bill. Whats that about?
Posted by: hadenough | September 30, 2008 at 09:20 AM
hadenough,
I don't know the specifics, but part of legislating is working with your caucus to ensure the number of necessary votes while simultaneously assisting your members with their constituents.
Getting 100% is (next to) impossible, 2/3 Democrat vote is a great % on a controversial election-year bill.
If I were to find reasons for the bill not passing I would say that GWB/Cheney work against their own party - the GOP wanted to distance themselves from the WH in an election year opp. Imagine if it passed, their going to their districts, "yes it passed, but I did all I could to protect the American taxpayer."
This is a perfect example of a minority of lawmakers using themselves to change then stop legislation. The more public the bill - er, important - the more press, the more intransigent, the fewer problems solved, etc.
Posted by: Ivanv | September 30, 2008 at 03:46 PM
hadenough,
Some Democrats wanted more protections of the lower income; here you have the unusual bedfellows of African-American Democrats and extreme Republicans voting 'nay' on a bill for different reasons.
Posted by: Ivanv | September 30, 2008 at 03:49 PM
(I'd be surprised if he ever doesn't attack Obama)
McCain's use of the "phone it in" metaphor as a negative shows he doesn't understand that most us use phones 1000s of times daily. McCain should suspend his phone use from now on.
I use a phone to communicate my opinions and directions.
Attacking Obama for phone use is juvenile. To McCain, it only matters what happens in November, he's not concerned with anything beyond that.
Posted by: Ivanv | September 30, 2008 at 04:05 PM
Phone work is more efficient when time is important. Senator McCain needs to realize his recent popularity came with a strong Bible believing vice-presidential choice. Now they need to use God's guidance to stop this $700 billion bailout.
Whatever good ideas the leaders have that they can do without being an insurer or get into debt, they can do without the bailout.
Credit, debt and insurance are against God's guidance. We are told not to be surety (insurance) for anyone and not to get in debt. With this guidance we know that bailouts will not solve the problem. It will do more damage than good. .Housing will not be the secure investment in the minds of people again; they will not expect the price will always be much higher in the future. Banks will not lend freely again for the same reason. Many will lose their jobs; but that solution is also found in this letter.
Our banking loan system and insurance institutions have led us into much bondage, (because of the ease of living on borrowed money,) We have powerful military mechanisms, energy crisis, pollution, disease, wars, and higher costs on most things we buy and do. People bought and sold before these institutions without the added costs and they can do it again. God warned against borrowing money; yet that is the only way for us to bail these entities out; we dare not fight against God who can wipe out our communications with a solar flare, or shake down these institutions in an earth quake.
There is another way to get things done. Look at what a small part of a payment pays toward ending a mortgage the first 15 years of a thirty year mortgage. On a car payment, it is the same according to their term. These institutions can now end interest charges and just charge a small handling fee each month and use the payments to pay down the loans. Families will work together to pay a debt they can see an end to. This will benefit the country, investors and make the dollar strong again.
A bailout will not work to save the oppressive system God wants brought down. He also said, "I will destroy your chariots"; the auto industry will fall because people were never to live far from relatives; and all their needs should be in their own community.
These institutions and practices can stop slowly and in order by our own understanding of God's wisdom; or they can fall quickly by an electromagnetic pulse that stops all batteries, electronic and communications devices if God chooses.
Our ways are polluting us to death, literally, and creating world problems like energy crisis, food crisis, financial crisis, poverty, inequality, bondage, wars and rumors of wars, immigration, diseases and health care costs and social security insufficiencies. We could and should turn to creating a retirement lifestyle of a garden paradise where the things we need are in our community. The garden paradise gives people a purpose, a focus, a healthy lifestyle and abundant provisions. This solves the many world problems with the same strategy.
Our education system and all our systems have been geared toward an employment lifestyle for 40-60 years and then retirement. That is an oppressive system of bondage and debt. People will lose jobs by letting these systems end; but they can begin their garden paradise by preparing the land and looking to the needs of their communities. There is no middle class; there is only the human species created in God's image and commanded to love God and mankind; believe God's guidance and commandments through the prophets; multiply and keep the garden and prosper. The goal in life never was to be employment. The goal is retirement in a garden paradise where we work and play with family and friends together in close communities.
Posted by: MarieDevine | October 01, 2008 at 02:49 PM