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McCainonomics
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by V_rod218813 | July 11, 2008 at 10:30 am
253 views | 5 Recommendations | 21 comments
For the past few weeks John McCain has had trouble clarifying his positions, and his campaign surrogates have been little help. His recent 'Jobs for America' economic plan was put through a litmus test and it failed. The economic signatories do not even agree with the core proposals of his economic policy.
Huffington Post Team:
On Monday, John McCain's campaign released a statement signed by 300 economists who "enthusiastically support" his "Jobs for America" economic plan. There's just one problem.
Politico reports, "Upon closer inspection, it seems a good many of those economists don't actually support the whole of McCain's economic agenda. And at least one doesn't even support McCain for president."
In interviews with several signatories, Politico found that, "far from embracing McCain's economic plan, many were unfamiliar with -- or downright opposed to -- key details. While most of those contacted by Politico had warm feelings about McCain, many did not want to associate themselves too closely with his campaign and its policy prescriptions."
What's more, the statement signed by the economists didn't even mention two critical planks McCain's economic argument: "the gas tax holiday and his promise to balance the budget by the end of his first term -- there's literally nothing in the release that mentions the deficit or national debt."
Indeed, the Huffington Post surveyed economists from across the political spectrum and couldn't find a single one who supports two of McCain's signature economic/energy positions: increased off-shore drilling and a gas tax holiday.
http://pol.moveon.org/mccainwatch/?rc=homepage
This comes in the recent wave of surrogate distractions. Earlier in the week top economic adviser, Phil Gramm, described Americans as 'whiners' and dismissed the current economic slump as being 'mental.' Carly Fiorina, McCain's top female adviser, recently expressed frustration over the fact that Viagra is covered by insurance plans, but birth control is not. When questioned about his vote on this bill, McCain clamored up and was unable to give a response. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/10/22343/7943
Fiorina also told women in Columbus, Ohio, that McCain 'has never signed on to efforts to overturn Roe vs. Wade.' According to his campaign website, 'John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.' http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-carly10-2008jul10,0,228806.story
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (21)
at 17:28 on July 11th, 2008
It's interesting that you cite Huffington Post, Moveon.org and Daily Kos, three extreme left-wing McCain-hating organizations and a liberal newspaper as your sources. Don't you read any moderate sources of information?
at 03:34 on July 12th, 2008
Did you notice this guy's profile? He has only this anonymous name and supposed location. I have always found Huffington Post highly over-rated, as well as the brass Ariana. so she's rich and maybe easy on the eye, so what?
at 08:10 on July 12th, 2008
Actually Rene, I keep my name private because I am a United States Marine serving in a combat zone, Kandahar, Afghanistan, and I don't want people to think that I speak for the military or the Department of Defense. If you think I am lying about my location you are more than welcome to come join us on patrols or I can post a picture for you.
at 18:18 on July 11th, 2008
Thanks for this.
May I just add that when asked about how trade with Axis of Evil member Iran had actually increased tenfold during the Bush administration (including military supplies) with cigarettes leading the way, McCain joked it was our way of killing Iranians. Bet the tobacco lobby took him out to the wood shed for that.
He said it was a joke - I call it a "quip-flop".
at 19:43 on July 11th, 2008
"quip-flop" has been added to my growing lexicon of anti-McCain jokes. Thank you dunkelberg.
at 18:26 on July 11th, 2008
Joellerose doesn't realize that cable news doesn't cover these stories so we have to get them from these news organizations.
at 18:29 on July 11th, 2008
Note: these aren't news stories. These are opinion pieces. And yes, many of the news stories they base those pieces on are covered, by many sources.
It just looks different when someone pulls out a specific item and then writes an opinion piece about it, vs. a factual news story. There's a difference between an Op-Ed (opinion/editorial) and a "hard" news story. JoelleRose has a valid point.
at 19:49 on July 11th, 2008
"a factual news story," we are quite the scientist, aren't we? "Objectivity" doesn't exist in journalism; it is a false god with a large following of delusional, self-satisfied worshippers such as yourself.
at 18:30 on July 11th, 2008
It would be nice to see this piece identified with Opinion in the header and in the tags.
at 18:34 on July 11th, 2008
Fix News doesn't cover this, and CNN rarely makes a peep. Good stuff, keep it up!
at 18:38 on July 11th, 2008
Op-ed, opinion, news article, I am not sure what you call it. The author is correct in trying to get it out there. I would consider it op-ed, which is news, because it is based on facts. I never even heard of the Fiorina comments. I am a Roe v. Wade gal and thought McCain supported the decision, but I guess I was wrong. Good stuff!
at 18:45 on July 11th, 2008
Op-Ed and News are two different, albeit related, things. For simplicity, check out a newspaper: there'll be an Opinion or Commentary section, with news in another section. Many TV stations will run a banner, have special music, or have a statement that this is a CH. 9 position piece or whatever terminology they use.
In the past, on NP, a few of us have made a conscientious effort to distinguish between an Opinion piece and news. If you've had a chance to follow any of the discussions in the Newsroom Forum, or on some articles now and then, the "sticky point" now is when a highlighted article is news, from a news source, but the poster has written their own commentary that is sheer opinion. Check it out! Fun stuff. :)
at 18:41 on July 11th, 2008
Good stuff! I don't know what I would call it, news or op-ed, but it serves a purpose and is based on factual accounts. I am a Roe v. Wade gal and thought McCain supported the decision but I guess I had it wrong. I never even heard about the Fiorina comments. Jaw dropping to say the least.
at 18:56 on July 11th, 2008
Politico reports, "Upon closer inspection, it seems a good many of those economists don't actually support the whole of McCain's economic agenda. And at least one doesn't even support McCain for president."
In interviews with several signatories, Politico found that, "far from embracing McCain's economic plan, many were unfamiliar with -- or downright opposed to -- key details. While most of those contacted by Politico had warm feelings about McCain, many did not want to associate themselves too closely with his campaign and its policy prescriptions."
That is reporting the fact that, when asked, some economists listed as publicly supporting the McCain economic plan said they dd not support it in one or more areas, if at all.
Earlier in the week top economic adviser, Phil Gramm, described Americans as 'whiners' and dismissed the current economic slump as being 'mental.' Carly Fiorina, McCain's top female adviser, recently expressed frustration over the fact that Viagra is covered by insurance plans, but birth control is not. When questioned about his vote on this bill, McCain clamored up and was unable to give a response.
Both of those events happened.
Fiorina also told women in Columbus, Ohio, that McCain 'has never signed on to efforts to overturn Roe vs. Wade.' According to his campaign website, 'John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.'
That also happened.
at 18:56 on July 11th, 2008
Joellerose, I don't try to be non-partisan. I comb over more sources of online news organizations as possible. I look at hard right to liberal left. It is just that these pieces are covered on more independent/liberal papers. Also, I am serving in a combat zone right now, so I don't have the advantage of television, so I rely on internet news in my down time. I am anti-McCain. I will be the first to admit it. He has flip-flopped on EVERY position and it hasn't gotten the scrutiny it deserves. If you would like to challenge my assertions that he has not flipped on his positions, then I welcome it. But none of my pieces, be it op-ed, opinion, or news article are dishonest or distorted. I use McCain's own quotes and speeches. He does all the work for me, and that makes it easy. I welcome all challenges to my assertions. If I am lying or dishonest it should be easy to reveal my distortions.
at 19:53 on July 11th, 2008
Amen.
at 19:11 on July 11th, 2008
Well let's just take one of these impartial comments from a left-wing screed that commonly posts obscenities, vulgarities and personal insults against any Republican: "Indeed, the Huffington Post surveyed economists from across the political spectrum and couldn't find a single one who supports two of McCain's signature economic/energy positions." To offer this supposed survey from such a biased source as fact is just dishonest.
at 19:57 on July 11th, 2008
Its pathetic that all you can do to defend yourself is allege hidden "bias" in vrod's sources. You'd get more respect if you actually tried to criticize his arguments and logic (whether you'd be able to come up with anything substantial is another story).
at 19:35 on July 11th, 2008
Wasn't Arianna Huffington one of McCain's supporters....yes! Here positioned changed after McCain started changing. It is your opinion that Huffpost is dishonest, not fact. I see many people believe that Fox is biased, too. So now the debate is which news organization is dishonest. If you believe that Huff is lying, then you need to report them. As far as I can see all news corps have biased and report what they want. But I believe that they report factual stuff. I still believe that this is a good article because it is based on facts.
at 03:40 on July 12th, 2008
All these (unverified) comments are unacceptable, NowPublic staff. Get a clue. and now you let them post articles?
at 03:58 on July 12th, 2008
And now you let these guys(?) post articles too?