10 Reasons Why McCain is Different than G.W. Bush

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Tweet10 Reasons Why McCain is Different than G.W. Bush

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I know that many of you are still struggling with your choice on who to vote for this November. Here are a few facts that I uncovered:

For those of you who heard Bill Clinton talk about candidate X and Canidate Y... could McCain be the canidate who you agree with half of what he says, but you know he will get it done?

1. Former President Clinton Senior Adviser And Hillary Clinton Campaign Strategist Sidney Blumenthal Calls The Third Term Bush Strategy "A Hard Sell." "Sidney Blumenthal, a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and strategist for Hillary Clinton's Democratic presidential campaign, went 'off message' (his words) today with a warning to his party: Don't run against GOP nominee John McCain by painting him as Bush III, because he's not. Bucking the Democratic National Committee's talking points that characterize a potential McCain administration as tantamount to a third Bush term, Blumenthal told our Liz Halloran that running on that strategy in the fall would be a mistake. 'I understand people's political reasons for doing that,' he said. 'I think it's more helpful to describe [political opponents] as they are.' Bottom line, Blumenthal calls the strategy 'a mistake' and adds: 'The public doesn't see [McCain] that way. That's a hard sell.'" (Paul Bedard, "Clintonista Warns: McCain Isn't Bush III," U.S News & World Report's "Washington Whispers" Blog, 5/20/08)

2. In 2004, John McCain Said That President Bush Was Not Being As "Straight" With The American People On Iraq As He Should Have Been. FOX NEWS' WALLACE: "Senator, you made your reputation talking about straight talk. Is the president being straight with the American people? Is he leveling with them about just how tough the situation is in Iraq?" MCCAIN: "Perhaps not as straight as maybe we'd like to see. Although I've been with him when he has told audiences that this is a very tough struggle that we're in and made them aware of the difficulties." (Fox's "Fox News Sunday," 9/19/04)

3. John McCain: Senator McCain has long been an opponent of ethanol mandates and subsidies believing the federal government handouts to ethanol producers ultimately results is less fuel efficiency and inflated fuel and food costs.

Senator McCain believes that ethanol is a product that would not exist if Congress hadn’t created an artificial market for it. Yet due to agricultural subsidies and ethanol producer subsidies, it is very big business, and tens of billions of dollars that have enriched a handful of corporate interests.

The American public has to pay a lot of money, not only in taxes, but at the pump to buy all these negative impacts to the national economy, the country’s energy supply, the environment, and public health. The total cost of ethanol to the consumer is about $3.00 per gallon. And the Highway Trust Fund is deprived of over $1 billion dollars per year to the ethanol producers.

Finally, Senator McCain believes ethanol subsidies have diverted corn toward biofuels and away from its use as food. Instead of subsidizing corn-based ethanol, we should allow the market to operate so that biofuels made from sources outside the food chain, such as from cellulose, reach commercial viability more quickly.

4. John McCain Voted Against The 2005 Energy Bill Backed By President Bush That Included Billions In Subsidies For The Energy Industry. "Democratic candidate Barack Obama criticized Republican John McCain on Tuesday for taking a page out of 'the Cheney playbook' on energy, overlooking his own support of oil-friendly policies that the unpopular vice president helped to craft. Obama voted for a 2005 energy bill backed by President Bush that included billions in subsidies for oil and natural gas production, a measure for which Vice President Dick Cheney played a major role. McCain opposed the bill, saying at the time that it included billions in unnecessary tax breaks for the oil industry." (Tom Raum, "Critical Of McClain, Obama Quiet On Own Energy Vote," The Associated Press, 8/5/08)

John McCain Voted Against The 2005 Energy Bill. (H.R. 6, CQ Vote #152: Motion Agreed To 92-4: R 53-1; D 38-3; I 1-0, 6/23/05, McCain Voted Nay; H.R. 6, CQ Vote #158: Passed 85-12: R 49-5; D 35-7; I 1-0, 6/28/05, McCain Voted Nay; H.R. 6, CQ Vote #213: Adopted 74-26: R 49-6; D 25-19; I 0-1, 7/29/05, McCain Voted Nay)

5. John McCain Differs With President Bush On Drilling In ANWR. "Unlike Bush, however, McCain still opposes oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, but the senator wants to let other states allow oil exploration off their coasts." (Foon Rhee, "McCain Calls For Lifting Ban On Offshore Drilling," The Boston Globe, 6/18/08)

6. The Bush Administration Lobbied Against John McCain's Amendment To Ban Torture And President Bush Promised To Veto The Bill With The Included Amendment. "The issue heated up again in January 2005. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales disclosed during his confirmation hearing that the administration believed that antitorture laws and treaties did not restrict interrogators at overseas prisons because the Constitution does not apply abroad. In response, Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, filed an amendment to a Defense Department bill explicitly saying that that the cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees in US custody is illegal regardless of where they are held. McCain's office did not return calls seeking comment yesterday. The White House tried hard to kill the McCain amendment. Cheney lobbied Congress to exempt the CIA from any interrogation limits, and Bush threatened to veto the bill, arguing that the executive branch has exclusive authority over war policy." (Charlie Savage, "Bush Could Bypass New Torture Ban," The Boston Globe, 1/4/06)

After Opposing John McCain's Call For A Ban On Torture, The Bush Administration Finally Agreed To Ban Torture By U.S. Personnel. "After months of opposition, the White House agreed Thursday to Republican Sen. John McCain's call to ban torture by U.S. personnel. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Virginia, and McCain, R-Arizona, met with President Bush to discuss the deal, which Warner said he expects to be finalized by the end of the day. After the meeting with President Bush, McCain said 'this is a done deal.'" ("McCain, Bush Agree On Torture Ban," CNN.com, www.cnn.com, 12/15/05)

However, President Bush Said That He Reserved The Right To Bypass The McCain Amendment. " When President Bush last week signed the bill outlawing the torture of detainees, he quietly reserved the right to bypass the law under his powers as commander in chief." (Charlie Savage, "Bush Could Bypass New Torture Ban," The Boston Globe, 1/4/06)

7. John McCain Broke With President Bush On The 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Bill. "McCain has broken with President Bush and many GOP lawmakers on the 2003 Medicare prescription drug benefit bill, stem cell legislation and earmarks." (Jackie Kucinich, "ANWR Split Gives GOP 2 Platforms," The Hill, 7/22/08)

8. SHIELD LAW: John McCain Differs With President Bush On A Shield Law to Protect Journalists

By Supporting The Shield Law, McCain Is "Breaking Ranks With The Bush Administration." "Breaking ranks with the Bush administration, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, Ariz., said he would support a law to protect journalists' secret relationships with anonymous sources. 'If the vote were held today, I would vote yes,' McCain told the audience at the Associated Press' annual meeting in Arlington, Va." (Justin Rood, "McCain Lends 'Narrow' Support To Shield Law," ABC News, 4/14/08)

9. John McCain Is In Favor Of Federal Funding Of Stem Cell Research Which President Bush Opposes. "President Bush vetoed a measure Wednesday that would have removed restrictions he placed on federal funding of stem cell research, setting up the issue as a flash point for the 2008 presidential race. … Among leading GOP contenders, only Sen. John McCain of Arizona favors federal funding for stem cell research." (Ken Herman, "Bush Draws 'Moral Line,' Vetoes Stem Cell Bill," Palm Beach Post, 6/21/07)

10. John McCain Said That He Disagreed With The President On Climate Change. MCCAIN: "So what`s an area of disagreement? Climate change. Climate change. I believe that climate change is real. I think we have to act. And I`ve said that for many, many years. I would just like to put the question this way to my fellow Americans. Suppose that we are wrong and there`s no such thing as climate change but we go ahead and adopt green technologies and we reduce greenhouse gas emissions? All we`ve done is give our kids a cleaner planet, OK? But suppose … Suppose we are right and do nothing. Suppose we just continue this endless debate and continue the increase of greenhouse gas emissions, and we hand these wonderful Americans a damaged planet? I think the answer to that is pretty obvious. And by the way, that question was posed first -- I saw it -- by former prime minister Tony Blair." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 4/15/08)

[Dzone]

Tweetthe new obama commercial is trying to tie him to bush. shows him hugging bush and has some fuked up song making fun of him.

[Dzone]

TweetAmong leading GOP contenders, only Sen. John McCain of Arizona favors federal funding for stem cell research."

OK, thats huge. They can scream 90% all they want but that puts him miles away from bush...stem cell research! That will pull some people over.
That 90% stat is deceptive.

[horsepwr]

Tweetyeah man, the whole 3rd term bullshyt is just that. McCain is no George Bush.

a simpler list would be what their similarities are.

[daved150]

Tweet

Among leading GOP contenders, only Sen. John McCain of Arizona favors federal funding for stem cell research."

OK, thats huge. They can scream 90% all they want but that puts him miles away from bush...stem cell research! That will pull some people over.
That 90% stat is deceptive.

that is huge!!!

[horsepwr]

Tweetyeah, his position on stem cell research will pull alot of weight.