McCain lays out vision for first term
In the world of President John McCain, most US troops will be back home from a safer, democratic Iraq by January 2013 -- the first date he has mentioned for ending the war.
Afghanistan will be more stable, too, with the Taliban and al Qaeda under control and Osama bin Laden dead or captured. Iran and North Korea will no longer have nuclear programs, and the genocide will have ended in Darfur.
At home, the economy will be humming, the tax code simpler, schools better, and healthcare more affordable. The borders will be secure, illegal immigrants deported, and a guest worker program in place. And the country will have weaned itself from foreign oil.
The presumptive Republican nominee today unveiled this sweeping vision for his first term in the White House in what amounted to a forceful rebuttal to assertions by Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that a McCain presidency would mean a third term for President Bush.
Many of the goals that McCain said he hopes to accomplish directly addressed criticisms of the Bush White House.
Instead of secrecy, McCain pledged to set "a new standard for transparency and accountability," including holding weekly press conferences and answering questions before joint sessions of Congress. Instead of officials cashing in after leaving government, McCain said he wants scores of private-sector leaders to work for his administration for $1 a year. And instead of partisan fighting, he promised to seek advice from Democrats and appoint them to high office.
"I promise you, from the day I am sworn into office until the last hour of my presidency, I will work with anyone, of either party, to make this country safe, prosperous and proud," McCain said in Columbus, Ohio, a battleground state in November. "And I won't care who gets the credit."
"I’m not interested in partisanship that serves no other purpose than to gain a temporary advantage over our opponents. This mindless, paralyzing rancor must come to an end," he added, stressing the final few words for effect.
Since clinching the GOP nomination in March, McCain has embarked on a biographical tour to highlight his war hero credentials and a poverty tour to show he cares about the less fortunate. Now, he seems to be on a tour designed to distinguish himself from an unpopular president.
Earlier this week, he went to the environmentally-conscious Pacific Northwest to declare that global warming is real and a challenge worthy of White House action, chiding the Bush administration for its slow, halting reaction.
"I think John McCain makes his own positions very clear, and to the extent they differ with the president, he should make that very clear," said Warren Rudman, a former US senator from New Hampshire who is on fiscal and national security advisory panels to McCain.
David Woodard, a political science professor at Clemson University in South Carolina, said breaking with Bush is a necessity given the president's abysmal approval ratings.
"Clearly what he's trying to do is run away from an unpopular president, an unpopular war, and an economic downturn," Woodard said. "What helps McCain make the sale on this is he has maverick reputation. He has some credibility, he has bucked Bush before."
In his speech, McCain went the furthest he has so far in talking about a date for withdrawing from Iraq, after weeks of criticizing Democrats for doing the same.
"By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom," he said. "The Iraq war has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much reduced....The United States maintains a military presence there, but a much smaller one, and it does not play a direct combat role."
But the McCain campaign later clarified that it would be "fundamental misreading" of his remarks to say he was setting a timetable for ending the unpopular war.
"Senator McCain has always said his decisions about force levels in Iraq would be guided by two fundamental factors: conditions on the ground and the advice of military commanders," his campaign said in a statement. "As commander-in-chief, Senator McCain would ensure we would prevail with honor against our enemies. He believes this can be accomplished in Iraq by 2013 -- but only if we reject the course of arbitrary withdrawal following a politically motivated timeline."
McCain has been pummeled by Obama and Clinton for saying that US troops could be in Iraq for 50 or 100 years, albeit not in combat, but in a peacekeeping role as in Korea and in Germany after World War II.
Responding to McCain's speech, Clinton said in a statement that he "promises more of the same Bush policies that have weakened our military, our national security and our standing in the world."
The Obama campaign said that while he agrees with some of McCain's sentiments, "You cannot embrace the destructive policies and divisive political tactics of George Bush and still offer yourself as a candidate of healing and change."
The Democratic National Committee immediately accused McCain of laying out a flawed agenda and of hypocrisy because his proposals wouldn't work.
"The reality behind Senator McCain's new rhetoric is that his plans either ignore the problems he identifies or actually makes them worse," DNC Chairman Howard Dean said in a statement. "Whether he is taking President Bush's fiscal policies to new extremes, continuing a stay-the-course strategy in Iraq that has distracted from the real war on terror, or pretending he would bring transparency to government after refusing to even release his own tax records, Senator McCain found yet another way to show he's the wrong choice for America's future."
Howard Dean, spoken like a true Democrat, dismiss everything, give no credit. What sacrifices did he make for this country.
If you truely love America, it is time to seriously discuss ideas how to make this country better.
McCain's only vision is to: continue on with King George's self serving, plutocratic, nationally destructive policies of fleecing the middle class of America to line the pockets of rich wealthy republican elitists, murdering our nation's mothers, fathers, sons and daughters in illegal republican, unconstitutional wars like Iraq, continuing to sell our jobs over seas under the disguise of "free trade", spending like there is no tomorrow while claiming to be conservative, giving large corporation's tax breaks and welfare while cutting aid to American citizens and acting as if wasting American tax dollars on social programs for Iraq and other countries is sound policy while doing so for American citizens is socialism.
Just because McCain was a POW doesn't qualify him to run the country. His Keating-Five antics cost taxpayers $3.4 billion and he can't even abide by his own campaign reform legislation. He at one time wanted to join the democratic party and was told to get lost and judging by what he says, I don't think he's mentally fit to be president.
I think McCain will create his own defeat by making surreal speeches like this one. If "we" elect this brand of lying garbage again, when I guess we get what we deserve. I can only pray we are not that dumb.
oh my goodness the Iraq war has been won? Is that why we're still there?
The united states has experienced several years of robust economic growth..?
Who? the oil companies. Public education has improved? private and charter
school are not public...you have to pay to go to them....is McCain planning to bring
the civil rights bill back to the table, and bring back free slave labor..
that will help the economic growth. I wonder when was the last time he opened a electric bill or a gas bill or went to the grocery store, or the gas station...
What world does he like in....? not in the world of middle class -upper middle class - lower middle class-and poor.......
Obama I believe in change and I believe in you.....
McCain has promise to appoint ultraconservative Supreme Court justices who would expand police powers and reduce personal freedoms. Scalia is one of his favorites. Scalia, who on 60 minutes said that the Constitution only bars the authorities from using torture as punishment, that nothing was said about using it to get information. This alone is reason enough to not vote for McCain.
Have you read this article or seen this picture of the real John McCain?
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-2128-think-you-know-john-mccain.html
Howard Dean is a credit to everything the DNC has been for forty years - an elite club of abortion shills, anti-American defeatists, trendy loudmouths, self-interested payroll padders, and amoral agendists.
http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2008/05/john-mccain-anti-abortion-obama-is-all.html
On Iraq, all you war critics need to realize a very simple fact about decision-making: the past is irreleveant. Everything that happened in the past is a sunk cost. The only thing that matters is the cost and benefits going forward. So quit complaining about everything in the past and try to make a rational argument about why it doesn't make sense to stay when everything is improving.
It was a vison for the future. Not a prediction or a guarantee, which no politician should ever make since no politician has that much control. At least he has a REALISTIC vision for the future. Not pie in the sky promises that have no chance of happening like some pols like to throw around.
HOWARD DEAN IS OFF THE WALL. BEING AN ULTRA LIBERAL, HE CANT SEE WHAT'S GOOD FOR AMERICA. JOHN MCCAIN IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE THAT CAN RUN THIS COUNTRY. BARACK OBAMA DOES NOT EVEN SALUTE THE AMERICAN FLAG. HE HAS A VERY QUESTIONABLE BACK GROUND AND HIS INTEREST IS OTHER THAN AMERICAN. FOR 20 YEARS HE WAS INDOCTRINATED BY THAT PASTOR OF HIS AND HE CHOSE THAT WAY OF BELIEF. HE IS NOT QUALIFIED TO RUN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE YOU ARE A PART OF EVERY THING WITH WHICH YOU ASSOCIATE. ALSO HIS CONNECTIONS DISQUALIFY HIM
John McCain will side with anyone to win votes, in the past he was at war with the evangelicals and now he wants their votes so he is on their side now. A total double talker.
As far as Americans being confident in the future, where has he been (Out to Lunch), un-employment is on the rise, inflation is in double figures.
John McCain is just another politician wanting what is best for himself and his parties interest and not what is best for the American people and people around the world.
He states the war is won in Iraq, by whose standards, not mine. he has gone from 100 years to 5 years to end the war and bring back our troops, always double talk to get votes.
When will our politicians learn, we can not impose our way of life around the world
Other countries want to be left alone and not be bombed if they don't follow our rules. We have killed hundres of thousands innocent men women and children with our bombs and lost and maimed too many young soldiers in the name of OIL
WHERE HAVE OUR LEADERS GONE,
I'm mad as hell and want a change in all our policies.
We had relations with Russia, China when they were our mortal enemies, but if one wants to have discussions with Cuba or Iran, we are considered un-American
and appeasers Come on lets have talks and get on with life.
BRING BACK AMERICA TO WHERE IT BELONGS, A LEADER OF WHAT IS RIGHT
FOR ALL NATIONS.
Final note: e-mail is required so your name can be on the list of bad un-American
people that think and want peace.
John McCain will side with anyone to win votes, in the past he was at war with the evangelicals and now he wants their votes so he is on their side now. A total double talker.
As far as Americans being confident in the future, where has he been (Out to Lunch), un-employment is on the rise, inflation is in double figures.
John McCain is just another politician wanting what is best for himself and his parties interest and not what is best for the American people and people around the world.
He states the war is won in Iraq, by whose standards, not mine. he has gone from 100 years to 5 years to end the war and bring back our troops, always double talk to get votes.
When will our politicians learn, we can not impose our way of life around the world
Other countries want to be left alone and not be bombed if they don't follow our rules. We have killed hundres of thousands innocent men women and children with our bombs and lost and maimed too many young soldiers in the name of OIL
WHERE HAVE OUR LEADERS GONE,
I'm mad as hell and want a change in all our policies.
We had relations with Russia, China when they were our mortal enemies, but if one wants to have discussions with Cuba or Iran, we are considered un-American
and appeasers Come on lets have talks and get on with life.
BRING BACK AMERICA TO WHERE IT BELONGS, A LEADER OF WHAT IS RIGHT
FOR ALL NATIONS.
Final note: e-mail is required so your name can be on the list of bad un-American
people that think and want peace.
He has some kind of vision for the future. His "plans" are large. I didn't hear the speech, but reading the highlights and hearing Rush Limbaugh's comments, it doesn't appear to have any substance.
Was there any substance in his detailed campaign position he wrote in Foreign Affairs? I don't think it was much more than his wish list. It looked more like a 100 year plan for enhancing Western influence around the globe.
See the details and the questions at http://johnmccain.dominates.us/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=21 where you are encouraged to participate in a discussion.
Sounds great Mac I'll vote for you for that plan noone than you has come forward and laid out a well thought exit strategy in the near future.We cannot just fall for the new CHANGE strategy Obama is preaching without any consideration for the citizens safety worldwide.Nice people like Obama is just that he's nice but thoughtful people like Hilliary or Mccain they accomplish so much for the good of many people.I strongly believe Mccain or Hilliary Clinton if either win the Presidency.
McCain's NEW idea to end the war in Iraq by 2013 is a 95% reduction in
troops withdrawal from Iraq, compare to his earlier statements that the U.S.
should stay in Iraq for 100 years if needed. Can anybody -even hard core
red necks- believe that McCain can climb down that far and so fast? Not a chance. It is just a campaign hoax, after former U.S. senator and presidential candidate, Gary Hart, called McCain's bluff that the U.S. is fighting Al Qaeda
in Iraq. And this months after McCain has made the same claim about the
U.S. fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq, only to have is sidekick, senator Lieberman
standing behind him, whispered on his ear to retract his statement. Conclusion: John McCain will throw everything in the Iraqi war brew to make
that war taste better and get votes. Thank you, John, but I pass. Nikos Retsos, retired academic and historian.
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This is good.... I haven't been to a fortune teller in a while. Although I don't see John McCain wearing the right type of Hat.
McCain:
“And I believe that the success will be fairly easy” and “There's no doubt in my mind that... we will be welcomed as liberators.” [CNN, Larry King Live, 9/24/02. MSNBC, Hardball, 3/24/03]
“I think we could go in with much smaller numbers than we had to do in the past... I don't believe it's going to be nearly the size and scope that it was in 1991.” [Face the Nation, 9/15/02]
“There's not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shias. So I think they can probably get along.” [MSNBC Hardball, 4/23/03]
When McCain was asked “at what point will America be able to say the war was won?” He responded, “...it’s clear that the end is, is, is very much in sight.” [ABC, “Good Morning America,” 4/9/03]
“Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course.” [The Hill, 12/8/05 (Exactly one year before violence in Iraq peaked)]
McDENIAL
I believe Mccain now than somebody that never experience war in his lifetime like Barrack Hussein Obama.Obama and his followers seems to throw the DEFENSE AMERICA BOOK out the window altogether wow! Never in this nation history has a Presidential candidate that is so soft in protecting the lives of American people.As a matter of fact the first and foremost duties of any Commander in Chief is to guard you and me as citizens day and night.Economy? yeah we can overcome any economic deficiency with Mccains economic plan when he become President he has well trained and well prepared economic expert ready to put things in place but our families and our dear lives are much much more important than anything else.
I think McCain is good for America and the world. Why is it hard to believe that McCain will be different than Dubya Bush? They have a long history of fighting each other - evidence that is real. Its also remarkable that many of the worst far rightwingers hate McCain - which says alot for his courage and willingness to be a real man and speak truth to power. Many were enraged when he passed laws against pork barelling and the corruption in electioneering. So, like a few other readers here, I think McCain has proved that he means what he says. That to me makes him the most reliable of all the candidates. At best, Barak Obama has shown a certain "niceness" at times - but he has no proven track record of accomplishment or of having to take a stand, earning him the ephiphet of "Fast Barry." Why couldn't he have tried to prove himself in the Senate for a couple of terms first? Instead, all Americans have to rely on are a bunch of state of Illinois votes where he just said he was "Present" and didn't take a stand - he even wouldn't take a stand against partial birth abortion! THen, why did he take years and years of making all these unsavoury friends who are Pro PLO and Pro Hamas? Where is his record of taking a stand for Israel? Instead, we just have his rhetoric and speeches to go on, as Hillary warned. Well, that's not enough. I was willing to consider Barak Obama, but pridence bids me to go for the war hero who faced up to torture and said no to early release.
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