If you ask someone to describe John McCain’s political career, one word would come to mind, “Maverick.” McCain’s reputation for being a maverick has been under question more and more. The Obama campaign has tried to diminish his partisan accomplishments by trying to show how much McCain and President Bush are alike. The democrats fail to acknowledge the important issues McCain has taken stand on.
Although McCain has said he was a big supporter of the Reagan administration, in 1983 McCain voted against Reagan’s plan to send troops in to Lebanon. McCain’s choice was vindicated when a truck bomber crashed into a Marine barracks, killing 241 U.S. servicemen and leading to a U.S. withdrawal. In 1992 McCain was one of only three Republicans to vote for Democratic finance reform. McCain’s strong feeling towards finance reform lead to the creation of the McCain-Feingold-Cochran Campaign Reform Bill. In 1994 McCain and John Kerry worked together to end the trade sanctions again Vietnam. McCain also introduced a Bill to give the FDA new powers to regulate tobacco products.
I do not understand how democrats can criticize his “Maverick” status. McCain has had a long history of going out on his own, reaching across party lines and doing what he thinks is right, even if it does not conform to the Republican beliefs.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
You cited many good examples of McCain's historical "maverick" record. He certainly has stood up for himself in the past. What I am interested in now is, to what extent has he continued this record (as more than a slogan) since the close of the primaries? His rhetoric appears to me to be increasingly "toeing" the party line, appealing to many Republican voters, while losing some friends he made through his bipartisan efforts.
Post a Comment