How convenient. Hey Johnny, nobody is buying it.

I knew something was up when he referred to the Vietnamese people as "GOOKS". He voted against a day for Dr. Martin Luther King in 1983. "WOW" this is not going to set well with the African American Vote. Thats all well and good that he regrets it. This seem to me to be a political thing. I would say I'm sorry to if I was running for President.

McCain need not apologise for his vote!
National holidays had always been reserved for U.S. Presidents and only 2
were so honored, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln!
While Dr King was a great leader for civil rights many believed at the time
of the Senate vote that some other
memorial would more appropriate than
a national holiday!

dano: Give the man credit. Whether you like John McCain or not, he is still a war hero and served our country honorably.

Dr. Martin Luther King would of appreciated the sacrifices that McCain endured for this country.

dano: Give the man credit. Whether you like John McCain or not, he is still a war hero and served our country honorably.

Dr. Martin Luther King would of appreciated the sacrifices that McCain endured for this country.

Obama will never live up to the "LIKES" of MArtin Luther King!

I wish people would stop referring to Obama as the new MLK>

To compare Obama to Martin Luther King is like comparing Captain Crunch to Superman. Not the same league.

REAGANFAN, yes he does have something to regret, if he voted against MLK day for the reasons you just gave. If it was cleared by the house, the fact that only Presidents have had that honor was an irrelevant point.

I think McCain's vote against the MLK holiday only 25yrs ago should put Wright's comments in some context. Why wouldn't he realize how important MLK was by 1983? And this is the man who may be our next president? He was supposed to be a senator and even most of his colleagues voted for it. Finally admitting you were wrong when everybody already knows you were wrong, doesn't show courage. If people don't understand why there are so resentment in "black America", here is one reason.

McCain should regret voting to allow the CIA to torture prisoners.

If McCain's signed "confession" for his captors was meaningless, what does that say about the value of coerced "intelligence"?

Dr. King would not have been proud.

Couldnt care less the holiday should be rescinded as it is anyway.

oops - Hind site is 20/20. But, as most good politicians that day had the good since to vote for it, he should regret it as you say - and he says he does - but this is an election year, so you never know. As for the African American vote, I don't think he lost it here - you have to have something to lose it. I am glad he apologized. I would like to know his reasoning 25 years ago, but only he and God know it for sure.

Oops
I do agree with you that it is a political thing. At the same time, I do believe that he regrets it because he is now going to be our next President. He doesn't need the black vote because many of Hillary supporters... actually I should anti-Obama voters will vote for him. The problem is many blacks had no idea that he voted against it until now. The people that support Obama are the real Dems (not because they support him) because they know that our next Pres needs to be a Dem, unless you want AT LEAST 4 more years of Bush.

This is the problem with electing a conservative Republican to President. Almost every conservative Republican 'ideal' in a given time in history has been overturned as the 'wrong way' sometime in the future. This happens once the general populous of conservatives realized they made a grave mistake after seeing the public outrage and injustice that follows their insane ideas.

The Iraq War is another example. Twenty years from now 'conservative' Republicans will look back in horror at how their predecessors decided to attack a country that never once attacked the United States. Hopefully some of those responsible for the war will be prosecuted under war crimes once the layer of delusion lifts and the 'conservatives' wake up to their latest mistake.

Please do not vote for the conservative Republican running in this race. The country can do much, much better.

I as a black man who do not generally agree with Mr McCain's views or politics but I must say I admire him for not only showing up but amitted his mistake in voting against the holiday. It is about time that people of differing views and opinions can speak the honest truth, the lack of speaking the truth is the cause of most of todays problem. I will be voting for the democratic nominee but if Mr McCain's party did not have so much disdain for black people I would vote for him, but his party see us as an object without any value.

As someone of a younger generation, I was unaware that Senator McCain voted against a national holiday for Dr. King. I don't understand how he can't speak about his remembrance of that day, of what a seismic and tragic event it was, then turn around and say 15 years later he sill had to "learn" more on the "issue" to understand it? This isn't energy policy. Whether to establish a national holiday is a pretty easy question. I don't buy his excuse and having learned about this, I definitely have a lesser opinion of Senator McCain.

WestCoastMessenger writes:
"To compare Obama to Martin Luther King is like comparing Captain Crunch to Superman. Not the same league."

And yet, you are comparing Dr. King to a cartoon character, which cheapens both Obama AND Martin Luther King.

Doh.

First off let me say that I'm a Dem and I will vote with my party as I see this is the best direction for the country. However, as a soldier I do have a problem with people calling him a war criminal. I don't agree with the Iraq War but as I have signed the oath to support the President I had to go. That is the same with Mr McCain. People don't want to go to war, but if the Pres says we go, and your unit is called, be ready. As a soldier our job is to protect your buddies, and that is what he did.

John McCain votes against the MLK holiday bill. Hillary Clinton votes in favor of a measure to approve sending troops to Iraq. Barack Obama votes against this Iraq measure. Of these three, why is Obama being vilified? (And I don't care about Rev. Wright.)

Sure, his vote against MLK Day was a mistake .... now that he's sucking up for votes! Why didn't he say it was wrong in previous years when he wasn't looking to be President? What a hypocrit.

I don't care how you vote. McCain is no war criminal. He is a veteran and a hero who had the guts to go and do what most of us never will. Don't like his politics, vote against him. Think he's apologizing because its an election year - maybe. Think he was wrong for voting for Iraq war - fair enough. We can all agree to disagree and vote our conscience. But even Obama said he was an American hero. On that Mr. Obama and I are in complete agreement - and I thank him for his words - some of you should listen to them.

Mark
Outstanding Point!!!

Just because Byrd - and others - haven't apologized for civil rights doesn't mean that McCain shouldn't apologize. It means he has more class than they do - or that its an election year. It is a good thing to point out that Kennedy and Johnson could not have gotten civil rights passed without Republican votes - we always conveniently forget that - but Republicans shouldn't be thanked for doing the right thing - no one should as it ought to be expected. And everyone should atone for mistakes - we all make them - even in non election years.

McPain is coming forward with this before the Democrats start concentrating on him more intensely. He's no fool, he's just trying to head them off. McPain's voting record on allot things are going to start showing up. I'm not fooled by this so called 'kinder gentler' John McPain. I can't wait until this 'new young progressive' voter of the Democratic party start to work on him. The Republicans have no idea what's about to happen to their candidate. McPain's age is going to be his 'achilles' heel with the young voters of today. The conservatives look like dinosaurs with this candidate, nothing new is happening in the Republican party, and I wanted to vote Republican this time because i'm an Independent.

I sometimes have a hard time separating the evil and racist things people do and say from the acts of good. I usually always side with the fact the racism and evilness outweigh the good. The bad usually is a true reflection on how someone truly is. McCain is an idiot that will keep us at war and begin new ones only to keep his war-mongering alive. He is a very bad choice for any office, war hero or not.

em- i'm an obama supporter, but it's worthwhile to make sure the truth is out there and you're voting for the right reasons... obama didn't vote against the iraq measure. he wasn't in the senate yet. but he did speak to the potential fallout from invading iraq before we went in.

Let's be totally fair then. Obama said that he would unilaterally bomb Pakistan.Should we speak about the fallout from that.

If speaking of Obama you got ot just right.

McCain never had the (vast majority) African American vote to begin with and never will. McCain is clearly pandering to whomever he thinks will vote for him. It's not working.

As a African American, I'm very happy that there is a national holiday honoring a great American - like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

To Erik - - You mention that you don't know why McCain doesn't tell us what he thought on April 4, 1968 - HE WAS IN THE HANOI HILTON giving almost everything up to protect our country. He does say in his speech how profoundly sad he felt when he was gleefully told by his captors of MLKs assassination. For those too young to have been around during the debate over the MLK holiday, the issue was not whether it should be a named holiday - everyone agreed that it should. The debate was over whether it should be a paid holiday for all federal employees, a new fiscal cost to the government.

MLK was nothing more than a communist. Anyone ever wonder why his FBI files are sealed to 2023? Because there is plenty in there that would change peoples opinion of that criminal. It is sad that America actually honors that crook with his own holiday. Typical, I guess, considering the world we live in today.

If his voting record as it pertains to which days should be made national holidays is the best people can come up with to target John McCain, sounds like he's a shoo-in.

Dear oops, McCain has forgiven the North Vienamese for torturing him. That requires a pretty strong character. I doubt that I could be as forgiving, and wonder whether you could be.

What qualifies Clinton or Obama for prez? Since neither hardly have any experience.

As if McCain's vote 25 years ago is really going to change how anyone votes in November.

yawn...

Can you say "McPresident"?

I agree with you, but i have to say this, ,actually Reagan did a great job on the economy. Bill did even better, but in the Past 25 years, those two men did very well.

sitting1: No, in fact Obama did not make that comment in the context you suggest. He said that if actionable intelligence existed that terrorists were in Pakistan, he would give the order to take them out. That is PRECISELY what the present administration did a few weeks ago. Get your facts straight.

AT LEAST MCCAIN HAS THE GUTS AND WITS TO APOLOGIZE UNLIKE THE HATE MONGERING OBAMA WHO TURNED IT AROUND AND IT MADE SOUND LIKE IT'S THE AMERICANS CITIZENS FAULT WHY HIS PASTOR WRIGHT HATES AMERICA....

AT LEAST MCCAIN HAS THE GUTS AND WITS TO APOLOGIZE UNLIKE THE HATE MONGERING OBAMA WHO TURNED IT AROUND AND IT MADE SOUND LIKE IT'S THE AMERICANS CITIZENS FAULT WHY HIS PASTOR WRIGHT HATES AMERICA....

Please come up with proof that Bush and McCain finished at the bottom of their classes. Once again Dem talking points. This is the same old tired crap the Dems were spewing when Bush was against Kerry. Then we find out Bush had a HIGHER GPA than Kerry. So please show me some proof of your LALA land you live in where they finished bottom of their classes.

I don't even know why bother arguing with these people. They have deep-rooted hatred towards Obama. When/if he wins the nomination, Hillary supporters are going to vote for McCain. So we can stay at war, and watch the plummet. Better start saving now because the Dollar's value is steadily decreasing. We are headed for the Great Depression Part Deux. But people would rather have that because they are scared to vote for a Black President. I got Bush's legacy right, and McCain's will be just as bad. Thanks fellow Dems.

Dr. King's accomplishments were less than those of many people who accomplished more without getting holidays named after them. One example is Ida B. Wells-Barnett, who spoke out against lynching in the 19th century. Another is John Muir, one of our country's greatest preservationists. King's personal behavior, such as plagiarizing much of his doctoral thesis and paying for prostitutes with SCLC money, should have precluded him from getting any kind of national recognition.

Let's not forget that 4 democrat senators voted against the holiday as well. Also keep in mind that the main reason for "no" votes were due to the fact that there are FBI files that were sealed by the courts until 2027. Those who voted "no" wanted to see those files before voting but were denied.

OBAMA SUPPORTER WHAT MAKES YOU BELIEVE OBAMA WILL STOP ANY WAR?

I agree with this:
"To compare Obama to Martin Luther King is like comparing Captain Crunch to Superman. Not the same league."
... NOBAMA

I don't say that forgiveness and bravery are the only qualifications for president. I am merely pointing out and correcting misconceptions promulgated in this forum. I believe that experience and proven leadership are important qualifications for president. Neither Clinton nor Obama has enough of these essential characteristics. Obama might be qualified for president in another 8 years or so. I doubt Clinton ever will.

Why is that if someone says that Michael kind (aka MLK) is no hero or that he was linked to communist activities, you brand the individuals as racist or that they are hiding behind their keyboards. It amazes me about how intolerant those who 'preach tolerance' really are

It is funny how when someone speaks of facts about MLK they are labeled racist. I guess when you have no argument to back up with facts the only thing you can do is call someone a racist.

Dear Beka13 -- It was John Kerry who married the rich sugar momma. Check your facts.

Who cares? Now what did Chris Rock say about MLK Blvd in any large city?

reaganfan : If memorial days are reserved for presidents, why is Columbus Day a federal leagal holiday? If you know anything about history, you'd know that Christopher Columbus wasn't 1) a president or even 2) an American. Double-standard?

ERIC...CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS? MLK DAY WAS PROMOTED DURING A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT...YES RONALD R REAGAN...

I'm not going to fault the guy at all. I'm voting for Barack, but McCain isn't a bad guy. Guys like McCain, Rev Wright...they grew up in a time period that I (I was born in 1980) or anyone else can fully understand unless they were there. Healing and understanding takes time. I think he's sincere and I think he's a good man for admitting his mistakes.

McCain's sincere reflection comes at a time when Obama is trying to explain away his own passive racism (Rev. Wright). I think McCain's honesty and decency in this matter contrast with Obama's self-righteousness. I applaude Senator McCain.

I don't have a problem with MLK day. He did a lot for the black people - and the rest of America along with it. However, what I am beginning to grow tired of is MLK season. For nearly three months now, from his January birthday until the April anniversary of his death, we are treated to MLK MLK, MLK, MLK, black history month and more MLK, MLK, MLK. Frankly, as the years go by, I'm really getting sick of the guy and I'm not alone.

Thanks you for your update Marine4Ever and I'm well aware that Regan is the President who signed the legislation for the MLK Holiday...HOWEVER...He opposed it from the start so the move was nothing more than a political one.

So how old is Pastor Wright? How old is McCain? Obama's defense of Wright's statements was that Wright is from a
"different time". Even though some of the more inflammatory statements were made not all that long ago, I guess we're supposed to overlook them. Now McCain says I've "learned" since then and and the Obama supporters seem to have a hard time swallowing that. I would assume that Obama's promise to unite us all would involve a certain degree of teaching and learning- but if Obama supporters seem to think you can't learn from the past or your mistakes then I guess there is no point nor should we even attempt to unify the Country. If the Democrats are going to start playing the race card with McCain and this is going to be the tone of the upcoming general election then I think we can pretty much guarantee McCain will be our next President. This Country is not going to sit here and listen to a bunch of far left, predominantly White liberals or the young deem themselves judge and jury as to who is or is not racist in this Country. We all know what racisim looks like and sexism (except perhaps the Obama's supporters), but the bottom line is that the extreme left is going to alienate the majority of this Country who are moderates or centrists
in this Country. I certainly really hope the good people of PA and NC and Indiana and every other upcoming primary are thinking long and hard about whether the race card is going to continue to be bandied around by the Obama camp and the far left and think about how that will impact this election.

If Obama can support Rev. Wright I can support John McCain, they both are about equally offensive.

Too late Old Man.. I f it takes you 25 years to admit to a wrong doing... YOUR just trying to suck up for Votes.

So the Presidents lost their individual days, and we got "Presidents Day" instead, and the only person in the history of the United States with a "personal day" becomes MLK? I disagreed with it, too.

Wasn't the then Gov. of AZ impeached because he wouldn't honor the MLK holiday?

You know I think it is funny that when the Demacratic party was founded they were in favor of slavery and that was the same time the reublican party was founded and they were the ones on the side of anti-slavery. So my point being will people seem to coment on how the rebublican party doesn't really care about black people but that the democratic party does it seems silly because on both side there have been bad people and policys just as there have been good ones, i think it is so much more important to vote for the individuale that represents what you belive the most. By continually standing by the well i am going to vote with my party all we are doing is labling and seperating. If we could all say that we would vote for the best canidate instead of the party maybe we could actually get somewhere

So, just NOW he regrets voting against Dr. King. Just NOW.

OOOHHH SNAP! Way to go DANO! That was just to darn funny!

McCain is aloof and has no clue how to treat We The People. He not only voted against MLK Day, he voted for and tried to force the illegal aliens down our throat that have taken millions of jobs away from Black-Americans. He apologized for being wrong on securing our borders also. We The People have no real solid candidate for POTUS from either Party.

I used the term earlier but in reality a hyphenated-American is not a real American at all. Your post made that fact rather glaring all "through" the post if you read it for yourself.

OMG! Every single day we hear something about MLK! When are people going to become "Americans" and not HYPHENATED Americans.
My Ancestors came over cuz they were starving, does that mean I am going to hate the English??? No, grow up people and lets not relive MLK EVERYDAY!

shucks why can't we have January 8th as a hoiday. why can't we honor elvis presley

Wasn't around for MLK, so the holiday is NOT special to me. Just like another federal Holiday--meaningless!

I am just so tired of the African-American community complaining that race is ALWAYS the reason things aren't going your way. I am a hispanic and the reason that hispanics aren't doing so well is that WE keep ourselves down. We don't push getting an education. We push getting a job and making babies. Blacks want to say that every time something bad happens, it is racism. IT ISNT. It is pure old fashion greed. Race is a factor but not the main factor. Obama is what he is because his family was able to provide him opprotunities money can buy. I have a college education but I got it from paying loans and grants. Hillary is more experinced than Obama but quite a bit slimy. I really like McCain because he says who he is and doesn't try to hide everything. He may make mistakes and apologizes for them but his are right there in plain sight. I think people will see that Hillary is opprotunistic and Obama is too inexperienced. McCain may be older but that doesnt mean he can't handle the job. Look at Reagan. He wasn't much younger than McCain will be if he takes office. I think McCain moves and interacts a lot better than Reagan did at that age.

Just another reason why voting for poeple like McCain and Clinton is NOT going to bring about necessary changes. These as-is politicians dont want anything changed.

Here I am a liberal Democract. and I don't think McCain did anything wrong with that issue. That is not a knock on MLK. But only one other citizen has had a national holiday named for him Washington. Not even Lincoln whose contributions to all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, dwarfed that of MLK's. The holiday declaration was a politically motivated one.

what is an african american? you mean an african immigrant?

Another politician just trying to buy votes.

Actually JM an immigrant is someone that chose to come here. Only punks hide behind there CPU's and make comments like that.

ajm don't put Blacks all in one category because, I don't fit that mold that you are portraying.

You can define 'od' any way you want, but an 'old' person is not suited for the prediency. To do the job right an immense amount of energy is required. Regardless of what one does, energy decreases with age. Yes, I saw the posts on reagan. He was experiencing senility at least as early as his 2nd term.

These ignorant, arrogant, and racist comments saddens me. No one ever claimed MLK to be a perfect man, but he did however make a very substantial contribution to our nation's history and he most certainly deserve a day in his honor. Very suspicious that McCain has all of sudden changed his view. Very suspicious that some of you dont understand why he's being called a racist when Obama is being called one for someone else's statements. Statments that McCain seems to be validating.

Al - If other races have their problems why did you feel it necesary to single out black people.

Jerry - I would ask the Native American community how they feel about Columbus "discovering" America.

Im a Dem and I actually like McCain however, his policies mirror too much of the policies that have put us in a situation that we are in. Aside from Reagan, it seems to me that Repubs tend to send us backwards when it comes to the economy. Additionally, the last three Republican presidents have either gotten us in to some type of war or conflict. That includes Reagan. Reagan I will add was a great President though. You tell me something that McCain says is different from that of Bush. Except for he would do things differently in the war that we want to get out of.

tam, so you think MLK's contributions were more important than Abraham Lincoln's (or a number of other such American's).

Funny how a campaign can make a guy like McCain flop like a seal on a hot griddle.

McCain was in a prison camp when King was killed. He was there for another five and a half years.

McCain wasn't in this country during that time.

McCain voted against it because he voted against all holidays then. He is a small government conservative.

McCain adopted a black baby.

Look up McCain's policies on race relations. He is moderate.

McCain is being smeared. I am so sick of this election.

McCain should drop out because the media has distorted his views and smeared him to pieces. I hate seeing this.

Just got thought seeing McCain interview with A B C News at Dr.Kings Rally, with speakers in the back ground could hear a word he was saying probably just as well, didn't care then and now, you guess it?

David, he would be smeared less if he simply said he feels his vote was appropriate, and not filp-flop for political brownie points. His chameleon-like willingness to become whatever people at the moment want is his single biggest political liability.

The media hasn't done anything. All the media did is put out that he apologized. People act like children.. Grow up. They're being so mean to McCain. How about all the racist things that are being said about Obama, by both repubs and Hillary supporters. That is so funny to me.

To Jason

McCain is far different then bush.

Different on gitmo, stem cells, allowing drugs from canada, allowing negotation with drug companies.

McCain and Bush are completely different on the enviornment.

I can't believe people are falling for the lies that McCain is like Bush.

Jason, how can you fall for the lies from someone like Howard Dean over someone like McCain.

McCain would be a great president like Reagan but the problem is he will never get the chance because the media lies saying he is like Bush.

DennisNC - No I dont feel that MLK contribution's were more important just as I dont feel that Lincoln contribution's were more important than MLK's. They both made huge accomplishments for our country. However, we're not debating if there should be a Lincoln holiday (at least I'm not). The real issue is that McCain chose not to vote for MLK day and because he needs the people's vote now he's sorry. I'm just not buying it.

Jason look up McCain's positions and his record in the senate he isn't anything close to Bush.

Just because Howard Dean says it doesn't make it true.

Only in America could someone like Howard Dean who didn't serve because of a bad back but was sking in colorodo be taken seriously.