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Kerry: McCain Is The Real Flip-Flopper
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ShareJune 19, 2008 5:07 PM
ABC News' Teddy Davis and John Santucci Report: Maligned as a "flip-flopper" during his 2004 presidential run, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, D, argued Thursday that Arizona Sen. John McCain, R, is the one who truly deserves the "flip-flop" label.
"There was one issue on which the entire Republican campaign based itself last time about a flip flop which was that I voted for something before I voted against it in an amendment on the floor of the Senate. It was a vote of principle. It was not a change of position," said Kerry. "Our fault was in not explaining it adequately."
Kerry went on to contrast himself with McCain, whom he approached in 2004 about crossing party lines to be his running mate. Kerry argued that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has flip-flopped on a series of substantive issues.
"In the case of John McCain," said Kerry, "he has changed now on torture, which is a fundamental value. He has changed on taxes which he once called dangerous, and now he is in favor of the permanent Bush tax cut which he once voted against. A complete change of position on the actual substance."
"He's changed on the intolerance towards Jerry Falwell and the evangelical movement's right wing," Kerry continued. "He's changed on oil drilling. He's changed now, or he's indicated a willingness to change, on the Artic Wildlife Refuge. He's changed on a windfall profits tax. He's changed on the mandatory cap issue. And he's fast moving down the Mitt Romney road of changing on all the fundamental precepts."
McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt responded to Kerry's criticism by saying, "It looks like John Keerry was for John McCain before he was against him."
While Kerry's "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it" line was the most vivid illustration of President Bush's flip-flop argument against Kerry, the Massachusetts senator is wrong in portraying the funding measure as the only issue on which he reversed himself.
The 2004 Democratic presidential nominee had also altered his stance on whether Bush was fighting the wrong war or whether he was simply pursuing the war in Iraq in the wrong way.
During a July 11, 2004, interview with CBS' Leslie Stahl on "60 Minutes," Kerry said that what was wrong about President Bush's handling of Iraq was "the way the President went to war." But at a Sept. 6, 2004, "front porch" event in Cannonsburg, Pa., Kerry said of the Iraq War: "It's the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time."
June 19, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (64)
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Takes one to know one.
Posted by: tww | Jun 19, 2008 5:18:02 PM
"I'm John Kerry, and I'm reporting for "dooty." Kerry and Bush were cousin from 'Skull 'n Bones." Why didn't he contest Ohio? The man has almost as little credibility, and his good friend John McCain who he asked for his VP.
Posted by: pity | Jun 19, 2008 5:29:38 PM
Kerry flipped once, how many has McCain changed on?
Posted by: JR | Jun 19, 2008 5:31:22 PM
The Dems should consider duck-taping Kerry's mouth shut. He's the spineless wimp who had the election in his pocket and still couldn't bring it home, which is what I expect Obama will do this time.
I think we should OUTSOURCE THE PRESIDENCY! A phone room in Mumbai would be a whole lot cheaper and far less detrimental than W-- and at least as effective as either of the two bozos we have to choose from this time.
Posted by: La Chatte | Jun 19, 2008 5:32:51 PM
I actually think that McCain is a far worse FLIP FLOPPER than Kerry ever was.
McCain has FLIP FLOPPED on privitization of social security, off-shore drilling, ANWAR drilling, torture, taxes, etc.
Posted by: Sandy | Jun 19, 2008 5:33:06 PM
LOL... Kerry. Ha. Why the long face? Lost your presidential bid because the voters never knew which side of the issue you were for, before you were against it?
Posted by: SmartPrimate | Jun 19, 2008 5:38:08 PM
Who cares what Kerry thinks.
Posted by: alpaig | Jun 19, 2008 5:39:02 PM
Kerry -- the jerk who has no credibility? The person who's all in favor of windmills as long as they're not in his state? Give us a break!
Posted by: A | Jun 19, 2008 5:42:47 PM
Kerry is representative of what's wrong with the democratic party. It's no longer a party of principles and people. It's now the party of taxes and power.
Posted by: Thomas | Jun 19, 2008 5:49:49 PM
McCain the man who has committed Adultery, flip flops on every issue possible (probably can't remember one day from the next), vietnam vets can't stand him, they all tell me he is no war hero just a pow like the rest, has no credibility at all, the back half of Bush...opens his mouth again.
Posted by: Becky | Jun 19, 2008 5:51:29 PM
Obama: Even his friends are afraid he'll turn on them
Posted by: Soetoro No! | Jun 19, 2008 5:53:40 PM
Politics as usual. Hard to decipher the lessor of two evils AGAIN.
Posted by: Digibella | Jun 19, 2008 5:55:14 PM
Digibella: Have you noticed that you're mudslinging?
Posted by: A | Jun 19, 2008 5:57:07 PM
nd is he correct on what he said?
In the case of John McCain," said Kerry, "he has changed now on torture, which is a fundamental value. He has changed on taxes which he once called dangerous, and now he is in favor of the permanent Bush tax cut which he once voted against. A complete change of position on the actual substance."
"He's changed on the intolerance towards Jerry Falwell and the evangelical movement's right wing," Kerry continued. "He's changed on oil drilling. He's changed now, or he's indicated a willingness to change, on the Artic Wildlife Refuge. He's changed on a windfall profits tax. He's changed on the mandatory cap issue. And he's fast moving down the Mitt Romney road of changing on all the fundamental precepts."
Sounds like it.
McFlipFlop
Posted by: Thinking | Jun 19, 2008 5:57:30 PM
Wow. John Kerry comes out to say Mc Cain flips more than Obama.
We all know how NEUTRAL Kerry is about all this.
What a EARTH SHATTERING HEADLINE.
Gotten even up bad news for Obama with manufactured replies from ULTRA biased sources you know.
Posted by: NED | Jun 19, 2008 6:09:03 PM
I dont care if McCain flip flops so long as he changes in the direction that will benefit most Americans. Kerry is a loser supporting another loser.
McCain 08
Posted by: TH | Jun 19, 2008 6:09:14 PM
kerry is a disgruntled loser. he really should just shut-up. the whole world knows he along with the other losers (dean, richardson, etc) are bitter people who totally blew their own presidential bids. obama could do better without these vendictive, bitter endorsers who constantly jump on the bandwagon to get attention.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Jun 19, 2008 6:23:43 PM
becky do you have the evidence on the adultery allegation against mccain. please cite your sources this is not the national inquirer.
i'm (a hillary always will be) supporter by the way. i just get sick of all the b.s.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Jun 19, 2008 6:34:26 PM
Kerry, you rather keeps quiet.
Posted by: chris | Jun 19, 2008 6:38:26 PM
A stiff defense is what Obama needs to get through this temporary rough patch. He deserves to get slammed for reneging on his silly primary promise, but voters will forget as their wallets continue to get lighter.
Posted by: matt | Jun 19, 2008 6:40:49 PM
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