The wheels are coming off the McCain campaign

It's one thing when your political enemies refuse to give credence to your views. It's quite another when your friends believe your train has left the track.

1) In the past few days, we've learned that a former Republican governor of Michigan, William Milliken, who endorsed McCain during the primary, is now leaning toward supporting Barack Obama. "He's not the McCain I endorsed," said Milliken. "...his campaign has become rather disappointing to me."

2) Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican senator from Rhode Island announced yesterday at Obama's Grand Rapids [Michigan] headquarters, that he would be voting for Barack Obama. He urged other Republicans to do the same. Chafee dislikes McCain's kind of Republicanism. And he thinks Sarah Palin is "totally unqualified."

3) Phil Arthurhultz, a former Republican state senator from Whitehall [Michigan] is traveling with Chafee to encourage people to vote for Senator Obama.

4) Bob Eleveld, a former Kent County Republican chairman who headed up a division of McCain's 2000 campaign is disillusioned also. While not ready to swing publicly to Obama, he said "I'm not supporting either of them at this point. Suffice it to say there are a number of people who have been strong Republicans in the past, including party chairs, who feel as I do."

Eleveld is concerned about McCain's "pandering to the Christian right." He went on to say "I think the straight talk is gone."

5) Christopher Buckley. This is the biggie. The son of one of the most famous Republicans in the recent memory, William F. Buckley, Christopher has abandoned the so-called "Straight-talk Express."

McCain has become "inauthentic," says Buckley. He has become "irascible and snarly; his positions change, and lack coherence; he makes unrealistic promises, such as balancing the federal budget 'by the end of my first term.' Who, really, believes that? ... His ninth-inning attack ads are mean-spirited and pointless. And ... there was the Palin nomination. What on earth can he have been thinking?"

Then Buckley went on to praise Obama. "He has exhibited throughout a 'first-class temperament' ... I've read Obama's books, and they are first rate. ... He is, it seems clear enough, what the historical moment seems to be calling for."

6) Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of the late Republican president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ms. Eisenhower gave a ringing endorsement of Obama at the Democratic Convention.


I think it's fair to say that the wheels are coming off the McCain campaign.

I would also say, tongue in cheek, "Thank god!"

Like a fish out of water, McCain flip-flops

We written on numerous occasions about the "real" McCain, and the fact that McCain's "maverick" label is not only misleading, but absolutely untrue. It has become increasingly evident that McCain's position (when he knows what it is) changes depending upon the political situation - i.e., whether he needs the votes of a particular segment of the population.

As the campaign continues, it becomes increasingly clear -- if it wasn't before -- that John McCain will indeed do whatever it takes to become president. "Lies 'R' Us" could be his new campaign slogan.

For a detailed listing and analysis of McCain's flip-flopping, click here.

John McCain - MIA

Our thanks for Pam's House Blend and Open Left for the following:

John McCain has missed 63.8% of the votes in the 110th Congress. John McCain was not only a POW, he was MIA.

What follows is from Daniel de Groot at Open Left.

"I've looked through all the rejected cloture votes of the 110th Senate where the cloture motion got a majority. So this is where a bill would have passed, if not for the Republican minority blocking it. Here's a representative chunk of them:

* McCain skips a vote on a bill to create energy independence. Which he just promised to achieve in his Nomination Acceptance speech. McCain's vote would have been decisive as the measure failed cloture 59-40. But McCain hates partisanship. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skipped the vote on cloture for the economic stimulus package. Cloture failed 58-41. If McCain had voted yea, Reid would also have and cloture would be invoked. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skipped the vote on cloture for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Cloture failed 56-42. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skipped the vote on the Medicare Improvements Act. Cloture failed again 58-40, with McCain's potential "yea" being decisive. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skipped the vote on the bill to increase the minimum wage. It failed cloture 54-43. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skips a vote on cloture for a sense of the Senate on Iraq. It fails 49-47. I thought McCain had strong opinions on Iraq? Obama voted yea.

* McCain skips another vote on cloture for a sense of the Senate on Iraq. Cloture fails 56-34. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skips a vote on cloture for a bill to fund the Iraq war and compel redeployment. It fails 53-45. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skips a vote on cloture for an energy conservation bill. No opinion on the energy crisis I guess. Cloture fails 50-44. Obama missed this one.

* McCain skips a bill on cloture for an energy bill. Fortunately energy is not an issue the American people care about. It fails 57-36. Obama missed this one.

* McCain skips a vote on another Energy cloture vote. It fails 53-42. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skips a vote on cloture for the Intelligence Authorization spending bill. Fails 50-45. Obama missed this one.

* McCain skips a vote on cloture for a bill to allow the government to negotiate over drug prices. Cloture fails 55-42. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skips a vote on cloture for the motion of non-confidence in AG Gonzales. It fails 53-38. Obama missed this one.

* McCain skips a vote on the Farm bill. Cloture fails 55-42. Obama voted yea.

* McCain skips vote on cloture for an Immigration reform bill. I'm sure the nativist base is glad to know McCain didn't have their back. Luckily 44 of his colleagues were able to block the Hispanic Horde. Obama voted yea.


Pam continues: "Daniel notes that it's even more egregious that McCain did show up to vote 'nay' on many cloture votes -- thus not facilitating working across the aisle in a bipartisan manner -- the Arizona Senator reveled in blocking legislation."


'Nuff said!