McCain goes nuclear on Obama over earmarks: “So much for the promise of change”
posted at 2:50 pm on March 3, 2009 by Allahpundit
Speaking of guys wooed by Obama who haven’t rolled over the way we expected, here’s Maverick rubbing The One’s face in his pet issue last night. Normally I think this subject’s a political loser, but Obama’s hypocrisy about it is so egregious and public weariness of nonstop spending such fertile ground for a comeback that it can only help to remind them how much crap their money’s buying this time around. Starts slow, but stick with it. Things pick up around 3:00.
McCain’s amendment calling for the spending bill’s 9,000 earmarks to be stripped out was rejected today, predictably enough. And predictably enough, among the eight Republicans voting no were … Collins, Snowe, and Specter. Click the image to watch.
Blowback
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McCain 2012!
joepub on March 3, 2009 at 2:54 PM
The TRAITORS are at it again… And they have 5 more RINO’s with them that need to be exposed AND DEFEATED and removed from the Republican party…
YOU IDIOT STEELE, are you watching???? Geez!!!!
Mark Garnett on March 3, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Typical Liberal
bladegripp on March 3, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Collins, Snowe, Specter: BUT DA ECONOMIE NEEDS DAH WELFAHRE! IT NEEDZ IT!
Tacitus_SGL on March 3, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Forget about the lousy campaign he ran. He is right. I don’t care when that bill was written, it should be rewritten to reflect the economic times. I mean, what’s the rush? It took no time to write a bill costing $1T, how long would it take to remove the pork?
Oink on March 3, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Puke…in…my mouth…
MadisonConservative on March 3, 2009 at 2:56 PM
The Mac is back?
Complete7 on March 3, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Ha! Awesome
AntonDomi on March 3, 2009 at 2:57 PM
I will throw McCain some sympathy points for it would be extremely maddening to be against this your whole political career — and he has, campaign against earmarks, have your competitor say me too, and then see this pile of excrement with full exposure of Obama’s doubletalk.
WashJeff on March 3, 2009 at 2:57 PM
We already know that Collins and Specter are rat bastard traitors. However, the rest of the hall of shame include a couple of names who deserve the opportunity to explain why a bill with 9,000 earmarks should be approved.
highhopes on March 3, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Will all 9000 of these earmarks get cute ARRA patches as well?
lorien1973 on March 3, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Yes eliminate the pork! But, McCain is less legitimate on this issue when he voted for TARP. His finger wagging is good showmanship, but he did nothing much about it when it counted.
jencab on March 3, 2009 at 2:58 PM
No thanks, been there, done that, saw the movie, bought the tee shirt. It wasn’t much fun, aside from Sarah, in 2008.
johnsteele on March 3, 2009 at 2:58 PM
You don’t say…Can I move that when discussing these three any mention of Republican contain quotation marks?
Rogue on March 3, 2009 at 2:58 PM
yea sure mac. republicans wet their beak somethin awful in this budget so you can take your faux outrage and shove it. at what point does the hypocrisy sink in?? campaigning on earmark reform or spending in general is republican standard operating procedure…but when push comes to shove its only the democrats earmarks that are wasteful…i mean god, even Ron Paul got some earmarks.
ernesto on March 3, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Bingo. Any Repubs who voted for the bailout and speaks out against the stimulus or spending bill is a hypocrite.
And my, there are a lot of them.
MadisonConservative on March 3, 2009 at 2:59 PM
I like McCain’s attacks on earmarks.
But his initial comments (they sounded like criticism to me)concerning the enormous length of the bill (“one thousand one hundred twenty-some pages”) lacks credibility
when one recalls McCain-Kennedy “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” was huge and that he pushed it so fast that no senator had even read that bill before voting on it.
Kinda of like “the pot calling the kettle black.”
ColtsFan on March 3, 2009 at 2:59 PM
So the maverick is concerned about the earmarks…Looking at the big picture worrying about the earmarks akins to asking Mrs. Lincoln did she enjoy the play.
Dire Straits on March 3, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Earmarks are too important to fail!
Spirit of 1776 on March 3, 2009 at 3:00 PM
LOL… I like this version of McCain the bitter loser better than the 2000 version. Unless Obama was going to give MCcain the Presidency, of course McCain was going to do his best obstructionist impression. Everything is extremely personal with this guy.
Illinidiva on March 3, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Not sure about some of the others but Bond’s already announced he’s not running for re-election. What are the voters gonna do to him? Fire him after he quits?
Rogue on March 3, 2009 at 3:00 PM
What a suprize. I think it is becominmg abundantly clear the Obama does not walk the talk.
saiga on March 3, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Calm down grandpa, you’re embarrassing yourself.
benny shakar on March 3, 2009 at 3:01 PM
If McCain had won, it might have been fun to watch him battle pork while doing just about all the same bailout things that Obama is doing. He wouldn’t have even realized how silly he looked.
myrenovations on March 3, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Got any more lead weights you’d like to attach to our ankles as we prepare to walk the plank?
CK MacLeod on March 3, 2009 at 3:02 PM
WHY NOW, JOHN????? WHY NOW????? i SUPPORTED YOU AND SENT YOU MONEY!!!!!! YOU DID NOTHING!!!! YOU LET THIS CHICAGO THUG ROLL OVER YOU IN HIS FANCY BUS!!!!!!! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED, JOHN MCCAIN. YOU AND YOUR BUYER’S REMORSE!!!!!!!!
bloggless on March 3, 2009 at 3:02 PM
I miss Grandpa McAngry. Good to see that he’s still in form.
capitulus on March 3, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Morgoth, Sauron, and Smeagol
pseudonominus on March 3, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Ah, but don’t you dare suggest that we should consider kicking their butts out.
jimmy the notable on March 3, 2009 at 3:02 PM
The question isn’t whether Obama lied, it’s if he has ever told the truth?
Obama is a flat out, worthless fraud.
How soon can we get rid of him?
NoDonkey on March 3, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Don’t blame me, I voted for that guy.
BohicaTwentyTwo on March 3, 2009 at 3:03 PM
We know McCain is capable of rousing himself to criticize Obama for a half hour every week.
Speedwagon82 on March 3, 2009 at 3:03 PM
yea sure mac. republicans wet their beak somethin awful in this budget so you can take your faux outrage and shove it. at what point does the hypocrisy sink in?? …
ernesto on March 3, 2009 at 2:59 PM
WashJeff on March 3, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Specter/Snowe 2012
WE CAN’T LOSE
Tacitus_SGL on March 3, 2009 at 3:04 PM
You know, I wonder if those birth certificate people are on to something. This man is going to run the country into the ground.
bloggless on March 3, 2009 at 3:04 PM
So what now, I’m causing problems because I expect integrity from my party?
You know, I can see that. The whole damn establishment is so corrupt, it’s understandable that my unreasonable expectations of Washington politicians would be killing your buzz, man.
MadisonConservative on March 3, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Where the heck was THIS McCain on immigration and defending this country from terrorists and other things he wimped out on? What is offensive is his tirade NOW when it was needed in October… thanks a lot for nothing, McCain. Glad you found your cajones but this bill still passed with the help of 8 Republicans.
MNDavenotPC on March 3, 2009 at 3:04 PM
I can hear it already… BO blathering about how proud he is to sign another bill with “no earmarks”.
Because if BO says it, it must be true.
Mark_Tampa on March 3, 2009 at 3:05 PM
I just happened to be the first comment on this thread…thought I would get a couple of yucks…
McCain? Never again!
joepub on March 3, 2009 at 3:05 PM
Doesn’t make any difference which party does it; it is bad procedure. I would remind you of something Obama said, though,..”I won”.
a capella on March 3, 2009 at 3:05 PM
Where was this guy on the first bailout under Bush, during the campaign? Hmmm might be President McCain had he shown up on his emergency trip back to Washington during the closing days of the election. Its easy to be principled when your irrelevant huh?
HoosierCon on March 3, 2009 at 3:05 PM
I much prefer this version of McCain to the one who went out of his way to defend Obama or suck up to him. Keep it up.
Doughboy on March 3, 2009 at 3:06 PM
They are ALL being disingenuous. 40% of those earmarks are Republicans. Who is talking about that. When Sen. Kyl was interviewed on Sunday, he tried to rationalize it.
They are all in it together, I’m afraid, and what you are seeing is a game being played at high stakes.
PrincipledPilgrim on March 3, 2009 at 3:06 PM
Bennett, Bond, Cochran, Collins, Murkowski, Shelby and Specter
The traitors of the cause.
Passionate-Conservative on March 3, 2009 at 3:06 PM
If Gramps had won, we would not be in the position we are now. The economy wrecked, the whole word laughing at us and our weak position. A tax cheat blowing the whistle on tax cheats.
bloggless on March 3, 2009 at 3:07 PM
actually my father the public administrator banished me from the dinner table last night after i expressed disgust at the budget’s 9,000 earmarks. its a lame practice, to be sure, but my anger comes more from the fact that republicans are basically bold faced lying when they campaign against “wasteful spending”…like, at least democrats arent campaigning on “protecting the sanctity of life”…they tell you straight up they support choice.
ernesto on March 3, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Hey Cap’n Rino USN maybe had you ran a tougher more go for the throat campaign like Ogabe you would be in the position of vetoing the bill instead of simpering over it neh?
GOP 2008 needed more Thrilla from Wasilla and less Juan Queeg
sven10077 on March 3, 2009 at 3:07 PM
This is the John McCain from the campaign. All he cared about, economy-wise, is pork. He gave speeches about it and town halls about it and ate up precious debate minutes about it.
myrenovations on March 3, 2009 at 3:08 PM
McCain is true to himself fighting against pork and earmarks. He has always been against this kind of behaviour.
I must say that it was not entirely his fault that he lost the election. He did the best he could due to the circumstances. I know this is not a very popular point of view around here but I keep it.
clemycali on March 3, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Considering this is, like, the ONLY thing that McCain cares about, I’m not surprised he didn’t roll over on it.
jimmy the notable on March 3, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Will always appreciate him for his service. However, he missed the opportunity to stand up when it counted on fiscal policy and dropped the ball. I’m a conservative and to hell with any R or D that continues to sell this country out.
hillbilly on March 3, 2009 at 3:09 PM
I see the insipid and vacuous talking-points know-nothing little gnats are buzzing around here.
OmahaConservative on March 3, 2009 at 3:10 PM
see the insipid and vacuous talking-points know-nothing little gnats are buzzing around here.
OmahaConservative on March 3, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Thats mighty bold talk for an independent
Passionate-Conservative on March 3, 2009 at 3:11 PM
The audience at this web-site is angry with earmarks. Your posts are preceived as attacking us (the people here at HA) as hypocrits, when their is no hypocrisy on this subject matter.
WashJeff on March 3, 2009 at 3:11 PM
Wait-McCaskill voted for the ammendment and Bond against?? Huh??
jewells45 on March 3, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Day late and a dollar short, ‘maverick’.
Go back to the crypt.
HornetSting on March 3, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Good point.
I think the issue of who pays taxes is relevant to the big picture here.
Ultimately, there is not a radical difference from a McCain presidency than a Obama Socialist one:
This is not to suggest that the link author or I support Obama. Rather, it suggests that the growing percentage of people who are dependent on the federal drinking trough will grow under either McCain or Obama. And that is deadly for the future of conservatism in America.
McCain’s focus on earmarks loses sight of the forest for the trees.
ColtsFan on March 3, 2009 at 3:12 PM
The Mac choked on his Ensure. He never showed up.
HornetSting on March 3, 2009 at 3:14 PM
Perhaps not quite as bad as we are now, I’ll give you that. But he supported TARP, he would probably support TARP 2. He would probably bail out the car companies and AIG.
He would have this Democrat congress and they would have been fired up over losing the White House on the 3rd try, so they would have beaten McCain at every attempt for tax cuts or fiscal discipline.
The stock market would still be wretched due to the coming expiration of the tax cuts.
And worst of all is that Palin would have been sent on the talk shows to defend this crap.
myrenovations on March 3, 2009 at 3:14 PM
Uhm can we reserve the word “nuclear” for something like “you dirty piece of sh*t”? I’m not suggesting he say that. I’m just pointing out that it would really merit the desciption “nuclear”.
“So much for the promise of change” is… I mean, what’s less nuclear than that short of “Please have sex with me”?
radiofreevillage on March 3, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Governor Palin is the only one of all these idiots who has a clue. A common sense clue – which all these idiots do not seem to have. Governor Palin gets it.
bloggless on March 3, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Well, it doesn’t matter that McCain said what he said because it won’t change anything. There will be grumbling about all the waste and the pork and then the bill will go through, just like all the others. However, at least he had the balls to stand up and call our President the liar that he is. How many times since 1/20/09 have people uttered the words “change, indeed.” Or “change, my a$$.”
scalleywag on March 3, 2009 at 3:18 PM
That’s the response when you realize something an opponent says can resonate with Americans: Making fun of him and telling him to go away. No rebuttal, just enough so you’re not silent.
At least ernesto argues on something more than a six-word insult.
amerpundit on March 3, 2009 at 3:18 PM
If only he was this passionate about ridding us of Shamnesty.
Today, we Angelenos vote for Mayor of Los Angeles.
God help us.
The Ugly American on March 3, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Jeff Flake 2012!
redshirt on March 3, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Entelechy on March 3, 2009 at 3:19 PM
You’re arguing with something that a simple flush would take care of.
MadisonConservative on March 3, 2009 at 3:19 PM
LOL- I agree. Or maybe he can tell Obama to f**k off.
jewells45 on March 3, 2009 at 3:19 PM
AT LEAST GOVERNOR PALIN IS NORMAL!!!!!!!!! MOST OF THESE A-HOLES ARE JUST THAT—-A-HOLES!!!!!
bloggless on March 3, 2009 at 3:20 PM
I’d take that.
The Obama-Mugabe regime has been a disaster in every sense of the word and it promises to get far worse.
Oh yes, they are calm and collected now. Look at Nancy Pelosi. Look at Harry Reid. Look at Barney Frank. Look at Chris Dodd. Look at John Conyers. Look at Dick Durbin. The picture of professionalism.
John McCain is George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Nathan Hale and Benjamin Franklin compared to the absolute and complete disgrace of a human being we have in the White House right now.
I beg to differ, sir.
NoDonkey on March 3, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Your expectations are not only unreasonable, they’re hilarious. If you’re waiting for the day that choirs of saints and angels handle our nation’s business, you’ll be waiting a long time or at least until the end times.
If you’re going to try to build a movement based solely on those who single-mindedly opposed TARP, from the right, you’ve just eliminated around half of the Republican Party, along with leading conservatives who’ve done a lot for this country and for the movement, and still can and will.
Knowing what we knew (or were being told) then, there were strong economic and political arguments on both sides of the TARP vote, and no time to think them through. And NO ONE knows what would have happened politically or economically if McCain or the rest of the party (other than the President, whose administration came up with the damn bill) had opposed the rescue plan.
CK MacLeod on March 3, 2009 at 3:21 PM
McCain is right. Period.
I don’t care about his campaign or TARP votes. He is correct on this. Obama is a liar. He wants to “move on” whenever he is called out about anything that he is obviously lying about or puts him into a compromising situation.
See his: reverend, mentor, mortgage, the outing of private divorce papers of his opponent, Sen Ryan, votes in the Illinois Senate, comments about bitter, gun-clingers in PA, birth certificate, etc.
Feel free to pile onto the list…
JAM on March 3, 2009 at 3:21 PM
point taken. it just really gets under my skin to see the issue become a pet republican issue that people actually use to base their voting decisions on…when in reality republicans abuse the system in the same way democrats do. like i said about abortion at least the dems tell you they support choice. but no i agree the commenters here are normally against the practice, i do understand that.
ernesto on March 3, 2009 at 3:22 PM
I agree with that, which is why, if she were currently VP, she would have to defend all of this stuff that McCain would be doing that wouldn’t be all that different from/than (always have trouble with that) what Obama is doing.
Palin would have been ruined by this. At least now she still has some hope.
myrenovations on March 3, 2009 at 3:22 PM
I wish people would stop equating Conservatism with the Republicans. The two broke from each many years ago.
BierManVA on March 3, 2009 at 3:23 PM
On a more serious note, why can’t every single Republican repeat ad nauseum that they disagree with Obama’s plan to recover the nation’s economy by funding hog smell research?
Why don’t they try to make these things everyone’s knowledge?
radiofreevillage on March 3, 2009 at 3:25 PM
It’s actually ma’am, but whatever.
myrenovations on March 3, 2009 at 3:25 PM
If McCain had won, unemployment would be 1% on account of all the libtards who moved to Canada.
Speedwagon82 on March 3, 2009 at 3:25 PM
We have consensus then. Next topic…
WashJeff on March 3, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Hey, you guys gonna actually elect an American citizen this time…
sarc/
HornetSting on March 3, 2009 at 3:26 PM
The problem is that these elected officials have lost touch with normal Americans. These Washington clowns do not have a clue as to who sent them there and what thier purpose is. They are self serving celebrities and only seek to further their own self interest. Senator McCain is one of the few exceptions. While he may be somewhat misguided, I believe that he tries to do the noble thing. Unfortunately for him and us, the noble thing is not enough. Governor Palin is true. She embodies the very people she seeks to represent. She is noble, honest and pure of character. The libs can not fight that forever. They can attack her honesty, her integrity and her humbleness, but they can not destroy her. She appeals to all the common folk, as well as the upper classes. She is a force that the libs can not diffuse.
bloggless on March 3, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Or a gnat squish…more blood than brains…
Entelechy on March 3, 2009 at 3:27 PM
I think McCain’s starting to regret voting for The One. It’s about tucking fime he came around.
Laura in Maryland on March 3, 2009 at 3:27 PM
Oye, amigo. “Straight up” would be your party campaigning that they DO NOT support protecting the sanctity of life…or at least admitting that they support the termination of a future child. Your “straight up” party has to pull in lawyers to argue some feeble definition of life so you all aren’t seen for what you all really are….ghouls.
Patrick S on March 3, 2009 at 3:27 PM
Another oxymoron heard from…
Jarhead68 on March 3, 2009 at 3:28 PM
Collins, Snowe, Specter: The Three Stooges. And one of them is “Curly Joe” not Curly. Because that would be insulting…
juanito on March 3, 2009 at 3:28 PM
I rank this as one of the most damaging aspects of the Bush administration. The majority of society now equates Bush’s domestic agenda with Conservativism. I cannot think of areas I agreed with Bush on domestic policies except for the 2003 tax cuts.
WashJeff on March 3, 2009 at 3:29 PM
And it would take a choir of saints and angels to simply say “Hey, trillion dollar spending bills that will ultimately tax the bejeezus out of the populace while devaluing the currency are bad, regardless of what party the president is!”
So you have no problem supporting hypocrites. I guess we differ there. Anything else?
Ah, so requiring our representatives to think about the legislation they’re approving is also unreasonable. I’m glad you have accepted that the crap sandwich wasn’t a bill at all, but in fact was made up of many of our supported “conservative” lawmakers.
So, expecting integrity and actual thought from our Congress is troublemaking. Then consider me a hellraiser, pal.
MadisonConservative on March 3, 2009 at 3:29 PM
meh. if republicans came up with their plan for prosecuting and incarcerating all the women who have abortions maybe id pay more mind to being called a ghoul.
ernesto on March 3, 2009 at 3:31 PM
And too big
- The Cat
MirCat on March 3, 2009 at 3:31 PM
She is also only 44 and hasn’t been living in DC for the past four decades.
DC is a cess pool.
myrenovations on March 3, 2009 at 3:31 PM
ernesto
…”at least dems tell you straight up they are pro-choice…” That’s a bad argument. Not even relevant to this thread.
SO? At least pro-life people tell you they are pro-life regardless of circumstance, like Sarah Palin.
It’s a non-sequitor.
JAM on March 3, 2009 at 3:32 PM
…For Washington D.C. Assistant Dog Catcher!
TMK on March 3, 2009 at 3:33 PM
What’s the matter Ernesto??? Can’t say it????? It’s not a “choice”. It’s abortion. You know, suck the fetus out of his Mom’ uterus and count the parts. You know….two arms, two legs, a head and a torso. Gotta make sure you get it all. Don’t want to have go back in for an arm or two. A
choicea baby. Does calling it a choice make you feel better? How sad.bloggless on March 3, 2009 at 3:33 PM
ill write to you what i wrote to patrick. if republicans came up with their plan for prosecuting and incarcerating all the women who have abortions maybe id pay more mind to rants like yours.
ernesto on March 3, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Awesome.
myrenovations on March 3, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Abortion is Murder, Ernesto.
pseudonominus on March 3, 2009 at 3:35 PM
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