Democratic National Committee: McCain Myth Buster: John McCain and Fear Tactics

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After casting himself as a "Maverick" in 2000, the new John McCain is walking in lockstep with President Bush, pandering to the right wing of the Republican Party, and embracing the ideology he once denounced. On the campaign trail McCain has callously abandoned many of his previously held positions, even contradicted himself, in a blatant attempt to remake himself into a candidate Republicans can accept in 2008. So just who is the real John McCain? The Democratic National Committee will present a daily fact aimed at exposing the man behind the myth.

Today's McCain Myth: John McCain Is Not Going to Use the Same Kind of Divisive Rhetoric and Fear Tactics Bush Republicans Have Used in the Past.

On the campaign trail, John McCain tries to bolster his "maverick" image and brand himself as a "different" kind of Republican by claiming to be above the fear and smear tactics that Bush Republicans have used for the past seven years. In reality, McCain has consistently used exactly the same kind of tactics to try to bring down his opponents and scare the American people when it suits his political needs.

McCain has used this type of divisive rhetoric on Republicans and Democrats alike. Even as McCain is campaigning tonight for a Republican candidate who set a ten-year timeline for withdrawal from Iraq, when it suits his purposes McCain has challenged the motives of critics. McCain said anyone who talks about how long we'll stay in Iraq "does not understand the military," said Romney should "apologize" to our troops in Iraq for comments he made on war strategy, smeared Democrats for their "lack of patriotism" on Iraq, and said they were raising the "white flag" of "surrender." [Foxnews.com, 2/11/08; The New Yorker, 2/25/08; Wall Street Journal, 12/15/08; Chicago Tribune, The Swamp Blog, 1/24/08]

The fact is, John McCain will say anything to try to bring down his opponents -- not the kind of president Americans are looking for.


Myth: John McCain's Track Record and Fear and Smear

In 2004, McCain Called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Claims "Dishonest and Dishonorable." McCain's response to claims made by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth was to charge that they were "dishonest and dishonorable." [Baltimore Sun, 8/8/2004]

McCain Claims Anyone Talking About How Long Our Troops Will Be in Iraq "Does Not Understand the Military." Campaigning in February, McCain said "Anyone who worries about how long we're in Iraq does not understand the military and does not understand war" and that "the argument is really almost insulting to one's intelligence to say how long we're in Iraq." [Foxnews.com, 2/11/08]

McCain Said Romney Should "Apologize" to Troops in Iraq. After Mitt Romney said President Bush should discuss a timetable for withdrawal privately with the Iraqis, McCain told reporters "He ought to apologize to the men and women who are serving, because they deserve steady and steadfast leadership, particularly when times are tough. And his statement obviously was looking for the blinking exit sign." [The New Yorker, 2/25/08]

McCain Smears Democrats for Their "Lack of Patriotism" on Iraq. When asked at a Wall Street Journal editorial board meeting "what surprised him the most about the behavior of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid with regard to Iraq" McCain replied "their lack of patriotism." [Wall Street Journal, 12/15/08]


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SOURCE Democratic National Committee

Hillary Clinton Encourages Americans to Report Voting Problems on Campaign Website

Hillary Clinton today encouraged voters to visit her campaign website to report any and all voting irregularities. Voters can report problems at www.hillaryclinton.com/pollingproblems.

"I ask all Americans to contact my campaign if they have trouble voting," said Clinton. "My volunteers and staff will make a best effort to respond and contact election authorities when appropriate. Americans should not be denied the opportunity to vote because of election problems or irregularities. All Americans deserve to have their voices heard."

Source: www.hillaryclinton.com

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Hillary Clinton Statement on January Employment Report

Today's report that our economy actually lost jobs in January confirms my view that we are sliding into a second Bush recession. During the same month that President Bush declared that the state of our union was strong, the economy lost 17,000 jobs, the worst jobs performance in four and a half years.

This data shows what so many of the families I meet every day already know: this economy is failing middle class families. Washington must act immediately and aggressively to head off our growing economic crisis.

This report underscores why it is absolutely critical that we include in any stimulus package extended unemployment insurance for those who are losing their jobs and looking work in our ailing economy. And while I am heartened to see that the House moved quickly to pass a stimulus package, we need more than tax rebates and business incentives to fix our ailing economy. That is why I have called for expanding heating assistance for those facing skyrocketing heating cost, and enacting a comprehensive solution to the housing crisis, including a 90-day foreclosure moratorium and a 5-year interest rate freeze on subprime mortgages.

Source: www.hillaryclinton.com

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Obama Statement On New Jobs Report

Chicago, IL - Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on this morning's jobs report.

"This morning's jobs report brings very troubling news for the economy and for working families who are struggling under the last seven years of George Bush's failed economic policies, as we lost 17,000 jobs and saw negative job growth for the first time in since August of 2003. This news comes after a day where we learned that we had the slowest economic growth since 2002. It underscores the urgent need for Congress to extend unemployment benefits for more time and to more people as part of any economic stimulus package, something I called for in my own plan three weeks ago. It is time to provide immediate relief to families who are struggling in this economy, and it's time to turn the page on the failed Bush policies of tax breaks for those who didn't need them and didn't ask for them so we can put America back on the path to prosperity and opportunity."

Source: www.barackobama.com

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