John McCain

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LA Times has an article by Janet Hook showing John McCain for what he is: a partisan, rhetorical, political hack.

• As a candidate, McCain cast himself as a uniter of the two parties, willing to buck his GOP colleagues and reach across the aisle to build compromises on immigration, campaign finance and other hot-button issues.
• "I have that record and the scars to prove it. ..." he said during the campaign, referring to his bipartisan streak.
• But this week, with Barack Obama in the White House and McCain back in Congress, the Arizona senator has played a prominent and uncompromising role in rallying Republican opposition to the Democratic majority and its stimulus plan.
• McCain's actions in the stimulus debate make for a different leadership profile than he touted during the presidential campaign.
• McCain did not join the small group of centrists from both parties who worked this week to put together a compromise to let the stimulus bill move forward.

And Ellis Weiner lets us see the Republicans for what they are:

• What was the GOP's great accomplishment last week, about which they openly admitted they felt good? A show of "unity" enough to block the first stimulus package. That's what put a spring back in their step: obstructing a desperately-needed solution to a problem rooted in their political philosophy. "Yes, we helped cover your house with gasoline, and we paid private contractors to shoot flaming arrows at it, yes. But we don't believe in Socialism, so we got the gang together--which wasn't easy!--and had everyone stand in the street to keep the fire trucks away. Yay us! We feel good!"

Hey, John, you did not put country over party and get something done - which is what you promised during your campaign. In your first test of your campaign promise, you failed. So, now, you need to remember, you lost the election and, more importantly, you are to blame for your loss. You ran a lousy campaign -- in terms of message, logistics, ideas and choice of running mate.

You need to keep quiet, John McCain, and do what you promised, work for the good of the country. But instead, you have not shut up about nor worked for the stimulus package. Instead, you pushed -- in a speech from the well of the Senate -- for a Republican alternative that was heavier on tax cuts and offered less government spending than President Obama wants.

John McCain: just another super-rich Republican shill who can only deal with spending bills that stimulate the Dow and inflate the Pentagon. Not anything for the common citizen: nothing for Main Street.

You gotta shut up, John. You gotta shut up.
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