McCain Was Against Hypocrisy Before He Was For It

One of the major letdowns of the 2004 Presidential campaign was John Kerry's refusal to rip George W. Bush for an almost unbelievable list of crimes and blunders. While trying to remain above name calling is noble, in 2008, it's also idiotic.

The single biggest reason to doubt Obama's ability to defeat McCain in November is if Obama insists on running a clean campaign. John McCain has more dirty laundry than any politician in history, and the American public needs to know about it because it is not being reported in the mainstream media, who once again, have their own conservative agenda to appoint the next war president. (Learn why here)

Obama needs to run ads and expose McCain for being the hypocrite and criminal he is. Relying on bloggers and the people who read Digg will only go so far, since it's the same group of people Digging similar articles over and over. A large chunk of America is not internet savvy and instead get biased news from the mainstream media, who (as a whole) refuse to criticize McCain.

My elderly father, for one, has never been on the Internet in his life, is anti-McCain, yet he believes the anti-Obama propaganda the newspapers and television keep reporting. That's Obama's biggest enemy - phony character assassination jobs by the press. If Obama tries to stay on a positive message the entire campaign, as appealing as that is, he risks losing the election because McCain, the GOP, and the media will spend the next few months calling Obama a liar and the same old recycled Washington politician (so what does that say about McCain?). Regardless of the truth, if the media keeps painting Obama as a liar, a large enough chunk of America will believe it. Just look at how many people already believe McCain is stronger on foreign issues.

Obama must fire back. And we need to do our part to get the word out to everyone we know. So listed below is the beginning of a list of McCain's high crimes and misdemeanors. I'll update it as we find out more. You can do your part by sharing it with everyone you know, either by email link, or for those without Internet access, print it out or talk about it. If we love America and want things to get better, we can't sit by and let the war profiteering press hand pick the next president.

There are actually so many McCain crimes and blatant corrupt acts that it's becoming easy to forget some of these. I thought I would try and bring them all together, kind of a McNasty depository. If there is anything I've missed, please post it in the comments and I'll add it - include a link to your source if possible.

The Keating Five Scandal

The first and only reason most voters will need to NOT vote for John McCain is his involvement in the Keating Five Scandal. What was it, why it so revealing about McCain's behavior, and why aren't mainstream media mentioning this everyday?

From Wikipedia: "The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s...." John McCain was the only Republican Senator involved and is the only one of the Keating Five still in the Senate. The five Senators met with federal auditors twice to pressure them to stop investigating Charles Keating and his Lincoln Savings and Loan.

Essentially what happened was Charles Keating was a rich campaign donor to many Congressmen, including John McCain. During the 1980's Keating helped make McCain a Representative, then Senator, contributing (along with friends) $56,000 to McCain's House races in 1982 and 1984, and $54,000 to McCain's 1986 Senate race. During those years McCain used Keating's personal jet to take 9 family trips, including yearly vacations to Keating's exclusive Bahama vacation home, which he did not disclose on his tax returns or to the Senate until years later when he was investigated for accepting favors from Charles Keating and Keating's Lincoln Savings and Loan.

In 1987 the Lincoln Savings and Loan was under investigation by federal auditors who were looking at Keating's banking practices. Keating was using bank money to speculate on investments (similar behavior by bank executives in the 1920's led to the Great Depression). Keating asked the contacts he had so carefully groomed in the Senate to put the kabosh on the federal investigators.

John McCain and four other Senators met with federal auditors twice and put pressure on them to stop the investigation. The Senators bought two years for Keating, but in 1989 the Lincoln Savings and loan went belly up. The FDIC bailout cost taxpayers $3.4 billion and helped push the country into a recession. Keating was convicted of 73 counts of fraud, racketeering, and conspiracy and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Senate launched an investigation of the Keating Five and criticized McCain and the others for "questionable behavior". For breaking Senate ethics rules and not reporting gifts, McCain and the others were given a slap on the wrist.

One lasting note: In 1986, McCain's wife, Cindy, and her father invested $359,000 in a shopping center owned by Charles Keating one year before McCain first met with federal officials. They later sold their $359,000 investment for $15,000,000.

McCain Falsified IRS Tax Returns

Last I checked, that was a crime. McCain admitted to not reporting gifts he and his family received from convicted felon Charles Keating. Those were taxable gifts, including free airfare, free lodging, and other perks. Years later, McCain later confessed and paid the IRS.

How come the mainstream media doesn't bring this up? It turns out a San Francisco tv station quietly mentioned it in passing...while praising McCain!

"When (Keating's) company tried to take tax deductions for the trips (given to McCain), the IRS raised questions. McCain, who said he mistakenly thought his wife had reimbursed the cost, paid back more than $13,000 -- years after the trips and after the senator knew of Keating's problems with the government."

This isn't the same thing as a person not filing income taxes because they can't afford to pay what is due. This was a case of McCain intentionally defrauding the United States Internal Revenue Service and the citizens of this country. We don't need a president who cheats the IRS. What else does he cheat on? It turns out, damn near everything.

Mafia Connections?

In 1995, McCain sent birthday regards, and regrets for not attending, to Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonano, the head of the New York Bonano crime family, who had retired to Arizona. Another politician to send regrets was Governor Fife Symington, who has since been kicked out of office and convicted of 7 felonies relating to fraud and extortion. Kevin Tracy points out, "a quick search on OpenSecrets.org revealed that at least five members of the Bonanno family made generous donations ($2,100 each) to the McCain campaign. Each member made a donation that was $200 less than the federal maximum on the same day." Why would an "honest" politician send birthday wishes to a mafia leader?

Iraq
McCain continues to lie about how well things are going in Iraq. The best example is this clip from CNN where McCain claims Baghdad is now a safe, happy place where children frolic and soldiers exchange their guns for bananas. A CNN correspondent in Baghdad, in between ducking gunfire, called McCain's comments "beyond ludicrous" and, "I've spoken to military sources about what McCain said and there's laughter."

McCain also has said staying in Iraq for 100 years "would be fine by me." Then he has repeated it over and over, including recently on The Today Show.

The Ultimate Hypocrite - Voting Against Our Troops For Decades

It's not just bills pertaining to our troops in Iraq that McCain turns his back on our soldiers, it's troops at home as well. Whether it's better healthcare for our soldiers and veterans, improved G.I. education, or counseling for returning troops, McCain is against it. In March, April, and May of 2006, McCain voted against improved health care for our troops and veterans. He's also voted to table bills that would provide funding for proper equipment to our National Guard troops in Iraq that would have supplied soldiers with "unnecessary items" like helmets and bullet proof vests.

He Didn't Even Vote For the Surge
For a guy who claims he is an expert on foreign affairs, he sure has a long history of not voting on key issues. McCain takes every opportunity available to talk about how the surge is working, yet back in February, 2007, he didn't even bother to show up and vote against a bill condemning the planned surge.

Changing Religions Based on What State He's Pandering To

Washington Post: "Campaigning in this conservative, predominantly Baptist state, McCain called himself a Baptist when speaking to reporters Sunday and noted that he and his family have been members of the North Phoenix Baptist Church in his home state of Arizona for more than 15 years..." despite telling everyone he's an Episcopalian his entire life and admitting he hasn't been baptized in the Baptist church he now claims he has been a member for 15 years. The first tenant of the Baptist church is that you must get baptized. McCain admits he hasn't. That sir, means you are not a Baptist.

Seeks Right Wing Endorsements From Pastors and Preachers He Has Condemned for Years

For years John McCain criticized the religious right like Jerry Falwell, John Hagee, Rod Parsley, and others. But in recent campaigns McCain realized he couldn't win without the conservative right, so he made amends in order to win their endorsement, then claimed he didn't know they have said outrageous and offensive things for decades, despite once calling Jerry Falwell "an agent of intolerance." Among the offensive messages McCain buried his head in the sand over: "God sent Hitler," "Katrina was sent by God against American Gays," and "Catholicism is the Great Whore of Babylon."

Tax Cuts For The Rich
In 2000, McCain was against Bush's tax cuts for the rich, saying, "Sixty percent of the benefits from (Bush) tax cuts go to the wealthiest 10% of Americans—and that’s not the kind of tax relief that Americans need...I'm not giving tax cuts to the rich."

In 2008, despite the economy failing and the deficit soaring as the government is forced to borrow money to keep the country afloat - largely because the income from tax cuts is now so small, McCain suddenly is 100% behind tax cuts for the rich and has voted to make them permanent.

Impending War With Iran

Voters should never forget McCain singing "Bomb Iran" to a Beach Boys tune at a town hall meeting when asked about Iran. That's not the kind of "joke" a world leader should ever make. It's also hard to pass it off as a "joke" when McCain's public statements have consistently supported going to war with Iran. And when McCain recently criticized Obama for saying he would use diplomacy to meet with Iran's leaders, Joe Biden called McCain's bluff. "(McCain asked) What is it Obama wants to talk (with Iran) about?”, Biden said. "If John can’t answer the question, we're in trouble...What’s John’s plan for dealing with these dangers? You either talk; you go to war; or you maintain the unacceptable status quo. If John has ruled out talking, that means we’re going to get more of what we’ve had for most of the Bush administration – or worse."

Flip Flopping...His Own Words on Iraq

McCain does more flip flopping than a fish wearing summer sandals. If John Kerry was a flip flopper in the 2004 Presidential Campaign, then John McCain should be called "Flipper". On Iraq, McCain said, "The success will be fairly easy...I believe we can win an overwhelming victory in a short period of time...it was easy", later he said, "the American people were led to believe this would be a walk at the beach...I knew it would be long and hard and tough, and those that voted for it and thought it would be easy were mistaken, maybe they didn't know what they were voting for." Watch these videos to see McCain's own words condemn him over and over.

McCain Wants To Be Uber Fuhrer II

Despite McCain's long list of pre-2000 scandals, he still had people believing the "Straight Talk Express" slogan was accurate. That was because McCain was a loose cannon who would unload on anyone he thought wasn't being honest, including George W. Bush. But a short while after Bush and Karl Rove used dirty tactics in the South Carolina primary to defeat McCain, he fell into line behind Bush and became a "yes" man to every law Bush wanted broken. Patriot Act to spy on U.S. citizens? Yes! Illegal war in Iraq? Yes! Cut funding and supplies to our soldiers? Yes! When the U.S. economy goes to shit, turn blame on Islamic Fundamentalists? You bet! Restricted Flight Lists? Here! Here! An entire group of Republicans believed McCain would stand up to Bush and instead were let down as this "hero" helped take away our rights and start an illegal, immoral war, then push hard for a second war.

McCain has gotten so bloodthirsty to be president, he hired Karl Rove as one of his advisor's. Among all the other crimes Rove has committed, he allegedly placed a hit, twice, on a female Republican staffer who testified in front of Congress during the Don Siegelman investigation. What did she testify? That Rove swore to destroy Siegelman, then Governor of Alabama, who was sent to prison thanks to a Republican judge and ZERO evidence of wrongdoing. The evidence was so weak that another judge ordered Siegelman released during his appeal. McCain overlooked Rove's long list of crimes, some of which might eventually see the propagandist actually be held accountable and sent to prison.

Like Bush, McCain's Father Was a Treasonous Jerk, Too

In 1967, McCain's pop, Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces, Europe, covered up an attack on the U.S.S. Liberty by Israel and instead blamed it on Egypt, almost sending the U.S. to war on a lie. McCain's daddy-0 also allegedly ordered rescue ships recalled so more soldiers on the Liberty would die, fomenting a larger public outrage against a Muslim nation that never attacked us. Sound familiar?

He's NOT EVEN ELIGIBLE To Be President

McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone to American parents.

McCain defenders claim the Panama Canal Zone was a U.S. territory and thus, anyone born there is a natural born U.S. citizen. However, the Panama Canal was never a U.S. territory. The United States leased the land from Columbia. Leased land is not a territory, nor is a person born on leased land a "natural born citizen", or "naturalized citizen". According to Section 1, Article II of the Constitution, McCain is not eligible to even be the United States President.

Forced Relocation of Native Americans To Steal Their Coal and Property

Native Americans just keep getting kicked in the face. John McCain used his powers to steal land from thousands of Native Americans in his home state of Arizona and turn it over to lobbyist friends to mine for coal and explore for oil and natural gas. The Native Americans, who's ancestors had lived there for hundreds of years, were forced to relocate to Utah. The United Nations condemned the treatment of the Native Americans, and condemned John McCain for his role, in particular. McCain took part in forming a fake group of tribal elders and forging their signatures on papers approving the "genocide".

The Lobbyist Problem - Pay McCain and He'll Pass Anything

When Viacom wanted to buy CBS in 1999 they knew it would break FCC rules controlling how many radio and tv stations a company could own, so they turned to old friend John McCain who assured Viacom the FCC wouldn't be a problem. Within a week of the purchase, McCain went on the Senate floor and proposed a change to U.S. law allowing the purchase. Not coincidentally, Viacom has been the fourth largest donor to McCain's campaigns over the past 25+ years. The FCC law McCain helped destroy was meant to protect American citizens from media becoming too powerful and controlling the news. McCain's history of being friendly to lobbyists is legendary.

Too Old To Be President? McCain Says He Is

In a 2000 interview with PBS' Jim Lehrer, McCain said, "By 2008, I think I might be ready to go down to the old soldiers home and await the cavalry charge there." Ronald Reagan was the oldest U.S. President in history, 69 years old when he took office. McCain would be 3 years older than Reagan if he were to be sworn in.

McCain Ignores His Morals to Line His Pockets

In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, 2006, McCain reached out to the Wyly's for donations.

That same year, as he planned his 2008 presidential campaign, McCain realized he needed to make peace with old enemies, so he cozied up to the Republican Right and people like Jerry Falwell, John Hagee, and others he used to openly condemn. McCain began giving speeches at Falwell's university, in return for political endorsements and the lucrative donations they bring.

No Foreign Policy Expertise

McCain keeps Joe Lieberman around to make up for his lack of foreign policy experience, yet keeps touting he has more experience than Barack Obama. So why does he need Lieberman? Oh, to point out when McCain says something incorrect and blatantly wrong, like every five seconds on Iraq, al Qaeda, and Iran. And when it's pointed out that McCain doesn't know basic facts about Iran, he keeps foolishly repeating these mistakes himself and arrogantly challenging reporters.


No Economic Expertise

McCain's own words on his lack of economic understanding: "I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." And, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should." McCain now claims he never said those things, despite it being in print and on video.

He's said he relies on former Senator Phil Gramm, and would appoint him chairman of the Federal Reserve if McCain is elected. Gramm's removal of banking laws put in place since the Great Depression have directly led to the subprime mortgage meltdown that has helped cripple the U.S. economy. After leaving the Senate, Gramm took a job with one of the companies that benefited by his own bank friendly laws, and continued to lobby the Bush Administration to remove remaining consumer protection laws for lending. McCain says Gramm "has one of the most honorable records of anyone in the U.S. Senate." Now McCain wants to put that guy in charge?

In addition...

McCain had long been a supporter of Roe Vs. Wade's legally guaranteed right to choose but now that he is courting the votes of the Republican right, he now wants a federal ban on abortion.

McCain was against torture, now he is for it.

McCain doesn't even know what his own policies are! He has repeatedly explained his own policies on several issues to the media, only to be revealed a fool because the policies he explains in person are completely different from his own policies on his own campaign website. So, who created the policies on the website? Why should anyone believe either version of his platform on any issue? They change so often, it's not even daily, sometimes it's by the minute.

McCain is running such a bungled, inept, incompetent campaign, it's like watching Bush all over again, and yet according to some polls he is either tied with Obama or leading. Which tells us something about either how intelligent some Americans are, or reveals more about how honest the press is. You be the judge. It's time to do our part and reveal McCain for the confused, incompetent, sometimes criminal, hypocrite he is.