Hannah McCrea

McCain Attempts Economics S’More

by Hannah McCrea  ::  Filed Under Elections 2008  ::  April 15th, 2008 @ 8:30 am EST

From Think Progress’s excellent coverage of John McCain:

During [yesterday's] Associated Press annual meeting, the moderator asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), “Are we in a recession?” McCain finally admitted, “I certainly think so,” but then tried to moderate his comment by adding, that the word “recession” is “really kind of a technical term used by people who are economists and make these kinds of judgment.” Watch it:

This admission is a drastic change for McCain. As Bill Scher at the Campaign for America’s Future notes, on Jan. 10, McCain said, “I don’t believe we’re headed into a recession. I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong, and I believe they will remain strong.”

Speaking of McCain’s abysmal handling of economic issues, the presumptive Republican nominee is delivering a major economic speech this morning in Pittsburgh, in which he will advocate cuts in income and business taxes, as well as (outrageously) cuts in gas taxes. AP notes McCain’s sad attempt to mimic Obama-style word-smithery in comments regarding his rivals’ tax plans:

McCain said in remarks prepared for delivery Tuesday. “All these tax increases are the fine print under the slogan of ‘hope:’ They’re going to raise your taxes by thousands of dollars per year — and they have the audacity to hope you don’t mind.”…

McCain twice voted against the very tax cuts he now supports; he says failing to extend them would amount to tax increases for millions of people….

[His speech] is part of an ongoing effort to counter the notion — fueled by his own previous comments — that he’s not as strong on the economy as he is on other issues.

In related news, Alan Greenspan quietly endorsed McCain last week, pleading allegiance to the GOP. CNN reminds us:

McCain has previously indicated he will seek Greenspan’s council on economic issues should he win the presidency. At a campaign event in South Carolina last fall, the Arizona Republican even said he would take him “alive or dead.”

“If he’s alive or dead it doesn’t matter. If he’s dead, just prop him up and put some dark glasses on him like, like ‘Weekend at Bernie’s,”‘ McCain joked. “Let’s get the best minds in America together and fix this tax code.”

Inspiring, indeed.

The Seminal News Feed

WRAPUP 1-UN council approves increase in Congo peacekeepers
Thursday, 20 November 2008, 5:50 pm
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to send some 3,000 additional U.N. peacekeepers to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help prevent a new war in the. […]

TOPWRAP 9-US stocks slide, auto bailout this year in doubt
Thursday, 20 November 2008, 5:36 pm
* U.S. stocks slide, job losses mount

Ukraine PM offers to quit to form new coalition
Thursday, 20 November 2008, 5:04 pm
KIEV, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko issued a fresh appeal to Ukraine's politicians on Thursday to form a new "grand coalition" in parliament and offered for the first time to step. […]


LEAVE A COMMENT

Join the discussion! Get started by reading our Comment Policies.
YOUR COMMENT   (simple HTML is allowed)   Click to quote selected text
       

Take the Blog Reader Project survey.

UPCOMING ON REDDIT
Please vote!

UPCOMING ON DIGG
Please vote!
I support Health Care for America Now