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McCain Belittles His Own Decision to Federalize Airport Security |
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This one may make you dizzy if you think about it hard. Sen. McCain, in the course of misstating Clinton and Obama's health care plans, made fun of government airport security, saying "the next time you think the government should take over the health-care system of America, go to our airport and go through security."
Who was the commie who proposed that the government take over airport security in the first place? Why, none other than Sen. John McCain. Back in 2001, he said "the safety and security of our airports and airliners is a government responsibility," and "rolled his eyes" at those who opposed federalizing airport security. He assured a mother who lost a son on 9/11 that he would make sure "all airports in America [with 5 exceptions] will have a federal security force." When he got off the phone with the bereaved mother, McCain explained that "the important thing…is federalization."
McCain's campaign website contains a National Review article noting that "after 9/11, McCain shepherded a bill to federalize airport security through the Senate. That's not an issue that's going to come up again." One wouldn't have thought so–except that Sen. McCain, the bill's sponsor and champion, is now re-opening the issue and questioning his own decision.
In 2001, McCain thought airport security was a government responsibility and assured a bereaved mother that he would make this a reality. In 2008. McCain thinks federalization of airport security is a punch line.
Someone needs to ask McCain if he believes his decision to sponsor a bill to federalize airport security a mistake. There are more questions to ask, but I can't articulate them at the moment as I'm experiencing mild vertigo having tried to make sense of McCain's flip-flop on this issue.
The only thing that makes me dizzy is the near death defying jump from airport security to health care. What does one have to do with the other? Frankly, I think McCain - in his own squirrelly way - is right: the government should not be involved in health care directly, but they should subsidize it somehow. If everyone has to go to school, everyone should have health care.
Someone needs to ask McCain if he believes his decision to sponsor a bill to federalize airport security a mistake. There are more questions to ask, but I can't articulate them at the moment as I'm experiencing mild vertigo having tried to make sense of McCain's flip-flop on this issue.
Frankly, I am glad that you don't have access to McCain - he'd bite your head off for such continued impudence.
yes, I agree–I don't know how McCain got from health care to airport security–mainly, it's the same tired "big government" slogan we've seen used for at least 30 years.
actually, Clinton and Obama's plans coincide with your views–they want govt to subsidize health care, not take it over.
I would be willing to risk getting my head bitten off in exchange for getting to ask McCain a few questions, or even one, with follow-ups
It's me again. I wonder why the Democrats don't make it more clear that they want to subsidize health care rather than putting the whole thing in the hands of the government. That seems like a pretty crucial point. When I saw Obama, he just said that he wanted to extend the health care plan that the senators and congressmen have … that's not too clear.
I think they have a hard time getting the media to "catapult" their message, as GW Bush said in a different context. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but when I see Obama speak on C-Span I am always surprised at how little of his message makes it into the media narrative