McCain's Double Talk Express Pulls Into La Raza Conference-- And He Lies His Ass Off

If conservatives don't trust him, why should anyone?

It wouldn't matter if your first language was English or Spanish, figuring out where McCain stands on immigration reform is all Greek to anyone trying to follow his strained twisting, turning and tap dancing at the National Council of La Raza's annual conference in San Diego today. "I do ask for your trust that when I say, I remain committed to fair, practical and comprehensive immigration reform, I mean it." That would be news to the Republican base he's been reassuring that he's learned his lesson and that he no longer backs the legislation he claimed to have helped Ted Kennedy write. He then added "At a moment of great difficulty in my campaign, when my critics said it would be political suicide for me to do so, I helped author with Senator (Edward) Kennedy comprehensive immigration reform, and fought for its passage." The moment of "great difficulty" wasn't when he was supposedly helping Kennedy to write the act. It came after it was introduced and the Know Nothings, racists and xenophobes rose up and forced McCain to back down and abandon the bill. It was a typical McCain act of cowardice, something that has marked every step of his shameful and dishonest career, a career whose hallmark is double talk. The man will say whatever it takes to get elected, regardless of hat he said the day before or what he plans to say the next day.

While he was working both sides of the fence at the La Raza conference in San Diego, Carly the economic advisor was spinning another tall tale, and blowing more smoke, completely at odds with McCain's long public record:

In an interview, Carly Fiorina, a top adviser, explains that any tax increases on "middle- and working-class" Americans are off limits. She says if a bipartisan coalition is "creative enough" to fashion tax increases on wealthier Americans, that may prove palatable."

At the La Raza conference McCain must have forgotten to mention his promise-- yesterday-- to right-wing activists that he and Lindsey Graham would pass a bill to make undocumented status a criminal misdemeanor. Nor did he mention that during one of the Republican presidential debates (January 30th on CNN) when he was asked if he would vote for the immigration reform bill he was bragging about at La Raza today and asking for people to trust him on, his reply was uncharacteristically straightforward: No, I would not. Another in a long string of John McCain profiles in courage.

Today my pal Todd Beeton at MyDD shows McCain answering a question from a young woman asking if he would support the DREAM Act, which would provide high-achieving high school students who are long-term illegal immigrants, and who wish to serve in the armed forces or attend college, an opportunity to become legal residents-- a great bill that was filibustered to death by Republicans in the Senate October 24, 2007. McCain gave a one-word answer: "Yes." He gave right-wing bloggers a more in depth answer: "No." McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act but he skipped out on the vote so as not to go on the record for or against. But the right-wing bloggers cornered him and demanded to know his position.

...As for the Dream Act, McCain told us that he would have voted against cloture (i.e., in favor of preventing a vote) because he "got the message" this summer that Americans want the border secured before we "go on to the rest." McCain would deem parts of the border secure when the governor of the relevant state so certifies.

Since McCain is clearly on record as to how he would have voted on the Dream Act cloture motion, and since his vote was not needed to prevent cloture, there seems to be no basis for criticizing his departure for Iowa prior to the vote.'

I kind of wonder what excuses the right-wing bloggers will have for McCain after his performance today.