I sent out a press release this morning to bring attention to TruthandHope.Org PAC's media campaign to set the record straight regarding the so-called maverick John McCain. The first call I received this AM was from The Hill's congressional blog, asking for an opinion piece. Here's what I sent them:
John McCain: A Maverick No More
September 5th, 2008
Last night the GOP convention culminated in John McCain’s acceptance of his party’s nomination at the end of a four day effort to convince the American public that his Presidency would be something other than a third Bush term and that he is still the maverick many of us believed in when he ran for President in 2000. However, the facts simply do not bear this out. Senator McCain’s voting record, the clearest indicator of his support of the Bush Administration’s policies regarding the economy, the Iraq war, personal privacy, healthcare and the other issues facing our nation, has only increased in the past 8 years to 95% in 2007 & 100% in 2008 while the American public’s support and approval of President Bush and his Administration’s policies has dwindled to record levels in that time.
Clearly, Senator McCain is out of step with mainstream America, for as the nation as with increasing strength has cried out for change voicing disapproval of the Bush administration in ever increasing numbers, McCain has taken the opposite path in supporting President Bush to a greater degree each passing year. The GOP convention took great pains to turn the focus of the American public away from John McCain’s voting record of support for the unpopular Bush administration, and instead use slight of hand tactics to turn voter’s attention to his life story.
Only once did Senator McCain praise "The President" during his acceptance speech, yet never mentioned him by name. Where has the "maverick" who disregards the polls gone? I supported & believed in John McCain when he ran for President in 2000, but find little to no resemblance to that "straight talking maverick" in the John McCain running for President today. If John McCain were still the that person, if John McCain still believed in "straight talk" then where the words of proud proclamation that despite opinion polls, despite right track/wrong track polls, he stands firmly beside President George W. Bush in full support of this administration’s policies, as his voting record clearly indicates. Why not make that case last night if his votes were a reflection of what he truly believes, if his voting record is a in fact reflection of an evolution in policy rather than political expediency? In failing to express his clear & deep support of President George W. Bush in his acceptance speech, Senator John McCain has indeed succumbed to the pressure of public opinion, and thus has surrendered the moniker of "straight talking maverick" for all time. The only questions left unanswered for this former supporter of his are did he give up that title last night or January 21, 2000 - and did I ever really know the true John McCain?
TruthandHope.Org PAC is airing it’s first television ad in this election cycle in Ohio & Virginia. This campaign was created by two former McCain supporters to set his record straight, by comparing & contrasting Senator McCain’s voting record with President Bush against the falling approval numbers of this administration over the past 8 years.
Link to the post is here
Again, this is the ad we're putting on television to detail these facts to the American public:
Our first buy is next week in the early voting swing states of Ohio & Virginia. Visit TruthandHope.Org to help TruthandHope.Org us get this ad out across the nation.