Flashback: McCain Admits to Lying

A year ago, I wrote a diary about St. John McCain that deserves at second look in light of recent events.  McCain has admitted to lying in the past for political reasons.  

From the diary:

In the 2000 campaign, in South Carolina, John McCain came under pressure to take a stand on whether the state flag should continue to bear the Confederate Insignia.  After initially taking the morally correct stance, that the flag was a symbol of racism, he "corrected himself."

Here is how it went down:

In the 2000 campaign, he waded straight into the hottest controversy in South Carolina, not long before his crucial primary showdown with George W. Bush, by offering his unvarnished opinion on whether the Confederate battle flag—the Stars and Bars—should continue to fly over the state capitol. "As we all know, it's a symbol of racism and slavery," McCain said. After John Weaver and others did more than whisper in his ear, McCain took to reading aloud from a piece of paper with a statement that began, "As to how I view the flag, I understand both sides," and went downhill from there.

And here is what McCain wrote about the incident in his own memoir, ironically titled Worth Fighting For:

By the time I was asked the question for the fourth or fifth time, I could have delivered the response from memory. But I persisted with the theatrics of unfolding the paper and reading it as if I were making a hostage statement. I wanted to telegraph to reporters that I really didn't mean to suggest I supported flying the flag, but political imperatives required a little evasiveness on my part. I wanted them to think me still an honest man, who simply had to cut a corner a little here and there so that I could go on to be an honest president.

I think that made the offense worse. Acknowledging my dishonesty with a wink didn't make it less a lie. It compounded the offense by revealing how willful it had been. You either have the guts to tell the truth or you don't. You don't get any dispensation for lying in a way that suggests your dishonesty.

If this guy is an admitted liar, and has admitted he would lie to win an election, why should we believe anything he has to say? He probably is lying about his "belief" that sending more troops to Iraq would help win there.  But if he perceives something as politically beneficial, McCain is ready and willing to lie, he has admitted it himself.  

•  tips?

  by gobacktotexas on Fri Feb 22, 2008 at 11:05:01 AM PDT

•  That and any man who would

  cheat on his wife after she waits for him and cares for his children while he is a POW...and then dumps her for a younger, thinner, richer woman deserves NO respect and certainly NOT the presidency. Elect a cheater and liar? - NO WAY.

  by moose67 on Fri Feb 22, 2008 at 11:05:40 AM PDT

•  McCain failed D.Brooks litmus test in less than 8

  hours.

  The "all in " chips were pushed into the presidential pot yesterday, and at the conclusion of today's column, David Brooks wrote this:

  http://www.nytimes.com/...

  At his press conference Thursday, McCain went all-in. He didn’t just say he didn’t remember a meeting about Iseman. He said there was no meeting. If it turns out that there is evidence of an affair and a meeting, then his presidential hopes will be over. If no evidence surfaces, his campaign will go on and it will be clear that there were members of his old inner circle consumed by viciousness and mendaciousness.

  But lingering over everything is the bitterness of the rift, which has caused duplicity and anger to seep into the campaign of this fine man. The poisons have yet to be drained.

  Amazing how fast he flew so close to the sun...

  by Theghostofkarlafayetucker on Fri Feb 22, 2008 at 11:10:24 AM PDT

•  Nice catch!

  In his own written words, McCain admits wilfully lying to voters for political gain (on an inssue he knew people felt strongly about).

  This should get noticed.

  I used to have a lot of respect for McCain, but the more I found out about how he treated his first wife, and after he embraced Bush in 2004 following the 2000 smears against him, my opinion has really changed.

  by Marinesquire on Fri Feb 22, 2008 at 11:15:40 AM PDT