To Hell with the New York Times...who does the WASHINGTON TIMES endorse?

Well, to be honest, the only "Times" worth reading hasn't formally endorsed anyone yet.

However, they pretty much make it clear who they WON'T be endorsing today.

Who won't they endorse? John McCain. Who does that benefit? Conservatives.

Check out this indictment they prepared in today's "McCain vs. McCain" editorial. It's as if the Times (the reputable, Washington one) has decided to channel their inner Coulter as a force for truth, justice, and the American way.

McCain vs. McCain: On illegal immigration, Mr. McCain said that anyone who says he supported amnesty is "a liar" and says he has "never" supported Social Security benefits for illegals. However, in 2006 and 2007, he joined with Ted Kennedy to support Senate bills that would have granted amnesty to millions of illegals. In 2006, Mr. McCain denounced in a floor speech and cast the deciding vote against an amendment by Sen. John Ensign, Nevada Republican, that would have denied Social Security benefits to illegals who work under a Social Security number obtained through identity fraud. He cosponsored the Dream Act providing in-state tuition for illegal-alien college students, but, in the face of intense opposition to the bill from grass-roots conservatives, Mr. McCain announced that he would have voted against the legislation had he been in attendance when it was voted on late last year (he was absent).

Another issue where Mr. McCain has clashed with conservatives was over campaign finance reform, also called the McCain-Feingold bill, which instituted a series of regulations that limit the ability of independent groups not associated with the Democratic or Republican parties to participate in the political process. These regulations, which violate the First Amendment, bar the use of corporate or union money to pay for broadcast advertising that identifies a federal candidate within 30 days of a primary or nominating convention or within 60 days of a general election. These days, Mr. McCain is not talking much about the issue on the campaign trail. But Mr. McCain's advocacy of the legislation has created a bitter political divide between the senator and the National Right to Life Committee, which views it as a hindrance to its ability to get its message out. Last year, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Wisconsin Right to Life group and overturned the above-mentioned section of McCain-Feingold.

On abortion, Mr. McCain has a generally pro-life voting record (although he has supported embryo-destroying stem-cell research). In a 1998 letter to Roman Catholic bishops, Mr. McCain declared himself to be a "lifelong, ardent supporter of unborn children's right to life." But in 1999, he told the San Francisco Chronicle editorial board that "in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe vs. Wade, which would then force X-number of women to undergo illegal and dangerous abortions." Later that year, he sent a letter to the National Right to Life Committee stating his "unequivocal support for overturning Roe v. Wade." On Jan. 22 of this year, the 35th anniversary of Roe, Mr. McCain sent a letter to pro-life marchers in Washington praising them and criticizing the seven Supreme Court judges who made up the majority in Roe.

On judicial appointments, Mr. McCain promises to nominate strict constructionists to the federal bench. But two years ago, he was one of the "Gang of 14" — seven Democratic and seven Republican senators who joined forces to block Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's effort to end the objectionable strategy of filibustering judicial nominees that was employed by the Democrats.

On taxes and spending, Mr. McCain has a mixed record. He supports extending President Bush's tax cuts. He opposed tax increases pushed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 and President Clinton in 1993 and voted in 1997 to cut capital-gains taxes. The senator also broke with the White House and Senate Republican leadership by voting against the Medicare prescription-drug entitlement and he supports permitting workers to invest part of their Social Security savings in higher-yielding private accounts. But according to the Club for Growth, "his overall record is tainted by a marked antipathy towards free markets and individual freedom," which includes support for raising Social Security taxes and a 282 percent tax increase on cigarettes. Mr. McCain has been disingenuous in explaining his opposition to Mr. Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. He claims to have cast these votes to protest the fact that the tax cuts were not accompanied by spending cuts. But the fact is that in opposing these measures, Mr. McCain joined liberal Democrats like Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Tom Daschle in employing class-warfare rhetoric and pushing in favor of higher taxes — voting on the pro-tax side on 14 different occasions.

Mr. McCain also differs with free-market conservatives on numerous environmental issues. He opposes oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska and has joined with Sen. Joe Lieberman to cosponsor legislation that would require that greenhouse gas emissions be reduced to 2000 levels by 2010 — a measure sure to result in substantial increases in electricity and gasoline costs.

How do you know McCain is lying to you? You are 1) a conservative and 2) he calls his statements "straight talk."

Which I guess proves one thing. An affinity for telling the truth must skip generations. Oh well, maybe McCain's kids will turn out better than their Old Man.

Oh yeah, thanks for this article go to nouvelle-McCain-supporter Beth for encouraging me to "do more reading about the candidates." I guess it is true after all: the more you know!

Unlike McCain, NBC saturday morning public service announcements that run between cartoons to encourage time being spent in local libraries have apparently never lied to me.

posted by Jack M. at 09:43 AM

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