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McCain: Failing his own “test”?

September 25th, 2008 · No Comments

Both Barack Obama and campaign-suspended John McCain spoke at a session of the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting.  Some have already called John McCain’s comments “the height of hypocrisy.”  Reading McCain’s speech and considering John McCain’s spinning out of control flip-flopping on energy and global warming issues over the past year, it is hard to disagree with this evaluation.

John McCain’s words merit examination against his action. Not for the first time, but perhaps with the strongest words, McCain spoke out forcefully re Global Warming

We now know that fossil fuel emissions, by retaining heat within the atmosphere, threaten disastrous changes in climate. No challenge of energy is to be taken lightly, and least of all the need to avoid the consequences of global warming.

“Disastrous changes in climate” threaten us (and the U.S.), changes driven by “fossil fuel emissions”.

With this in mind, how can anyone consider these words with a straight face in light of McCain’s selection of Sarah (Global Warming denier) Palin for the Vice-Presidential slot and the embrace of “drill, baby, drill” as a (if not the) core element of the Republican Presidential campaign?

Truly, in these spaces, I strive to remain civil. Truly. With great restraint, hypocrite is the politest word that I can conjur for John McCain this morning.


In this speech, John McCain offers up words that merit attention.

Global warming presents a test of foresight, of political courage, and of the unselfish concern that one generation owes to the next.

Sadly, these words clearly are simply that, words, and have no substantive meaning for him.

“Unselfish concern” means latching on to the drillusion offered by Drill Here! Drill Now! Pay Less (in about 20 years)?

Again, many of the words within this speech have real meaning. Evidently, just not for John McCain and the Republican Party. Many of these words have real merit. However, coming from John McCain’s mouth, they simply don’t have meaning and do not merit believing.

Tags: 2008 presidential campaign · 2008 Presidential Election · climate change · Clinton Climate Initiative · Energy · environmental · john mccain · oil · political symbols · politics