- “I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I’m embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won’t make the same mistake again.“
Senator John McCain (R-AZ), from a letter to Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), on Obama’s backing out of efforts to pursue bipartisan ethics reform. Obama must have finally got on the same page with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.
Good lord…
So much for McCain’s chances with the Dems in 2008. Are we finally seeing a realization that there’s little to no good faith as far as the Democratic side of the House is concerned? And did you catch his closing paragraph?
May just be grandstanding on his part – but it sounds to me like he just plain got fed up business as usual and said “Screw this. I’m not going to be quiet and concilliatory. Time to call the bullshit what it is, and grab a shovel.”
J.
OK.
Oh Noooo
Mr Hooooo.
[visualize a cowpie shaped like a moonbat being smashed by a gloved fist]
It seems to me that McCain’s letter is a Washington variant of “I crap bigger than you.”
And something like that may hurt McCain in Illinois – a state destined to remain blue – but may help in teetering states like PA and WV, where calling somebody on their bullcrap is still appreciated.
Heh, I like that.
Sorry, but Obama’s response is much better.
“During my short time in the U.S. Senate, one of the aspects about this institution that I have come to value most is the collegiality and the willingness to put aside partisan differences to work on issues that help the American people. It was in this spirit that I approached you to work on ethics reform, and it was in this spirit that I agreed to attend your bipartisan meeting last week. I appreciated then – and still do appreciate – your willingness to reach out to me and several other Democrats.
For this reason, I am puzzled by your response to my recent letter. Last Wednesday morning, you called to invite me to your meeting that afternoon. I changed my schedule so I could attend the meeting. Afterwards, you thanked me several times for attending the meeting, and we left pledging to work together.
As you will recall, I told everyone present at the meeting that my caucus insisted that the consideration of any ethics reform proposal go through the regular committee process. You didn’t indicate any opposition to this position at the time, and I wrote the letter to reiterate this point, as well as the fact that I thought S. 2180 should be the basis for a bipartisan solution.
I confess that I have no idea what has prompted your response. But let me assure you that I am not interested in typical partisan rhetoric or posturing. The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and my desire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettable but does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you nor my willingness to find a bipartisan solution to this problem.”
Obama’s response is better?
It’s typical crap that politicians spew when they get called out.
Obama doesn’t stand for anything but what will further his career and this just helps point it out.
If Ryan hadn’t had to drop out of the race Obama would probably never have been elected.
He thought he could play with the big boys and he just got taken down a few pegs.
So much for the Dem’s new poster child.
Maybe he should take some lessons from Hillary on taking both sides of an issue depending on who you are talking to.
John McCain learns another of life’s vital lessons:
— Don’t run with scissors.
— Don’t play with matches.
— Don’t trust a democrat.
Blah! Blah! Blah! All I see his two senators playing “the poltical game” with each other. Ooo McCain’s so tough. Ooo Obama’s been called out. At the end of the day, NOTHING! I wouldn’t vote for either one if they were running for President.
Hmmm.
Frankly I wouldn’t vote for either one if they were running for municipal dogcrap & roadkill picker.
Obama’s response is better?
Sorry, I meant “better” in terms of the level of dialogue we need in Washington. If we’re talking about the ability to score cheap political points, yeah, McCain’s letter beats Obama’s, by a lot.
If Ryan hadn’t had to drop out of the race Obama would probably never have been elected.
Never mind that Ryan was trailing by 20 points in polls before dropping out.
Ditto T-Steel.
Typical political posturing that’s worth less than the paper it’s printed on.
Frankly, you couldn’t get me to vote for John “What’s Freedom of Speech” McCain if you stuck a red-hot poker in my eye.
“There’s only room in this Senate for one media darling, Obama, and I was here first!”
Never mind that Ryan was trailing by 20 points in polls before dropping out.
That was after his ex-wife told the media about his not so puritanical exploits. It was much closer with Ryan leading in some polls before that.