Senator McCain Votes Against Waterboarding Ban

By Brigitte L. Nacos
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate followed the lead of the House in approving in a 51-45 vote a bill that prohibits the CIA from using waterboarding and other so-called aggressive interrogation techniques against terrorists and suspected terrorists. Not surprisingly, President Bush has said that he will veto any bill that would restrict such limitations on the CIA. For many observers, it was far more surprising that the likely presidential candidate of the Republican Party and one time champion of torture opponents, John McCain, voted against the bill.

Actually, as I wrote in an earlier blog, Senator McCain, who is regularly praised as “straight talker” by the media, began a while ago to change his anti-torture tune. While he lectured his former rival Matt Romney on the evils of waterboarding during one of the presidential candidates’ debates, he backed Michael Mukasey as attorney-general in spite of the now AG’s refusal to recognize waterboarding as torture and thus as illegal.

That was obviously only the beginning of his flip-flopping on this issue. Commenting on the latest McCain departure from his once high road stand against torture, The Huffington Post’s Hanna Ingber Win concludes, ”So much for Sen. John McCain being a man of principle who stood up to the Bush Administration and fellow Republicans. Turns out, he too is just another politician hungry for votes.”

Indeed.

P.S. Thanks to Ed D. who e-mailed the image below--one that does not need a caption

 

Comments

[Justin Snider]

Professor Nacos -- You are absolutely right: despite all his rhetoric to the contrary, McCain is no different than any other opportunistic politician. He panders to his audience, usually telling them exactly want they want to hear. Brave New Films has put together a short video highlighting some of McCain's flip-flopping/double-talk, accessible at: http://therealmccain.com.

Enjoy!

Justin

[haleplaipar]

I'm new here, just wanted to say hello and introduce myself.

[lord rev dyjuan d barnes YAHWEH]

SENATOR MCCAIN IS A RACIST ELITEST NEO NAZI DRACONIAN REPTILIAN FUCKHEADED JACKASS THAT IS REALLY TO OLD TO BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND HE IS NOTHING BUT ANOTHER PART OF THE BUSH FAMILY HE IS PLANNING TO DO OUR COUNTRY NOTHING BUT ILLWILL AND WE MUST NOT ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE THE SAME OLD BUSH POLICIES THAT HAVE FAILED NOW FOR MORE THAN 8 YEARS WE NEED TO GET RID OF REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE THEY ARE TWO FACTIONS OF THE SAME PARTY!!!!!!!!