Political Cortex: Campaign 2008: Define McCain as Bush's Siamese Twin

Campaign 2008: Define McCain as Bush's Siamese Twin

By Bill Hare
08/26/2008 05:35:50 PM EST

While Republicans continue their same tired strategy of seeking to define Barack Obama and the Democratic Party as "too far to the left" the Democrats have a much more potentially promising tactic that, if used correctly, could deliver the keys to victory in November.

We still hear those same tired refrains from McCain's surrogates calling him a "reformer" while his present conduct presents a totally different picture.

This so-called "Maverick Republican" has painted himself as a tax reformer and at one time opposed the Bush-Cheney neoconservative strategy of provider and enabler for the richest segments of society, beginning with multi-national corporations such as Cheney's Halliburton.

McCain once voted against the outrageous corporate sellouts implemented through tax cuts, but where does he stand now?

The Faustian bargain McCain made to secure the Republican presidential nomination by appealing to the reactionary right base of the Grover Norquists and James Dobsons should be figuratively hung around his neck as an albatross.

The new McCain favors such tax cuts and dodges the issue by trying to frighten voters by depicting Obama as "someone who will raise your taxes."

A strategic way to exploit this tactical strategy is for Obama and Democratic surrogates to make specific proposals on important subjects such as ending American occupation of Iraq, tax policy, and national medical coverage.

Any such proposals would paint McCain into a tactical corner.

The National Debt Clock that the mainstream media is so silent about reveals that America currently stands at better than $9.6 trillion dollars. A major contributory element along with the expensive Iraq War and the various cost factors relating to it is that massive debt, by far the highest in the history of the planet.

So spell it out, John McCain. Where do you differ from George Bush and Dick Cheney in the key area of tax cuts? As a matter of fact, you don't. Could we accordingly classify you as a neocon clone, a Bush Siamese twin?

How about the Iraq War, Senator McCain? You declared it a major success at the same time that Bush declared "Mission Accomplished" on Naval battle ship near San Diego.

Why is it therefore necessary to, as you indicated, stay one hundred years or longer in Iraq? If events were moving as successfully as you initially said then why is such a policy necessary?

Do Iraqis want us to stay for a century or more in the country we occupied through shock and awe to install Halliburton and the New World Order?

What about those cost overruns by Halliburton, the company Dick Cheney formally headed in fact and continues to head in operating theory?

Do you have a plan for Iraq that differs in any way from the current Bush-Cheney grind it out, sweat it out, continue to utilize a backdoor draft through overworked National Guard units?

If you truly wish to distance yourself in any way from the neoconservative position of Bill Kristol, Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz, let us know, Senator McCain.

If your positions on the key issues foreign and domestic continue, when all is said and done, are in lockstep with the New World Order of Halliburton-Bechtel-Cheney- Bush, then you, sir, can be rightfully termed a clone and Siamese twin of George Bush and his 27% popularity rating.

What do you have to say that is anything in the way of a departure from the administration now serving, Senator McCain?

If by voting for you the nation is not guaranteeing Bush-Cheney, Act Three, then please show us how and where your policy differences lie.