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The anniversary of Dr. King’s death puts McCain in a tough spot

By Steve Benen

Forty years ago today, in Memphis, Tenn., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. John McCain will speak in Memphis today, as part of his “biography tour,” and will reflect on the slain civil rights leader’s legacy.

Unfortunately for McCain, though, the speech and the anniversary offer the political world a fresh opportunity to reconsider the senator’s own history when it comes to King and civil rights. For the Republican presidential candidate, that’s not good news — McCain would no doubt prefer that voters ignore some of his previous positions.

[H]is views on race in the 1980s do not stand up to the sunlight of America a quarter-century later. Most glaringly, McCain as a young congressman in 1983 voted against a federal holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Most Republicans in the House voted for the holiday (89 voted for the holiday, 77 opposed), though all three Arizona House Republicans were opposed. Reps. Dick Cheney, R-Wyoming, and Newt Gingrich, R-Georgia, voted for the holiday. (Cheney had voted against it in 1978.)

In December 1999 McCain told NBC’s Tim Russert, “on the Martin Luther King issue, we all learn, OK? We all learn. I will admit to learning, and I hope that the people that I represent appreciate that, too. I voted in 1983 against the recognition of Martin Luther King…. I regret that vote.”

The vote wasn’t the only problem. In his home state of Arizona, conservatives in the state legislature blocked a measure to create a holiday honoring King, prompting then-Gov. Bruce Babbitt (D) to declare one through executive order.

In 1987, Republican Gov. Evan Mecham’s first act in office was to rescind Babbitt’s order on the King holiday. John McCain endorsed Mecham’s decision.

Complicating matters, McCain, no doubt embarrassed by his previous positions, is being less than truthful about them now.

Yesterday, for example, he was pressed on his record by reporters.

“I voted in my … first year in Congress against it and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me. And I not only supported it but I fought very hard in my home state of Arizona for recognition against a governor who was of my own party,” McCain said during a media availability aboard his plane Monday.

If McCain “began to learn” and “studied” after his opposition to the King holiday in ‘83, he was a very slow learner. Four years later, he didn’t fight against a governor or his own party; he endorsed the governor’s move to eliminate a King holiday.

Six years after his House vote he began supporting a state holiday, but still opposed a federal King holiday. Eleven years after his vote, he tried to strip federal funding from the MLK Federal Holiday Commission. Seventeen years after his vote, McCain publicly endorsed South Carolina’s right to fly the confederate flag over its statehouse.

Now, in the interest of fairness, it’s worth noting that McCain ended up, years after the fact, in the right place, and reversed himself on practically all of his previous positions. Better late than never, I suppose.

But for a presidential candidate running almost exclusively on his background and personal history, this is one part of McCain’s past that he would just as soon we forget. We won’t.

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Comments

(59)

Steve:

Didn't he oppose a new federal holiday, as opposed to him being against honoring Martin Luther King? And isn't the confederate flag a state issue?

By hateyApril 4, 2008 - 4:37pm

Randy Rhodes

I DON'T LISTEN 12-3 BECAUSE OF RANDY'S LACK OF BITTER DENOUNCIATION OF HILLARY CLINTON. SHE HAS LOST ALL PROFESSIONALISM AND OBJECTIVITY. SHE HAS LOST HER RIGHT TO BE CONSLDERED A SANE AND FAIR MINDED PERSON. i GURESS HER (SELF PERCEIVED) POWER GOT TO HER HEAD!!!! TOO BAD! NOW RACHAEL? THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER ENTIRELY. SHE'S SUPER!

By zimmerApril 4, 2008 - 6:05pm

Randi Rhodes

Dear zimmer,
1st: All caps is shouting and considered rude.
2nd: You mis-spelled Randi's name.
3rd: I love Randi, she's smart and entertaining, I want her back on the air!
4th: McBush has flip flopped on Dr. King, and I don't believe his change of heart is sincere. McBush has also voted for torture, and against increased funding for injured veterans. McBush is just another neo-con puppet.

By the way: Sam Seder should have his own show also, after Randi gets her show back!

By jthettApril 5, 2008 - 9:01am

what the hell did randi say?

mccain is for torture? link?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 4:45pm

By hateyApril 4, 2008 - 4:37pm

I wonder what McLame himself had to say about it.

on the Martin Luther King issue, we all learn, OK? We all learn. I will admit to learning, and I hope that the people that I represent appreciate that, too. I voted in 1983 against the recognition of Martin Luther King…. I regret that vote.

Did you even read the post? Same old thinknomor....

Who could have possibly envisioned an erection -- an election in Iraq at this point in history?
--George W. Bush - 01/10/2005

Freudian slip defined...

By Guy FawkesApril 4, 2008 - 9:15pm

By zimmerApril 4, 2008 - 6:05pm

I take it that you believe yourself to be a paragon of sanity? I think that the all-caps, terribly spelled rant you laid down should dispel that notion.

Who could have possibly envisioned an erection -- an election in Iraq at this point in history?
--George W. Bush - 01/10/2005

Freudian slip defined...

By Guy FawkesApril 4, 2008 - 8:13pm

Me, I just loved MLK...we go back some years together...

(courtesy:http://www.medicalmarijuanaworks.org)

By dewbie dubaiApril 4, 2008 - 9:52pm

Martin Luther King. You'd bannish him from radio if he were here

Don't talk about civil rights when you can't even support free speech. You piss on King's grave when you abolish other people who have the guts to say what we're all thinking. Go f@ck yourself, Air America. You are what makes us ashamed, turncoats.

By unfinityApril 4, 2008 - 10:33pm

unfinity

I'm sorry you're so upset. I wish you could see
how weird you're being. Or maybe its me. How you never came here to the front door and mingled with the rabble. I suppose those who hang exclusively in one area of AAR, become saturated with the local vibe, and daily output of ideas and thoughts. Radio personalities become enamored by
their own flavor and stake out their territories, and followers. And goals...

I was always here at Spark, and made my stand here. I'm sorry I let you down, and didn't do much exploring over at Randi's blog. (I know she's a sweet lady, and fun too--her photos exude it).

What I'm trying to say is, one falls into cliques real
easy around here. And over time, huge distances prevail
even in the most shared basic pretexts.

We are not like the rightwing. They are shallow and
easy to line up in rows, and manipulate.
We are not like that.

Some effort has to be made at communications at different
spectrums, and circles of our domain. We must try to see
the need for some give here. And some take.

By dewbie dubaiApril 5, 2008 - 12:24am

unfinity

then just say "go fuck yourself" show some ball. don't just # $ or whatever.

Freedom forces people to think straight,which is impossible for those who can't handle freedom and are afflicted with mental rigidity. Barbara Hand Clow

By wmt62April 4, 2008 - 10:46pm

The Randi Rhodes Comment Section is Here

Someone at Air America does not want you to know where to go to comment on the Randi Rhodes suspension.

You can find the link here:


http://www.airamerica.com/blog/2008/apr/03/statement-air-america-radio-c...

You will probably need to cut and paste it into the address bar.

Shame on Air America.

By GasWarriorApril 4, 2008 - 10:48pm

Fixed Link

Here it is, cut in two:

http://www.airamerica.com/blog/2008/apr/03/
statement-air-america-radio-chair-charlie-kireker-1?page=1

You will need to cut and paste it into your browser.

By GasWarriorApril 4, 2008 - 10:49pm

Bring Randi back!

Thank you GasWarrior, I selected and printed the link.

Dear Air America: Bring Randi back now! I saw the video of the stand up act and you are totally over reacting! Enough of this nonsense...also you need to respond to Randi's loyal listeners (who are also AA's loyal listeners) I will boycott the AA web site and purchase Stephanie Miller's podcast. I want a response about Randi by Monday or I am done with Air America!

By jthettApril 5, 2008 - 9:14am

Randi's Rhodes other suspension

...at Milwaukee's WQFM, Rhodes was suspended in 1987 when their program offended the homosexual community and led several businesses to cancel ads....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randi_Rhodes#cite_ref-4

Hey, when your doin comedy relief, you gotta breaka few eggs, so whadya gonna do, eh? Give her a break already,
why don't ya. Hasn't she suffered enough by living in Brooklyn. Comeon already.

By dewbie dubaiApril 5, 2008 - 10:28am

HALT!....REWIND....ERASE...

Further study shows Randi Rhodes was swept up in the Perry Stone 1987 firing incident:

http://93qfm.wordpress.com/2007/05/17/perry-stone/

Seems management has a lot to answer for, but somebody
below management must be kept around to take falls. Thats
where the lowly flunky comes in handy.

I appologize to Randi.

"...Obviously being young and rebellious, I didn’t see the forest through the trees and the bigger picture. That being said ‘management’ should have had clearer boundaries and parameters. No doubt, WQFM was getting excellent publicity. But when it got too hot in the kitchen (as with the Don Imus situation) and advertisers threaten to pull out, that pretty much seals your fate....”

--Perry Stone

By dewbie dubaiApril 5, 2008 - 11:14am

So let me get this straight,

So let me get this straight, McCain is a racist for voting against a holiday because it only recognized one civil rights activist instead of many, but Obama isn't a racist for choosing to attend the sermons of a man that says that blames all of the country's problems on whites???

By bannedfroggApril 5, 2008 - 12:59am

should the red sox have quit

after game 3?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 2:31am

did rashid khalidi, obama's fund raiser,

support terrorists?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 2:34am

is william ayers, an unrepentent terrorist,

obama's friend?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 2:35am

Let's see, he participated

Let's see, he participated in several bombings, he has never shown any remorse for his role in the domestic terrorist attacks, and he said that he was only sorry that he didn't do more. Yes, I believe that makes him a terrorist. I just can't understand why that piece of shit isn't in prison.

By bannedfroggApril 5, 2008 - 8:09am

Bigot McCain said Jews are Halloween spooks

Mccain and bannedfrog have simular views, that blacks shouldn't taint the "white holiday" called
Presidents Day, with a African-American president named Obama.

Did I interpret your undercurrent correctly there, banny?

Truth is that African and Euro Americans don't have an
American Holiday of their own. If anything, the civil
rights movement in America, was a continuation and influence of the Gandhi movement in India and South Africa. MLK was our American Gandhi emanation.

By dewbie dubaiApril 5, 2008 - 12:44pm

did mcpeek, obama's advisor, say the wrong thing

when he said that pro-israel voters in new york and florida are the problem?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 4:48pm

i don't know what randi said

but she should not have been fired. freedom and democracy. of course, people should not be banned from this forum simply because they support hillary.

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 4:52pm

did obama not know what

wright said?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 4:54pm

does rashid khalidi still support terrorists?

khalidi is a fund raiser for obama.

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 4:55pm

obama's lawyer

is opposed to democracy in florida and michigan.

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 4:57pm

that is rather ironic

randi is fired for using her freedom and democracy and posters are banned here for using their freedom and democracy.

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 5:00pm

should the red sox have quit

after game 3?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 5:02pm

should rocky marciano have quit

in the 12th round against jersey joe wallcott?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 5:04pm

should rocky graciano have quit

against tony zale?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 5:07pm

howard dean says he is determined

to seat florida and michigan. really? only if they vote for obama?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 5:12pm

obamanites want hillary to quit

before her likely win in pennsylvania.

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 5:14pm

the corporate media

has not raised the questions i have raised here. why is that?

By mrhillaryoneApril 5, 2008 - 5:16pm

I was watching Fox covering this issue.

One of their Republican pundits made the comment that Republicans just don't understand the black community and this is why they have difficultly relating to them and getting their votes.

The only thing Republicans need to understand is that blacks are no longer slaves and are human beings that are suppose to have the same rights as whites.

The reality is that once again the Republicans are trying to assume victim posture claiming blacks to be too complex to understand, when in fact they simply want the same rights white males have had from the start of this nation. This is not rocket science. I almost thought I was listening to unfrozen caveman Republican pundit. "Your world frightens and confuses me."

Truth be known, Republicans can't relate because blacks are onto them, and according to their Republican voting record, they have been for some time.

Republicans can't relate to Blacks like Ike couldn't relate to Tina. "Come back, baby. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them.-Joseph Joubert

By AntillectualApril 5, 2008 - 8:15am

antillectual

Maybe you missed the memo, dude, but the Republican party was founded for the express purpose of freeing the black man in America, from slavery. It was the democrats who founded the KKK, and instituted the Jim Crow laws. It was the Republican's who wrote the first civil rights legislation, (1956) which the democrats opposed, and if not for the Republicans, Johnson's civil rights and voting rights act would never have passed. And it's the democrat's who have tryed to keep the black man, in America, in economic slavery, for the last 50 years, by making him dependant on the failed nanny state. You can't blame the Republican's for the result of 100 years of post slavery oppression, perpetrated by the democratic party.

By hateyApril 5, 2008 - 11:18am

Let me set you straight, Hayseed

The only times that republicans cared the least about African-Americans is when there was a secondary party (Southern Confederate influence) to one-up.

And they needed blacks as cannon foder in the republican-started wars ( not to count the Iraqi
debacle of today's republican administration--which had
to enlist more poor Euro-Americans, to off-set the imbalance of African-Americans in prison, because of lack
of labor opportunities not provided by the republicans ).

To give the credit of the long and tedious process of congressional civil rights bill closure to the republicans
would be a correct, as their members stone-walled many items in the bills for years.

By dewbie dubaiApril 5, 2008 - 12:24pm

By hateyApril 5, 2008 - 11:18am

To America by Stephen E. Ambrose, pp 70-71

The presidential election of 1876, to pick a successor to Grant [Republican] was disputed. It pitted Samuel Tilden, Democrat, against Rutherford Hayes, Republican. It was so close that the Congress had to set up a fifteen-member Electoral Commission to decide who won. The commission had eight Republicans, seven Democrats, and as expected each member voted his party's choice. Not until March 2, two days before Grant's term expired, was the count completed. Hayes won with 185 electorial votes, to 184 for Tilden. What had happened was a deal between the Southern Democrats and the Northern Republicans.

The deal was concluded on Februrary 26, 1877, at the Wormley Hotel in Washington. The Southerners said that if the Republicans promised to withdraw all Federal troops from the South, thus insuring "good" government in South Carolina and Louisiana (which otherwise would remain Republican), the South would forgo any proposals to use force to inagurate Tilden. The promise was made. The South also promised to treat the former slaves humanly.

Of February 26, Hessletine wrote, "Reconstruction ended, for the Hayes men promised that the troops would be withdrawn from the South. In other words, the Republicans surrendered the Negro to the Southern ruling class, and abandoned the idealism of Reconstruction, in return for the peaceable inauguration of their President [Hayes]."

By art42April 5, 2008 - 1:49pm

Left out a little bit of history, Hatey.

That would be the fact that after the Democrats began backing the Civil Rights movement the redneck Dixiecrats left the party in droves. They tried to run as political independents ( e.g., Wallace) but failed miserably. Sniffing an opportunity the GOP swung to the right, waaaaay to the right, on social issues including race.
The rednecks flocked back into mainstream politics- right into the Republican party.
Kind of explains why you get the likes of David Duke and Trent Lott in the GOP.

By thaelmann37April 5, 2008 - 12:21pm

Hillary's Speech in Memphis 4/4/08

Hillary's Speech in Memphis 4/4/08

Excerpt-

It’s the kind of solution that Dr. King's son Martin has been passionately advocating for. When I say solutions, I mean schools worthy of our children that give each child a chance to live up to his or her God-given potential. How about appointing Supreme Court justices who will actually uphold Brown versus Board of Education and not reverse the progress that has been made? When I say solutions, I mean quality, affordable health care for every American. No exceptions. Everyone entitled to health insurance. No more going into the emergency room. Instead, going in the front door to the doctor's office to be taken care of, to get that preventive health care that will keep you healthy.

I mean restoring America’s moral leadership in the world, leading the fight against AIDS, Malaria and TB, against poverty and genocide. We cannot let our brothers and sisters in Africa and around the world continue to suffer needlessly. And I mean ending the war that has claimed too many of our precious sons and daughters; ending it as quickly and responsibly as humanly possible. And yet we must demand that our government pass laws that reflect our values. Hate crimes laws, anti-discrimination laws, equal pay laws and so much more. But that is not enough. The solutions we seek are not just about what government does or business does or labor unions or even faith-based institutions do. It is what each and every one of us is called to do.

There is still too much hatred dividing too many human hearts. Every one of us has a chance, practically every day, to stand up to intolerance and injustice. Like many of you here who are of a certain age, I will never forget where I was when I heard Dr. King had been killed. I was a junior in college. And I remember hearing about it and just feeling such despair. I walked onto my dorm room, took my book bag and hurled it across the room. It felt like everything had been shattered, like we would never be able to put the pieces together again.

...

When one heard Dr. King speak, and I stood in line for a very long time that night to shake his hand.

I didn't know that Hillary, at 14 years old, actually shook hands with Dr. King

By FACTMEApril 5, 2008 - 12:47pm

FACTMEApril 5, 2008 - 12:47pm

"...took my book bag..."

Didn't know they had book bags back then... Hmmm.

By art42April 5, 2008 - 1:53pm

Book bags were pre flack-jackets

We never knew when sniper fire...

By dewbie dubaiApril 5, 2008 - 2:00pm

I heard Dr. King liked

Gladys Knight and the Pips

By FACTMEApril 5, 2008 - 12:58pm

bush working on the legacyette

legacyette -- ( n. slang ) an accomplishment small enough
to be logged on a napkin.

Oh my stars!

bushy got something done today
bushy got something done

tra-la-la

picking his moon in the setting sun
he finally got something done

tra-la-la

he celebrates Croatia into NATO today
really something his predecessor had won

tra-la-la

helping allies, instead of having his way
bushy got something done

let bells ring

bushy got something done today
bushy got something done

tra-la-la

picking his moon in the setting sun
he finally got something done

tra-la-lie

By dewbie dubaiApril 5, 2008 - 2:37pm

thaelmann37

Revisionist history. It is a fact that the democratic party was in bed with the racist dixie-crats, since the civil war ended. The were called the KKK, before they were called dixie-crats. Robert Bird was a major player in both the KKK and the Dixie Crats and is still holding elective office, as a democrat. From Wiki:Today the only known former member of the Klan to hold a federal office in the United States is Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia.

If, as you say, the racist south became republican, because the democratic party favored civil rights, than explain to me why they did so, as the republican party also favored civil rights. I give you a hint: The former democrats who became republicans where social conservatives, not racists. It was only the democratic party that allowed overt racist to define its platform. Not republicans. The ex-democrat racist were cast adrift by both parties, and have not recovered in any meaningful way, since then. The big distinction is that the democractic party welcomed the KKK while the republicans rejected them. After about a hundred years the democrats finally saw the light and rejected them also. Remember, not all white southerns belonged to the KKK, and by the mid to late 60's most white southerners had had their fill of them. Matter of fact, race relations are better in the south, today, then they are in the north. Now, don't get me wrong, regardless of party affliation, whites in america have a poor record regarding race relations, but the republican party didn't endorse the KKK, nor Jim Crow, like the democrats did, so that they could remain a viable polictical party. And least you forget, David Duke was a democrat, but tryed to change parties, but was soundly rejected by the GOP. And I suggest you research Lotts voting record. He strongly supported civil rights legislation.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58295

By hateyApril 5, 2008 - 2:14pm

By hateyApril 5, 2008 - 2:14pm

Scrolled.

Who could have possibly envisioned an erection -- an election in Iraq at this point in history?
--George W. Bush - 01/10/2005

Freudian slip defined...

By Guy FawkesApril 5, 2008 - 2:52pm

art42

Again, revisionist history. You seem to ignore the political realities of the time. Question: If the compromise had not been made, what would have been the result? Would things have been better or worse? Question: What was the democrats agenda? Question: What would a Tilden presidency have been like? Please, political compromises are made all the time. It's part of the process.

By hateyApril 5, 2008 - 2:28pm

Hatey some more

There you go again! You troll then when there's response you twist what's said Silly me thinking you may have learned a little intellectual honesty and stop projecting.

My response was to your revisionist history of making the republicant's into The Savior of African-Americans.

My response was to your revisionist history of making the republicant's into The Savior of African-Americans.

"Ambrose = revisionist history."

Got links? On second thought, never mind. I fell for your links "proof" in the past was a wild goose chase...

By art42April 5, 2008 - 6:10pm

obama's church still defends

wright.

By mrhillaryoneApril 6, 2008 - 12:34am

guy fawkes

Still drunk, I see.

By hateyApril 5, 2008 - 3:07pm

Stream down??

I can't seem to get Ring of Fire -- is the stream down??

Peace Hugs,
Kate Anne
~~
"The God of Peace is never glorified
by human violence." -- Thomas Merton

By KateAnneApril 5, 2008 - 3:24pm

art42

what revisionist history. Where did I ever say that the republicans where our saviors? Point in fact, I really don't think of any whites, be them dems or repubs as being "our saviors". What, you think we need some white guy to save us? Don't be so patronizing. It's you people who seem to think that not being a democrat is cutting my own throat. I disagree.

By hateyApril 7, 2008 - 8:38pm

hatey, theres some kind of moral justice

That a dem president (Bill Clinton) got two terms shut down by a republican Senate/Congress, and STILL GOT A LOT ACCOMPLISHED.

And a repub president (Geo BushJr) got two terms with
a FULL REPUBLICAN MAJORITY Senate/Congress, and managed
to get NOTHING ACCOMPLISHED.

The Democrats deserve to run the whole show. They've
earned the opportunity.

But more, the shameful Republicans deserve the tar-and
-feathering of total abandonment of their ideology.

Republicans suck at governing. Never again.

By dewbie dubaiApril 7, 2008 - 9:58pm

dewbie

Funny you think I'm a republican. I'm not. But, to set the record straight, what did Clinton pass that wasn't part of Newts contract with america? Lets see how much you know about the subject.

By hateyApril 7, 2008 - 10:12pm

hatey, you're sliding away from the germ thrust of my comment

That Clinton was alone against the Republican world,
and managed a balance budget and surplus is going away from that the republican's had promised the world, if only they had a full cooperative majority. This was handed
to them on a silver platter-- one party, in total power to make sweeping changes, without obstruction.

The bush republican administration was a total letdown
in government function.

By dewbie dubaiApril 7, 2008 - 10:30pm

dewbie

You didn't answer the question. Re: the balanced budget.
1. THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT: A balanced budget/tax limitation amendment and a legislative line-item veto to restore fiscal responsibility to an out- of-control Congress, requiring them to live under the same budget constraints as families and businesses

As you see, that was number one on the contract with america.

By hateyApril 7, 2008 - 11:21pm

It didn't carry over to the bush Congress--

They got rid of the "balanced budget" part. It would have
meant paying debts off.

They went full hog on the "Tax Limitation" part. Still
no balanced budget in that.

Line-item veto--bush didn't need that, when he already had
Full Congressional Servatude to fast track everything he
wanted. Still no balanced budget.

By dewbie dubaiApril 7, 2008 - 11:32pm

dewbie

As I see it, both parties, of late, have stopped doing the "peoples business" and are now more concerned with doing thier parties business. I say, a pox on both parties. And again, I am not a republican. Nor am I a democrat. I even voted for Nader in 2000. And if Condi isn't on the ticket, I may vote again for him, depending on who Obama picks as his running mate.

By hateyApril 7, 2008 - 11:28pm

Obama running mate

Female?

By dewbie dubaiApril 7, 2008 - 11:35pm

dewbie

Who? Not Hillary? By the way, it's looking like a female will be on the republican ticket. Either Condi, or Hutchinson.

By hateyApril 7, 2008 - 11:45pm

Comments

(59)