How the hell did McJerk ever get a reputation as a "maverick"?

[BlueStater]

Seriously, where did it come from? This crazy old codger sides with Bush 99% of the time and, for some reason, he's adored by a lot of idiot independents.

[tritsofme]

1. He used to stand up to the Bush faction of the party as well as the religious right.

But then he decided to get in bed with them instead.

[bunkerbuster1]

2. Calling Fallwell an "agent of intolerance" spiritually akin to Louis Farrakhan,

advocating campaign finance reform, sounding semi-reasonable for a while about abortion rights. That sort of thing. Oh, and voting against Bush's stupid tax cuts in a time of war.

He's come back to embracing Republican dogma, but he used to put on a good show, and I can understand why he was called a "maverick." It's just not applicable any more.

[FSogol]

3. Maverick is politer than calling McBush an asshole. n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Campaign finance reform

[LoZoccolo]

9. I think this is mainly it, but yeah, there really aren't many reasons.

If you do a handful of things against the grain of fellow partisans, that's considered "maverick" in the GOP.

[LynneSin]

5. Back in 2001-02 he went after Bush on a few key things like Campaign Finance and Healthcare

And since these were things that Bush opposed McCain was considered a 'Maverick' in the situation even though neither of those reforms did anything ESPECIALLY Campaign Finance, which made things worse.

[rug]

6. When he was first caught cheating at Annapolis.

[izzybeans]

7. I blame Top Gun. Then some dim wits saw two fighter pilots with a machismo complex and thought

"hey it sounds good, they must be the same"

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. the way he was treated by the Bush campaign in 2000 and the way freeper-types hate his guts

might almost lull one into thinking that he cannot be that bad.

But that only tells us just how amoral Karl Rove and company is and just how batshit crazy the freeper types really are.

And I have heard some people say that since Sen. McCain is a liberal or moderate Republican - he really wouldn't be that bad. After all he is against torture, he supported campaign finance reform and he accepts the scientific consensus about global warming.

But let's take a look and compare how different their voting records actually are. Take a particular close look at his record on energy and environmental issues - where he is supposedly soooo liberal.

Let's see if Sen. McCain is REALLY such a moderate or liberal Republican or a maverick:

All figures are interest group ratings from 2007, except when those figures were not available, in such cases I will post the ratings from 2006 or 2005-2006:

The link for Sen. McCain's ratings on Project Vote Smart:

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=53270&type=category&category=45&go.x=10&go.y=12

The link for Sen. Obama's ratings on Project Vote Smart:

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=9490

Abortion Issues

In 2007 NARAL Pro-Choice America gave Senator Obama a grade of 100.

In 2007 NARAL Pro-Choice America gave Senator McCain a grade of 0.

Animal Welfare Issues

Senator Obama supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 75 percent in 2007.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 25 percent in 2007.
_________________________________

Civil Rights and Human Rights Issues

2007 American Civil Liberties Union gave Senator Obama a grade of 80.

2007 American Civil Liberties Union gave Senator McCain a grade of 50.
______________________________________________________________

2007 Senator Obama supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 85 percent in 2007

2007 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 15 percent in 2007.
________________________________________________________________________

2006 Senator Obama supported the interests of the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State 100 percent in 2006.

2006 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State 33 percent in 2006.
________________________________________________________________________

2005-2006 Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 83 percent in 2005-2006.

2005-2006 Senator McCain supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 33 percent in 2005-2006.
________________________________________________________________________

2005-2006 Senator Obama supported the interests of the Human Rights Campaign 89 percent in 2005-2006

2005-2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Human Rights Campaign 33 percent in
________________________________________________________________________

Conservative Issues

Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Conservative Union 7 percent in 2007.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the American Conservative Union 80 percent in 2007.
_______________________________________________________________________

Education Issues

2007 National Education Association gave Senator Obama a grade of A.

2997 National Education Association gave Senator McCain a grade of F.
___________________________________________________________


Senator Obama supported the interests of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 100 percent in 2007

Senator McCain supported the interests of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 0 percent in 2007.
________________________________________________________________________

Energy Issues

2005-2006 Senator Obama supported the interests of the Campaign for America's Future 100 percent in 2005-2006 on energy legislation.

2005-2006 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Campaign for America's Future 17 percent in 2005-2006 on energy legislation.
____________________________________________________________

Environmental Issues

2007 Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to League of Conservation Voters's position, Senator Obama received a rating of 67.

2007 Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to League of Conservation Voters's position, Senator McCain received a rating of 0.
______________________________________________________________

Family and Children Issues

2007 Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to Children's Defense Fund's position, Senator Obama received a rating of 60.

2007 Based on a point system, with points assigned for actions in support of or in opposition to Children's Defense Fund's position, Senator McCain received a rating of 10.
________________________________________________________
(The Family Research Council is an extremely right-wing organization found and lead by Dr. Richard Dobson)

2007 In 2007 Family Research Council gave Senator Obama a grade of 0.

In 2007 Family Research Council gave Senator McCain a grade of 42.
_______________________________________________________________

Foreign Aid and Policy Issues

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Council for a Livable World 81 percent in 2007

Senator McCain supported the interests of the Council for a Livable World 0 percent in 2007.
____________________________________________________________________

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Peace Action 67 percent in 2006

Senator McCain supported the interests of the Peace Action 50 percent in 2006
________________________________________________________________


Senator Obama supported the interests of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 83 percent in 2005-2006.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 25 percent in 2005-2006
______________________________________________________________________.

Health Issues

Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Academy of Family Physicians 100 percent in 2007.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the American Academy of Family Physicians 0 percent in 2007
________________________________________________________________________


Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine 100 percent in 2005-2006

Senator McCain supported the interests of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine 0 percent in 2005-2006.
__________________________________________________________________


Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Nurses Association 100 percent in 2005-2006.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the American Nurses Association 20 percent in 2005-2006.
_____________________________________________________________________

Labor

Senator Obama supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 100 percent in 2007.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 0 percent in 2007.
______________________________________________________________________

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 75 percent in 2007.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 8 percent in 2007.
________________________________________________________________________

Liberal

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 75 percent in 2007

Senator McCain supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 10 percent in 2007.
_________________________________________________________________

Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Journal - Composite Liberal Score 95.5 percent in 2007.

Senator McCain supported the interests of the National Journal - Liberal on Social Policy 40 percent in 2007

Veterans Issues

2006 Senator Obama supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 80 percent in 2006.

2006 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 20 percent in 2006.
________________________________________________________________

2006 In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator Obama a grade of B+.

2006 In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator McCain a grade of D.

Welfare and Poverty

"RESULTS is a nonprofit grassroots advocacy organization committed to creating the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty.”

2005-2006 Senator Obama supported the interests of the RESULTS 100 percent in 2005-2006


2005-2006 Senator McCain supported the interests of the RESULTS 23 percent in 2005-2006

Women's Issues

2005-2006 Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Organization for Women 91 percent in 2005-2006.



2005-2006 Senator McCain supported the interests of the National Organization for Women 13 percent in 2005-2006.