The Maverick is back!
John McCain—who is either a principled politician willing to
stick his guns even if it means bucking his party, or a cranky
vending machine of political non-sequiturs—achieved full John McCain-ness
on Wednesday, when a conference call with reporters went
awry.
McCain was appearing as a Romney surrogate to criticize Newt
Gingrich over the former speaker’s earmark record. But when the discussion
turned to campaign funding, McCain diverted from the Romney talking
points—insert your own “going rogue” joke here—to strongly denounce Citizens
United, the Supreme Court ruling that allowed the formation of super PACs.
“As you know, I think the outside super PACs and others is so
disgraceful that I'm ashamed of the United States Supreme Court in their
decision on United,” McCain said. He went on to predict that a
scandal would certainly erupt from the decision. “There is too much money washing around," the senator
said.
McCain focused on Sheldon Adelson, the wealthy Vegas mogul
who has been giving millions to Newt Gingrich’s super PAC Winning Our Future
(not to be confused with Romney super PAC Restore Our Future, or 2011 SOTU
tagline Winning the Future). “I note with some interest that a casino owner has
given $5 million and his wife has now given $5 million, so you have one family
throwing in $10 million into a primary race,” McCain said. “I don't think
that's what our Founding Fathers had in mind.”
McCain has a dog in this fight. Citizens United overturned
the McCain-Feingold
Act, which instituted campaign finance reform and was McCain’s signature
piece of legislation. The senator was furious at the time, and continued to protest the ruling on its second
anniversary on Friday, calling it “one of the worst, and most radically
activist decisions in the Court’s history.”
That’s the good side of McCain: bipartisan, bold, and
forthright. But voicing such views while appearing on behalf of Romney—who is
making plenty use of his own Super PAC—also highlights the reckless side of
McCain.
Not only did McCain inadvertently critique his candidate’s
use of Super PACs, but he also undermined Romney’s recent criticisms of
Gingrich’s erratic nature. McCain’s maverick-style recalls his own wild and
unsuccessful 2008 campaign, which culminated in the selection of Sarah Palin as
a running mate. Romney is trying to make the Republican party afraid of
Gingrich’s irrationally behavior. Instead, it’s the behavior of Romney’s
endorser that’s now in question.
For the record, McCain did get some
criticisms of Gingrich in before wandering away from the tour.
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