For immediate release—March 21, 2007 Club for Growth Calls on McCain to Apologize for Tax Votes Washington – The Club for Growth called on Senator McCain to renounce his 2001 and 2003 votes against the Bush tax cuts and apologize for his vocal class-warfare-laced opposition to them. In 2001, Senator McCain was 1 of only 2 Republicans to oppose the Bush tax cuts (Roll Call #170, 05/26/01) and 1 of only 3 Republicans in 2003 (Roll Call #196, 05/23/03). He even went so far as to adopt the class-warfare rhetoric of the Senate’s most liberal Democrats, arguing in a 2003 Face the Nation interview that “the reason why I opposed the last round was because the—what I felt was a disproportionate favoring of the wealthiest 1 percent, 10 percent of Americans. If that’s continued, obviously, then I wouldn’t support that.” Only two months ago, Senator McCain had the opportunity to disavow his votes, but refused to do so (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRGaHTU9a00). Kudlow: Lower tax rates have produced the flood of new revenues, the deficit’s coming down, the stock market’s going up. OK. Against that backdrop, you voted against the tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. When you look back on that, sir, was it a mistake to make that vote?
McCain: I don’t think so because I saw no restraint on spending. Now, Senator McCain portraying himself as a fiscal conservative and a proponent of tax cuts on the campaign trail. When asked a couple days ago by Salon what President Bush has done right, Senator McCain cited the very tax cuts he had voted against. Straight talk—we hardly knew ye.
“The Bush tax cuts were responsible for widespread economic growth and the creation of 7.5 million new jobs,” Club for Growth President Pat Toomey said. “If John McCain had the opportunity to do it all over again, would he again oppose the Bush tax cuts and 7.5 million new jobs? Or will he finally admit that his 2001 and 2003 votes were a huge mistake? American taxpayers are waiting for Senator McCain’s answer.”