Not so fast, Ramesh. What could Hastert
have been implying about McCain other than that he (McCain) doesn’t know the
meaning of sacrifice? (Anyway, it was a bizarre statement for Hastert to
have made, given that the McCain speech he was reacting to praised the
soldiers’ sacrifice in the same sentence in which he dinged everybody else).
And why is it wrong for the DMN editorial — which, I should point out,
represents the view of the editorial board, though I agree with what it says
and had a lot of input into shaping it — to find it objectionable that
Hastert hauled out the same old tired GOP trick of calling McCain a RINO
when he bucks what the leadership wants? Where is it written that to be
counted as a Republican in good standing, you have to agree to whatever
foolish spending the president and the party leaders desire?
I was, of course, a McCain supporter in the 2000 primaries, but ended up
glad that he didn’t win. I’ve been an enthusiastic Bush backer all along.
McCain is certainly not flawless, no question. What sticks in my craw about
this Hastert incident are a couple of things: 1) the way the GOP
establishment treats the guy for not playing along (for me, this goes back
to being down in South Carolina covering the primary and seeing the dirty
pool that Pat Robertson & Co. pulled on Bush’s behalf), and 2) the way the
Republicans under Bush and the Congressional leadership spend, spend, spend.
McCain may be, as you imply, some sort of hypocrite on spending. But when
are we going to see Congressional Republicans tell the White House, “Forget
it, we’re not going to sign off on these profligate budgets anymore”?