Politicians; You can't believe a word they say

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With Bailout Vote, McCain Voted for Earmarks when he said he would never, ever sign a bill that had an earmark.....

By Michael D. Shear

Sen. John McCain claims to be an absolutist on earmarks. He repeatedly vows to veto every bill -- every one! -- that comes to his desk with a pork-barrel project attached. Under repeated questioning by this reporter over the past 19 months, McCain has said he would never, ever sign a bill that had an earmark.

"I will veto every bill with earmarks, until the Congress stops sending bills with earmarks," he said in a speech in April.

At the Republican National Convention, he put it this way: 'The first big-spending, pork-barrel earmark bill that comes across my desk, I will veto it. I will make them famous, and you will know their names. You will know their names."

It got huge applause.

But on Wednesday -- in his first vote in months -- McCain voted for earmarks.

In an attempt to woo recalcitrant House Republicans to vote for the $700 billion economic bailout bill, senators loaded it up with earmarks, including $2 million in tax breaks for companies that make wooden arrows for children and millions for U.S. wool producers and auto racetrack owners.

McCain had warned against such a thing happening. In a speech in Michigan before the vote, he said: "It is completely unacceptable for any kind of earmarks to be included in this bill. It would be outrageous for legislators and lobbyists to pack this rescue plan with
taxpayer money for favored companies. This simply cannot happen."

It did. And he voted for it anyway. In my view that spells lier.