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McCain voted against MLK Day in '83

Leonard Washington

By Leonard Washington
in The Tailgate

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Leonard Washington

Leonard Washington

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I'm not sure how I feel about this yet.

Was this initial decision based on his true feelings and he realized his error? Was this decision based on reducing the number of holidays or racially motivated?

Or was he just following a political strategy all along (a strategy that eventually changed)?

Unfortunately, I will never know the true answer. I agree that people can change but it's easier to respect him if he got this right the first time.

This Friday, Sen. John McCain will head to Memphis, Tennessee to commemorate the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr......

In 1983, McCain voted against passing a bill to designate the third Monday of every January as a federal holiday in honor of King. Four years later, then-Arizona Governor Evan Mecham rescinded Martin Luther King Day as a state holiday, saying it had been established through an illegal executive order by his Democratic predecessor.

McCain said he thought Mecham was correct in his decision.

Two years after that, McCain's viewpoint began to change, but only gradually. In 1989, he urged lawmakers to make Martin Luther King Jr. day a state holiday, but said he was "still opposed to another federal holiday."

"I support the (Arizona) Martin Luther King holiday," he added, "because of the enormous proportions this issue has taken on as far as the image of our state and our treatment towards not only blacks but all minorities."

By 2000, McCain had come full circle. In an interview with ABC News during the Republican primary, he said he regretted voting against the 1983 bill. "Yes," he stated, "It was a wrong vote."

Why did he make that decision, he was later asked.

"We didn't like outsiders coming in and telling us what to do, how we would conduct this effort to get the majority of Arizona to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King as a holiday," McCain told ABC. "I worked very hard to achieve that recognition of Dr. King. And I did resent it when people parachuted in from other parts of the country to try and tell us what to do."

To his credit, McCain has been repentant on his earlier MLK Day positions. In 2000, he went to the South Carolina, following his primary loss, and condemned the Confederate flag, something he declined to do during his run for office then. And, on a segment of Hardball taped in February 2000, he described what he deemed a political evolution on the issue of MLK Day.

"I believe that Barry Goldwater [McCain's political hero], to start with, regretted his vote on the 1964 Civil Rights Act," he said. "I think that Barry grew, like all of us grow and evolve. In 1983, when I was brand-new in the Congress, I voted against the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King. That was a mistake, OK? And later I had the chance to...help fight for...the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King as a holiday in my state."

See complete article here....http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/01/mccains-memphis-visit-ra_n_94531.html

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BigMike619

BigMike619

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honestly it sounds to me like he didnt believe it should be a holiday but then changed his tune. I dont think McCain is a racist or even a closet racist.

Look, there are a million holidays in this country. Adding one more probably wasnt that big on his list regardless of who it was. But he came back and stated that it was wrong and he changed his vote.

There is no way you can use that against him because he realized his own mistake and nobody called him on it.

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Leonard Washington

Leonard Washington

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honestly it sounds to me like he didnt believe it should be a holiday but then changed his tune. I dont think McCain is a racist or even a closet racist.

Look, there are a million holidays in this country. Adding one more probably wasnt that big on his list regardless of who it was. But he came back and stated that it was wrong and he changed his vote.

There is no way you can use that against him because he realized his own mistake and nobody called him on it.

McCain's explanation makes sense but I'm not sure if I believe he didn't see the ramifications of the vote. Maybe he was short sighted and didn't understand the importance of MLK's life, or maybe he was just told to vote that way regardless of how he felt. Either way he loses points with me, and that's independent of my vote in November.

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Koolblue13

Koolblue13

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One thing I think we can take from this election cycle is how far we as a nation have come in terms of racial divide. The 80's were an odd time and tensions were high. Today, they only seem to be when we make them out to be so. It's a good thing. I am also beginning to think Rap music has played a large part, the same way Rock and Roll did in the 50's, which is hard for me to admit.

Another angle to take on this is the Communist connection to MLK and the extremely high tensions towards that back then.

I don't think Obama, McCain or Paul are racist, although they might have been then (not saying they are or not) and it's besides the point.

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2006Skins

2006Skins

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This is another story that gives people who hate a candidate that much more reason to hate him, and those who like him will shrug it off.

If I were to look at it like McCain were another politician, I would say it was pure politics. Nothing racially motivated. He didn't think that MLK day should be a holiday, and it passed so he doesn't want to upset anyone so he said he was wrong for not voting for it.

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Leonard Washington

Leonard Washington

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i don't see this as a big issue though.

I don't think it should be a big issue (in terms of the up-coming election). The last thing I want to see are campaigns run on black vs white or man vs woman.

I'm just a little surprised/disappointed because I thought of McCain as a badass who could make better decisions. Maybe he voted against it for the wrong reasons or someone talking him into it. :whoknows: I don't think he's racist.

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CrabR

CrabR

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I am no racist and I think there should be no MLK day

We should have no holiday to honor any one american there should have been a civil rights day to honor ALL who brought about the change, a good day/month would have been in august

we should also junk Columbus day

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BigMike619

BigMike619

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As stated months ago:

McCain WILL be a racist whether he is or not before October 5th.

I am curious what you mean by this?

Is this sarcasm and I just dont get it?

Or do you really believe he is a racist because he didnt vote for a holiday?

I also want to say I am all for the "civil rights" day instead of just MLK day. There are plenty of people out there who did as much as MLK but not on as big a stage as MLK was given.

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Beer is Food

Beer is Food

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I don't like McCain- but he's not racist- he's a AZ politician. I lived there in the early 90's, and AZ turned down the holiday- I guess for a 2nd time. It's what the people wanted, and you cant blame a guy for wanting to keep his job. It's something to do with the desert sun in the summer- just fries brain cells... Lots of crazy-crazy people live in the desert. Why they didn't want an extra day off is beyond me.

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Thiebear

Thiebear

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oooooooh, I get it. You think you're that important.

Gotcha pal. :thumbsup:

Look peasant, dont be dissin my tailgatetrain 97.

You think your that important comment coming from a guy that calls himself.

BIG mike.. :cheers: you can call me kettle.

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BigMike619

BigMike619

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Look peasant, dont be dissin my tailgatetrain 97.

You think your that important comment coming from a guy that calls himself.

BIG mike.. :cheers: you can call me kettle.

You must not know who I am.

I'm kind of a big deal around here.

I forgive your insolence.....this time. :silly:

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Popeman38

Popeman38

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McCain's explanation makes sense but I'm not sure if I believe he didn't see the ramifications of the vote. Maybe he was short sighted and didn't understand the importance of MLK's life, or maybe he was just told to vote that way regardless of how he felt. Either way he loses points with me, and that's independent of my vote in November.
Look at it from the states POV. Up to this point (1983) states were deciding whether to recognize MLK Day. He was doing nothing wrong. He, and apparently a few others, saw this as a state issue.

Besides, who gets MLK Day off? State and federal employees, banks, and schools. I sure as hell don't get MLK Day off (New Years, Mem Day, 4th, Labor, Thanks & day after, Christmas). And in my opinion, if industry is open, the govt should be open.

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