McCain Criticizes Obama On The Senate Floor

By: Michelle Levi
Topics: Congress

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Sen. John McCain harshly criticized President Obama on the Senator floor today, reports CBS News' John Nolen.

McCain noted his former opponent's campaign promise to reduce pork barrel spending and then pointed to the omnibus spending bill signed by the president and now before Congress, which he said is loaded with earmarks.

"So much for the promise of change," McCain said. "During the campaign President Obama said he would work to limit earmarks and make them more transparent."

"It is the president of the United States' business to do what he said," McCain added, specifically citing a September presidential debate where Mr. Obama said he would eliminate earmarks.

McCain quoted President Obama saying this: "We need earmark reform. And when I'm president, I will go line by line to make sure we're not spending money unwisely."

McCain also said it was "insulting" to the American people for President Obama's economic advisor, Peter Orzag, to say that the White House wants to move on from the omnibus bill and characterize it as last year's business.

Later on the Senate floor, Senator McCain offered his amendment to the $410 billion dollar omnibus bill. McCain's plan "adopts a long term Continuing resolution (CR) which would fund the government at last year's levels and do away with the earmarks and eliminate '7.7 billion' in wasteful spending," Nolen reports.

"While I want to say it is time to put a halt to business as usual, I find myself thinking this level of funding defies that description," McCain said. "It's beyond anything I have ever witnessed and is extremely alarming."

In addition to listing specific earmarks he finds the most reprehensible, McCain said he has been twittering the "top ten" most egregious and that at this rate it would take him "almost three years" to list all of the 9,000 pork projects present in the bill.

"I have been through some of them before but they make you laugh and they make you cry," he said.

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by Iran-Contra March 3, 2009 6:34 PM EST: Sweet. Thing is there's something of a tradition in this country where after you get your ass kicked at the polls, like good old Walnuts did, you shut the hell up for a little while and let some of the other distinguished leaders of your party, Limbaugh, Steele, Jindal (where do you find these people, anyway?) make the case for the opposition. Whatever. Stay classy, guys.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 March 3, 2009 9:35 AM EST: Earmarks and/or "Pork $pending" is something that has plagued Washington and should be concluded but, it has been all members of Congress that covet Federal Capital for home grown projects.

Where was Senator McCain when his Republican Party was stuffing the Pork on an unnecessary War on Iraq to alleviate Saddam Hussein?s Weapons of Mass Destruction?

I'm against Earmarks but, in contrast to the last 8 years our unfettered Republican $pending it is better to spend it over here instead of spending it over there!; Reply to this comment


by wvu74621 March 3, 2009 9:32 AM EST: Ya see Wal-mart even has a flash ad on this page. Shows you that Wal-mart knows the deal. I hope everyone likes Starter Jackets , $4.99 Wilson shorts and Pony tennis shoes. Buy Wal-mart stock now!; Reply to this comment


by tbuckl March 3, 2009 9:26 AM EST: What a jerk!; Reply to this comment


by wvu74621 March 3, 2009 9:09 AM EST: McCain criticizes Obama. OH NO!!!!!!! what are we going to do? Was there some by-law in the election process that stated that Obama is not to be criticized? I think they sell baby pacifiers at wal-mart for a $1.50. Might as well get used to making Wal-mart richer because that is the only place most Americans will be able to afford to shop over the next 4 years.; Reply to this comment


by andie52 March 3, 2009 8:42 AM EST: Well McCain if you were so astute and analytical earlier you wouldn?t have lost the election although you did have some help from Palin-so get over it already.; Reply to this comment


by wvu74621 March 3, 2009 8:29 AM EST: Quote Detail/Dow
Change -299.64 Open 7,056.48
Change % -4.24% Previous Close 7,062.93
Today's High 7,058.95 52 Week High 13,136.69
Today's Low 6,755.17 52 Week Low 6,755.17

Down 6,381 points fro this day a year ago????????????????; Reply to this comment


by endurorob March 3, 2009 7:35 AM EST: I used to have a lot of respect for John McCain. And then he tried to obstruct the Federal investigation of his top financial supporter who ended up in prison. Then he caved in to the Limbaugh wing of his party (who he despises). And then he offered us Sarah Palin! It is time for him to retire. The pain and anguish of his envy of Obama is just too much for him to bear. Sadly, he won't be able to retire with dignity.

Posted by CromwellKY at 3:54 AM : Mar 3, 2009

Due to your inability to defend the lies of Obama you attack McCain. Good lefty.; Reply to this comment


by CromwellKY March 3, 2009 6:54 AM EST: I used to have a lot of respect for John McCain. And then he tried to obstruct the Federal investigation of his top financial supporter who ended up in prison. Then he caved in to the Limbaugh wing of his party (who he despises). And then he offered us Sarah Palin! It is time for him to retire. The pain and anguish of his envy of Obama is just too much for him to bear. Sadly, he won't be able to retire with dignity.; Reply to this comment


by ioweign March 3, 2009 4:39 AM EST: For all you Obama zombies, totally brain dead lemmings, by the time his first term is over, if this country survives that long, he will have made Jimmy Carter look like a genius on the economy. For all you Democrats, the majority of which are draft dodging coke snorting morons, you will be so sorry you ever elected this guy. Wait and see.
Posted by harper2008-2009 at 8:40 PM : Mar 2, 2009

National Debt History : White House data show the gross national debt hit a 47 year low just as President Reagan was taking office. It climbed steadily under Reagan and G. H. W. Bush, declined under Clinton and made a quick U-turn under G. W. Bush.

The Gross Deficit vs. the political Deficit Lite The real deficit remains near its peak and over half a trillion $ per year.

National Debt Clocks: The Gross National Debt is over $10 trillion and climbing. More than $1.5 trillion of the debt is owed to the Social Security trust fund and indirectly to those who have paid their FICA taxes.

Presidential Contributions to the Gross National Debt: The gross federal debt now stands at 63.5% of GDP. Of that, 33.5 percentage points were contributed by Reagan-Bush, 6 points by G. W. Bush, and 6.1 points by printing money. The remaining 18 points are left over from WWII.; Reply to this comment