McCain Takes A Little Credit For Bailout Passage
(FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ.) – John McCain commended the House of Representatives for passing the bailout legislation today – after they voted it down on Monday – and sought to take some of the credit for its passage during a brief statement after his plane touched down here today.
"I'm glad I suspended my campaign and went back to Washington to bring, and help bring, House Republicans to the table," McCain said.
"This rescue bill isn't prefect – it's an outrage that it's even necessary. We have to stop the damage to our economy done by corrupt and incompetent practices on Wall Street and in Washington."
Some conservatives, especially in the House, had decried the amount of government intervention in the marketplace that the bill places in the hands of the Treasury Department. But McCain said the taxpayer protections that had been added improved the bill significantly.
"It's got to help Main Street, it's got to help people stay in their jobs," McCain said at a town hall meeting earlier today in Pueblo, Colorado.
"I am a proud conservative, I am a proud opponent of waste and pork barrel spending, I am proud, but I also have to tell you the government has to step in at this time and save Main Street from the challenges and the disaster that's looming."