Obama Hits McCain For Tax Cut Flip-Flop

(AP)  Democratic Sen. Barack Obama
said Thursday that Sen. John McCain reversed his position on President Bush's deep tax cuts in order to win the Republican presidential nomination, one of his sharpest criticisms yet of the Arizona senator he hopes to face this fall.

Criticizing GOP efforts to extend major tax cuts from Bush's first term and to eliminate the estate tax, Obama said: "These are all steps that John McCain rightly said were irresponsible when they first came up."

"He made a decision to reverse himself on that," Obama told reporters as he flew from Chicago to Washington for a series of Senate votes on budget issues.

"That was how, I guess, you got your ticket punched to be the Republican nominee," he said of McCain. "But he was right then, and he's wrong now."

McCain has said he supports extending the tax cuts, which he initially voted against, because the economy is struggling and tax reductions offer some stimulus.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said in a statement that if Obama is nominated, "the American people will have a clear choice: John McCain will cut taxes while Senator Obama will raise them, hurting our economy and costing jobs for hardworking Americans."

Obama has proposed an array of subsidies for higher education, health care and other costs hitting middle-class families. He said he believes he can pay for such plans by closing tax loopholes, placing a new tax on carbon emissions, phasing out the Iraq war and ending the Bush tax cuts for the nation's highest earners.

"We have identified the cuts that we think are available, or the changes in our tax code that are available to pay for our middle-class tax cut as well as our proposals to fund higher education and so on," the Illinois senator said.

He said, however, "There will be a lot of special interests and lobbyists that will resist the kinds of changes that I've proposed."

Asked if he would scale back his agenda if some of his proposed tax increases fail, Obama said, "I am a strong believer in pay-go," a term for avoiding new deficits by paying as you go. "So adhering to pay-go means that if I couldn't find the revenues or reduce spending in other areas, then I couldn't pay for my proposals."

[pepperp1]

Like it or not Obamas got the right stuff. Obama will be the next President of the United States of America.


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Posted by david1737 at 02:15 PM : Mar 14, 2008


to you maybe but not to the rest of us, no thank you you can have the guy and his strange anti American entourage and questionable ethical behaviors relating to earmarks for his wife employers and his political patron now on trial for corruption. Not to mention his perceived anti American adviser and family.

I%u2019ll take the old guy McCain thank you as long as he picks the right VP a non loon.

[pepperp1]

ahh Mr. Hope people in glass houses should not throw bricks and attack and threaten 71 year old men and women
%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026

One wonders how the news of Obama''s earmark for a hospital was shortly followed by his wife getting about a $200,000 raise from that hospital will change the election dynamic.

ahhh Haven%u2019t heard ONE Dem not ONE disavow this fraud with tax payers money, ....Mrs Obama no more lectures about who you are proud of please....Mrs Obama no more lectures about who you are proud of please....obviously our hard earned tax dollars being used for her interest was not enough %u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026%u2026..



Yeah new kind of politic, and buy the family home with a indicted felon, have a beloved Rev who believes rich white people and the KKK run GOD DAMMMNNN America

Obama has no creds here, certainly not to attack a true American hero like John McCain who has fought since his involvement in the Keating 5 bailout against excess and he is a war hero at least he has a record he can flop on and I take him at his word on why he changed his position.

Explain this one Dems go ahead tell us WHY, did you not review the small record your front runner has............move on leave John McCain alone

[david1737]

Like it or not Obamas got the right stuff. Obama will be the next President of the United States of America.

[xzonz]

jason_randon:
have my new middle name HUSSEIN inserted in my blog name. incase youve missed its
fashionable to have a HUSSEIN middle name in the blogs and its really catching up. you are free to check politico.com

[blkpresident]

Infidel_Us,

Let me speak real slow so you finally get it: O B A M A is running for president. N O T his pastor. Can you hear me now?! Face it, Hillary''s pipe-dream about a woman becoming president is over. OLD man McCain is way too old. So, Obama is the real choice here. Be smart--elect a man, a young man.

[getcentered]

"McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said, Senator Obama will raise them(taxes), hurting our economy and costing jobs for hardworking Americans."

Wait? Whose policies are costing jobs? I mean after the wars began and the Department of Homeland Security was opened, what jobs are they saying Republican policies created? Maybe TSA?

Actually, how do the job creation numbers compare from last Presidents?

[infidel_us]

Ubama better start figuring out how he''s going to explain away 20 years at a ''church'' with a sensationally bigoted ''pastor''.

[rowdytexan2]

The King of flip flops attacks someone else on their stances. This is kinda humorous if you need a good laugh.

[blkpresident]

artanis2008,

Sounds like you, Hillary and Geraldine Ferraro have a lot in common--in spite of playing the race card, you guys are losing. After PA., just get lost and stop losing. Hillary, read my lips: America isn''t ready for a woman president. OLD man McCain, have you had your geritol today? Now be a good boy and get ready fo your nap OLD man. Obama is the only one still standing who is man enough and young enough to serve out a full term. So, rather than bickering back and forth, simply accept that Obama is the only real choice here.

[blkpresident]

RowdyTexan2,

After PA., Hillary will simply have to accept this simple truth: America needs a man to govern out of the White House. She and the Geraldine wannebes can try again in 2016. When I say a man, let me also say a young and healthy one, not a OLD one like McCain. Word on the street is that the old geezer is ducking Obama and hiding behind Hillary''s apron. Scare yet OLD man? Better be...