http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/07/mcc...bama/index.html

February 6, 2006

 

The Honorable John McCain

United States Senate

241 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC  20510

 

Dear John:

 

During my short time in the U.S. Senate, one of the aspects about this institution that I have come to value most is the collegiality and the willingness to put aside partisan differences to work on issues that help the American people.  It was in this spirit that I approached you to work on ethics reform, and it was in this spirit that I agreed to attend your bipartisan meeting last week.  I appreciated then - and still do appreciate - your willingness to reach out to me and several other Democrats.

 

For this reason, I am puzzled by your response to my recent letter.  Last Wednesday morning, you called to invite me to your meeting that afternoon.  I changed my schedule so I could attend the meeting.  Afterwards, you thanked me several times for attending the meeting, and we left pledging to work together.

 

As you will recall, I told everyone present at the meeting that my caucus insisted that the consideration of any ethics reform proposal go through the regular committee process.  You didn't indicate any opposition to this position at the time, and I wrote the letter to reiterate this point, as well as the fact that I thought S. 2180 should be the basis for a bipartisan solution.

 

I confess that I have no idea what has prompted your response. But let me assure you that I am not interested in typical partisan rhetoric or posturing.  The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and my desire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettable but does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you nor my willingness to find a bipartisan solution to this problem.

 

Sincerely,

 

Barack Obama

United States Senator

 

Here's McCain's letter, which I didn't see in full text yet.

Racist!

Racist!

Well, Whitey is keeping me down....

I saw the letter and I don't know what the hell the deal was about. Maybe its because Obama and McCain don't see eye to eye on the issue's reforms... or maybe because McCain sees his thunder being taken from him and he's kind of pissed about it. Or maybe because Obama is kind of a prick.

 

Or maybe its all of the above. I'm going with this option.

and the gap between parties widens, and the election is so far away.

and the gap between parties widens, and the election is so far away.

 

It is pretty amazing. These two guys were both proponents of major reform, and both have a history of trying to bridge the divide. Then this happens. Ugly stuff.

All of a sudden McCain has balls. Where did he hide them when his own party pathetically attacked him in 2000?

All of a sudden McCain has balls.  Where did he hide them when his own party pathetically attacked him in 2000?

 

good point. fact remains he will gwt the endorsement and will win in 2008. hes the best we got.

good point. fact remains he will gwt the endorsement and will win in 2008. hes the best we got.

 

 

I totally agree. Id like to see him pick up someone like Rudy for his running mate also.

I totally agree.  Id like to see him pick up someone like Rudy for his running mate also.

The Christian right would s*** all over that duo and you know it.

The Christian right would s*** all over that duo and you know it.

 

 

They'll play ball. Say what you want about the Christian right, they know that a moderate Republican ticket is far better than a Democratic one. If more people on the left thought that way from their perspective it would have been President Gore back in 2000.

If more people on the left thought that way from their perspective it would have been President Gore back in 2000.

Gore did win. But daddy's friends were able to help out.

The Christian right would s*** all over that duo and you know it.

 

they will pick that s*** over hillary and some left wing idiot (who the hell would be hillary's running mate anyhow?). mccain is a moderate and will defeat any leftist. everyone knows this- mccain is as good as it gets when you have to compromise.

mccain is a moderate and will defeat any leftist.

Problem is the extreme right is pretty powerful right now and will pull all stops to ensure he is not the nominee.

and some left wing idiot

Such hatred. Is the name calling necessary to get your point across?

Problem is the extreme right is pretty powerful right now and will pull all stops to ensure he is not the nominee.

 

my ass. we got over two years until s*** happens. mccain has an absolutley stellar repotroir and has the hanoi hilton under his belt. you cant beat that s***. edwards can eat my s***, mccain will kick his ass. dont underestimate the geriatric vote in this country.

mccain has an absolutley stellar repotroir and has the hanoi hilton under his belt.

Lot of good that did him in 2000 when he ran against a bumbling buffoon from Texas.

my ass. we got over two years until s*** happens. mccain has an absolutley stellar repotroir and has the hanoi hilton under his belt. you cant beat that s***. edwards can eat my s***, mccain will kick his ass. dont underestimate the geriatric vote in this country.

Bush beat it.

Bush beat it.

 

bush cant run anymore. who is left to compete? thats what i thought!

bush cant run anymore. who is left to compete? thats what i thought!

Um, there are plenty of people in basically the same place where Bush was in 1998. The smart money right now in insider circles seems to be on former Virginia Governor George Allen, depending on who all actually winds up in the race.

Um, there are plenty of people in basically the same place where Bush was in 1998.  The smart money right now in insider circles seems to be on former Virginia Governor George Allen, depending on who all actually winds up in the race.

 

 

I can see the Republicans running a Christian Conservative as a VP to give them part of what they want but a moderate with star power like McCain would be the best thing for them at the top of the ticket.

p.s. McCain letter = posturing to try to pander to the base he didn't pander to 6 years ago.

p.s. McCain letter = posturing to try to pander to the base he didn't pander to 6 years ago.

 

I disagree. He just lambasted Obama for breaking his word. totally justifyable in my opinion.

That's great. But why would you let the world know about it? If the Senate is all about collegiality, you send him the letter and that's the end of it. You don't put the letter on your website and let drudgereport know that its there. That's grandstanding, period.