Hi. I'm Pete du Pont with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Whatever happened to John McCain?
McCain was a war hero, a very good fighter pilot, a survivor of years in brutal north vietnamese prison camps.
He used to be a conservative, a military hawk, a reagan tax-cut supporter, pro-life and a critic of big spenders.
But McCain has changed – a lot. Yes, he has always supported limitations on First Amendment free speech in the guise of campaign reform.
But that's about all we recognize about the man.
He voted against the recent tax cut, joined the liberals on HMO regulation, airline re-regulation, and gun control.
Some critics say his loss to George W. Bush in the presidential race last year has caused him to escalate his anti-Bush positions and rhetoric. Others say he has simply fallen in love with his press coverage in the New York Times.
That might make sense – last week Richard Berke, the New York Times' chief political correspondent admitted that the press had become "sort of pawns of John McCain."
Whatever the cause, the old John McCain is missing in action. Too bad, for he was a good senator with a well-reasoned view of politics and public policy.
Those are my ideas, and at the NCPA we know ideas can change the world. I'm Pete du Pont, and I'll see you next time.