McCain Falsely Claims He “Fought For Recognition Of Martin Luther King Day”

In Panama City, Florida, responding to a quesiton about how he believes Obama is playing the race card as the senator charges, McCain bragged about his support of civil rights legislation and said, “I fought for recognition of Martin Luther King Day in my state.”  Sadly, it’s not true. 

Not only did McCain forget that he fought against Martin Luther King Day, he also forgot that he apologized in 2000 for making the mistake of not supporting it.  Progressive Accountability chronicles McCain’s record. 

McCain Admitted His Opposition To The Federal MLK Holiday Was “A Mistake” And His Position Has “Evolved.” During a 2000 interview, McCain compared his evolution on this issue to former Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater. “I believe that Barry Goldwater, to start with, regretted his vote on the 1964 Civil Rights Act,” McCain said. “I think that Barry grew, like all of us grow and evolve. In 1983, when I was brand-new in the Congress, I voted against the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King. That was a mistake, OK? And later I had the chance to … help fight for … the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King as a holiday in my state.” [ www.salon.com 4/18/00; Accessed 4/2/08]

McCain’s lack of awareness and sensitivity to racial issues wasn’t limited to just voting against the holiday itself:

FACT: In 1994, McCain Sided With Senator Jesse Helms and Voted To Eliminate Funding For Martin Luther King Commission. McCain voted in favor of a Helms amendment “to prohibit federal financing for the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission.” The amendment failed 28-70-2. [S Amdt 1738, Vote #127, 5/24/94; CQ Vote Description]

FACT: McCain Voted Against The Civil Rights Act Of 1990 FOUR Times. In 1990, McCain voted against a bill designed to address employer discrimination at least 4 times. According to the Washington Post, the “Civil Rights Act of 1990 is designed to overturn several recent Supreme Court rulings that made it much more difficult for individual employees to prove discrimination. The legislation, being fought by business, also would impose new penalties on employers convicted of job discrimination.” [S 2104, Vote #304, 10/24/90; Vote #276, Vote #275, 10/16/90; Vote #161, 7/18/90; Washington Post, 7/9/90]

Are McCain’s more recent statements actual lies, or is John McCain having some honest memory issues in the heat of having to defend his record?

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.