Howard Dean: Democrats to portray McCain as another Bush, a conservative, an immigration hardliner

Gov. Dr. Howard Dean M.D. has declared John McCain the GOP nominee and is already outlining his battle plan [1]:
How we'll beat John McCain

...After championing campaign finance reform and ethics legislation to score political points, he now has a staggering amount of lobbyists involved in every aspect of his campaign. In fact, two of the top three sources for John McCain's campaign cash are D.C. lobbying firms, and he looked the other way as Jack Abramoff bought and paid for the Republican Party and the Culture of Corruption.

On immigration reform, he's run as far to the right as he can, aligning himself with the most extreme elements of the Republican Party.

[Iraq war, abortion, economy]

We can't afford four more years with a President who drives the economy into the ground...
Obviously, the bit about immigration is at least extremely disingenuous. Howie knows that McCain worked with Teddy Kennedy before and would do so again and is only issuing the tough talk now in order to fool people. On the other hand, someone else might have written that instead of Howie, and they might be thinking that McCain would respond that he, just like the Democrats, supports "immigration reform" and that would thus hurt him with his likely voters.

[1] digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/go-howard-by-dday-from-dnc-email-how.html

Comments

'he looked the other way as Jack Abramoff bought and paid for the Republican Party and the Culture of Corruption.' It's not like he's ever done anything like that before--oh yeah, he has. Keating Five. Is the currently pro-McCain media going to mention that during a general election campaign? Maybe there's a statute of limitations on corruption if you give them plenty of access and they like you.

_I posted the following over at Digby's sight._ Sorry but this is nonsense. Is Howard Dean being intentionally vague on McCain's long standing and still current immigration stands? McCain is still as far away as one can get from being considered an Immigration Restrictionist "Tancredo" Republican. As of yet McCain is still even a more Open Borders, Anarcho-Capitalist than Dubya. McCain on Immigration is the US Chambers of Commerce, Wall Street Journal Editorial page, Corporate Pro-Outsourcing Cheap Labor Lobby, Global Labor Arbitrage wetdream candidate. If the world of possible political ideological positions resembles the globe than McCain is so far to the right on Immigration that he runs smack headlong into the Leftwing Marcusian/Gramscian Marxist/Neo Wobbly Anarchists crowd coming from the other direction. You fans of Dave Neiwert should be all sporting a huge chubby or wetspot at thought of McCain having his way on immigration matters. Check out a true populist liberal site : http://blog.noslaves.com for their take on McCain. Howard Dean needs to be more specific when he comes to Immigration. Is the problem with McCain that he is a far far rightwing pro Open Borders Uber Anarcho-Capitalist Libertarian. Because McCain sure as hell is not a Restrictionist Paleo-Con. Yes, Yes one would expect McCain to move towards the center on Immigration matters inorder to unite the Republican party. But who knows. The really scary thing about "BombIran" McCain is his unpredictable Gen. Jack D Ripper/Buck Turgidson roque elephant streak. As far as a shrewd even ruthless politician moving towards the Lou Dobbs if not Pat Buchanan or even Tancredo Restrictionist position on Immigration. Do not question that will be the first thing Hillary does if and when she wraps up the nomination. Why?? Because she knows that in order to win over the Independent vote in the upper midwest, think Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin she has to separate herself from the Ted Kennedy pro-Open Borders wing of the Democratic party. That is why the father of the 1965 Immigration Act disaster, Ted Kennedy is now backing Obama. Come on what does a Clinton do when facing a political jam other than trianglate? No I don't trust Hillary or any Clintonista as far I can spit, I was a skeptical Edwards supporter , but that is the way I see it

At least she can be pressured to move, e.g., driver licenses. Obama would probably stick to licenses for illegal aliens even in a general election. If he changes, he'll be a flip flopper. Either way he's already blown that.