McCain, Aides Often Part Ways on Policy

Bush has 'lowered my standards'

(NEWSER) - “What can I say?” writes left-leaning Jonathan Chait in revealing his continued affection for John McCain. “Bush has lowered my standards.” Remember, McCain was once “the country’s foremost progressive champion”—battling the religious right and tax cuts while pushing immigration and anti-global warming advances. And while the old McCain is gone—having tacked hard to the right—Chait clings to an “affinity for the old codger.” More»

Economic adviser ripped for 'whiners' comment won't appear with candidate

(NEWSER) - John McCain’s camp has considered Phil Gramm persona non grata since he called Americans "whiners" in a "mental recession" last week, the Washington Post reports. One adviser says he hasn’t spoken to the former senator, a confidante of the Republican on economic matters, “since the comments took place, and I’m not expecting to.” More»

Can't say how he thinks insurers should handle contraceptives

(NEWSER) - A full day after the blogosphere was lit up over Carly Fiorina’s decidedly un-conservative suggestion that health insurers should cover birth control, John McCain still had no comment when asked about it, the Wall Street Journal reports. And a decidedly awkward no-comment, at that:

• McCain: “I certainly do not want to discuss that issue."
• Reporter: “But apparently you’ve voted against—“

Brain trust's credentials questioned in economic slump

(NEWSER) - John McCain's choice of economic advisers is stirring up controversy, the Washington Post reports. Phil Gramm is vice-chairman of troubled UBS and oversaw widespread deregulation as chair of the Senate Banking Committee in the late 1990s, and Carly Fiorina was publicly ousted as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. In the current economic climate, their aggressive style of capitalism may be a liability. More»

Oil and coal money, gutless lawmakers killed climate bill

(NEWSER) - Climate change legislation looks dead, and Paul Krugman knows what killed it. “It wasn’t the science, the scientists, or the economics,” he writes in the New York Times . It was “the usual suspects: greed and cowardice.” A carbon limitation would put at most a tiny dent in economic growth, but two industries would face negative impacts: oil and coal. Can you guess which industries are the biggest contributors to cap-and-trade’s most vociferous opponents? More»