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  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-04-29 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/395c1f29-194b-47c3-b0ad-4aaf74e13285.htm" rowid="32319784" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            &amp;quot;Call To Action&amp;quot; On Health Care Reform
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;A &amp;quot;Call To Action&amp;quot;:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Today, In Florida, John McCain Outlined His Plan For Health Care Reform. John McCain believes we can and must provide access to health care for every American. He has proposed a comprehensive vision for achieving that. For too long, our nation&amp;#39;s leaders have talked about reforming health care. Now is the time to act.&lt;/p&gt;

Americans Are Worried About Health Care Costs. The problems with health care are well known: it is too expensive and 47 million people living in the United States lack health insurance. 
&lt;p&gt;John McCain&amp;#39;s Vision For Health Care Reform:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Believes The Key To Health Care Reform Is To Restore Control To The Patients Themselves. We want a system of health care in which everyone can afford and acquire the treatment and preventative care they need. Health care should be available to all and not limited by where you work or how much you make. Families should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over care. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A Specific Plan Of Action: Making Health Insurance Innovative, Portable And Affordable:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Will Reform Health Care Making It Easier For Individuals And Families To Obtain Insurance. An important part of his plan is to use competition to improve the quality of health insurance with greater variety to match people&amp;#39;s needs, lower prices, and portability. Families should be able to purchase health insurance nationwide, across state lines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Will Reform The Tax Code To Offer More Choices Beyond Employer-Based Health Insurance Coverage. While still having the option of employer-based coverage, every family will also have the option of receiving a direct refundable tax credit&amp;nbsp;-- effectively cash&amp;nbsp;-- of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to offset the cost of insurance. Families will be able to choose the insurance provider that suits them best and the money would be sent directly to the insurance provider. Those obtaining innovative insurance that costs less than the credit can deposit the remainder in expanded Health Savings Accounts. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Proposes Making Insurance More Portable. Americans need insurance that follows them from job to job. They want insurance that is still there if they retire early and does not change if they take a few years off to raise the kids.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Will Encourage And Expand The Benefits Of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) For Families. When families are informed about medical choices, they are more capable of making their own decisions and often decide against unnecessary options. Health Savings Accounts take an important step in the direction of putting families in charge of what they pay for.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A Specific Plan Of Action: Ensuring Care For Higher Risk Patients:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain&amp;#39;s Plan Cares For The Traditionally Uninsurable. John McCain understands that those without prior group coverage and those with pre-existing conditions have the most difficulty on the individual market, and we need to make sure they get the high-quality coverage they need.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Will Work With States To Establish A Guaranteed Access Plan. As President, John McCain will work with governors to develop a best practice model that states can follow&amp;nbsp;-- a Guaranteed Access Plan or GAP&amp;nbsp;-- that would reflect the best experience of the states to ensure these patients have access to health coverage. One approach would establish a nonprofit corporation that would contract with insurers to cover patients who have been denied insurance and could join with other state plans to enlarge pools and lower overhead costs. There would be reasonable limits on premiums, and assistance would be available for Americans below a certain income level.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Will Promote Proper Incentives. John McCain will work with Congress, the governors, and industry to make sure this approach is funded adequately and has the right incentives to reduce costs such as disease management, individual case management, and health and wellness programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A Specific Plan Of Action: Lowering Health Care Costs:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Proposes A Number Of Initiatives That Can Lower Health Care Costs. If we act today, we can lower health care costs for families through common-sense initiatives. Within a decade, health spending will comprise twenty percent of our economy. This is taking an increasing toll on America&amp;#39;s families and small businesses. Even Senators Clinton and Obama recognize the pressure skyrocketing health costs place on small business when they exempt small businesses from their employer mandate plans. &lt;/p&gt;

CHEAPER DRUGS: Lowering Drug Prices. John McCain will look to bring greater competition to our drug markets through safe re-importation of drugs and faster introduction of generic drugs. 
CHRONIC DISEASE: Providing Quality, Cheaper Care For Chronic Disease. Chronic conditions account for three-quarters of the nation&amp;#39;s annual health care bill. By emphasizing prevention, early intervention, healthy habits, new treatment models, new public health infrastructure and the use of information technology, we can reduce health care costs. We should dedicate more federal research to caring and curing chronic disease.
COORDINATED CARE: Promoting Coordinated Care. Coordinated care&amp;nbsp;-- with providers collaborating to produce the best health care&amp;nbsp;-- offers better outcomes at lower cost. We should pay a single bill for high-quality disease care which will make every single provider accountable and responsive to the patients&amp;#39; needs.
GREATER ACCESS AND CONVENIENCE: Expanding Access To Health Care. Families place a high value on quickly getting simple care. Government should promote greater access through walk-in clinics in retail outlets.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Greater Use Of Information Technology To Reduce Costs. We should promote the rapid deployment of 21st century information systems and technology that allows doctors to practice across state lines.
MEDICAID AND MEDICARE: Reforming The Payment System To Cut Costs. We must reform the payment systems in Medicaid and Medicare to compensate providers for diagnosis, prevention and care coordination. Medicaid and Medicare should not pay for preventable medical errors or mismanagement. 
SMOKING: Promoting The Availability Of Smoking Cessation Programs. Most smokers would love to quit but find it hard to do so. Working with business and insurance companies to promote availability, we can improve lives and reduce chronic disease through smoking cessation programs. 
STATE FLEXIBILITY: Encouraging States To Lower Costs. States should have the flexibility to experiment with alternative forms of access, coordinated payments per episode covered under Medicaid, use of private insurance in Medicaid, alternative insurance policies and different licensing schemes for providers.
TORT REFORM: Passing Medical Liability Reform. We must pass medical liability reform that eliminates lawsuits directed at doctors who follow clinical guidelines and adhere to safety protocols. Every patient should have access to legal remedies in cases of bad medical practice but that should not be an invitation to endless, frivolous lawsuits. 
TRANSPARENCY: Bringing Transparency To Health Care Costs. We must make public more information on treatment options and doctor records, and require transparency regarding medical outcomes, quality of care, costs and prices. We must also facilitate the development of national standards for measuring and recording treatments and outcomes.
&lt;p&gt;Confronting The Long-Term Care Challenge: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Will Develop A Strategy For Meeting The Challenge Of A Population Needing Greater Long-Term Care. There have been a variety of state-based experiments such as Cash and Counseling or The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) that are pioneering approaches for delivering care to people in a home setting. Seniors are given a monthly stipend which they can use to: hire workers and purchase care-related services and goods. They can get help managing their care by designating representatives, such as relatives or friends, to help make decisions. It also offers counseling and bookkeeping services to assist consumers in handling their programmatic responsibilities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Setting The Record Straight: Covering Those With Pre-Existing Conditions:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;MYTH: Some Claim That Under John McCain&amp;#39;s Plan, Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Would Be Denied Insurance. &lt;/p&gt;

FACT: John McCain Supported The Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act In 1996 That Took The Important Step Of Providing Some Protection Against Exclusion Of Pre-Existing Conditions. 
FACT: Nothing In John McCain&amp;#39;s Plan Changes The Fact That If You Are Employed And Insured You Will Build Protection Against The Cost Of Any Pre-Existing Condition. 
FACT: As President, John McCain Would Work With Governors To Find The Solutions Necessary To Ensure Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Are Able To Easily Access Care. 
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            " title="&quot;Call To Action&quot; On Health Care Reform" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-18 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/f96d220f-b10d-48fe-aee9-d69c0d2802c3.htm" rowid="32320671" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            &amp;quot;Cherish The Sanctity Of Life:&amp;quot; Statement By Senator McCain
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA - U.S. Senator John McCain&amp;#39;s presidential campaign today released the following statement:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Today&amp;#39;s Supreme Court ruling is a victory for those who cherish the sanctity of life and integrity of the judiciary.&amp;nbsp; The ruling ensures that an unacceptable and unjustifiable practice will not be carried out on our innocent children.&amp;nbsp; It also clearly speaks to the importance of nominating and confirming strict constructionist judges who interpret the law as it is written, and do not usurp the authority of Congress and state legislatures.&amp;nbsp; As we move forward, it is critically important that our party continues to stand on the side of life.&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;
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  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-03 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/ab2f4435-8f7f-4193-90b6-f7a923b85470.htm" rowid="32320067" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            &amp;quot;Newsday Endorses McCain In New York Primary&amp;quot;
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;Newsday Endorses McCain In New York Primary&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;EditorialNewsdayFebruary 3, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In a Republican roster of mainly lackluster, marginal or unacceptable presidential candidates, Sen. John McCain of Arizona always stood out like a bright light in a dim room. Now that he has risen quickly from the back of the pack to pose a serious challenge to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, McCain is by far the best choice for his party&amp;#39;s nomination. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain is an honorable man. And his courage, integrity and willingness to take principled and consistent stands on key issues unpopular with his party are admirable traits. He is, in short, a stand-up guy. He should make Republicans proud to choose him as their standard-bearer. He has the guts to vote on his conscience, to ignore opinion polls and do what he thinks is right. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain has championed effective campaign finance reform, working closely with Democratic allies to push through landmark legislation. Alone among leading Republicans, he has recognized the dangers posed by climate change and has been a strong early advocate for curbs on global warming, sponsoring bipartisan legislation mandating market-based solutions. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;At the risk of alienating most of his party&amp;#39;s leaders, he has been a staunch supporter of rational changes in immigration laws to allow the normalization of undocumented workers in American society. This issue alone has turned the conservative movement against him. Right-wing radio talk show hosts attack him with vile language, almost to demonize him for acting on his principles. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As a genuine war hero who endured torture in a North Vietnamese prison camp, McCain has used his experience to condemn the Bush administration&amp;#39;s approval of the use of torture against detainees in the war on terrorism. He has made his crusade against torture a point of honor that hasn&amp;#39;t endeared him to many of his Republican colleagues. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;But he is hardly an anti-war advocate. He doesn&amp;#39;t back away from his early and steady support for the Iraq war, but he has also been one of the fiercest critics of the way the Bush administration has waged it, ripping the national security team for its strategic mistakes in the early stages of the occupation. He argues, sensibly, that a premature withdrawal of U.S. troops would endanger the stability of the region and doom Iraq to endless civil disorder. ...&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;At age 71, McCain has said himself that he can&amp;#39;t very well be called a comeback kid. And his age - he could be the oldest U.S. president ever to take office - may worry some. But his positive qualities overall outweigh his weaknesses. Newsday endorses him for the Republican nomination.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read The Entire Newsday Editorial: &amp;quot;Newsday Endorses McCain In New York Primary&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&quot;Newsday Endorses McCain In New York Primary&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-13 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/2e4d3703-851b-46b3-abbf-2fe38cdce592.htm" rowid="32320576" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            &amp;quot;On the Campaign Trail&amp;quot; With John McCain
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;John McCain Is Steadfast In His Commitment To Victory In Iraq And Winning The Battle Against Islamic Extremists Across The Globe &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain: &amp;quot;We are going to have a very seminal moment in the United States Senate when we decide whether we are going to let General Petraeus and the strategy continue to win or are we going to set a date for surrender Tough decisions have to be made. I understand how unpopular the war is and I understand the feeling the people in New Hampshire and around the country, their frustration and their sorrow at the sacrifice that&amp;#39;s been made. But I believe we have to do what is right for the future not only for present day Americans but future generations.&amp;quot; (WKXL 1450, &amp;quot;On the Campaign Trail,&amp;quot; 8/11/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Is Committed To Upholding Private Property Rights&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain: &amp;quot;It was one of the most outrageous decisions in the United States Supreme Court has ever given where basically you are giving local governments the right to take people&amp;#39;s property on the rationale that it will mean more revenue that&amp;#39;s a fundamental violation of the principles upon which of nation was founded, which is respect for private property rights. But I intend to do whatever is necessary legislatively in order to repeal that issue. There are other states, such as Iowa, who also did the same thing as New Hampshire, but if it&amp;#39;s required, and I hope it&amp;#39;s not, but if it is required to amend the Constitution of the United States, I would do so, I feel that strongly about this issue.&amp;quot; (WKXL 1450, &amp;quot;On the Campaign Trail,&amp;quot; 8/11/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain Will Pursue Reforms That Broaden Access To Quality Health Care At Lower Costs&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain: &amp;quot;First of all I reject the single pair big government solution that is being proposed by the Democrats, by the way along with tax increases, I reject that, I&amp;#39;ve seen that movie before and just take a trip to Canada if you think that&amp;#39;s a system that would maintain the quality health care in America. We need to maintain the quality of the best healthcare, medical care in the world and it is in the United States of America and we need to make it affordable and available. We need to do a whole lot of things, including the tax dividends for low income Americans, including insurance companies rewarding wellness, including medical malpractice reform, including putting health care records online, including adding and encouraging health savings accounts, including allowing small businesses that join together and negotiate with health care providers. I could give you a very long list of additional measures that h ave to be taken in order to keep inflation down and keep health care affordable and available, not a single pair big government solution.&amp;quot; (WKXL 1450, &amp;quot;On the Campaign Trail,&amp;quot; 8/11/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of WKXL &amp;quot;On the Campaign Trail&amp;quot; with Senator John McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&quot;On the Campaign Trail&quot; With John McCain" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-05 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/15656ff8-71a6-4618-922a-9b4b0f9232ac.htm" rowid="32320563" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            &amp;quot;Proven National Security Experience&amp;quot; - Statement By Campaign Manager Rick Davis Following New Hampshire GOP Debate

                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA -- Rick Davis, John McCain 2008 Campaign Manager, issued the following statement on tonight&amp;#39;s Republican presidential debate: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This evening, John McCain demonstrated why he is the only candidate with the proven national security experience vital to confronting the transcendent challenge facing our nation -- the struggle against radical Islamic extremism. McCain has demonstrated leadership and political courage by advocating an Iraq policy that would bring our troops home with honor -- by winning.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;John McCain presented an optimistic and realistic vision for America&amp;#39;s future and has a life-long record of working to resolve the challenges we face and restore American&amp;#39;s trust in their government. Beyond his broad national security and international expertise, on the domestic front John McCain has been a leader in the fight to cut unnecessary spending in Washington, DC, eliminating earmarks and exposing pork-barrel projects.&amp;nbsp; His exemplary record of service and sacrifice continues to stand out among all other candidates from either party, and is one of many reasons why he is uniquely qualified to lead as commander-in-chief from the moment he is elected.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&quot;Proven National Security Experience&quot; - Statement By Campaign Manager Rick Davis Following New Hamps" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-05-01 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/03a077b1-8b16-4f88-9f9e-00ef44d79c53.htm" rowid="32319777" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            &amp;quot;The Right Rx&amp;quot;
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I believe the key to real reform is to restore control over our health-care system to the patients themselves. To that end, my reforms are built on the pursuit of three goals: paying only for quality medical care, having insurance choices that are diverse and responsive to individual needs, and restoring our sense of personal responsibility.&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp;-- John McCain&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The Right Rx&amp;quot;By Sen. John McCainNational ReviewMay 1, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;What exactly is the problem with the American health-care system? &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The problem is not that Americans don&amp;#39;t have fine doctors, medical technology, and treatments. American medicine is the envy of the world. The problem is not that most Americans lack adequate health insurance. The vast majority of Americans have private insurance, and our government spends many billions each year to provide even more. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The biggest problem with the American health-care system is one of cost and access, and as a result tens of millions of individuals have no insurance. For example, we currently spend for about 2.4 trillion dollars a year on health care. A decade from now that number, under current projections, will double to over four trillion dollars. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Obama and Clinton response to these problems is to promise universal coverage, whatever its cost, and the massive tax increases, mandates, and government regulation that it imposes. But in the end this will accomplish one thing only. We will replace the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of the current system with the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of a government monopoly. We&amp;#39;ll have all the problems, and more, of private health care&amp;nbsp;-- rigid rules, long waits, and lack of choices, and risk degrading its great strengths and advantages including the innovation and life-saving technology that make American medicine the most advanced in the world.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I have a different approach. I believe the key to real reform is to restore control over our health-care system to the patients themselves. To that end, my reforms are built on the pursuit of three goals: paying only for quality medical care, having insurance choices that are diverse and responsive to individual needs, and restoring our sense of personal responsibility. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;American families know quality when they see it, so their dollars should be in their hands. When families are informed about medical choices, they are more capable of making their own decisions, less likely to choose the most expensive and often unnecessary options, and are more satisfied with their choices. Health Savings Accounts are tax-preferred accounts used to pay insurance premiums and other health costs. They put the family in charge of what they pay for, and should be expanded and encouraged. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Americans also need new choices beyond those offered in employment-based coverage. They want a reformed system so that wherever you go and wherever you work, your health plan goes with you. And there is a very straightforward way to achieve this.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Under current law, the federal government gives a tax benefit when employers provide health-insurance coverage to American workers and their families. This benefit doesn&amp;#39;t cover the total cost of the health plan, and in reality each worker and family absorbs the rest of the cost in lower wages and diminished benefits. But it provides essential support for insurance coverage. Many workers are perfectly content with this arrangement, and under my reform plan they would be able to keep that coverage. Their employer-provided health plans would be largely untouched and unchanged. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;But for every American who wanted it, another option would be available: Every year, they would receive a tax credit directly, with the same cash value of the credits for employees in big companies, in a small business, or self-employed. You simply choose the insurance provider that suits you best. By mail or online, you would then inform the government of your selection. And the money to help pay for your health care would be sent straight to that insurance provider. The health plan you chose would be as good as any that an employer could choose for you. And if a church or professional organization wishes to sponsor insurance for its members, they should be able to do so. The bottom line: Health insurance would be yours and your family&amp;#39;s health-care plan to keep without worrying that it will go away along with your job.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The value of that credit&amp;nbsp;-- 2,500 dollars for individuals, 5,000 dollars for families&amp;nbsp;-- would also be enhanced by the greater competition this reform would help create among insurance companies. Millions of Americans would be making their own health-care choices again. Insurance companies could no longer take your business for granted, offering narrow plans with escalating costs. It would help change the whole dynamic of the current system, putting individuals and families back in charge, and forcing companies to respond with better service at lower cost. Again, choice and competition are indispensible to real reform that brings costs down and broadens access while maintaining quality.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;But we also need to ensure that those without prior group coverage and with preexisting conditions, who have the most difficulty in the individual market, have access to the high-quality coverage they need. As with other problems our nation has faced, states have taken the lead in experimenting with ways to cover the &amp;quot;uninsurables&amp;quot; and give us a window into what works and what doesn&amp;#39;t work. I will consult with the governors to solicit their ideas about a best practice model that states can follow&amp;nbsp;-- a Guaranteed Access Plan or GAP&amp;nbsp;-- and work with Congress, the governors, and industry to make sure that it is funded adequately and has the right incentives to reduce costs such as disease management, individual case management, and health and wellness programs. The details of a Guaranteed Access Plan would be worked out with the collaboration and consent of the states that wish to participate. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This cooperation among states in the purchase of insurance would also be a crucial step in ridding the market of both needless and costly regulations, and the dominance in the market of only a few insurance companies. Right now, there is a different health-insurance market for every state. Each one has its own rules and restrictions, and often guarantees inadequate competition among insurance companies. Often these circumstances prevent the best companies, with the best plans and lowest prices, from making their product available to any American who wants it. We need to break down these barriers to competition, innovation and excellence, with the goal of establishing a national market to make the best practices and lowest prices available to every person in every state. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Families also place a high value on quickly getting simple care, and have shown a willingness to pay cash to get it. If walk-in clinics in retail outlets are the most convenient, cost-effective way for families to safely meet simple needs, then no policies of government should stand in their way. And if the cheapest way to get high quality care is to use advances in web technology to allow a doctor to practice across state lines, then let them. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Effective reform must also deal with another source of needless cost and trouble in the health care system which comes from the trial bar. Every patient in America must have access to legal remedies in cases of bad medical practice. But this vital principle of law and medicine is not an invitation to endless, frivolous lawsuits from trial lawyers who exploit both patients and physicians alike. We must pass medical liability reform, and those reforms should eliminate lawsuits directed at doctors who follow clinical guidelines and adhere to patient safety protocols. If Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton are sincere in their conviction that health care coverage and quality is their first priority, then they will put the needs of patients before the demands of trial lawyers. They can&amp;#39;t have it both ways. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Finally, we must personally do everything we can to prevent expensive, chronic diseases. Our rights in this country are protected by our personal sense of responsibility for our own well being. Cases of diabetes are going up, not only in the baby-boom generation, but among younger Americans obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure are all on the rise. Parents must impart to their children a sense of personal responsibility for their health, nutrition, and exercise. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We can build a health care system that is more responsive to our needs and is delivered to more people at lower cost. The &amp;quot;solution,&amp;quot; my friends, isn&amp;#39;t a one-size-fits-all-big government takeover of health care. It resides where every important social advance has always resided&amp;nbsp;-- with the American people themselves, with well-informed American families, making practical decisions to address their imperatives for better health and more secure prosperity.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read The Full Op-Ed In National Review &lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&quot;The Right Rx&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-26 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/18cb2304-1908-46d7-a296-d1d062fa8c69.htm" rowid="32320170" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            11 RNC Members Endorse John McCain
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA U.S. Senator John McCain&amp;#39;s presidential campaign today announced the endorsement of 11 Republican National Committee members. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Electability is becoming a very important issue in this nomination contest and John McCain is the strongest candidate we could nominate to defeat the Democrat nominee in November,&amp;quot; said RNC Vice Chairman Chuck Yob.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain thanked the RNC members, stating, &amp;quot;I am honored that these leaders of the Republican Party have endorsed my candidacy, and am grateful for their support,&amp;quot; said Senator McCain. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Members of the Republican National Committee are automatically seated as delegates at the Republican National Convention. However, the Michigan delegates may not be seated, because of the early Michigan Republican Primary. From this endorsement list, John McCain has 9 super-delegate votes at the Republican National Convention.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;RNC MEMBERS ENDORSE JOHN MCCAINBruce Ash, ArizonaSharon Giese, Arizona John Matlusky, DelawareAlec Poitevint, GeorgiaMary Jo Arndt, Illinois Steve Cloud, KansasAlicia Salisbury, Kansas Gary Emineth,North DakotaMary Jean Jensen, South DakotaChuck Yob, Michigan Holly Hughes, Michigan &lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="11 RNC Members Endorse John McCain" />
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                                                            2006 Massachusetts Republican Nominee For US Senate Ken Chase Endorses John McCain
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain&amp;#39;s presidential campaign today announced that Ken Chase, 2006 Massachusetts Republican Nominee for&amp;nbsp;U.S.&amp;nbsp;Senate, has endorsed John McCain for president. Chase, who won both the State Republican Nominating Convention and the Republican primary, was chosen as the GOP&amp;#39;s standard bearer against Ted Kennedy in 2006. Mr. Chase issued the following statement on his endorsement: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I am proud to endorse John McCain for president. Senator McCain is the most proven, battle-tested conservative in the field. He has a thirty year record of defending the sanctity of life, fighting wasteful spending, and working to ensure that America is strong and safe.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;With John McCain, what you see is what you get; you never wonder where he stands. He is a candidate that conservatives can rely on.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Additionally, I think that in light of the uncertainty that America faces in the world today, we need a president with the courage and character to lead. That&amp;#39;s John McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It is my belief that John McCain is by far the Republican Party&amp;#39;s best hope of keeping the White House in November. I am glad to join the McCain team, and would urge my fellow Massachusetts Republicans to do the same.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain thanked Mr. Chase for his support, saying, &amp;quot;Ken is a proven leader in his community. I appreciate his support, and look forward to working with him in the weeks ahead.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Ken Chase is a businessman from Belmont, MA. He runs French and Spanish Schools, Inc., a school dedicated to teaching American children foreign languages. Chase, a lifelong Republican, has actively worked for Republican candidates in Massachusetts in every election cycle since 1982.&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="2006 Massachusetts Republican Nominee For US Senate Ken Chase Endorses John McCain" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-18 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/3d859a98-7452-4754-8d5c-d9ce0047a73a.htm" rowid="32319971" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            35 Additional RNC Members Endorse John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain&amp;#39;s presidential campaign today announced that an additional 35 Republican National Committee Members have endorsed John McCain for president. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;This latest round of endorsements goes to show that the Republican Party is rallying around John McCain,&amp;quot; said RNC Vice Chairman Chuck Yob. &amp;quot;Republicans across the country are confident that John McCain is the leader best prepared to serve as commander in chief from day one, and they know he is the one candidate who can defeat either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama in November.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain thanked the RNC members, saying, &amp;quot;I sincerely appreciate the support of these RNC delegates. They make a great addition to our growing team of Republican leaders, and I look forward to working with them for victory in November.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Members of the Republican National Committee are automatically seated as delegates at the Republican National Convention.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;ADDITIONAL RNC MEMBERS SUPPORTING JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Joe Brown, NevadaDeMarus Carlson, NebraskaMichael Colley, OhioCindy Costa, South CarolinaTautai Faalevao, American Samoa Zoraida &amp;quot;Zori&amp;quot; Fonalledas, Puerto RicoLuis Fortuno, Puerto RicoTe&amp;#39;O Fuavai, American SamoaMiriam Hellreich, HawaiiBetti Hill, MontanaMike Hubbard, AlabamaErik Iverson, Montana Fred Lampropoulos, UtahJan Larimer, WyomingWilles Lee, HawaiiSue Lowden, NevadaDenise McNamara, Texas Carlos Mendez, Puerto RicoTim Morgan, CaliforniaRon Nehring, CaliforniaLilly Nunez, ColoradoLouis Pope, MarylandReince Priebus, WisconsinAmata Radewagen, American Samoa Priscilla Rakestraw, DelawareKaren Raye, MaineRon Schmidt, South DakotaTerry Strine, DelawareJoyce Terhes, MarylandTravis Thompson, HawaiiDiemer True, WyomingEdgar Welden, AlabamaBeverly Willard, NevadaRobert Roper, Vermont&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="35 Additional RNC Members Endorse John McCain For President" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-01 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/ec8c91f9-50de-4f7a-aa81-e11cbf6110e3.htm" rowid="32320111" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            Los Angeles Times Endorses John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;John McCain For GOP Nominee &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;EditorialLos Angeles TimesSunday, February 3, 2008 Edition&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;At a different moment in American history, we would hesitate to support a candidate for president whose social views so substantially departed from those we hold. But in this election, nothing less than America&amp;#39;s standing in the world turns on the outcome. Given that, our choice for the Republican nominee in 2008 is sure and heartfelt. It is John McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
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McCain opposes abortion and rejects the right of gays and lesbians to marry -- two positions we reject. He supports the war in Iraq, whereas we see this nation&amp;#39;s interests better served by a prompt and orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces. But the Arizona senator&amp;#39;s conservatism is, if not always to our liking, at least genuine. It reflects his fundamental individualism, spanning his distrust of big government, his support for immigration reform and his insistence on a sound American foreign policy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Indeed, McCain&amp;#39;s suitability for the presidency at this moment begins with how he would conduct the nation&amp;#39;s foreign affairs. As noted, we do not support his determination to fight on in Iraq, but we welcome his insistence that America&amp;#39;s military posture be matched by its moral purpose. Alone among the Republican candidates, he would close the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which has become an international symbol of U.S. arrogance. He has waged a principled and persistent effort to end the Bush administration&amp;#39;s embrace of torture as a weapon of war, a frightening concession to terrorism and an abdication of basic American values. He alone among the Republican candidates has condemned torture in all its forms; he alone among all the candidates in this race has endured it.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Those are positions that should impress voters across the political spectrum; indeed, part of the argument for McCain&amp;#39;s candidacy, as for Barack Obama&amp;#39;s on the Democratic ballot, is its appeal across the center. That won&amp;#39;t help McCain next week, at least in California, where the Republican Party does not permit independents to vote in its primary. But there are other, more specifically Republican, reasons why GOP voters should support him.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain is committed to free trade, a welcome alternative to the protectionist views of leading Democrats. He is clear-eyed about the imperiled futures of Social Security and Medicare, and though he has yet to say precisely what he&amp;#39;d do about those looming crises, he has placed them near the top of his domestic agenda. He has opposed pork-barrel spending in the form of undisclosed earmarks and has been a lonely, determined voice against the government&amp;#39;s handing out cash to stimulate the economy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Then there is an issue on which McCain has broken from the mainstream of his party and on which the party would do well to rejoin him: immigration. As the Republican field indulged this campaign season in an orgy of ignorance on immigration, McCain stood his ground, sponsoring legislation that would provide a route to citizenship for the 11 million to 12 million immigrants here illegally. His rivals have argued for mass deportations and strong border fences. McCain too backs toughened enforcement, but he has defended the humanity of those at the center of this debate. &amp;quot;We are all God&amp;#39;s children,&amp;quot; he says with conviction. McCain equivocated alarmingly on this issue last week, saying during the GOP debate that he would not today support the immigration bill that he courageously championed last summer. He should return to his support for immigration reform, and Republicans should follow him.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Similarly, McCain has led his party in its halting effort to confront the reality of climate change. He introduced the Senate&amp;#39;s first attempt to address the problem legislatively in 2003, and although that bill failed, McCain has supported cap-and-trade systems that could reduce greenhouse gases, and he has stayed that course despite criticism from fellow Republicans.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain is not the only Republican in this race, and not the only impressive one. Mitt Romney is a vigorous and articulate alternative, whose solid business background adds to his political resume. We appreciate his analytical skills as well as his distinguished record as governor of Massachusetts, where he pioneered healthcare reform and demonstrated leadership with his willingness to cross party lines for progress. But Romney has spent so much effort to convince Republicans he&amp;#39;s one of them that he has called his most basic values into question. To cite the most glaring example: He once supported abortion rights and now opposes them. Romney also refuses to renounce torture, a position that for us disqualifies him. Mike Huckabee, meanwhile, is a good-natured man with an admirable record as governor of Arkansas, but his Christian fundamentalism so infuses his secular views that he has drifted to the margins of the campaign and become increasingly irrelevant.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We do not agree with John McCain on every issue. But we admire his conviction and stand with him on those that matter most right now.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read Los Angeles Times Editorial: &amp;quot;John McCain For GOP Nominee&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;em&gt;Los Angeles Times&lt;/em&gt; Endorses John McCain For President" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-10 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/46c771db-f1c4-4182-86e6-3f2ef8eedb08.htm" rowid="32320017" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Endorses John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;John McCain For President: A Hero Leader&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Editorial&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Pittsburgh Tribune-Review&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;February 10, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You have to hand it to John McCain. He has an impeccable sense of timing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;At the very moment that a dangerously fractured Republican Party could have disintegrated -- Thursday, when Mitt Romney, the darling of the anti-McCain crowd exited the race -- Sen. McCain delivered a stunning speech to the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Certainly, there was a measured sense of rebuke in the words of the Arizona senator who now has a virtual lock on the GOP presidential nomination. Fiercely independent, McCain made no apologies for positions he holds dear but may be at odds with the traditional conservative base.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;But McCain also offered an impressive tutorial on what the core of conservatism really is -- small government, fiscal discipline, low taxes, a strong defense and a judiciary that does not legislate from the bench.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;And in the starkest of terms, John McCain reminded those gathered at CPAC and those watching nationwide that the alternative -- freedom-stripping, purse-robbing and security-endangering Democrats -- is no alternative at all.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It was the speech of a hero leader at the exact moment when America is in dire need of heroes and leaders. And we wholeheartedly endorse John McCain for president.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Editorial: &amp;quot;John McCain For President: A Hero Leader&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;em&gt;Pittsburgh Tribune-Review&lt;/em&gt; Endorses John McCain For President" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-10 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/ff57febe-0279-483c-9594-888ffb26224a.htm" rowid="32320015" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            The Baltimore Sun Endorses John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;Excerpts From &amp;quot;Sun Endorsement: Betting On Change, Reform&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Editorial&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Baltimore Sun&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;February 10, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;... In the Republican primary, John McCain is our choice. The veteran Arizona senator whose political obituary had been all but written has risen like a phoenix to presumptive nominee status. He has stood his ground on tough issues such as immigration reform, campaign finance and torture, and we praised him for it. He is principled and has been willing to compromise. ...&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read The Baltimore Sun Editorial: &amp;quot;Sun Endorsement: Betting On Change, Reform&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;em&gt;The Baltimore Sun&lt;/em&gt; Endorses John McCain For President" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-13 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/3cdcd639-6207-44f6-a7c9-656b1fb8dfb1.htm" rowid="32320308" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            The Greenville News Endorses John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No issue is more important than this nation&amp;#39;s security, and no Republican on Saturday&amp;#39;s ballot is better qualified to offer steady, tested, reassuring leadership than Arizona Sen. John McCain. ... McCain could bring traits to the White House that are needed most during dangerous times. He is an independent thinker, a coalition builder and an intuitive leader. John McCain is the strongest candidate on the GOP ballot ... John McCain can be trusted with this nation&amp;#39;s security, and that&amp;#39;s a powerful reason for South Carolina Republicans to vote for him Saturday.&amp;quot; -- The Greenville News&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain Has What It Takes To Be President &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;He&amp;#39;s The Strongest Candidate On The GOP Ballot Saturday&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;EditorialThe Greenville NewsJanuary 13, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;South Carolina voters face a strong slate of candidates in Saturday&amp;#39;s presidential primary for the Republican Party. No issue is more important than this nation&amp;#39;s security, and no Republican on Saturday&amp;#39;s ballot is better qualified to offer steady, tested, reassuring leadership than Arizona Sen. John McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In this state, voters do not register by political party. They can vote in Saturday&amp;#39;s Republican primary or in the Jan. 26 Democratic primary. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. for the next two Saturdays. ...&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Over the past eight years, Americans have learned that the world is still a very dangerous place in this post-Cold War era. The next president of the United States must be able to handle threats that cannot be imagined today. John McCain offers a wealth of foreign policy knowledge. He understands military strategy and has personal characteristics that would earn him automatic respect from the men and women who wear this country&amp;#39;s uniform. He is a genuine war hero -- a man who endured torture when he was a Vietnam War prisoner of war, and he does not have to prove his courage or resolve to anyone.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Even more, McCain could bring traits to the White House that are needed most during dangerous times. He is an independent thinker, a coalition builder and an intuitive leader.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain is the strongest candidate on the GOP ballot, and The Greenville News endorses him in Saturday&amp;#39;s primary.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This endorsement comes with realization that this editorial page and McCain have disagreed on several major issues over the past eight years. McCain voted against the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts proposed by President Bush and fortunately approved by Congress. Those tax cuts can be credited with nurturing a dynamic economy for much of President Bush&amp;#39;s two terms and, more importantly, improving the lives of American citizens by allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned dollars.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To his credit, McCain has promised to work to make permanent those tax cuts that are scheduled to expire at the end of 2010. He repeated this pledge in Thursday night&amp;#39;s debate, and he was equally adamant that tax cuts must be accompanied by cuts in spending. McCain is the enemy of the self-serving earmarks that corrupt the budgeting process and fuel reckless spending. Federal spending must be brought under control, and McCain is entirely believable when he says he will vigorously use the veto pen if he&amp;#39;s elected.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain brings to this race a proven ability to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats. Some of his most vocal detractors in the Republican Party detest his willingness to work for bipartisan compromises. But this ability is more important now than two elections ago given the bitterly divided nature of Washington politics. And the effectiveness of this political approach can be seen best in what President Bush has been able to accomplish on the Supreme Court -- through Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito -- because of a compromise engineered in large part by McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;On issues from the war in Iraq to immigration, McCain has never sought to walk the well-worn popular path. He has taken stands at times at odds with his own party, and he pushed the Bush administration to shift tactics in Iraq and find civilian and military leaders more suitable for the challenges in Iraq.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Like many of the Republican candidates, McCain has pragmatic ideas about how to reform health care, entitlement programs and domestic spending. But more important, John McCain can be trusted with this nation&amp;#39;s security, and that&amp;#39;s a powerful reason for South Carolina Republicans to vote for him Saturday.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read Greenville News Editorial: &amp;quot;McCain Has What It Takes To Be President&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;em&gt;The Greenville News&lt;/em&gt; Endorses John McCain For President" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-04 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/5f8340d3-33ac-49b9-aecc-0207559597cf.htm" rowid="32320054" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            The Journal Standard IL Endorses John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;Primary Election Endorsements - Presidential Candidates&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;EditorialThe Journal StandardFebruary 2, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;...&amp;nbsp;While Democrats are casting their vote for Sen. Obama on Super Tuesday, Republicans should be casting their vote for Sen. John McCain of Arizona.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The highly decorated Vietnam War hero and longtime senator approaches conservative principles in a pragmatic way. He seems to understand that the challenges facing America in the post-George W. Bush years will require an ability to bend and adapt. While we don&amp;#39;t agree with his stand on many issues, we are at least sure his positions are honest and well-considered. Yes, he&amp;#39;s pugnacious, but when was that a liability in politics?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In contrast, former Gov. Mitt Romney bloomed as a conservative after he decided to seek the presidency. Flip-flop or chrysalis? Since so many conservative principles are framed in moral terms, it would seem Gov. Romney is a little too far down the road to Damascus in his political life to be having a Saul to Paul moment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Gov. Mike Huckabee wouldn&amp;#39;t be a serious contender for the nomination without the media attention he&amp;#39;s garnered as a shoot-from-the-lip born again.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;On Tuesday, Feb 5, The Journal-Standard urges Democrats to select Sen. Barack Obama for the presidential nomination. We believe Republicans would be well-served by selecting Sen. John McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read The Entire Journal Standard Editorial: &amp;quot;Primary Election Endorsements - Presidential Candidates&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;em&gt;The Journal Standard&lt;/em&gt; IL Endorses John McCain For President" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-21 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/ac763a48-696d-492d-99ca-bf9f4a78dc14.htm" rowid="32320252" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            The Kansas City Star Endorses John McCain for President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;Excerpts From &amp;quot;Clinton, McCain Could Lead U.S. Well In The Years Ahead&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Editorial The Kansas City StarJanuary 19, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;No one in the still-crowded Republican field has a better claim to the battle cry of &amp;quot;change&amp;quot; than Sen. McCain of Arizona.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;He has a very long track record of denouncing business as usual in Washington, which led us to endorse him in the 2000 GOP primary as well. He has been a tireless advocate of campaign finance reform and better ethics in government.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Unlike most of his opponents in this year&amp;#39;s GOP race, McCain has extensive foreign policy experience -- a critical difference.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain&amp;#39;s common sense and moderately conservative voting record attract many Republicans. But this year, as in the past, he also holds considerable appeal to independent voters as well.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are good reasons for this. McCain has repeatedly shown the ability to look past political differences, negotiate compromises and forge constructive agreements. He helped prevent a partisan meltdown in the Senate over judicial appointments, for example.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;And when he thinks it is appropriate, he isn&amp;#39;t afraid to challenge people in his own party.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain&amp;#39;s strong opposition to wasteful pork-barrel spending has irritated colleagues on Capitol Hill, but it should impress taxpayers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;He&amp;#39;s also been a voice of reason on immigration, where he has offered constructive proposals, and environmental protection, which he calls both a &amp;quot;sacred duty&amp;quot; and a &amp;quot;patriotic responsibility.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A Vietnam War hero who endured years of torture, McCain understands what military conflict involves for a country and its men and women in uniform. ...&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The rest of the Republican field this year is far less impressive. For all the talk of change, McCain&amp;#39;s rivals have spent much of their time looking back to the 1980s or suggesting a continuation of Bush administration policies.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain&amp;#39;s opponents have also ignored many important subjects. Mitt Romney, for example, doesn&amp;#39;t even include environmental concerns in the list of issues on his Web site.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read Entire Kansas City Star Editorial Endorsing John McCain for President &lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;em&gt;The Kansas City Star&lt;/em&gt; Endorses John McCain for President" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-24 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/17670572-1351-4010-af2f-83f384b4fe30.htm" rowid="32320203" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            The Polk County Democrat Endorses John McCain
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;Excerpts From McCain Is GOP&amp;#39;s Clear Choice; Democrats Don&amp;#39;t Want Florida&amp;#39;s Input&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;EditorialThe Polk County DemocratJanuary 24, 2008&lt;/p&gt;
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More Florida Endorsements 



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More Endorsements for John McCain 




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Gainesville Sun 

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The Polk County Democrat 

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Sun-Sentinel 








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... The Republicans have fielded a worthy group of candidates (and some who are not so worthy). They all have conservative credentials, and most have some degree of leadership on their political resums.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;One stands out as having all of these plus strength of moral and political character that sets him apart in the group.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A decorated combat veteran and a former prisoner of war, McCain has an understanding of what is at stake in international relations and military affairs. He has served on Senatorial committees in both areas.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A decorated combat veteran and a former prisoner of war, McCain has an understanding of what is at stake in international relations and military affairs. He has served on Senatorial committees in both areas.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While the Democratic candidates speak only of pulling our troops out of Iraq, McCain adds that first we must win the war. We do not need another defeat like Vietnam, not even one wrapped in a Nixonian phrase like &amp;quot;peace with honor.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;But McCain also calls &amp;quot;water boarding&amp;quot; what it is: torture. It is a tactic unworthy of America, and one that could be used by future enemies to justify their own mistreatment of our soldiers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain had the political courage to support the &amp;quot;surge&amp;quot; in Iraq at a time when it had become politically popular to abandon our troops and write off their losses of life and limb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain has shown himself not to be a Republican ideologue, but a thinking conservative who makes his own decisions without a pollster at one elbow and a spinmeister at the other.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We endorse John McCain&amp;#39;s candidacy for the Republican nomination for president.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Read Polk County Democrat Editorial: &amp;quot;McCain Is GOP&amp;#39;s Clear Choice; Democrats Don&amp;#39;t Want Florida&amp;#39;s Input&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;em&gt;The Polk County Democrat&lt;/em&gt; Endorses John McCain" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-02-09 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/c81bad27-747c-46f9-9c51-87303b35eb6a.htm" rowid="32320757" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            &lt;p&gt;Team McCain Adds Leading Rhode Island RepublicansHouse Minority Leader, RNC Committeewoman, State Legislators &amp;amp; GOP Leaders Align With Arizona Senator&lt;/p&gt;
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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                                                        &lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA - U.S. Senator John McCain&amp;#39;s presidential exploratory committee today announced that House Minority Leader and state Rep. Robert Watson will serve as Chairman of the Arizona Senator&amp;#39;s exploratory committee in Rhode Island. In addition, Republican National Committeewoman Eileen Slocum will serve as Honorary Co-Chair of Senator McCain&amp;#39;s committee in the Ocean State.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Watson and Slocum join Rhode Island legislators and Republican leaders, which are also endorsing Senator John McCain. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Rep. Watson was elected in 1992 to the Rhode Island House of Representatives and is currently the House Minority Leader. Prior to serving in the House, Rep. Watson was a state Senator for two years. Rep. Watson also served as chairman of Senator McCain&amp;#39;s team in Rhode Island in 2000.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Rep. Watson stated that he was proud to be part of Senator McCain&amp;#39;s team again. &amp;quot;Senator McCain has the support of many Republican legislators and leaders in the state and today&amp;#39;s announcement is just the beginning,&amp;quot; said Rep. Watson. &amp;quot;His support in Rhode Island is tremendous and I look forward to communicating his reform agenda.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Eileen Slocum has served as the Republican National Committeewoman from Rhode Island since 1992 and was a leading supporter of then Governor George W. Bush in 2000. Slocum was a delegate to GOP conventions in 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996. She is a former president of the Newport Women&amp;#39;s Republican Club and vice chairman of the Newport Republican City Committee.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Senator John McCain has consistently advocated for fiscal responsibility in the nation&amp;#39;s capital, while always sticking to his common sense conservative principles,&amp;quot; said Slocum. &amp;quot;I am honored to be a part of Senator McCain&amp;#39;s team and will work to build an organization in our state that is second to none.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Senator John McCain stated he was pleased to have the support of these influential Rhode Island Republicans. &amp;quot;The support of such respected and trusted leaders, like Bob and Eileen, is a deep honor,&amp;quot; said Senator McCain. &amp;quot;These distinguished supporters have a profound knowledge and understanding of grassroots politics in Rhode Island. These are important additions to my team and I look forward to working with them.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The following Rhode Island Republican leaders are supporting Senator John McCain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Rhode Island Republican Leaders Supporting Senator John McCain &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Susan Story (Representative - District 66)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable John Savage (Representative - District 65)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable John Loughlin (Representative - District 71)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Richard Singleton (Representative - District 52)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Carol Mumford (Representative - District 41)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Laurence Ehrhardt (Representative - District 32)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Victor Moffitt (Representative - District 28)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable William McManus (Representative - District 46)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Nicholas Gorham (Representative - District 40)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable June Gibbs (State Senator)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Richard Fleury (Former Representative - West Warwick)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Charles Millard (Former Representative - Bristol)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Christine Callahan (Former Representative - Middletown)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Bradford Gorham (Former State Senator / Former House Minority Leader)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable David Dumas (House Parliamentarian / Former House Minority Leader)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Wayne Salisbury (Councilman / Scituate / Former House Minority Leader)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Honorable Stephen Waluk (Councilman / Mayor of Newport)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Margaret Gartelman (2nd Vice Chair - RIGOP / Town GOP Chair - West Greenwich)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Steve Kass (Former Talk Show Host / Communications Director - Gov. Carcieri)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Elizabeth Dumas (Former Town GOP Chair - East Greenwich)&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="&lt;P&gt;Team McCain Adds Leading Rhode Island Republicans&lt;BR&gt;&lt;I&gt;House Minority Leader, RNC Committeewoman" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-26 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/6281df04-a3d5-41d9-9bbe-a5359d05d3f4.htm" rowid="32320184" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            Florida Governor Charlie Crist Endorses John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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Bliptv_player_auto(&amp;quot;632375&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;300&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;182&amp;quot;);


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ARLINGTON, VA -- Tonight in St. Petersburg, Florida Governor Charlie Crist endorsed John McCain for President of the United States. &lt;/p&gt;
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&amp;quot;Senator John McCain is a true American hero and patriot and I am honored to endorse him tonight in St. Petersburg,&amp;quot; said Governor Crist. &amp;quot;He is a tremendous statesman, leader and uniter. I am confident that his years of experience will serve our country well when he becomes the next President of the United States.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;John McCain thanked Governor Crist for his support, stating, &amp;quot;Charlie Crist has earned the admiration and respect of the people of Florida for his principled, conservative leadership and boundless optimism for the future of the Sunshine State. He&amp;#39;s a leader of the new generation of Republican governors who are putting conservative principles to work for the people of America. I am honored to have his support as we work toward victory in Florida on Tuesday.&amp;quot;





More: Visit our Florida homepage today
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            " title="&lt;strong&gt;Florida Governor Charlie Crist Endorses John McCain For President&lt;/strong&gt;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-26 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/8528d447-e576-439f-89b6-718238ed7ed3.htm" rowid="32319637" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            A Simple Question for Barack Obama
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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                                                        &lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA--&amp;nbsp; Today, with&amp;nbsp;the Supreme Court decision and Barack Obama&amp;#39;s response, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds asked the following simple question:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Does Barack Obama believe that the D.C. handgun ban was constitutional or unconstitutional? We can&amp;#39;t tell and Barack Obama won&amp;#39;t say. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;One would think that a candidate for our nation&amp;#39;s highest office and a self-described constitutional expert would be able to answer that simple question.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Background:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Associated Press: Neither Barack Obama In His Statement Or His Campaign On Follow-Up Would &amp;quot;Specifically Say Whether Obama Agreed With Overturning The Specific D.C. Ban.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;His Democratic rival, Obama, issued a more carefully worded statement apparently aimed at both moderate voters and his liberal base. The statement from Obama, who has long said local governments should be able to regulate guns, did not specifically say whether Obama agreed with overturning the specific D.C. ban.&amp;nbsp;... The campaign would not answer directly Thursday when asked whether the candidate agreed with the court that the D.C. ban was unconstitutional, simply pointing back to his statement.&amp;quot; (Liz Sidoti, &amp;quot;Gun Ruling Reverberates In Presidential Campaign,&amp;quot; The Associated Press, 6/26/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Gun Ruling Reverberates In Presidential CampaignBy Liz SidotiThe Associated PressJune 26, 2008http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080626/D91HV9SG0.html &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain welcomed a Supreme Court decision invalidating a District of Columbia handgun ban. Barack Obama sought to straddle the subject by saying he favors an individual&amp;#39;s right to bear firearms as well as a government&amp;#39;s right to regulate them.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The hotly contentious issue surfaced in the presidential campaign Thursday after the Supreme Court ruled that Americans have a constitutional right to own guns and struck down the 32-year-old D.C. ban.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;McCain, the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting, heralded the justices&amp;#39; action as &amp;quot;a landmark victory for Second Amendment freedom.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Voicing a stance that could help him woo conservatives and libertarians, McCain said, &amp;quot;This ruling does not mark the end of our struggle against those who seek to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens. We must always remain vigilant in defense of our freedoms.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;His Democratic rival, Obama, issued a more carefully worded statement apparently aimed at both moderate voters and his liberal base. The statement from Obama, who has long said local governments should be able to regulate guns, did not specifically say whether Obama agreed with overturning the specific D.C. ban. But he said Thursday&amp;#39;s ruling &amp;quot;will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through commonsense, effective safety measures,&amp;quot; Obama said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Obama said his view was supported by the court&amp;#39;s ruling that the Constitution does not permit &amp;quot;the absolute prohibition of handguns.&amp;quot; That language &amp;quot;reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe,&amp;quot; Obama said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Both presidential candidates endorse an individual&amp;#39;s right to bear arms. But they strongly differ beyond that. McCain has had a mostly conservative record on the issue; Obama, a mostly liberal record.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other than a few departures, McCain is largely in line with the National Rifle Association&amp;#39;s hardline support for gun rights. He voted against a ban on assault-style weapons and for shielding gun-makers and dealers from civil damage suits. But he broke with the NRA to favor requiring background checks at gun shows and has taken heat for pushing through campaign finance legislation that gun-rights advocates say muzzled their free speech.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Obama has voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to lawsuits. He also took largely liberal positions on gun laws while in the Illinois legislature, including backing a ban on all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Campaigning in Cincinnati, McCain claimed Obama has reversed course on the issue. Obama told FOX Business News network that he&amp;#39;s been consistent.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Democrat&amp;#39;s campaign said a spokesman made an &amp;quot;inartful&amp;quot; statement when he said in November that Obama believed the D.C. law was constitutional. But Obama himself did not correct a debate moderator who repeated the position in February.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;You said in Idaho recently, I&amp;#39;m quoting here, &amp;#39;I have no intention of taking away folks&amp;#39; guns.&amp;#39; But you support the D.C. handgun ban and you&amp;#39;ve said that it&amp;#39;s constitutional,&amp;quot; said the moderator, Leon Harris of Washington television station WJLA. Obama nodded as Harris spoke, nodding and saying, &amp;quot;Right, right.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;How can you reconcile those two different positions?&amp;quot; Harris asked.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Obama answered that the United States has conflicting traditions of gun ownership and street violence that results from illegal handgun use. &amp;quot;So, there is nothing wrong, I think, with a community saying we are going to take those illegal handguns off the streets,&amp;quot; Obama said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Obama campaign argued that Obama was simply acknowledging the question by saying &amp;quot;right.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In other instances, Obama refused to articulate a position when asked whether he thought the D.C. ban was constitutional.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The campaign would not answer directly Thursday when asked whether the candidate agreed with the court that the D.C. ban was unconstitutional, simply pointing back to his statement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;###&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="A Simple Question for Barack Obama" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-26 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/5a80daf7-b81f-4e61-aef0-6f70fd44f933.htm" rowid="32319636" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            A Timeline of Political Positioning on Second Amendment Rights
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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                                                        &lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA-- Throughout his time in elected office, Barack Obama has taken multiple positions on banning handguns and the D.C. handgun ban. He has stated his belief that handgun bans were constitutional and he supported them. Then he actually refused to state a position. Now, Barack Obama has issued a statement that some are reporting as an embrace of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the D.C. handgun ban while others are reporting that he is still straddling his position. Please find below a timeline of Barack Obama&amp;#39;s support for the D.C. handgun ban and subsequent reversal:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;SEPTEMBER 1996: In Response To A 1996 Independent Voters Of Illinois Questionnaire, Obama Indicated That He Supported Banning The &amp;quot;Manufacture, Sale And Possession Of Handguns.&amp;quot; Question: &amp;quot;Do you support state legislation to ... ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns?&amp;quot; Obama&amp;#39;s Response: &amp;quot;Yes.&amp;quot; (Independent Voters Of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization 1996 General Candidate Questionnaire, Barack Obama Responses, 9/9/96)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2004: Barack Obama Voted Against &amp;quot;Letting People Use A Self-Defense Argument If Charged With Violating Local Handgun Bans.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;[Obama] opposed letting people use a self-defense argument if charged with violating local handgun bans by using weapons in their homes. The bill was a reaction to a Chicago-area man who, after shooting an intruder, was charged with a handgun violation.&amp;quot; (Ryan Keith &amp;quot;Obama Record In State Legislature Offers Possible Ammunition For Critics,&amp;quot; The Associated Press, 1/17/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;NOVEMBER 2007: The Chicago Tribune Reports That The Obama Campaign Says Barack Obama &amp;quot;Believes The D.C. Handgun Law Is Constitutional.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;[T]he campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said that he &amp;#39;...believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the D.C. handgun law is constitutional.&amp;#39;&amp;quot; (James Oliphant and Michael J. Higgins, &amp;quot;Court To Hear Gun Case,&amp;quot; Chicago Tribune, 11/20/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;FEBRUARY 2008: During An Interview, Barack Obama Acknowledged His Support For The D.C. Gun Ban. Questioner Leon Harris: &amp;quot;One other issue that&amp;#39;s of great importance here in the district as well is gun control. You said in Idaho recently&amp;nbsp;-- I&amp;#39;m quoting here&amp;nbsp;-- &amp;#39;I have no intention of taking away folks&amp;#39; guns,&amp;#39; but you support the D.C. handgun ban.&amp;quot; Obama: &amp;quot;Right.&amp;quot; (Leon Harris and Sen. Barack Obama, Forum Sponsored By ABC And Politico.Com, Washington, DC, 2/12/08) &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· In The Same Interview, Barack Obama Indicated He Feels The D.C. Gun Ban Is Constitutional. Harris: &amp;quot;And you&amp;#39;ve said that it&amp;#39;s constitutional. How can you reconcile those two different positions?&amp;quot; Obama: &amp;quot;Oh, because I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it is important for us to recognize that we&amp;#39;ve got a tradition of handgun ownership and gun ownership generally. And a lot of people, law-abiding citizens, use it for hunting, for sportsmanship, and for protecting their families. We also have violence on the streets that is a result of illegal handgun use. And so, there is nothing wrong, I think, with a community saying we are going to take those illegal handguns off the streets ...&amp;quot; (Leon Harris and Sen. Barack Obama, Forum Sponsored By ABC And Politico.com, Washington, DC, 2/12/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· In This Interview, Barack Obama &amp;quot;Didn&amp;#39;t Dispute The Characterization That He Believes The Ban Is Constitutional.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;But a colleague points out that Obama took a question about the constitutionality of the gun ban from WJLA&amp;#39;s Leon Harris during the Potomac Primary, and didn&amp;#39;t dispute the characterization that he believes the ban is constitutional.&amp;quot; (Ben Smith, &amp;quot;Inartful,&amp;quot; The Politico, 6/26/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· Watch The Interview Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wu9jE1MnAE &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;FEBRUARY 2008: Barack Obama &amp;quot;Declined To Take A Position For Or Against Its Constitutionality.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Today Obama reiterated his support for tighter enforcement of laws already on the books&amp;nbsp;-- such as stronger background checks and enhancing programs to trace the provenance of guns used in crimes. He would also seek to close the loopholes that currently apply to firearms purchased at gun shows. But asked today about the DC handgun ban currently being reviewed by the US Supreme Court, Obama declined to take a position for or against its Constitutionality but did express broad support for the rights of local jurisdictions to make such decisions for themselves.&amp;quot; (David Wright, Ursula Fahy And Sunlen Miller, &amp;quot;Obama: &amp;#39;Common Sense Regulation&amp;#39; On Gun Owners&amp;#39; Rights,&amp;quot; ABC News, 2/15/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;MARCH 2008: Obama Campaign &amp;quot;Would Not Elaborate On Whether The Senator Supports The D.C. Gun Ban.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, said Mr. Obama &amp;#39;believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he greatly respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms.&amp;#39; &amp;#39;He also believes that the Constitution permits state and local governments to adopt reasonable and common-sense gun safety measures,&amp;#39; she said, but would not elaborate on the whether the senator supports the D.C. gun ban.&amp;quot; (Gary Emerling, &amp;quot;Nation Awaits D.C. Handgun Ruling,&amp;quot; The Washington Times, 3/17/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;APRIL 2008: Barack Obama Says &amp;quot;I Confess I Obviously Haven&amp;#39;t Listened To The Briefs And Looked At All The Evidence.&amp;quot; CHARLIE GIBSON: &amp;quot;Senator Obama, the District of Columbia has a law -- it&amp;#39;s had a law since 1976; it&amp;#39;s now before the United States Supreme Court -- that prohibits ownership of handguns, a sawed-off shotgun, a machine gun or a short-barrelled rifle. Is that a law consistent with an individual&amp;#39;s right to bear arms?&amp;quot; OBAMA: &amp;quot;Well, Charlie, I confess I obviously haven&amp;#39;t listened to the briefs and looked at all the evidence. As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can&amp;#39;t constrain the exercise of that right, and, you know, in the same way that we have a right to private property but local governments can establish zoning ordinances that determine how you can use i t. And I think that it is going to be important for us to reconcile what are two realities in this country. There&amp;#39;s the reality of gun ownership and the tradition of gun ownership that&amp;#39;s passed on from generation to generation. You know, when you listen to people who have hunted, and they talk about the fact that they went hunting with their fathers or their mothers, then that is something that is deeply important to them and, culturally, they care about deeply. But you also have the reality of what&amp;#39;s happening here in Philadelphia and what&amp;#39;s happening in Chicago.&amp;quot; (Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate, Philadelphia, PA, 4/16/08&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2008: Barack Obama Says He Wants To &amp;quot;Wait And See How The Supreme Court Comes Down.&amp;quot; OBAMA: &amp;quot;What I have said is that I do not -- what I have said is, is that I&amp;#39;m a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, but I do not think that that precludes local governments being able to provide some commonsense gun laws that keep guns out of the hands of gangbangers or children, that local jurisdictions are going to have different sets of problems, and that this is a very fact-intensive decision that has to be made. But I do think that the Second Amendment is an individual right. So, what I would like to do is wait and see how the Supreme Court comes down, and evaluate the actual reasoning in the case to see how broad or narrow the decision&amp;#39;s going to be.&amp;quot; (Barack Obama, Press Conference, Chicago, IL, 6/25/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2008: The Obama Campaign Says An Unnamed Was &amp;quot;Inartful&amp;quot; In Telling The Chicago Tribune That Barack Obama Thought The Handgun Ban Was Constitutional &amp;quot;With the Supreme Court poised to rule on Washington, D.C.&amp;#39;s, gun ban, the Obama campaign is disavowing what it calls an &amp;#39;inartful&amp;#39; statement to the Chicago Tribune last year in which an unnamed aide characterized Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as believing that the DC ban was constitutional. &amp;#39;That statement was obviously an inartful attempt to explain the Senator&amp;#39;s consistent position,&amp;#39; Obama spokesman Bill Burton tells ABC News.&amp;quot; (Teddy Davis And Alexa Ainsworth, &amp;quot;Obama Camp Disavows Last Year&amp;#39;s &amp;#39;Inartful&amp;#39; Statement On D.C. Gun Law,&amp;quot; ABC News, 6/26/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2008: ABC News&amp;#39; Jake Tapper Says Barack Obama Is &amp;quot;Embracing The 5-4 Decision, Written By Justice Antonin Scalia, That Struck Down The DC Handgun Ban As Unconstitutional.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, may have a long record of supporting gun control measures, and he may have seemed to have previously endorsed the DC Handgun Ban. But just now he issued a paper statement embracing the 5-4 decision, written by Justice Antonin Scalia, that struck down the DC Handgun Ban as unconstitutional.&amp;quot; (Jake Tapper, &amp;quot;Obama Embraces Supreme Court Decision As &amp;#39;Well-Needed Guidance,&amp;#39;&amp;quot; ABC News, 6/26/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2008: Politico&amp;#39;s Jonathan Martin Says Barack Obama &amp;quot;Plainly Trying To Straddle Here.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;He&amp;#39;s plainly trying to straddle here. It actually sounds&amp;nbsp;-- especially the &amp;#39;Cheyenne and Chicago&amp;#39; language&amp;nbsp;-- quite a bit like the language Howard Dean used in &amp;#39;04 when trying to reconcile gun views tailored for pro-gun Vermont with a Dem primary.&amp;quot; (Jonathan Martin, &amp;quot;Obama Careful On Heller,&amp;quot; Politico, 6/26/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2008: Now, This Afternoon, Barack Obama Says &amp;quot;I&amp;#39;ve Been Very Consistent, I Teach Constitutional Law&amp;quot; Despite His Numerous Contradictory Positions. &amp;quot;Craig Layne, a reporter from WJET-TV in Erie, Penn., today asked Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, a question on the DC gun ban. Here&amp;#39;s how the exchange went down. &amp;#39;In November you mentioned that the DC handgun law was constitutional,&amp;#39; Layne said. &amp;#39;Now you&amp;#39;re embracing the Supreme Court&amp;#39;s 5-4 decision striking down that law---&amp;#39; &amp;#39;That&amp;#39;s not what I said,&amp;#39; Obama interrupted, per ABC News&amp;#39; Jennifer Duck. &amp;#39;Your aide said that,&amp;#39; Layne clarified. &amp;#39;I don&amp;#39;t know what my aide said but I&amp;#39;ve been very consistent, I teach constitutional law,&amp;quot; Obama said. What I said was that I believe 2nd Amendment as being an individual right and have said that consistently. I also think that individual right is constrained by the rights of the community to maintain issues with public safety. I don&amp;#39;t thi nk those two principles are contradictory and in fact what I&amp;#39;ve been saying consistently is what the Supreme Court essentially said today.&amp;#39;&amp;quot; (Jake Tapper, &amp;quot;Obama Eager To Distance Self From Campaign&amp;#39;s Former Position On DC Handgun Ban,&amp;quot; ABC News, 6/26/08)&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="A Timeline of Political Positioning on Second Amendment Rights" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-19 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/28c711df-47b3-4d2c-a1c5-612bd7a4e488.htm" rowid="32319665" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            A Timeline Of Reversal
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                            
                                                        
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&lt;p&gt;ARLINGTON, VA&amp;nbsp;-- Throughout this campaign, Barack Obama has campaigned on his pledge to take public financing in the general election. However, today, Barack Obama has shown himself to be a typical politician. Please find below a timeline of Barack Obama&amp;#39;s support for public financing and subsequent reversal:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2006: Barack Obama Says &amp;quot;I Strongly Support Public Financing.&amp;quot; OBAMA: &amp;quot;Well, I strongly support public financing. And I know [Senator] Dick [Durbin] does too. He&amp;#39;s going to have some things to say about it because when we were having - as you&amp;#39;ll recall - the major debates around lobbying reform, one of the things that Dick, I think, properly pointed out was that you can change the rules on lobbying here in Washington, but if we&amp;#39;re still getting financed primarily from individual contributions, that those with the most money are still going to have the most influence.&amp;quot; (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Constituents Breakfast, 6/29/06)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· Please Watch Barack Obama Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU5V3fO7B1U &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JANUARY 2007: Barack Obama Says &amp;quot;I&amp;#39;m A Big Believer In Public Financing&amp;quot; And &amp;quot;The Presidential Public Financing System Works.&amp;quot; KING: &amp;quot;Senator Clinton, by the way, has decided to reject public financing for her campaign. Are you going to do the same?&amp;quot; OBAMA: &amp;quot;Well, you know, this is something that, obviously, we are going to have to take a careful look at. I&amp;#39;m a big believer in public financing of campaigns. And I think that for a time, the presidential public financing system works.&amp;quot; (CNN&amp;#39;s &amp;quot;Larry King Live,&amp;quot; 1/24/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;FEBRUARY 2007: Barack Obama Petitions The FEC To Clear Way For Deal To Preserve Public Financing For the General Election, Pledging To Do So If He Is The Nominee. &amp;quot;Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, issued an unusual challenge to his rivals on Wednesday. He proposed a voluntary agreement between the two major party nominees that would limit their fund-raising and spending for the general election.&amp;nbsp;... In a Feb. 1 filing with the Federal Election Commission that was made public on Wednesday, Mr. Obama said that he, too, would seek enough private donations to remain competitive, but with a twist. He asked the commission if he could begin soliciting private donations with the understanding that he might later return the money to his contributors. If he won the Democratic nomination, he could then strike a deal with the Republican nominee to return their private donat ions and use only public money for the general election. For 2008, that would limit each general election campaign to about $85 million. &amp;#39;Should both major party nominees elect to receive public funding, this would preserve the public financing system, now in danger of collapse, and facilitate the conduct of campaigns freed from any dependence on private fund-raising,&amp;#39; Mr. Obama&amp;#39;s filing said.&amp;quot; (David K. Kirkpatrick, &amp;quot;Obama Proposes Candidates Limit General Election Spending,&amp;quot; The New York Times, 2/8/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· McCain And Obama Agree To Preserve The Public Financing System. &amp;quot;Senator John McCain joined Senator Barack Obama on Thursday in promising to accept a novel fund-raising truce if each man wins his party&amp;#39;s presidential nomination. The promises by Mr. McCain, Republican of Arizona, and Mr. Obama, Democrat of Illinois, are an effort to resuscitate part of the ailing public financing system for presidential campaigns.&amp;nbsp;... On Thursday, a spokesman for Mr. McCain said that he would take up Mr. Obama on a proposal for an accord between the two major party nominees to rely just on public financing for the general election.&amp;nbsp;... The manager of Mr. McCain&amp;#39;s campaign, Terry Nelson, said he welcomed the decision. &amp;#39;Should John McCain win the Republican nomination, we will agree to accept public financing in the general election, if the Democratic nominee agrees to do the same,&amp;#39; Mr. Nelson said.&amp;quot; (David D. Kirkpatrick, &amp;quot;McCain A nd Obama In Deal On Public Financing,&amp;quot; The New York Times, 3/2/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· The New York Times: &amp;quot;McCain And Obama In Deal On Public Financing.&amp;quot; (David D. Kirkpatrick, &amp;quot;McCain And Obama In Deal On Public Financing,&amp;quot; The New York Times, 3/2/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;FEBRUARY 2007: Barack Obama Co-Sponsors Legislation To Keep Current Public Funding System Relevant. &amp;quot;Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) added his name to legislation overhauling the public financing of presidential elections this week, earning him plaudits from watchdog groups.&amp;nbsp;... Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer yesterday urged Obama&amp;#39;s presidential rivals to follow his lead and cosponsor this session&amp;#39;s bill from Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.). It would raise significantly the spending cap for candidates accepting public funds during their White House campaigns in an effort to keep the system relevant.&amp;quot; (Elana Schor, &amp;quot;Obama Co-Signs Bill To Publicly Fund Campaigns,&amp;quot; The Hill, 2/16/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;MARCH 2007: Obama Spokesman Bill Burton Said Barack Obama &amp;quot;Will Aggressively Pursue An Agreement&amp;quot; On Public Financing. BURTON: &amp;quot;If Senator Obama is the nominee, he will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.&amp;quot; (Jim Kuhnhenn, &amp;quot;Federal Regulators Rule Candidates Can Return Donations For General Election,&amp;quot; The Associated Press, 3/1/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;NOVEMBER 2007: In Response To A Midwest Democracy Network Questionnaire, Barack Obama Said He Would Accept Public Funding In The General Election. Question: &amp;quot;If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?&amp;quot; Obama: &amp;quot;Yes. I have been a long-time advocate for public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests.&amp;quot; (Sen. Barack Obama, &amp;quot;Presidential Candidate Questionnaire,&amp;quot; Midwest Democracy Network, www.commoncause.org, 11/27/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· Barack Obama Even Referred To His Plan As A &amp;quot;Fundraising Pledge&amp;quot; For His Opponents To Accept. Obama: &amp;quot;In February 2007, I proposed a novel way to preserve the strength of the public financing system in the 2008 election. My proposal followed announcements by some presidential candidates that they would forgo public financing so they could raise unlimited funds in the general election. The Federal Election Commission ruled the proposal legal, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has already pledged to accept this fundraising pledge.&amp;quot; (Sen. Barack Obama, &amp;quot;Presidential Candidate Questionnaire,&amp;quot; Midwest Democracy Network, www.commoncause.org, 11/27/07)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;FEBRUARY 2008: Barack Obama Writes An Op-Ed In USA Today Stating That He Would &amp;quot;Aggressively Pursue&amp;quot; An Agreement With The Republican Nominee Guaranteeing &amp;quot;A Publicly Funded General Election In 2008 With Real Spending Limits.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;In 2007, shortly after I became a candidate for president, I asked the Federal Election Commission to clear any regulatory obstacles to a publicly funded general election in 2008 with real spending limits. The commission did that. But this cannot happen without the agreement of the parties&amp;#39; eventual nominees. As I have said, I will aggressively pursue such an agreement if I am my party&amp;#39;s nominee. I do not expect that a workable, effective agreement will be reached overnight. The campaign-finance laws are complex, and filled with loopholes that can render meaningless any agreement that is not solidly constructed.&amp;nbsp;... I propose a meaningful agreement in good faith that results in real spen ding limits. The candidates will have to commit to discouraging cheating by their supporters; to refusing fundraising help to outside groups; and to limiting their own parties to legal forms of involvement. And the agreement may have to address the amounts that Senator McCain, the presumptive nominee of his party, will spend for the general election while the Democratic primary contest continues. In l996, an agreement on spending limits was reached by Sen. John Kerry and Gov. William Weld in their Massachusetts Senate contest. They agreed to limits on overall and personal spending and on a mechanism to account for outside spending. The agreement did not accomplish all these candidates hoped, but they believe that it made a substantial difference in controlling outside groups as well as their own spending. We can have such an agreement this year, and it could hold up. I am committed to seeking such an agreement if that commitment is matched by Senator McCain. When the time co mes, we will talk and our commitment will be tested. I will pass that test, and I hope that the Republican nominee passes his.&amp;quot; (Barack Obama, Op-Ed, &amp;quot;Opposing View: Both Sides Must Agree,&amp;quot; USA Today, 2/20/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;FEBRUARY 2008: Barack Obama Says &amp;quot;I Will Sit Down With John McCain&amp;quot; To Address Public Financing. NBC&amp;#39;S TIM RUSSERT: &amp;quot;So you may opt out of public financing. You may break your word.&amp;quot; BARACK OBAMA: &amp;quot;What I -- what I have said is, at the point where I&amp;#39;m the nominee, at the point where it&amp;#39;s appropriate, I will sit down with John McCain and make sure that we have a system that works for everybody.&amp;quot; (Democratic Presidential Debate, Cleveland, OH, 2/26/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· Please Watch Barack Obama Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELoKGvOwSI4&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;APRIL 2008: ABC News&amp;#39; Jake Tapper Reports That Barack Obama Is Previewing Arguments To Opt Out Of The Public Financing System. &amp;quot;Despite his previous pledge to enter into the public financing system should he be the Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has recently been reluctant to re-commit to entering the system. This reluctance has coincided with his primary, caucus, and fundraising successes. For that reluctance, Obama has been hammered as hypocritical by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., not to mention impartial observers. Tonight at a fundraiser in Washington, D.C., at the National Museum of Women in the Arts -- at a $2,300-per-person event for 200 people held before a $1,000-per-person reception for 350 people -- Obama previewed his argument to justify this possible future discarding of a principle.&amp;quot; (Jake Tapper, &amp;quot;Obama Prepares Argument To Discard Public-Financing Principle,&amp;quot; ABC News, 4/8/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· The Washington Post Highlights The Test Confronting Barack Obama: &amp;quot;When it was in Mr. Obama&amp;#39;s interest to present himself as the ethical savior of an imperiled campaign finance system, he was happy to do so, especially since it didn&amp;#39;t seem especially likely at the time that he&amp;#39;d be the nominee. But the real test of a candidate is whether he will stick by an announced principle even when that&amp;#39;s against his own interest. Now Mr. Obama could become the first nominee since Watergate to run a campaign fueled entirely by private money.&amp;quot; (Editorial, &amp;quot;A Lapsed Principle,&amp;quot; The Washington Post, 4/14/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;APRIL 2008: Barack Obama Says &amp;quot;I Have Promised That I Will Sit Down With John McCain And Talk About Can We Preserve A Public System.&amp;quot; FOX NEWS&amp;#39; CHRIS WALLACE:&amp;quot; Wall Street Journal says that you are prepared to run the first privately financed campaign, presidential campaign, since Watergate. True?&amp;quot; OBAMA: Well, look. We&amp;#39;ve done a wonderful job raising money from the grassroots. I&amp;#39;m very proud of the fact that in March -- in February, for example, 90 percent of our donations came over the Internet. Our average donation is $96, and we&amp;#39;ve done an amazing job, I think, mobilizing people to finance our campaigns in small increments. I have promised that I will sit down with John McCain and talk about can we preserve a public system, as long as we are taking into account third party independent expenditures. Because what I don&amp;#39;t intend to do --&amp;quot; (Fox News&amp;#39; &amp;quot;Fox News Sunday,&amp;quot; 4/27/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· Barack Obama: &amp;quot;I Would Be Very Interested In Pursuing Public Financing...&amp;quot; &amp;quot;MR. WALLACE: &amp;quot;If you can get that agreement, you would go for a publicly financed campaign?&amp;quot; OBAMA: &amp;quot;What I don&amp;#39;t intend to do is to allow huge amounts of money to be spent by the RNC, the Republican National Committee, or by organizations like the Swift Boat organization, and just stand there without -- (cross talk).&amp;quot; WALLACE: &amp;quot;But if you get that agreement?&amp;quot; OBAMA: &amp;quot;I would be very interested in pursuing public financing, because I think not every candidate is going to be able to do what I&amp;#39;ve done in this campaign, and I think it&amp;#39;s important to think about future campaigns.&amp;quot; (Fox News&amp;#39; &amp;quot;Fox News Sunday,&amp;quot; 4/27/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;· Please Watch Barack Obama Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsOnmKK5j6Y &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2008: Barack Obama Tells The USA Today That He Would Pursue A Public Financing Agreement With John McCain. &amp;quot;On campaign finance. Obama said he&amp;#39;ll accept public financing for his campaign -- which would limit the amount of spending -- only if McCain agrees to curb spending by the Republican National Committee. &amp;#39;I won&amp;#39;t disarm unilaterally,&amp;#39; he said.&amp;quot; (Kathy Kiely, &amp;quot;Obama Reaching Out To The White Working Class,&amp;quot; USA Today, 6/6/08)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;JUNE 2008: Barack Obama Has Declined Public Financing In The General Election, Calling It A &amp;quot;Broken System.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;In a web video emailed to supporters, Obama asks his supporters to help him &amp;#39;declare our independence from a broken system.&amp;#39; Of course, it&amp;#39;s not so much a broken system that explains why he&amp;#39;s passing on the FEC&amp;#39;s $80+million. He will easily raise more than he could ever get in public funding.&amp;quot; (Jonathan Martin, &amp;quot;Obama Opts Out Of Public Financing,&amp;quot; The Politico&amp;#39;s &amp;quot;Jonathan Martin&amp;quot; Blog, www.politico.com, 6/19/08)&lt;/p&gt;
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            " title="A Timeline Of Reversal" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-15 00:00:00" link="http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/e893b49c-f354-4a76-9d42-56dead971805.htm" rowid="32319980" side="mcc" srcid="0" text="
                                                        
                                                            Additional Congressional Leaders Endorse John McCain For President
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
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ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain&amp;#39;s presidential campaign today announced new endorsements from members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

&amp;quot;John McCain is uniting our Party around conservative principles: strong national security, fiscal responsibility and traditional values,&amp;quot; said Congressman Phil Gingrey, M.D. (R-GA). &amp;quot;John McCain has the experience, character and courage we need in our next commander in chief. He&amp;#39;s the best candidate to cut taxes and spending and reform our health care system with free-market solutions. I am proud to support John McCain for president.&amp;quot;

John McCain thanked the House members for his support, stating, &amp;quot;I admire these fine public servants for their commitment to advancing conservative principles and their dedication to our nation and the people they represent. I look forward to working with them toward victory in November, and I am grateful for their support.&amp;qu