It's not even on the ballot yet, but McCain and Obama have positions

It isn't often that an issue involving a specific state takes center stage during a presidential campaign -- particularly if the matter isn't even officially before the voters yet.

But an effort in Arizona to prohibit state and local governments from considering race, ethnicity, color, gender or national origin in matters involving public employment, public education or public contracting was among the topics discussed by both John McCain and Barack Obama on Sunday.

The Arizona ballot initiative is the brainchild of Ward Connerly, the former UC regent who was behind a similar proposal in California more than a decade ago. His Proposition 209, approved in 1996 with 54% of the vote, amended the state constitution to prohibit public institutions from applying preferences based on race, gender or ethnicity.

He sponsored similar successful drives in Washington (1998) and Michigan (2006).

Now Connerly is taking his cause around the country, targeting Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska this year (efforts failed in Missouri and Oklahoma).

On Thursday, supporters delivered petitions containing about 100,000 more names than needed to the Arizona secretary of state's office, which now must verify the validity of each signature to determine if the initiative will make it on the November ballot.

Appearing Sunday on ABC's "This Week," McCain was asked specifically ....

...whether he supported his home state's ballot initiative, which host George Stephanopoulos said would "do away with affirmative action."

"Yes, I do," McCain replied. He noted that he had not seen the details of the proposal, then added: "But I've always opposed quotas."

(When asked on CNN's "Late Edition" about the Connerly initiative in Colorado, he was less certain of his position. "I’m not familiar with the referendum. It’s hard for me to say," he told host Wolf Blitzer, again adding that he has always opposed quotas.)

The Associated Press quickly noted that in 1998, when the issue was before voters in the state of Washington, McCain criticized such anti-affirmative-action proposals, telling an audience of Latino business leaders: "Rather than engage in divisive ballot initiatives, we must have a dialogue and cooperation and mutual efforts together to provide for every child in America to fulfill their expectations." 

On Sunday, campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds issued a statement to the AP noting that McCain has always opposed hiring quotas based on race. “He believes that regardless of race, ethnicity or gender, the law should be equally applied,” Bounds said.

Addressing the Unity '08 conference of minority journalists, Obama said Sunday that he was "disappointed" that McCain had "flipped and changed his position." (What, no flopping?)

"I think in the past he had been opposed to these kinds of Ward Connerly referenda or initiatives as divisive, and I think he's right," Obama said.  "You know, the truth of the matter is, these are not designed to solve a big problem, but they're all too often designed to drive a wedge between people."

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Photo: Ward Connerly. Credit: Associated Press

Comments

[s4200]

McCain - Please wake up and reject the ideas of the bigotted Ward Connerly, also distance yourself from the Rush Limbaughs, Sean Hannities, and other smooth extremists to prevent an Obama victory.

Do not even consider an Eric Cantor VP, but ally yourself with a George Mitchell, or John Rockefeller or any moderate Democratic man or woman, even why not courting Hillary Clinton?

[Jeff S]

Kudos to the maverick from Arizona. Preferences for one race or sex over another is wrong, regardless of which race or gender you're talking about. Quotas are also wrong. It's already unconstitutional (14th Amendment) so this law should really be unnecessary, but since some die-hards don't understand, I guess we need to pass this law to get rid of such preferences.

[jesse]

Future journalists shall ask tough Questions:

McCain hinted recently that youth is an important consideration as he considers a running mate. In Albuquerque, a 9-year-old reporter from the youth publication Scholastic Kids asked McCain what qualities he was looking for in a vice president. McCain said, "Someone exactly like you, young, vigorous and talented." The Kid then asked, “Could presidency be a retirement vocation?” McCain answered, “I am blessed and honored to be running to be a President at this stage in my life.”

[Harold Reimann]

Thank God there is no affirmative action for the job of prophet. Bet the coming Elijah III is not a black or a mexican.

[jesse]

Future journalists shall ask tough Questions:

McCain hinted recently that youth is an important
consideration as he considers a running mate. In Albuquerque, a 9-year-old reporter from the youth publication Scholastic Kids asked McCain what qualities he was looking for in a vice president. McCain said, "Someone exactly like you, young, vigorous and talented." The Kid then asked, “Could presidency be a retirement vocation?” McCain answered, “I am blessed and honored to be running for President at this stage in my life.”

[Sharon]

I had posted comments regarding McCain changed position as a response to earlier articles I had seen. At that time news had not posted new position was a
change from past positions. McCain realizes. John McCain did change stance. He and his campaign claimed he has always been against affirmative actions. Whoops got caught.

News Media finally you are vetting what he says!! I congratulate you.

John McCain does this changing all the time. He is also notorious for gaffes. He attacks even when he has done exact same thing. This past week all we heard were attacks, complaints, and criticism. And he forgets things. I am not impressed. I have caught one too many lies.

I realize politics can be dirty. We all just need to make sure info each candidate states is actually true. Thank goodness voters now have info and records so readily available.

HISTORY JOHN MCCAIN - NOT IN RELEASED NEWS MEDIA DOCUMENTARY
John McCain is one of the Keating Five. He was very lucky he escaped prosecution. But yes, he IS still one of this dishonest group. Do research this. I am very leary of his well known and displayed hot temper. He has had verified and witnessed physical and verbal big altercations with fellow senators. His womanizing habits even while married make me question his ethics and honesty values. He claims to have high family values. Not so. He got rid of his first beautiful wife because she was in an auto accident - crippled, and disfigured while he was a prisoner of war. When he returned home he started his extramarital womanizing habits all over again. Ronald and Nancy Reagan and Ross Perot were quite upset about this. First wife was a real nice person. Ross Perot had paid McCain's wife's medical bills. . Eventually he met Cindy McCain and married her once divorced. But in 2000 while campaigning he was at it again- this time purportedly cheating on Cindy. He also got very angry at one of his wives at some campaign or Senate function -speaking very angry to her and called her a "c---t" - verified and witness names. All of this amounts to a gentleman that has over his lifetime displayed unbecoming and questionable dishonest personal and professional actions.

I totally commend John McCain and respect him highly for serving our country. His actual service record is not good though. As a prisoner of was, he did well. As a prisoner of war I do respect what he did for our country. I do not respect his actual personal service record prior to capture though. He was always bucking the system and living on the edge making unwise decisions. Crashed 3-4 aircraft. But he did serve our country.

I am registered Republican, but am embarrassed to say I am Republican. I most defintely can not vote for a man who has revealed exactly who he is time and time again.
Words are cheap. Actions reveal who that person really is. Actions have revealed this man can not be trusted. And therefore his words can not be trusted. Words have no meaning.

I am voting Barack Obama. FYI - I am a white, retired, educated female.

[Luke Gilmore]

During World War ll and Korea many African-Americans served valiantly as pilots in the armed forces. When they applied to be airline pilots after their service none (0 ) of them were hired although many of them had far superior qualifications to the "whites" that the airlines wanted in the pilot seats.

Discrimination has been the rule in America for hundreds of years. Yet when the government tries to address this, it is called reverse discrimination. I believe that affirmative action programs work when they are properly employed. We need people of all races in leadership positions, and the only way to obtain this is to offer opportunities for all. Senator Obama wants affirmative action programs available for people of all races- including white people who have been deprived of proper education because of their economic position in society. This should not be a racial problem. It should be insurance that no segment of our society is excluded from the opportunity that America has always offered most of us.

Viet-Nam Veteran
United Stated Air Force 1963-1968
Captain, Trans World Airlines, Retired.

[AJ]

Senator John McCain is the biggest FLIP-FLOPPER of all presidential candidates that this nation has ever produced. I mean, this man doesn't stand for anything any longer. I used to respect him for his so called "Straight-Talk" but we've come to find out that it's all a farce. This man is nothing but a big cameleon. He's willing to say and do anything to become a president. Too bad John McCain, not in our lifetime. The American people are smarter than you think they are.

[hinnis]

McCain is correct. Depriving opportunities to more qualified individuals merely because of the race is patently unfair and unproductive. I have three children, and I know that I don't want their opportunities limited because they happen to be the wrong color. Discrimination is wrong, period.

[Kris]

Let's just say that John McCain has multiple personalities which influence the positions he takes on issues. Depending on the day of the week and postion of the stars, you're guaranteed to get a different John McCain from the one you thought you know. Could post traumatic disorder he suffered from captivity has something to do with it or is he just another polictician trying hard to win the presidency? It's amazing how Republican voters could have chosen this man as their presidential candidate.

[David B]

I honest-to-god, seriously and strongly cannot understand why anyone would vote for a republican anytime in the near future.--Other than money.

John McCain is in the position to be the Republican Nominee because he WAS the anti-establishment Republican. He WAS the Republican that got smeared by the Bush machine and would surely buck the Republican machine that so disgraced and dishonored him in 2000. He WAS the man who was tortured by a treacherous regime, who surely would respect the rights of enemy combatants because he knows the futility of doing so.

However, Senator McCain has, since the nomination, laid down to bed with the dubious Sean Hannity's and Rush Limbaughs and the general Fox News' and most prominently Bush's that previously assailed him on all fronts.

He does not appear to be the same person, and though I respect his person sacrifice for my liberties. He has lost my consideration for any vote. He surely will continue the destructive policies that have and will lead to untold future harm to our nation.

In closing, I dont give a damn who or what or why or how a Republican is running for President. I cannot in good conscience vote for him.

No matter how much money in tax cuts they may bring me.

[Graniteman]

Isn't it time for us to go beyond racial preferences in hiring, college admissions, etc.? Why should the children of Afro-American lawyers or investment bankers receive preferential treatment? Do we even know who is a "minority person" anymore? Barack Obama himself is multiracial. How do we identify a minority person? Can someone declare himself to be a member of a minority group just so they can collect preferential treatment? What this country needs is affirmative action for all people in lower-income households regardless of skin color or ethnic ancestry.

[12344321]

Affirmative Action with no methodology? No top corporations or top schools are up front about the methodology for Affirmative Action but without quotas the method for diverse representation could be worse. It is no surprise, candidates don't have a method for Affirmative Action. No one has said that making equality is flawlessly fair and no one is really talking about how they currently do it. Without quotas, are we left with good intentions or a non-mathematical bias?

[abby0802]

McCain doesn't have a clue about life in America, does he?

As a middle-aged white female, I have encountered discrimination from almost day one.

In high school, I was forced to take Home Economics as an elective although I wanted to take Shop and already knew how to handle tools and even knew how to reload ammo as well as work on cars. I was told by my male high school counselor not to take the SAT because I wasn't "college material." (Ah, the satisfaction of seeing him years later to let him know I had a master's degree!)

I have faced discrimination at work where men were paid more to do the same job I was doing, and I even had to train those men! I can't even count how many times I couldn't get a promotion because I was a female. I have been "hit on" at work by men who thought that the work place was a great place to pick up women.

I have been called "darling, dear, sweetie," etc. rather than by my name.

I have had mechanics tried to take advantage of me (not knowing that my father was a mechanic and that I knew about more about cars than some of them did).

No one who has ever faced discrimination of any type knows that discrimination causes so much damage to not only individuals but also our entire country.

McCain cannot and will not understand because:

(a) he was born into privilege (his father was an admiral) and never had to worry about paying for college or the cost of living;

(b) he is wealthy (courtesy of his second wife with whom he had an affair before dumping his first wife) and doesn't ever have to worry about the cost of anything at any time.

I am soooo tired of rich, white men running this country!!

Go Obama!!!