McCain Talks Education Reform at NAACP

As a Senator after Vietnam, I was so impressed with Dr. King’s work, that I voted against a MLK national holiday over and over. . . . . . every time that request hit the Senate floor.

I knew McCain would endorse Obama for President eventually…

McCain would endorse Obama for President of School, not the President of USA.

The theory of school vouchers sounds good, but I agree with the earlier poster in that the reality is that poor families (often in urban areas) are in no position to place their children in expensive private schools (often in the suburbs). A voucher for a portion of the tuition won’t help the families pay for the balance of the tuition. Further, if the students attend failing schools, they may not even be accepted at better-performing private schools because of their own performance levels. The answer is not to filter off a few students here and there to better-performing schools; the answer is to address the problems in the public schools so that something closer to education equity actually exists in the public school system. That was the initial intention of the public school system in this country. We should expect that of our public schools.

Mary – Well said. Add to that the fact that poor urban families have no way of transporting their children to suburban schools. The future of our children lies in rebuilding the public school system after years of neglect.

It does not bother me that McCain opposed the MLK holiday.
Kids should be in school on MLK day learning about Civil Rights but many just sit at home watching TV not giving a rat’s behind about MLK. Mandate a civil rights course in school, not another stinking day off that most parents do not get and have to scramble for child care.

I will give mccain credit for attenting the naacp award. I am a Obamacan and I don’t think that I would feel very comfortable at the Naacp. This org is not supose rep just one party , the stuggle was supose to be freedom to vote for who you please. I dont see this, just as travis smiley state of the black family I feel so much hostilaty from most of the black people that I would be just as afraid to attend the naacp. I was not suprised when jesse jackson said what he said. This how I see lots of black people who actually express them selves with such thoughts and language. however I do believe that a change has come where we can discuss our differences. I was afraid to tell anyone that I was republican because that year they addressed my issues. this year I am an Obamacan because he address my issues this year and I do have a right to change my mind or vote for my issues.

p:
we do not need your pessimism….
just be sure you vote!!

I think it’s great that this old guy with the mediocre intellect and the well-deserved reputation for a rash and hot temper spoke at the NAACP convention.
Did he explain why he wants soldiers to remain indentured servants and not get a college education?

IMHLAR – Can’t argue with that. It’s the same here in Texas. What I meant to say was that we need to invest to rebuild public EDUCATION – of which the schools are only one part. Get the parents involved and invested in their children’s education, throw out half of the administrative staff and employ more teachers, and get the government off the backs of the teachers. Easy to say – a lot harder to do.

OOPS – cut and paste error. let me try again.
David – of course no politician sends their kids to public schools. Politicians are the problem. In our collective insanity we keep going back to the source of the problem looking for a solution. Let’s take politicians, especially FEDERAL politicians, out of the equation and take back control of schools ourselves and fix the problem – one school at a time if necessary.

I am a McCain voter, but I dont agree with the voucher system. Yes, some people would put them to good use, but others would send their scummy children and the children would just be the same in a private school as they are in a public school. I for one did go to a public school, our school system was pretty good in comparision with those around it. I, however, am thinking when my children are old enough I want to put them in a private school…I would work 2 jobs if needed if thats what I felt was best for my child. My son right now shows signs of being gifted, but if not challenged he acts up. If he were in public school I know they woul recommend me drug him up b/c he was ADD. Thats whats wrong w/ the school systems, kids just are not being challenged enough. Also I must agree with the babsNJ about MLK day.

“McCain said he plans to spend $500-billion in federal money to build virtual schools and pledged to support the development of online courses for students.”
That would be $500 billion on top of $68 billion for the Department of Education, $7 billion for head start, and other billions for other equally harmful programs. John McCain wants to buy votes with your tax dollars. T’were ever thus.
There are three main factors in the academic success of young people: genes, parental guidance and example, and schools. Given quality in the first two, a child can benefit from good schools. Absent quality in the in the first two, no amount of money for schools will lead to academic success. Given the politically correct culture that prevents honest discussion of all three factors, and that also prevents recognition that not all children are going to qualify as rocket scientists, it is not likely that effective steps will be taken to better insure that all children reach their academic potential.
The Department of Education was established in 1867. For the first 100 years it was a relatively benign department. Then Lyndon Johnson’s war on poverty of the 1960s turned it into a mess. If the war on poverty had been a success instead of a miserable failure – like almost everything else congress does to pander to voters – we would not be wringing our hands today over the poor academic performance of some of today’s children.
There are two illustrative situations: (1) Communities with enlightened, intelligent and capable parents who support with their local taxes excellent community schools and guide and nurture their two children per family in preparation for attendance at those schools; and (2) Other communities. Since the 1960s, federal and state governments have tried to create equality of academic performance in the two communities, primarily by transfer of wealth, and secondarily by transfer of students. To no avail.
John McCain is at best pandering in pretending that $500 billion for federal schools would be an effective use of tax dollars.

geecee – the NRA, as currently constituted, may be crazy but they’re not racist. They are against ANYONE, regardless of race, creed, national origin, or sexual orientation, that opposes their unlimited gun ownership agenda. It’s sad really, the NRA was formed originally to promote shooting sports and gun safety. How they have drifted so far from their roots is a mystery. I have been trained and certified by the NRA in gun range safety (so I can supervise boy scout troops, etc.) and they perform that function well. However, I am not a member of the NRA and won’t ever be until the embrace sensible limits on gun ownership.

I don’t think that your kids have a “right” to my tax dollars to pay for their education. The world needs ditch diggers, too!

At least the man had the GUTS to speak to an AA crowd.
Unlike most of the coward repubs.
Way to go John!!!!

Tim…I don’t think Obama has enough experience (or accomplishments)to be president of a school. Obama = Jimmy Carter II.

This year, where was Obama? He missed the Travis Smiley’s event and MLK’s event. And, Obama wants to over shadow MLK’s ‘I have a dream’ day when his convention.

I believe Senator McCain’s voucher policy will be viewed favorably by many Americans. School vouchers have worked wherever they have been tried. This is particularly true when they have been implemented in the inner cities where the dysfunctional public schools have failed miserably. Despite the many challenges of educating inner city kids, charter schools have been successful. Access to vouchers will allow many more inner city kids the opportunity to attend these successful schools. Education is a key to unlocking the chains of poverty and providing everyone a chance at upward mobility. This is especially true in our changing economy where ‘knowledge jobs’ are expanding and good paying manufacturing jobs are contracting.

Didn’t McCain get his own education on the taxpayers’ dime at Annapolis? Why do Republicans always want to pull the ladder up on everyone else after they’ve climbed to their own success?

Chris…I’m a democrat and I kinda have to agree with you. I think that once they (both parties) hit a certain number of years in government they lose touch with what’s really going on. It’s human nature to kinda become complacent and with things after you’ve been immersed in a certain atmosphere for awhile. Not to mention that many of them are eligable for social security and honestly most seniors I know are of the mindset that they’ve raised their kids, given to their families, given to their communities and are trying to enjoy their golden years. I only say that to say that I can see how most career politicians can lapse easily into the Washington bubble.

to ryan: u and ur kind are the reason this country cannot see past color and look at the intelligence of this man u stupid ass.

I knew McCain would endorse Obama for President eventually…
Posted by: Jen | Jul 16, 2008 2:17:31 PM
_______________________________________
Classic!! that was a beauty,
Now all Barack has to do is put the final touches come November and that entails putting McCain in his rightful position under the BUS(*_)

Look at McCain’s history towards blacks.
The internet is filled with them. Do your own research and you will see McCain has a terrible history toward minorities. He will say one thing, but when it comes to voting, McCain has a long history against minorities.
McCain voted against MLK day.
In 2008, McCain voted against the equal pay for equal work bill.

think McCain should focus on research with all minorities. If our research scientist could make semen taste like chocolate;
Posted by: McCain in 08 i hope | Jul 16, 2008 5:40:45 PM
________________________________________
Wouldn’t you like to know , IS THAT YOU
REPUBLICAN SENATOR LARRY CRAIG.
I thought you would have learn your lesson.
.

McCain voted against the MLK holiday because of the cost of giving everyone a day off not the meaning. He went to the meeting to reach to the other side, be inclusive, which is what he does in the Senate to get good legislation for everyone. Obama has no record of bipartisanship. A lot of the times he doesn;t even vote on issues.

I’ll bet the old geezer probably got at least another 10 black votes today.
Posted by: pieceof cake | Jul 16, 2008 5:48:44 PM
—————————————
And those 10 blacks have to be making over 250.000 a year and dont want to pay the luxury tax, why else you would vote this clown.

Way to keep the topic on education folks.
From education to the taste of semen in less than 4 HOURS !!!!
….and everybody is soooo surprised to see our country going straight down the crapper…..GEESH

I hate it when white folks claim that black support of Obama is just racially motivated.
Blacks have a history of voting for white candidates (like they had a choice!) But whites simply don’t return the favor. How many black senators or governors do you see out there? We’ve only had TWO elected governors and THREE senators since Reconstruction (including Obama)!
All black members of Congress represent districts with large black populations (thanks to gerrymandering). White folks didn’t send them to Washington. That’s always been the career ceiling for black politians. Statewide offices are simply out of reach because they won’t get the white vote.
Without gerrymandered black voters, there would be NO blacks in Congress right now (save for the Obama accident).

During the planning for the Surge, Obama was one of those who said that not only will the Surge NOT WORK, the Surge will cause legions of terrorists to spring up and create even more chaos in Iraq. RESULTS – SURGE IS A MAJOR SUCCESS AND… MORE CHAOS DID NOT HAPPEN – JUST THE OPPOSITE! Good example of how unprepared Obama is in the field of foreign policy and national defense, AND…. one of the many reasons why recent polls show lopsided confidence for McCain over Obama in foreign policy and national defense.

temagami——–that is why the only way to stop the middle east violence once and for all is to nuke the whole area from israel to india from russia to south africa. there would that make the warmongers happy.

I will vote for McCain even if he has to be carried into the Oval Office with an O2 cart, and with paramedics and alzheimer’s specialist in tow. The alternative, Obama, is unthinkable. Unfortunately, as bad as some say the USA has it (which I really don’t buy – consider the Amish), the world situation , particularly in the middle-east, has to take top priority. Other issues ARE important, but don’t mean a damn thing if we cannot, nor will not protect ourselves. Obama just does not have the ability nor experience to perform those functions. Obama’s early prediction of the Surge failing and ensuing chaos in Iraq (just the opposite has occurred) clearly shows his complete lack of knowledge of foreign affairs and national defense

Tom – I didn’t post that inane drivel. Someone else used my name for their post!!!!!

Sorry, I meant MFMROS. Only a true loser uses someone else’s name to post their absurdities.

Temagami…I am with you..McCain will win the election…and we will never hear from the Obama supporters again with their nasty slurs against anyone who does not support their idol! Even more dems will vote for McCain simply because not only is Obama a flip flopper the dems in Congress have done nothing for 2 years and continue to deny supporting drilling in this country! Drilling in this country will make this country more self sufficient than it has ever been not to mention safer! McCain will also not raise our taxes so high we will bring home a paycheck that looks like a welfare check and suck the life out of our 401K’s!

Actually, according to pollsters, Obama needs to come out of the convention with at least a fifteen percent lead over McCain to be competitive, as Reps usually catch up by Fall. Not many see that happening and with Obama being way behind in the areas of national defense and foreign policy, Obama will have a tough road.

No substance??? Naive and inexperienced??? Janephilip and Atom, did you not listen to Senator Obama’s National Security speech yesterday? If he has no substance and is so naive, then why is the Bush Administration doing what Obama has advocated doing all along… talking with Iran? If Obama has no substance and is so naive, why is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff now advocating a draw-down of troops in Iraq to shift emphasis back to Afghanistan?
I look for Obama to have a double-digit lead, perhaps as much as the fifteen points you say he will need, Temagami, by the time he completes his visits to Iraq, Afghanistan and or “former” allies in Europe.

Obama is a stupid choice for president—he’s a crook and he can’t even talk without a teleprompter. There is no way he could handle a war correctly. Good thing is that he is going down in the polls and since he isn’t much ahead of McCain already, (polls are almost always bias in demmy favor), November is looking real bad for him. Republicans tend to do better than demmies as the election nears.

Oh geez, do I have to spoon fed the Obama nuts—–not only appease terrorists but Obama personal ties repeatedly show sympathies for and leave his loyalities in question.
Obama aide wants
Foreign adviser’s ‘anti-Israel policies,’
——————————————————————————–
Posted: January 29, 2008
1:00 am Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2008 WorldNetDaily.com
Robert Malley
JERUSALEM – While officials here largely maintain a policy against interfering in U.S. election politics, some Israeli security officials quietly expressed “concern” about an adviser to Sen. Barack Obama who has advocated negotiations with Hamas and providing international assistance to the terrorist group.
The officials noted Robert Malley, a principal Obama foreign policy adviser, has penned numerous opinion articles, many of them co-written with a former adviser to the late Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, petitioning for dialogue with Hamas and blasting Israel for numerous policies he says harm the Palestinian cause.
Malley also previously penned a well-circulated New York Review of Books piece largely blaming Israel for the collapse of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations at Camp David in 2000 when Arafat turned down a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and eastern sections of Jerusalem and instead returned to the Middle East to launch an intifada, or terrorist campaign, against the Jewish state.
Malley’s contentions have been strongly refuted by key participants at Camp David, including President Bill Clinton, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and primary U.S. envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross, all of whom squarely blamed Arafat’s refusal to make peace for the talks’ failure.
(Story continues below)
“We are noting with concern some of Obama’s picks as advisers, particularly Robert Malley who has expressed sympathy to Hamas and Hezbollah and offered accounts of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that don’t jibe with the facts,” said one security official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official stated he was not authorized to talk to the media about U.S. politics, noting Israeli officials are instructed to “stay out” of American political affairs.
In February 2006, after Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament and amid a U.S. and Israeli attempt to isolate the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority, Malley wrote an op-ed for the Baltimore Sun advocating international aid to the terror group’s newly formed government.
“The Islamists (Hamas) ran on a campaign of effective government and promised to improve Palestinians’ lives; they cannot do that if the international community turns its back,” wrote Malley in a piece entitled, “Making the Best of Hamas’ Victory.”
Malley contended the election of Hamas expressed Palestinian “anger at years of humiliation and loss of self-respect because of Israeli settlement expansion, Arafat’s imprisonment, Israel’s incursions, Western lecturing and, most recently and tellingly, the threat of an aid cut off in the event of an Islamist success.”
Malley said the U.S. should not “discourage third-party unofficial contacts with [Hamas] in an attempt to moderate it.”
Hamas is responsible for scores of deadly shootings, suicide bombings and rocket attacks aimed at Jewish civilian population centers. The past few weeks alone, Hamas militants took credit for firing more than 200 rockets into Israel.
Hamas’ official charter calls for the murder of Jews and destruction of Israel.
Hamas maintained a national unity government with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas until the Palestinian leader dissolved the agreement and deposed the Hamas prime minister last year.
In an op-ed in the Washington Post two weeks ago coauthored by Arafat adviser Hussein Agha, Malley – using could be perceived as anti-Israel language – urged Israel’s negotiating partner Abbas to reunite with Hamas.
“A renewed national compact and the return of Hamas to the political fold would upset Israel’s strategy of perpetuating Palestinian geographic and political division,” wrote Malley.
He further petitioned Israel to hold talks with Hamas.
“An arrangement between Israel and Hamas could advance both sides’ interests,” wrote Malley.
In numerous other op-eds, Malley advocates a policy of engagement with Hamas.
After the breakdown of the Camp David talks, Malley wrote a lengthy New York Times piece that mostly blamed Israel and the U.S. for the breakdown of the negotiations.
Malley was a special assistant to Clinton for Arab-Israeli affairs and was a member of the U.S. peace team during the Camp David negotiations. He currently serves as director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the International Crisis Group, which is partially funded by billionaire and Obama campaign contributor George Soros, who also serves on the board of the Crisis Group.
Ed Lasky, a contributor to the American Thinker blog, calls Malley a “[Palestinian] propagandist” who, he charged, bends “the truth to serve an agenda that is marked by anti-Israel bias. … Malley’s writings strike me as being akin to propaganda.”
Lasky points out Malley’s father, Simon Malley, was a personal friend of Arafat and wrote in support of numerous struggles against Western countries. Simon Malley founded Afrique Asie, a French magazine that was known for its advocacy for “liberation” struggles throughout the world, including the Palestinian cause.
Daniel Pipes, director of the Middle East Forum, called Simon Malley a “sympathizer” of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which, headed by Arafat, carried out numerous terror attacks.
“[Robert] Malley has seemingly followed in his father’s footsteps: He represents the next generation of anti-Israel activism,” wrote Lasky.
Obama spiritual adviser also anti-Israel?
Obama the past few days has taken note of his growing negative image within the pro-Israel and Jewish activist community, reaching out yesterday to a coalition of Jewish and Israeli newspapers.
Obama told Israel’s Haaretz daily there is a “constant virulent campaign” being waged against him, aimed particularly at weakening support among Democrat voters within the Jewish community.
Obama said “false” e-mail campaigns calling him Muslim and accusing him of not pledging allegiance to the U.S. have been especially visible in the Jewish community.
The presidential hopeful urged Haaretz and U.S. Jewish newspapers to use their “megaphone” so people can hear “from the horse’s mouth” that anti-Israel accusations against him are “unfounded.”
Mass e-mail distributions have pointed out Obama’s spiritual adviser, Jeremiah Wright Jr. of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, recently presented Nation of Islam founder Louis Farrakhan with a “Lifetime Achievement” award. Farrakhan has expressed consistent anti-Israel views.
Wright, who reportedly married Obama and baptized his daughters, has called for divestment from Israel and refers to Israel as a “racist” state.”
Obama called Wright’s heralding of Farrahkan a “mistake” but has not spoken out against Wright’s views regarding Israel.
Jerusalem Post columnist Caroline Glick noted in a column last week, “Obama has taken no steps to moderate his church’s anti-Israel invective. Obama’s affiliation with Wright aligns with his choice of financial backers and foreign policy advisers. To varying degrees, all of them exhibit hostility towards Israel and support for appeasing jihadists.”
To interview Aaron Klein, contact M. Sliwa Public Relations by e-mail, or call 973-272-2861.

Oh about Obama’s friend Ayers…..
The Pennsylvania Democratic debate took a few nasty turns last night, as moderator George Stephanopoulos sought to inject a new figure from Obama’s Chicago life — William Ayers — into the national discourse. Before the debate, few voters were aware of Williams Ayers, much less the nature of his connections to the the Illinois senator.
The Associated Press reports on Ayers in the debate:
Clinton said she was concerned about Obama’s association with Ayers, a former member of the Weather Underground who Clinton pointed out said in an interview published on Sept. 11, 2001, that he didn’t regret bombing government buildings. Obama quickly responded that Clinton’s husband pardoned one member of Weather Underground and commuted the sentence of another.
“Look, there is no doubt that the Republicans will attack either of us,” Obama said. “What I’ve been able to display during the course of this primary is that I can take a punch. I’ve taken some pretty good ones from Senator Clinton.”
The New York Times has a rundown on William Ayer’s controversial past, as well as his loose ties with Barack Obama:
Mr. Ayers is listed as a member of the nine-member board of the Woods Fund of Chicago, an offshoot of the Woods Charitable Fund, founded in 1941 by a prominent lawyer and telephone company executive. According to the fund’s Web site, it has focused in recent years on “issues that affected the area’s least advantaged, including welfare reform, affordable housing” and “tax policy as a tool in reducing poverty.”
For a time, Mr. Obama was on the board with Mr. Ayers, though he no longer has a formal association with the group. At the debate, he described Mr. Ayers as “a guy who lives in my neighborhood,” but “not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.” Mr. Obama said he was being unjustly linked to “somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old.”
The Washington Post also points out that Ayers contributed $200 to Obama’s state senate reelection campaign in 2001.
Politico, who first covered the relationship into this year, reports that Obama visited the household of the Ayers in Chicago early in his political career:
In 1995, State Senator Alice Palmer introduced her chosen successor, Barack Obama, to a few of the district’s influential liberals at the home of two well known figures on the local left: William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn….
“I can remember being one of a small group of people who came to Bill Ayers’ house to learn that Alice Palmer was stepping down from the senate and running for Congress,” said Dr. Quentin Young, a prominent Chicago physician and advocate for single-payer health care, of the informal gathering at the home of Ayers and his wife, Dohrn. “[Palmer] identified [Obama] as her successor.”
As Lynn Sweet points out, Obama’s seemingly scant relationship with Ayers has been a favorite story of Fox News:
Ayers is a noted education specialist at the University of Illinois at Chicago. But to Fox News — which has relentlessly been playing up Obama’s associations with Ayers — Ayers is an unrepentant terrorist. Obama made it seem like he barely knew him, though they both served on Chicago’s Woods Fund board.
Indeed, some have pointed out that Stephanopoulos’ question in the debate sounded eerily similar to a conversation between him and Fox anchor Sean Hannity held the day before the debate. From Hannity’s radio show (via Think Progress):
HANNITY: There are two questions that I don’t think anybody has asked Barack Obama, and I don’t know if this is going to be on your list tomorrow. One is – the only time he’s ever been asked about his association with Bill Ayers, the unrepentant terrorist from the Weather Underground who on 9/11 of all days in the New York Times was saying “I don’t regret setting bombs. I don’t think we did enough.” When asked about it by the Politico, David Axelrod said that they have a friendly relationship, and that they had done a number of speeches together and that they sat on a board together. Is that a question you might ask?
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, I’m taking notes right now.
And Talking Points Memo has a clip from Fox News falsely claims that Ayers was Obama’s mentor:
Still, the connection is troubling, if only for reasons of perception, to at least some progressives. HuffPost blogger Larry Johnson suggested in February that, “William Ayers, in the age of terrorism, will be Barack Obama’s Willie Horton.”
What makes Ayers so toxic is his own written record equating U.S. Marines with terrorists. Look at the beating that John Kerry took for tossing his medals over the White House fence. Ayers did not toss medals, he threw bombs. Real ones. Bombs that exploded.

THE MAIN REASON OBAMA HAS NOT GONE TO VISIT THE TROOPS IN IRAQ HAS BEEN TO AVOID ADMITTING THAT THE SURGE HAS WORKED….. AND HAS WORKED WELL! CONSIDERING THAT OBAMA DID PREDICT THE SURGE WOULD FAIL AND CAUSE MORE CHAOS IN IRAQ…… MAKES OBAMA LOOK PRETTY SILLY AND INEXPERIENCED….. WHICH HE IS.

Makinaw Jack Maybe you should get out of your neighborhood more…People around the world sometimes know more about history and people of US history than someone who grew up in the USA. Shame on us…………I do not believe that vouchers are the answer….I know of elicited sex and drug deals going on at a very exclusive private school in my area. But, do you think the admin at that school is goin to call the police or have a conference with the students parents and tell daddy and mommie to “tell their $on$ and Daughter$ Plea$e don’t have $ex at or $ell Drug$ at our $chool and plea$e $end next month$ tu$i$ion check on time”……$incerely your$…. $chool $ecurity Office

I think Martin Luther King would take one look at Obama and decide that he was part of the problem, not part of the solution. Obama wants your vote on the basis of the color of his skin (not by the color of the skin of the people who raised him), and definitely not by the quality of his ideas.
Have any of you Obamatoids listened to MLK’s speeches and understood them?

NoCrossNoCrown: I love that “McSame”, especially since in the article McCain is promoting a completely new national idea for education and Obama “would “fix and fund No Child Left Behind”. There’s a new idea. Also, judging by your signature you are a Christian – judging by your bitterness and name calling, you arent’.
BTW – just when we thought the approval rating for Congress couldn’t get any lower, the Democrats took over. Well shoot, why don’t we elect a Democrat for President – that ought to fix it. Yeah, right. Why don’t you all start paying attention to what the candidates are really saying. It’s like Ann said, if Democrats had brains, they’d be Republicans.