12.20.2004
Maverick McCain Is at It Again (WashingtonPost.com)
Stands at Odds With Bush Revive Talk of Presidential Bid
By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 20, 2004; Page A11
John McCain is back.
In the six weeks since the end of a campaign in which he wholeheartedly promoted President Bush's reelection, the Republican senator from Arizona has wasted no time reasserting his independence from the White House.
Just two weeks after the election, he renewed his opposition to Bush's policy on global warming and urged action against greenhouse gases. He went to Europe and promoted a harder line against Russian President Vladimir Putin than the administration has voiced, and he returned home to take a harder line against steroid use in baseball than the administration had done.
Then, last week, he took aim at Donald H. Rumsfeld, saying he had "no confidence" in Bush's defense secretary. "There are very strong differences of opinion between myself and Secretary Rumsfeld" on U.S. troop strength in Iraq, he said.
The highly visible stands by McCain have revived speculation that he will seek the White House for a second time in 2008. Aides say that McCain has merely been repeating long-held positions and that a decision on a presidential run probably will not be made for two years.
(More ... Maverick McCain Is at It Again (washingtonpost.com)) ¶ 22:27
By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 20, 2004; Page A11
John McCain is back.
In the six weeks since the end of a campaign in which he wholeheartedly promoted President Bush's reelection, the Republican senator from Arizona has wasted no time reasserting his independence from the White House.
Just two weeks after the election, he renewed his opposition to Bush's policy on global warming and urged action against greenhouse gases. He went to Europe and promoted a harder line against Russian President Vladimir Putin than the administration has voiced, and he returned home to take a harder line against steroid use in baseball than the administration had done.
Then, last week, he took aim at Donald H. Rumsfeld, saying he had "no confidence" in Bush's defense secretary. "There are very strong differences of opinion between myself and Secretary Rumsfeld" on U.S. troop strength in Iraq, he said.
The highly visible stands by McCain have revived speculation that he will seek the White House for a second time in 2008. Aides say that McCain has merely been repeating long-held positions and that a decision on a presidential run probably will not be made for two years.
(More ... Maverick McCain Is at It Again (washingtonpost.com)) ¶ 22:27
