North Carolinians have an opportunity during this election to help change the course of this country.

While Barack Obama offers historic, responsive and responsible change, Republicans offer more of the McSame.

John McCain has voted with President Bush 95 percent of the time and promises to continue the failed policies that have gotten us high gas prices, high food prices and no clear path to ending the war in Iraq.

How can McCain offer North Carolinians a better future when he’s spent the primary season recycling George Bush’s failed economic agenda and bragging about his willingness to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years?

MCCAIN’S RECORD VS. MCCAIN’S RHETORIC

MCCAIN: "This is, indeed, a change election. No matter who wins this election, the direction of this country is going to change dramatically."

REALITY: McCain voted with President Bush 95 percent of the time in 2007. According to Congressional Quarterly, He also has a record of heartily supporting Bush on some of his most controversial priorities, including the Iraq war and comprehensive immigration reform. In 2007, as he ramped up for his second White House run, McCain voted with Bush 95 percent of the time, according to Congressional Quarterly, which tallied votes McCain was present for on issues in which the administration took a position." [Arizona Republic, 4/6/08] McCain had the highest rate of support in the entire U.S. Senate. [Congressional Quarterly, 1/13/2008]

REALITY: John McCain is promising to take the Bush tax cuts to reckless new extremes. McCain's Own Tax Cuts Would Double Cost of Extending Bush Tax Cut. The New York Times noted, "The McCain campaign put the cost of his tax cuts at roughly $200 billion a year, but its estimate did not include the cost of making the Bush tax cuts permanent, which would more than double that figure." [New York Times, 4/16/08]

REALITY: John McCain is willing to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years, Long Term American Presence In Iraq Analogous To South Korea. At a New Hampshire town hall when McCain was asked "President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years." McCain responded: "Maybe 100" and "that would be fine with me." McCain explained his 100 year remark by drawing an analogy to the long-term American presence in South Korea: "We've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That'd be fine with me as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed." [McCain Town Hall, Derry NH Opera House, 1/3/2008; New York Times, "The Caucus," 1/11/2008]

MCCAIN WAS SILENT WHILE WAR WAS FAILING

McCain: I disagreed strongly with the Bush administration's mismanagement of the war in Iraq. I called for the change in strategy that is now, at last, succeeding where the previous strategy had failed miserably.

FACT: McCain Was Late To Criticize War.

McCain: "No One Has Supported President Bush on Iraq More Than I Have." During an March 2008 interview on The Mike Gallagher Show, McCain stated, "no one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have." [Think Progress blog, 4/2/08]

McCain in 2003: "I Have No Qualms About Our Strategic Plans" in Iraq. "I have no qualms about our strategic plans. I thought we were very successful in Afghanistan," McCain told the Hartford Courant in March 2003, just prior to the Iraq invasion. [Hartford Courant, 3/5/03]

MCCAIN HELPED BUSH BALLOON THE DEFICIT

McCain: [Bush] and I have not seen eye to eye on many issues..

McCain Voted for Four of Five Bush-Republican Budget Resolutions Totaling $9.8 Million

McCain Voted for 4 of 5 Bush Budgets Adding to $9.8 Trillion in Spending. McCain supported four of the five Bush budgets that the Senate voted on from 2001-2006.

2001: H. Con. Res. 83: $1.95 Trillion [2001 Senate Vote #98]

2002: McCain Voted to Table [2002 Senate Vote #134]

2003: McCain Voted No [H.Con.Res. 95; 2003 Senate Vote #134]

2004: S. Con. Res 95: $2.45 Trillion [2004 Senate Vote #58]

2005: H.Con.Res. 95: $2.6 Trillion [2005 Senate Vote #114]

2006: S.Con.Res. 83: $2.8 Trillion [2006 Senate Vote #74]