John H.W. McCain

1988:  “Read my lips:  no new taxes.”  -George H.W. Bush, Republican National Convention on the eve of his nomination

20 years later:  “No new taxes.”  -Senator John McCain, 2008 Republican presidential candidate

Houston, TX, 2008:  “I’m very proud to endorse John McCain for the presidency of the United States of America.” -George H.W. Bush, former U.S president who broke his promise and raised taxes to offset the deficit

It has to be awkward to lose to your endorser’s son in the 2000 primary, vote against his tax cuts, and then scramble to assure skeptical conservative voters that you want to make them permanent now.  You know, those tax cuts — the ones that increased the income of America’s millionaires by 10.1% (that’s pocketing an extra $78,460 annually) while the poorest 20% of American households saw an extra $250 a year (bus fare) and the middle class picked up the rest of the tab.

Let’s hope he pulls another ‘41’ and breaks his promise to the richest 1%.  Otherwise, all this talk of being a maverick can finally be put to rest.