McCain addresses sheriff's association
Posted: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 12:49 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ’s Adam Aigner-Treworgy
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --
McCain addressed the National Sheriff's Association in here this morning and spoke on a few major themes. For those CHIPS fans out there, Eric Estrada was in attendance and afterward admitted he was endorsing McCain for president.
VIDEO: NBC's Pete Williams explains U.S. Supreme Court rulings striking down the death penalty in child rape cases and cutting the payment to Exxon Valdez victims.
Now onto real news… McCain addressed the recent Supreme Court decision on the death penalty for child rapists, commending
Obama's statements against the decision, but saying that such decisions would be common in an Obama court.
McCain also addressed the need for the federal government to make more of the Federal Communications Commission’s spare radio spectrum available for law enforcement use, saying he would try to limit the amount of the spectrum that the FCC would be allowed to auction off.
He also addressed immigration, saying the federal government needed to relieve the burden of border security from the sheriffs and expand the Criminal Alien Program to address illegal aliens who reside in prisons.
Lastly, he addressed the need to work harder to rehabilitate criminals once they are released to prevent recidivism and said his administration would offer strong support to community groups who focus their efforts on convict rehabilitation.
On Obama and Supreme Court nominees. "It's a peculiar kind of moral evolution that disregards the democratic process, and inures solely to the benefit of child rapists. It was such a jarring decision from the Court that my opponent, Senator Obama, immediately and to his credit expressed his disagreement. I'd like to think this signals a change of heart on his part about his votes against the confirmation of two of the four dissenters in the case, Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts. Two of the finest individuals ever appointed to the United States Supreme Court. More to the point, why is it that the majority includes the same justices he usually holds out as the models for future nominations? My opponent may not care for this particular decision, but it was exactly the kind of opinion we could expect from an Obama Court."
On the Supreme Court child rapist decision. "We saw such presumption again just last week in a serious matter before the United States Supreme Court. In the considered judgment of the people of Louisiana and their elected representatives, the violent rape of a small child is a capital offense. There is nothing in our Constitution to contradict that view. But five justices decided in the people's judgment didn't take into account ‘evolving standards of decency’ -- whatever that means -- and so they substituted their judgment for that of the people of Louisiana, their legislators, their governor, the trial judge, the jury, the appellate judge, and the other four members of the United States Supreme Court."
On the need to expand radio spectrum for emergency use. "So that police, fire-fighters, and other public safety agencies can freely communicate with one another, we will build a long overdue national, inoperable public safety broadband network. You and all your colleagues in law enforcement need seamless communication across every agency and jurisdiction for emergency response. For more than a decade now, I have tried to persuade the Congress to provide dedicated radio spectrum and funding for communications equipment to local, state, and federal law enforcement officers."
On rehabbing ex-convicts. "Ex-convicts need more than a few bucks and a bus ticket out of town. Many will need job training, a place to live, mentors, family counseling, and much more. Beyond government, there are churches and community groups all across our country that stand ready to help even more. And these groups will have the committed support of my administration."
*** UPDATE *** The DNC called McCain's speech "a staggering display of hypocrisy and double talk today. After decades of voting against effective and responsible efforts to keep our communities safe, put more police officers on our streets and provide law enforcement agencies the resources they need to fight crime, Senator McCain tried to claim credit for the very programs he repeatedly opposed. Now, his plan to pay for an extension of the Bush tax cuts he once opposed by eliminating every single earmark threatens to further starve law enforcement agencies of the resources they need to do their jobs. The last thing the American people need is four more years of out of touch Republican leaders who talk tough on crime but put protecting their special interest friends ahead of keeping our communities safe.”
