McCain's Anti-Civil Rights Past Haunts Him on Anniversary of 1968 Act

On Heels of MLK Jr. Rejection, Vote Against 1990 Civil Rights Act Under Fire

For Immediate Release: April 11, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Forty years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed the 1968 Civil Rights Act. Two decades later, John McCain - who visits President Johnson's home state of Texas today - was the deciding vote that upheld President George H. W. Bush's veto of the 1990 Civil Rights Act.

The bill - the first major civil rights legislation to be defeated in the last century - would have expanded the reach of several discrimination laws that had been controversially narrowed or overturned by the Supreme Court. Yet John McCain won't apologize for standing in the way of the Civil Rights Movement.

Both houses of Congress considered the Supreme Court reversals unjust, and passed bills that would have restored the old laws. The Bush administration complained that this move would force employers into hiring quotas, a charge that the New York Times denounced in an editorial as unjustified.

Now the assumed Republican nominee for President, McCain this week stuck to that old lie, saying on Fox News Sunday: "The issue in the early '90s was a little more complicated. I've never believed in quotas, and I don't. There's no doubt about my view on that issue. And that was the implication, at least, of that other vote." [Fox News Sunday, 4/6/08, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,347033,00.html ]

Opponents of the legislation admitted McCain's claim was dubious. "This act is simply not a quota bill," admitted Thomas Homburger of the Anti-Defamation League. [Washington Post, 10/23/90]

Aided by McCain, Bush was the first president to veto a civil rights measure, despite the resistance of both majorities in Congress, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and senior African American officials.

"John McCain fought against a holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and cast the deciding vote against the 1990 Civil Rights Act," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski said. "Like the current President, McCain distorts the truth, blaming 'quotas' for his anti-civil rights vote even though the bill didn't create quotas. Americans must aspire to move past our differences, but McCain would offer nothing more than a third Bush term and further divide our country."

JOHN MCCAIN & THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

McCain Voted Against Civil Rights Act of 1990 -- Which Failed By One Vote. McCain voted to uphold President Bush's veto of the 1990 Civil Rights Act. The veto override fell one vote short of the necessary 67 votes, and thus the legislation died -- the first major civil rights bill to be defeated in the last quarter century. It would have expanded the reach of several discrimination laws that had been narrowed or overturned by the Supreme Court, as well as authorizing monetary damages under title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prevents employment discrimination. McCain had also twice previously voted against the conference report version of the bill. [1990 Senate Vote #276, 10/16/1990; 1990 Senate Vote #304, 10/24/1990; 1990 CQ Almanac, p. 60-S]

McCain Uses Loaded Term "Quotas" to Defend Vote. "WALLACE: You're here today at the Civil Rights Museum, but it has come to our attention that in 1983 you voted against the federal holiday for Martin Luther King. You voted in 1990 against civil rights legislation. Isn't it going to be hard to reach out to all those groups given your history and the history of the party? MCCAIN: Well, let me say in 1983 I was wrong, and I believe that my advocacy for the recognition of Dr. King's birthday in Arizona was something that I'm proud of. The issue in the early '90s was a little more complicated. I've never believed in quotas, and I don't. There's no doubt about my view on that issue. And that was the implication, at least, of that other vote." [Fox News Sunday, 4/6/08]

Bill Would Not Have Created Quotas. "Proponents of the bill contend that it essentially would have restored the law of employment discrimination that had been in force for nearly two decades, prior to six recent Supreme Court rulings that made it more difficult for minorities and women to win discrimination suits. They strongly dispute the contention that the new law would result in quotas." [Washington Post, 10/23/90]

Quota Opponent Says Bill Was Not a Quota. "Thomas Homburger of the Anti-Defamation League, noting the strong opposition Jews historically have had to numerical preferences and quotas of any type, said, 'this act is simply not a quota bill.'" [Washington Post, 10/23/90]

McCain Has A Long History of Voting Against Giving Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His Appropriate Place in History. The Senator from Arizona opposed a state holiday in honor of Dr. King in 1987, he opposed a federal holiday in 1989, and he voted to cut off funding for the Commission promoting the MLK holiday in 1994.