McCain continues war on capitalism

The presidential candidate just can't resist dragging the holiest Republican values through the mud

Published February 5, 2008 2:47PM (EST)

No wonder Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter are so upset.

In Boston on Monday, Senator John McCain announced that he was in favor of putting corporate CEOs who misbehaved in shackles and leg irons!

OK, well, not exactly.

From the Wall Street Journal:

"Unfettered capitalism is not something that I said I support," Mr. McCain said. "I support capitalism and the free-enterprise system, and that's why we have various agencies of government to bring these things under control. And from time to time throughout our history, there are excesses, and we have to fix them."

What is the madman going to say next? Does he also oppose child labor? Slavery? Lead poisoning? Apple pie and Chevrolet? Like many Americans, How the World Works has been puzzled at the spectacle of the Great Right Wing Talk Radio Jihad Against McCain. But now I think I understand. Any Republican who is willing to say, in public, that he doesn't support "unfettered capitalism," is without question a wild man whose fingers can't be allowed anywhere near The Button.


By Andrew Leonard

Andrew Leonard is a staff writer at Salon. On Twitter, @koxinga21.

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2008 Elections Globalization How The World Works John Mccain R-ariz.