Jan 18, 2008 12:50 pm US/Eastern
McCain: Spending To Blame For Economic Woes
Presidential Contender Tells S.C. Voters He's Embarrassed As A Republican
FLORENCE, S.C. (AP) ―
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Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, speaks to supporters during a rally at the McCain Campaign headquarters, January 17, 2008, in Columbia, South Carolina.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
John McCain blamed overspending by the federal government in part for the nation's economic troubles as South Carolina voters Friday received the sobering news that the state unemployment rate had hit 6.6 percent, the largest one-month increase in nearly 20 years.
"As a Republican, I stand before you embarrassed. Embarrassed that we let that spending get out of control," the presidential candidate told voters on the eve of the state's GOP primary.
"The economy is not good. The stock market continues down. And the indicators are not good. I'm not too astonished. ... We let spending get totally out of control, and it continues today, and I'm sorry to tell you this," McCain said at a town-hall style meeting at the Carolina Hospital East Campus in Florence.
The Republican presidential candidate has voiced apprehension over proposals for temporary tax cuts and more spending as suggested by many Democrats and Republicans alike, saying they result in additional strains on resources. McCain has proposed cuts in corporate taxes instead from 35 percent to 25 percent, extension of Bush tax cuts, and elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax.
"People talk about a stimulus package. Fine, if that's what we want to come up with. But stop the spending first," he said.
South Carolina's unemployment rate jumped to 6.6 percent in December, the largest one-month increase since at least 1990, state employment officials said Friday.
The number of people without jobs rose nearly 16,000 to 142,800, the state Employment Security Commission reported. The total number of nonfarm jobs fell by 5,900 in December from the month before.
McCain campaigned with auto racing great Cale Yarborough, who called him "a real live hero."
The Arizona senator also had stops Friday in Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head and a wrap-up rally on the World War II vintage aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in Charleston harbor.
In a slip, McCain had to backpedal quickly when he was asked about his views on illegal immigration and responded that he had never supported "amnesty" and that "I've never supported Social Security for veterans." As some audience members gasped, McCain said, "Oops." Then, he corrected himself, "For illegal immigrants."
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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