acted irresponsibly…I believe the role of government is to help the truly needy, prevent systemic economic risk, and enact reforms that prevent the kind of crisis we are currently experiencing from ever happening again. Those reforms should focus on improving transparency and accountability in our capital markets -- both of which were lacking in the lead-up to the current situation…However, what is not necessary is a multibillion dollar bailout for big banks and speculators, as Sens. Clinton and Obama have proposed. There is a tendency for liberals to seek big government programs that sock it to American taxpayers while failing to solve the very real problems we face.’” [CNN, 3/27/08] MCCAIN CRITICIZED CLINTON FOR HER LACK OF SUPPORT FOR TAX RELIEF Appearing On Fox News, McCain Argued That His Desire To “Give Americans Relief…From Taxes” Represented A Difference Of “Views And Philosophy And Vision” Between Him And Then-Senator Clinton. “I want to give Americans relief -- relief from taxes. And that’s my goal, and I, again, hold to the firm conviction, the fundamental principle is that a reduction in taxes lead to growing economies and eventually increases in revenues. And increases in taxes have the opposite effect on entrepreneurs, on businesses and families in America. And that will be a clear difference of opinion between -- and views and philosophy and vision between myself and either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton.” [FOX News, Your World With Neil Cavuto, 4/16/08] SUPPORT FOR MILITARY MIKE HUCKABEE BLASTED CLINTON FOR VOTING AGAINST AN AMENDMENT TO CONDEMN MOVEON.ORG FOR INSULTING DAVID PETRAEUS Washington Times: Huckabee Lashed Out At Clinton For Her Refusal “To Condemn By Name The Billionaire Backer Of MoveOn.Org’s Attack On Gen. David H. Petraeus,” Saying She Had To “Get [Her] Lips Off The Backside Of George Soros.” “Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee gets uncharacteristically angry when talking about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s failure to condemn by name the billionaire backer of Moveon.org’s attack on Gen. David H. Petraeus. ‘If you can’t get your lips off the backside of George Soros long enough to use those lips to say it’s wrong to declare a sitting general … guilty of treason,’ the 2008 Republican presidential hopeful said, ‘how would you ever expect to have the support of the very military you might have to send into deadly battle?’” [Washington Times, 9/25/07]  Then-Senator Clinton Voted Against An Amendment “To Express The Sense Of The Senate That General David H. Petraeus,…Deserves The Full Support Of The Senate And Strongly Condemn Personal Attacks On The Honor And Integrity Of General Petraeus And All Members Of The United States Armed Forces.” [S.Amdt.2934, S.Amdt.2011, H.R.1585, Vote 344, 9/20/07] WASHINGTON DAVID AXELROD INSISTED THAT HILLARY CLINTON DID NOT OFFER REAL CHANGE IN THE 2008 PRIMARY, BUT RATHER A CONTINUATION OF WASHINGTON POLITICS Axelrod On Clinton: "But For All Of Her Advantages, She Is Not A Healing Figure…The More She Tries To Moderate Her Image, The More She Jeopardizes Herself In The Nominating Fight And Compounds Her Exposure As An Opportunist." "I also offered Obama my assessment of his most prominent potential opponents: Hillary Clinton is a formidable candidate, who should be considered the frontrunner for the nomination because of her strength, intellect, discipline, and, of course, access to an array of assets far in excess of any other candidate. …But for all of her advantages, she is not a healing figure…The more she tries to moderate her image, the more she jeopardizes herself in the nominating fight and compounds her exposure as an opportunist. And after two decades of the Bush-Clinton saga, making herself the candidate of the future will be a challenge…" [David Axelrod, Believer: My Forty Years in Politics, 2/10/15] Commented [BJ1]: RNC bullet, no access to original source