-- Douglas Holtz-Eakin, chief domestic policy adviser for Sen. John McCain, in Time.
In most campaigns, there are internal battles between intellectually honest policy folks and consultants who want to create the clearest contrasts possible. Even though McCain has promised not to raise taxes, he has never ruled out accepting a payroll tax increase in order to shore up Social Security. From yesterday:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Social Security. You're a longtime supporter of the private accounts, as President Bush called for them.
MCCAIN: I am a supporter of sitting down together and putting everything on the table and coming up with an answer. So, there is nothing I would take off the table. There was nothing I would demand. I think that's the way that Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill did it. And that's what we have to do again.
STEPHANOPOULOS: In the past you said there was essentially -- and you told the "Wall Street Journal"...
MCCAIN: No, I have said and will say, I will say that everything has to be on the table, if we're going to reach a bipartisan agreement. I've been in bipartisan negotiations before. I know how you reach a conclusion. We all have to sit down together with everything on the table.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, that means payroll tax increases are on the table, as well?
MCCAIN: There is nothing that's off the table. I have my positions, and I'll articulate them. But nothing's off the table.Last time this happened, the McCain campaign was quick to distance themselves from the idea and Grover Norquist made a point of bringing up McCain's iron-clad promise not to raise taxes. We'll see what happens this time.
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