The Old McCain condemned Bob Jones; the New McCain…

In 2000, [tag]John McCain[/tag] excoriated George W. Bush for kicking off his campaign in South Carolina at Bob Jones University, visiting the campus and delivering a speech to the student body. McCain assailed the appearance, arguing that Bush’s uncritical speech at BJU was tantamount to an endorsement of the school’s policies. John McCain told reporters, “If I were there, I would condemn openly the policies of [tag]Bob Jones[/tag], because I would want to make sure that everybody knew that this kind of thing is not American.”

It was hard to disagree. BJU, of course, is a rigidly Christian fundamentalist school with a record of virulent racism and anti-Catholic policies. (The school, for example, used to ban interracial dating among its students and school officials have repeatedly attacked the Roman Catholic Church, referring to the pope as the “Antichrist” and calling Catholicism a “satanic cult.”)

That was then. Now, the New McCain isn’t nearly as disgusted with the school as he once was.

How would U.S. Sen. John McCain respond to an invitation to address the student body of Bob Jones University? Very carefully. […]

McCain, the current front-runner for the Republican nomination, left the door open for a visit to the university. No invitation has been extended. It’s too early, school officials said.

McCain said he’d have to look at the school’s latest policy statements. “I understand they have made considerable progress,” he said. “I can’t remember when I’ve turned down a speaking invitation. I think I’d have to look at it.”

As the Senate Majority Project noted this morning, McCain, responding to Bush’s speech, said he would have gone to BJU and told them, “Get out of the 16th century and into the 21st century. What you’re doing is racist and cruel!” At the time, McCain added, “Instead, Governor Bush went there and never said a word. I would never, ever do such a thing.”

And what about McCain’s claim that BJU has “made considerable progress”?

Well, to be fair, the school has dropped its ban on interracial dating. But before McCain congratulates BJU for a new-found tolerance and respect for civil discourse, let’s not forget the letter of congratulations Bob Jones set to Bush after the 2004 election.

“In your re-election, God has graciously granted America — though she doesn’t deserve it — a reprieve from the agenda of paganism. You have been given a mandate. We the people expect your voice to be like the clear and certain sound of a trumpet. Because you seek the Lord daily, we who know the Lord will follow that kind of voice eagerly.

“Don’t equivocate. Put your agenda on the front burner and let it boil. You owe the liberals nothing. They despise you because they despise your Christ. Honor the Lord, and He will honor you.”

Sounds like a real moderate, doesn’t he?

Look, in 2000, the Old McCain made his alleged beliefs clear. He told an audience in Virginia, “We are the party of Ronald Reagan, not Pat Robertson. We are the party of Theodore Roosevelt, not the party of special interests. We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, not Bob Jones.”

In June, Kevin Drum suggested we start keeping score on the number of positions that “Mr. Straight Talk has abandoned now that he thinks he has a serious shot at the presidency.” I think that’s a good idea; here’s the scorecard so far:

* McCain criticized TV preacher [tag]Jerry Falwell[/tag] as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002, but has since decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.

* McCain used to oppose Bush’s [tag]tax cuts[/tag] for the very wealthy, but he reversed course in February.

* In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.

* McCain used to think that Grover Norquist was a crook and a corrupt shill for dictators. Then McCain got serious about running for president and began to reconcile with Norquist.

* McCain took a firm line in opposition to torture, and then caved to White House demands.

* McCain gave up on his signature policy issue, [tag]campaign-finance reform[/tag], and won’t back the same provision he sponsored just a couple of years ago.

And now McCain has managed to come around on Bob Jones. Just think, it’s only August 2006. He still has about a year and a half to reverse course on any number of other issues he pretended to care about.